SAVE ME (𝘫𝘰𝘩𝘯𝘯𝘺𝘣𝘰𝘺)

Part 12

Status: rewritten and updated to be less cringe.

I walk home silently. If I hadn't walked the route to my house from the cafe a thousand times before, I'm not sure I would have made it home. My legs just walk. My brain isn't telling them where to go.

I get home and fall back on the couch, sighing. Darry pokes his head out of the kitchen, "Hey Pony, you finish your homework?"

"Yeah, on Friday."

"Good job." He comes and sits next to me, stretching.

"What are you doing home?" I ask

"Got to go early since I went in early." he replies, then looks around. "Where's Johnny?"

I shrug. "Don't know. He left."

"He get mad again?"

"More like scared. I took our relationship a little too far and--" For a second I've forgotten who I'm talking to. I sit up real quick. Darry is staring down at me, with a perplexed look on his face.

"I mean, like, like our, like--" I can't think of a good explanation for what I said, my brain is too jumbled. I groan in frustration, and a little bit of fear. I stand up and try to make a quick exit, but Darry grabs my wrist before I can even take three steps.

"Pony, I'd have to be an absolute idiot to not already know." He chuckles and hugs me tightly. "I knew the first day you brought him home."

"You did?"

"Of course, it was easy to see. For me at least."

I smiled happy to know that he isn't mad, but realize that Johnny doesn't exactly feel the same way, which quickly wipes the smile off my face. "I may have implied to him that he was my boyfriend today, and it's way too soon and I know it, but it just slipped out. I don't really know what to do."

Darry rubs my hair. "Pony, if it's what you feel then you shouldn't feel bad."

I sigh. "Yeah...I know..." It didn't make it any easier.

I sigh and walk upstairs to my room, flopping down onto the bed. I don't come out the rest of the night.

-

School sucked. All day I dreaded having lunch come, because I knew that would just be a reminder about Johnny.

When lunch eventually does come around, I hang by the door for a few minutes, to see if he will show up. He never does. I sigh and just walk out to Steve's car. We always had lunch together, and if Two-bit showed up then he'd tag along too.

"Come on kid you're keeping us waiting!" I hear Steve yell across the parking lot.

I look up and am surprised to see Johnny waiting with Steve. "Johnny?" I jog over. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought you said I could have lunch with you." He won't meet my eyes.

"I did," I stammer. "I just thought..." Steve is staring impatiently. "Never mind. Let's just go." We all hop into the car and head to the DX.

The ride is a bit awkward, since Johnny and I are sitting next to each other and not saying anything. But Steve is blaring music, so it isn't too unbearable.

Steve leaves us as soon as we got to the DX to talk to Soda. I sigh and walk inside the store, grabbing a few bags of chips and snacks. I toss a couple things to Johnny and make my way to the counter.

Sodapop scans everything but doesn't pay us too much attention. I grab our things and go to the break room, with Johnny following me. We sit at a table and I begin eating, but Johnny just stares at me.

Finally I cross my arms and stare back. "Johnny what are you doing here?"

He glares. "You invited me..?"

"Yeah, but that was before you left me alone at the cafe?" I scoff. "Look, I didn't mean to say it, and I know that it was too early. But you didn't have to leave like that. I would have understood if you told me it was too soon. You just didn't have to leave me alone."

"Pony, I'm sorry I left like that." He sighs. "No one in my life has ever shown any sort of interest in me--romantic or not. I was just surprised, and reacted the wrong way."

"Kind of felt like you hated me." I mumble.

He reaches across the table and grabs my hand. "Ponyboy, I definitely don't hate you. In fact, I really like you. You make me feel good..." he hesitates for a second. "I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?"

I look at him for a second. Fear becomes present on his face and his hand that is connected to mine begins shaking. I rub his hand lightly. "I forgive you Johnny."

"So...I can be your boy...friend?" he questions. 

I look down and blush. "If you'd like."

He frowns. "I don't want to if it's only me who likes it."

I laughed. "Johnny, I think I made it pretty clear yesterday how I feel about you."

He smiles shyly. "Yeah...I forgot."