Yellow - The Outsiders

08

Thalia
Thalia had put off telling Dally her secret for a long time. She only had so much time to tell the gang before, well, she couldn't.

"When should I tell them, Dal?" Thalia asked as the two made their way over to the Curtis' house for breakfast.

"Whenever your ready, hon," Dal said, trying to be very careful with Thalia. He didn't want to treat her as if she was a porcelain doll, but he didn't want to crack her either.

"If I don't tell them soon, it will," Thalia trailed off, not wanting to finish her sentence. Dally seemed to understand.

"I'll be there with you the whole time, babe," Dally said.

"What? Am I not hon anymore?" Thalia asked.

"You are still hon, hon," Dally said.

"Good," she said.

They walked into the Curtis' and Thalia had everyone sit down.

"Guys, I don't know how to say this because, well, I've never really had to say this before," Thalia said, trying to stray away from the main point.

"Tell em', hon, it's ok," Dally said, trying to be as supportive as possible.

"I'm dying," Thalia said, looking down at her feet.

The room was silenced. No one knew quite what to say to a girl that was dying.

Twobit was the first to speak up, "what? Thalia."

"Thalia, we're all here for you if you need us," Darry cut him off.

Thalia noticed how nobody seemed to ask her how or why she was dying.

"The doctors said I have some rare disease, and as of now, I have a little more than a month to live," she informed them.

"Well, then I guess we have to make this the best month ever," Sodapop said.

"I guess you're right, Soda," Thalia said.

Johnny
Thalia is dying.

Thalia and Johnny had gotten close within the two months that Thalia had been in Tulsa.

Johnny did not want to see her go. He wouldn't wish death upon his worst enemy. Johnny wanted Thalia to live. Heck, everyone wanted Thalia to live.

Johnny didn't want to be selfish, like he was Thalia's only friend. He knew how much Dally had loved her. He knew how much of a toll this would take on him. When Silvia had left him, Johnny could tell that Dally was upset. Johnny knew his hero like nobody else, except for maybe Thalia.

Johnny knew that he needed to keep a close eye on Dally. Dally would probably end up doing something stupid.

Once you have been in the dark, you learn to appreciate everything that shines.