𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐒. ( 𝘫𝘰𝘩𝘯𝘯𝘺𝘣𝘰𝘺 )

Hearts and Halos // Chapter Three

// Johnny's Point Of View //

I don't know how long we've been sitting here but it must have been a while. The sky was starting to grow dark and the stars were starting to come out.

I stood up from where I was sitting and moved to walk around a bit. My legs hurt from not moving in a little bit, Ponyboy has been sitting here for forever.

"W-who's there," he called out.

I moved slightly, hiding behind a tree. I wasn't so sure if he could see me or not so I really didn't want to find out.

I know that I was just sitting next to him but he was too focussed on something else to even think that I was there. So, I just don't want to chance the possibilities of him seeing me.

If Max found out that Ponyboy actually saw me, he'd blow a gasket or something. That is not a sight that I want to see ever.

"C-come out," he said, his voice growing quieter.

Nope, nope, nope, nope, I don't think so Ponyboy Curtis. . . There is no way I'm chancing it to lose my best friend again and never seeing you again, I just got him back. . .

"I-i promise that I-i won't hurt you. . .," he called out.

That put a smile on my face because I knew it was absolutely true. Ponyboy Curtis was the one person I knew, who would never hurt another person on purpose.

He would never even hurt a fly, he's just a very gentle person. He don't ever want to hurt anyone because he knows they have feelings just like any other person.

I cared about him a lot and wish that I could be alive again, just to talk to him like I used to. Well, even if we talked, him and I could have conversations without saying a word.

He knew me that well enough just to tell by my expressions and how I'm acting around him. Him and I used to talk like that and the gang could never tell what was going on.

He used to tell me all of the time that he could tell emotions from people's eyes. I believe him because he told me how I was feeling just by looking at me.

// Short Flashback Starting //

Ponyboy and I sat on the dusty church floor, looking at the stars. It was quiet, just about dead silence and I was enjoying it.

"Johnny," Ponyboy had asked me.

"Yeah," I said turning my head to look at him.

"How are you feeling," he asked.

"I-i'm fine. . . Why," I asked nervously.

"You're lying to me, I can tell," he said with a smirk.

"H-how can you tell," I asked him.

"Everyone's eyes tell a story Johnny. Yours is a sad one and it hurts me to look at your eyes sometimes," he responded.

"W-what's my story then," I asked quietly.

"Johnny. . . You're sad most of the time, almost nothing makes you happy. You get hit by your parents, cussed out, and much more that I don't know of. . . Your childhood was spent with them telling you that you weren't good enough. But just know Johnny, people love you even if you don't think so." He took a deep breath and looked me in the eyes. "My mom always told me that if your eyes don't shine, you haven't lived. Every time I look at you, your eyes are dull with no sparkle. One of these times, I'm going to get you to live and be happy. No matter what it takes," he said with a small smile.

// Short Flashback Over //

That day I realized a lot about my best friend and my feelings. That day in the church I realized how much I cared for him, not in the way you'd think a person cared for their friend.

I may or may not have developed a small crush on him. . . I never told him though, in fear of being rejected or hurt like my parents did to me. . .