An Outsider Love Story

Johnny

All I could do was sit in the living room and watch the door surrounded by switchblades. Angela fell asleep in the arm chair not too long ago. I put a blanket on her right after she did. I have switchblades that the guys took out of their pockets in a straight line. It was 12 o'clock and all I could hear was hooting, howling and shout from the lot. I held two switchblades in my fist as I could just imagine that the next person that walks through that door I was going to stab. And the next person that opened the door was Dally. I stood up so fast was getting ready to stab him but he grabbed onto my arms with Ponyboy falling to the ground. They were bruised up badly and bleeding all over the place.

"We are going to see Johnny." Dally says. Tim and the gang enter the house looking pretty bad.

"Go." Tim nods his head as he sits on the couch closets to Angela.

"I'll be back." I tell him as Dally and I grab Ponyboy and get into Buck's car. I let Pony up in the front as I sit in the back. Dally drives dangerously not staying on his side of the road and speeding. Soon a cop motorcycle pulled us over.

"Look sick, I'll say I'm taking you to the hospital, it be true enough." Dally pats Pony as Pony lays back and groans. I'm sure they were real.

"Alright buddy, where's the fire?" The cop leans on the drivers side.

"The kid, he fell over on his motorcycle and I'm taking him to the hospital." Dally lies smoothly.

"Is he really bad? Do you need an escort?" The officer looks concerned.

"How would I know if he's bad or not? I ain't no doc. Yeah, we could use an escort." The police officer got back into his motorcycle and drove in front of us.

"Sucker." Dally hissed. We continue to follow the cop all the way to the hospital.

"I was crazy, you know that, kid? Crazy for wantin' Johnny to stay outta trouble, for not wantin' him to get hard. If he'd been like me he'd never have been in this mess. If he'd got smart like me he'd never have to run into that church. That's what you get for helpin' people. Editorials in the paper and a lot of trouble... You better wise up Pony.. You get tough like me and you don't get hurt. You look out for yourself and nothin' can touch you..." Dally's voice was shaking. I wanted to calm him down but he was driving. We get to the hospital as the cop left us. Dally and I helped Pony out of the car and run into the lobby.

"Hurry!" Dally tells us.

"I'm sorry, boys, but he's dying." The doctor stops from going any further.

"We got to see him." Dally flicks out two-bits switchblade making me gasp.

"Dallas!" I scolded at him. We all need to see Johnny. He didn't have much time to live.

"We're going to see him and if you give me any static you'll end up on your own operatin table." Doc didn't even blink an eye.

"You can see him, but it's only because you're his friends, not because of that knife."

Dally looked at him for a second then put the knife back in his pocket. We run into the room and look at Johnny. He looked so pale and his body was still. I couldn't even tell if he was breathing or not.

"Johnnycake? Johnny?" Johnny stirred weakly and then opened his eyes.

"Hey." He said quietly.

"We won, we beat those socs. We stomp them and chased them out of our territory." Dally panted. Johnny didn't even try to grin at him.

"Useless.. Fighting it's no good..." His face got paler. I sat down at his bedside and grabbed his hand.

"They're still writing editorials about you in the paper. For being a hero and all. Calling you a hero now and heroes and all the greasers. We're all proud of you, buddy." Johnny's eyes glowed. That Dallas Winston was proud of him. That's all that Johnny ever wanted.

"Lola?" Johnny's voice uttered.

"Yeah, Johnny kid. I'm right here."

"Be, be strong. Be strong for me." At that moment I didn't know what he meant. I will always be Lola Shepard the greaser. Born and raised to be strong.

"Ponyboy." Johnny calls. Pony leans in closer to hear Johnny.

"Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay Gold." Johnny whispered.  Johnny's pillow seemed to sink in a little.

You hear people say when you die you look peaceful. That's not what happened to Johnny. Johnny looked Dead and miserable. Tears developed in my eyes. I wasn't going to cry. Johnny wouldn't want me to cry over him. I suck in my tears and grit my teeth. Dally leans over Johnny's body and brushes the hair out of his eyes.

"Never could keep that hair back.. That's what you get for trying to help people, you little punk, that's what you get.." Dallas stands up and slams his back against the wall. He yells out and frustrating.

"Dammit Johnny.. Dammit Johnny, don't die please don't die.." And then he was gone.

I knew I had to get up and chase after him before he did something stupid. He was going to, I could feel it. The second he left my side and this room. I couldn't bring myself to move. There was no way I could do anything. I felt the need to throw up. I ran to the trash can and threw up. Everything that I had today, the chocolate cake and the coke. I wiped my mouth using the coat sleeve. I looked back at Johnny. Pony was crying silently. All those days he spent with Johnny in the church. They were two of a kind. And now Johnny's gone.