Bad Reputation||Brooklyn Winston

Chapter 10

It felt like the world had stopped.

"Johnny... Johnny did what?" I didn't believe it. Johnny was the absolute last person I could imagine killing someone.

"Johnny killed a soc. Bob Sheldon. It's over the news."

I glanced at Two-Bit. Bob Sheldon was dead? But we had just seen him last night. "Where are they now?"

"We don't know." Darry said. "Ponyboy came home last night and him and I got in a fight. He left and I haven't seen him since."

Dallas lead me over to the couch. "So you really weren't with them last night?"

I shook my head. "I went straight to Two-Bit's after the movie." I paused. Everyone was watching me carefully. "Why is everyone looking at me like that?"

"Well," Sodapop began. "Ponyboy told me about what you did last night. To Bob."

I stood up. "You guys think that I had something to do with his death?"

"We won't tell anyone if you did. We just want know where Ponyboy and Johnny are." Darry said. "We'll help you guys out, find you a place to hide until we can figure out what to do."

I turned to Dallas. "Do you think I did it?"

He didn't say anything.

"Hold on," Two-Bit said. "She was at my house all night. I would have known if she had left. My front door is squeakier than any mouse."

I looked at him gratfully. "I didn't kill Bob. I may have had a moment last night, but I didn't kill him. The last time I saw him, he was alive and driving away in his car."

"We believe you." Steve said. He looked at Sodapop, who nodded.

Darry didn't say anything. I had the suspicion that he didn't like Dallas too much, and I was sure he felt the same way about me.

"You believe me, don't you, Darry?"

He nodded. "Sure."

I turned to my brother. "Please tell me you believe me."

Dallas nodded. "Of course I do. Why don't we get home?"

I was still in a daze as we walked home.

Once we were safe in our bedroom, Dallas turned to me. "You promise you didn't have anything to do with killing Bob? Because Ponyboy and Johnny said that you didn't, but I wasn't sure if they were just protecting you, or what."

"No!" I cried. "I didn't have anything to do with it!" I was quiet for a moment before I realized what Dallas had said. "Hold on, you saw them after Johnny killed Bob?"

He nodded. "They came here. I gave them some money and a gun. I told them where to go."

"Where are they?" I cried. "We have to go get them!"

"They're in a church in Windrixville." I opened my mouth to say something, but Dallas cut me off. "No, Brooklyn. We can't go get them. If we bring them back here, they'll get arrested. I'm going to wait a couple of days and then decide what to do."

"Will you at least take me when you go to see them?"

Dallas sighed. "I'm not sure if that's such a good idea."

I threw my hand up in the air. I thought we had gotten past this. "Why not? Would you say the same thing if Ponyboy and I weren't dating? You're going to have to get over this whole problem you're having, because we aren't going to be breaking up anytime soon."

"You really like him?"

I nodded. "A lot. Please, just give us a chance."

"Alright, I'll try to get over it."