cliche {Johnny Cade}

Vi.

Buck's place was lit up with red and blues as we walked up the stairs. All of us were shaking as Johnny knocked on the door, Buck opening it and frowning. Buck didn't like us, at all for that matter. I think out of all of us he liked Johnny the best, but only because of Dally's soft spot for him.

"What do you want?" Buck looks at all of us, obviously mad we took him away from his party.

"We gotta see Dally." Johnny says.

"He's busy."

"Just tell him it's Johnny man, he'll come." Johnny looks back at us and I give him a small smile, trying to tell him everything will be okay. I was lying, but it's okay to lie if you're scared. Buck sighs and closes the door, yelling for Dally.

"What do you guys want?" Dally opens the door, looking at all of us. We were all shaking, but Johnny had stopped crying. Dally's gaze softens when he sees all of us shaking.

"Johnny killed the soc." Pony says, his lip trembling as I nod. Johnny was just leaning against the door with his hands in his pockets as I lean on him, trying to stop crying. I rarely cried, but when I did I cried for ages.

"What? Good for you. Okay, uh, let's go." He places a hand on Johnny's shoulder, making me take my head off of Johnny's back.

"We figured you could get us out if anyone could." I say, Dally looking around at the party. "Sorry I got you away from this party. We just don't know what to do."

"I was just trying to get some sleep. Let me see what I can do about this mess. Get in." Dallas pulls the boys in, myself walking behind them. "Ponyboy, are you wet?"

"Nah, I'm okay." I look at Pony in confusion, his answer was not what Dally was asking. As we walk someone whistles at me, causing me to smile and wave. Dallas hits my arm down, saying something to the guy before dragging me upstairs. A dog starts walking down the stairs and I aw, petting it as much as I can before Dally pushes me forward again.

"You're gonna freeze to death." Dally points at Pony, causing him to take his shirt off and throw it on the ground. Johnny was looking out the window as Dally looked through his dresser, taking out a gun after a while.

"Man, I wish I had a weed now." I pull my legs to my chest as Johnny sits on the nightstand, looking at me with sorrow.

"Don't point the thing at me, will you?" Dally hands Johnny the gun and he puts it in the front of his pants. "It's loaded, come on." He closes the window and hands me money, saying it was fifty bucks. My eyes widen and I put the money in Johnny's jacket pocket.

"I don't wanna tell your big brother, and get my head kicked in." Dallas plops down next to me, handing Pony a shirt.

"Then don't." Pony starts putting the shirt on as Dally turns to me.

"What's on your neck?"everyone in the room looks at me, Dally tilting my head back to get a better look.

"Oh, uh, one of them choked me, no biggie." I shrug.

"Princess, they could have killed you. That's kind of a big deal."

"If I die, I die." Dallas sighs and shakes his head. By now Johnny was kneeling in front of me, playing with his lip.

"Get the 3:15 train to Windrixville. It's a freight. There's an abandoned church on top of Jay Mountain. There's a pump in the back, so you don't have to worry about water." He lights a cigarette off his necklace. "Get a weeks supply of food as soon as you get there in the morning, before the story gets out. Then don't so much as stick your noses out the door. Am I clear? I'll be up there as soon as I think everything's cool."

He sees us crying, sighing and pulling me into his chest. "Relax, buddy. Come on man. It will work out alright. Man, I thought New York was the only place I'd end up in a murder rap." He says and I cry harder, Dallas groaning and hugging me.

I don't care what anyone says, Dallas Winston has a heart of gold. To his friends at least. No matter what he says, Dallas Winston cares for people. He cares for me, for Johnny, heck, I think he even cares for Tim.

"I can't do it,"

"What are you talking about?" Johnny asks and I look at him. He looked as broken as he was, and his lip was bleeding from how hard he was biting it.

"I can't leave. I can't be a run away."

"What happens when they find out I killed him?"

"I'll take the blame. I-I can't go." I shake my head the same time Johnny does, Pony putting his hand on my shoulder. Dally was still next to me, but he wasn't holding me. I didn't want him to. I wanted Johnny to hold me.

"I can't leave you here. I promised myself I would protect you," Johnny whispers as I hug him, Johnny wrapping his arms around me as fast as he could.

"I'll be okay, Johnny. Now you go," I kiss his cheek and lean back to my normal spot, Pony clearing his throat.

"We gotta go." Johnny looking at me before standing up and leaving. I hear Pony whisper something to him, but I can't make out what, and Johnny nods. Pony waves at me and smiles, myself doing the same before they show themselves out.

I was crying again as Dally hugs me again, making me cry more. I'm still hoping that I'll wake up in five minutes in the lot, my head on Johnny's shoulder. After crying for a good thirty minutes, Dally stops rubbing my back and holds me at arm's length.

"They're gonna be okay, kid." I shake my head and Dally sighs, looking around before back at me. "Look, that kid cares a lot about you, he's not letting you go anytime soon. And I'm not supposed to tell you this but he likes you. A lot."

"Really?" I smile and he nods. I still couldn't really believe it, but the more I toss the idea around the more I could see it. The boys always talked about us, and whenever I left a room I would come back to a blushing Johnny while the rest of the gang laughed.

"Really. That kid only has eyes for you. He always talks about you."

Everyone has been real quiet since the boys left. Not even Two-bit has said much, and if he did speak, it was small choppy sentences.

"Violet?" Steve snaps his fingers in my face, making me stop staring at nothing and look at him.

"Yeah?" my voice was hoarse from not speaking in two days, and Steve noticeably cringes at this.

"Are you okay?"

"Not a chance. Are you?" He just shrugs and goes back to his seat on the ground. It sounds stupid, but I miss Johnny way more than I thought. I should have gone with them, but I didn't like the thought of that. It's only been two days, but my heart aches every time I look at where he would be.

"I miss Pony." Soda sighs, rubbing his head. Everyone nods, barely looking at each other.

"They'll be back before you know it."

"Do you know where they are?" Darry asks. I think Darry was taking it worse than anyone. He keeps blaming himself for everything.

"Somewhere in Texas, I guess."

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this is moving really fast but then again this book is practically half way over by now.