cliche {Johnny Cade}

xi.

"I used to talk about killing myself all the time. Now I don't wanna die, sixteen years ain't long enough. I wouldn't mind so much if there wasn't so much stuff I ain't done yet, so many damn things I ain't seen or nothin'. That time we were up in Windrixville was the only time I've ever been away from our neighbourhood. Violet, I really wish you came with us." Johnny says as Pony starts crying.

"Knock it off, you're getting too juiced up.The doc wouldn't let us see you." Pony suddenly leans back as a nurse comes in, peering down at Johnny.

"Your mother is here to see you." Johnny closes his eyes and I gasp. I hated his mother with a burning passion.

"I don't wanna see her. She probably just wants to come down and tell me the trouble I'm causing! Why don't you just tell her to leave me al-" He stops talking and I gasp, leaning forward to see if he's breathing.

"What's the matter with Johnny?" Two bit was back as I was leaning over Johnny, my tears falling on his back.

"You can't see him now."

"No! Is he okay? Please tell me he's okay."

"I can't tell you that."

"He's the god damn love of my life! Let me stay here with him!"Two bit says something to the nurse and hands her a book before dragging me away from Johnny. I was crying really bad at this point, trying to get back to Johnny. Two drags me into Dally's room, where the nurse was asking where his gown was. He was laughing as she left, as we awkwardly stood next to Dally.

"Dally," He looks at me and sits up, holding his arms out for me to hug him. I get into his arms as quickly as I could, crying into his shoulder. After I was done he got up, closing the door.

"This place gives me the creeps, I want out." He crawls back onto his bed, "Tim dropped by, saw my picture in the paper. Couldn't believe it didn't have 'wanted dead or alive' underneath it. Starting to rub it in about the rumble, I hate missing it. You got a cigarette, Pony? Why is little red crying?"

"Johnny. He's not doing so well." I sniff and he looks at me, sighing.

"He'll be fine, right?"

"Listen, Dal, I don't know about stuff like this, but he don't look so good. Passed out cold before we left." I take a sharp breath as Dally lays down with his back towards us. He broke his cigarette, throwing it at the wall and flipping so he's on his back.

"You still got that knife on you? Give me it, will you?" His arm was stretched towards me as he turns his back to us. I take the blade from my waistband, carefully opening it and handing it to Dally. I've never really opened a switch before, I didn't really need to. The gang always made me carry it around though, just in case anything happened when I was walking home.

"Thank you. You know, we gotta win that fight tonight. We gotta get even with those Socs!" He stabs the pillow and I cringe. He flips around to see us, pointing at us, "Let's do it for Johnny, man. We'll do it for Johnny!"

Dally made us leave after that. I knew it was so he could cry. I've seen him cry before, but I don't think the others have. Dally crying was really sad, and he managed to curl his six foot frame into a small ball in my arms. He was real beautiful when he cried, he looked so innocent. Like he's as pure as water. He would never take pride in crying, but I think he should. Crying shows you're human, and not just a body taking up air.

"You okay?" Two-bit was standing in front of us at the bus stop. Pony was rubbing his face and I was feeling his forehead. He didn't look like he was feeling well, and my motherly instinct was kicking in.

"You feel kinda hot. Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine. Be a pal and don't tell Darry, okay? I'll just take a bunch of aspirins when I get home."

"Alright, but Darry is gonna kill us if he finds out you're sick." Two says, walking to my side of the bench.

"Keep your traps shut and he won't find out nothing." I nod, the bus pulling up. I always kept my trap shut for the gang, I had at least four things on each boy that no one knows about.

"The only thing that keeps Darry from being a soc is us." Two hands us both a quarter and we climb onto the bus.

"Tonight, something's gonna happen. I don't like it one bit." Pony rests his head on the window and Two looks at me with a look on his face. The look was a mix of shock, confusion, and fright, the same look I probably had the same look on my face. We didn't talk for the rest of the ride, walking off awkwardly when we got to our stop.

"We're gonna stomp ass on them Socs tonight, everything's gonna be alright."

"Yeah. We're all gonna be just fine. A few bruises and my hand will probably be broken, but that's fine."

"You're not fighting, Violet." Pony and Two say at the same time, making me frown.

"What? Why not?"

"You know Johnny will skin us if we let you. Plus we don't want you to get hurt." That was very true. Johnny hated when they even mentioned the rumble in front of me. He didn't want me to fight, even though I fight Dally all the time. Once, Dally accidently punched me in the cheek and Johnny didn't even glance at him until I was better. Which was probably hard on both of them. Dally being Johnny's idol, and Johnny being Dally's only reason to stay in the gang.

The sun was setting as we walk home, stopping when Cherry get's out of her car and screams for Pony. Two talks about the fight a little bit before dragging me away from them. "You miss Johnny a lot, don't you?" I nod and look down, frowning.

"What did he say to you when we first left? We weren't listen then."

"He asked me why I didn't say anything sooner, then said he loves me."

"That's great! Why aren't you excited about it?"

"He's not gonna make it, Two. We all know it, he knows it." Two stops me with a sad look, hugging me to get me to stop talking.

"He will. Don't worry."

---

honey you got a big storm comin.

(also i'm making a Dally story and Soda story so peep those.)