Bad Reputation||Brooklyn Winston

Chapter 13

We went to the hospital in Tulsa. When I walked into the waiting room, Ponyboy was there with that Jerry guy.

I ran over and hugged Ponyboy. "Are you ok?" I asked.

He nodded. "I was just treated for smoke inhalation."

"Did you see Dallas and Johnny?"

He got quiet. "No. Dallas is supposed to be ok. But Johnny, they think he has a broken back."

I didn't say anything. I had told Dallas that I didn't care if Johnny died. If Johnny died, Dallas would hate me forever.

Ponyboy and I were in the waiting room when they brought Johnny and Dallas in.

I gasped when I saw Johnny. He was burned all over, but his face was really pale. He looked like he was already dead.

Dallas was sitting up on his gurney. When he passed Ponyboy he said, "If you ever pull a stunt like that again, I'll kill you."

Ponyboy rolled his eyes.

I managed to smile. Dallas would be just fine.

Ponyboy got a cigarette out and lit it up.

"You shouldn't be smoking." Jerry said.

"Why not?" Ponyboy asked.

Jerry looked shocked as he said, "Why, uh, because you're a kid."

Ponyboy shrugged. Just about everyone we knew smoked. Even Angela had, even though she had tried not to do it around me. She knew I hated the smell.

A little while later, Darry and Sodapop arrived at the hospital. Ponyboy ran to hug them. I noticed that Darry was crying. I figured that it was a private moment, so I thought I'd go see if I could see Dallas yet.

I walked over to the nurse's station. "Can I see Dallas Winston yet?" I asked.

"Dallas Winston?" One of the nurse asked.

I nodded.

"Are you his girlfriend?"

"No. His sister."

"Sweetie, do I feel bad for you." She said. "Room 411. On the fourth floor."

As I was in the elevator, I wondered what Dallas had done to create such a reputation for himself here. We'd only been in the hospital for an hour.

When I walked into his room, he was arguing with the doctor.

"I'm fine." He said. "I just want to go home. I hate it here."

"The burn site appears to be stable for now, but that could change."

"So then I'll come back." Dallas said, even though I knew he wouldn't. He had always hated hospitals. I don't know what it was about them, but he just couldn't stand them.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Winston. I can't let you leave." The doctor said, turning to walk out.

"Fuck you." Dallas called after him.

I walked in. "I see you're feeling fine."

He grinned. "Yeah, I've just got some burns on my arm. It's no big deal. Apparently I'll always have the scar, though. But hey, scars are tuff."

I shrugged. "I guess." I didn't think that scars were all that cool, but everyone else around here seemed to think that they were.

"So how are Johnny and Ponyboy?"

"Ponyboy's fine. He just breathed in too much smoke. Darry and Sodapop just got here."

"And Johnny?"