「look at the stars」 | Johnnyboy

S i x t e e n .

"The doctor says he's redoing the tests for your thyroid. Some show you're fine, others show there's more than one problem." Sodapop sighed, combing his fingers through his hair gently. They were both sitting on the hospital bed. Ponyboy had only been awake a few minutes, but somehow they'd already engaged in a conversation. He nodded, showing his brother he understood, before speaking.

"How's Angela? Any news on when the surgery's gonna be?"

"It should be tomorrow morning," Darry stood from his seat to stretch, a yawn briefly taking over him. The youngest of them coughed out a small laugh.

"You can sleep if you want, Darry." He looked to his second oldest brother. "You both can. I'm fine, guys, I swear." He wasn't. He felt like he was drowning, but not because he'd passed out. That had happened a few times within the last few days. It was the memory of the texts on Johnny's phone that kept getting to him. Each time he thought about it, an ache ran through his entire body.

"We're gonna wait 'till Johnny shows up, so you're not alone."

"I don't want to see him," the fourteen year old responded immediately, now averting his gaze from his brothers' prying eyes.

"Pony, did something happen?" This came from Soda. "Earlier I heard shouting, and then I could've sworn I heard the front door-"

"Nothing happened. He just went on a walk, and I don't want him to have to see me in the hospital. You know how anxious he gets and all." The lie came to him so easily that it was almost scary.

"Okay. Well, we left him a note. But if you don't want to see him, that's fine. Two and Steve'll be here eventually."

"None of you have to stay all night. I'm fine, they'll let me go in a jiffy." Who even says that anymore? He mentally scalded himself, but dismissed it nearly as quickly as it'd come.

"Well, I've gotta work in a few hours. But your bonehead of a brother here is gonna stay with you," Darry patted Sodapop's shoulder, offering his siblings a small smile. However, despite how he didn't say it, they both knew he was worried about Ponyboy.

"Alright." He mumbled, sliding his body down slightly so he could comfortably lay in the hospital bed. Comfortable wasn't exactly possible, but at least partially. "What time is it, Soda?"

"A little after midnight."

"Gosh, that's late."

"You've stayed up later before."

"Don't drag up the past."

"It was literally last weeken-"

"Shhh, it's the past."

About thirty minutes later and they'd convinced Darry to go home and get some shut eye before he had to complete the roofing jobs he'd scheduled for the morning. The doctor kept checking in and reassuring them that they'd have the results soon, though they'd mostly forgotten about receiving them. They laid side by side, a rerun of Friends playing on the television that was firmly mounted on the wall.

Ponyboy wasn't actively paying attention to the show, though. His mind was on something else entirely - not his health, not how he hadn't completed the homework that was due in two days, not even when he'd get home, no. His mind was running with worries of both Johnny and Angela. He had so many questions that would no doubt go unanswered, and that bothered him more than he was capable of explaining. Life just wasn't as simple as it had been when his parents were still around.