𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 , 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬

eight.

MADELINE WINSTON

i scramble out of bed to throw on a jacket and pair of shoes, and then i run downstairs. soda, darry and pony are waiting for me downstairs and we walk out together to darry's car—soda sits passenger's and pony and i are in the back.

"what happened?" pony asks frantically.

"i was driving home from work when i passed a group of familiar lookin' socs. they were running away from something and that's when i saw bob. he was lyin' on the ground with johnny." darry explains as he speeds through town. "i pulled over, ran to them. i guess they both pulled their blades on each other at the same time. the rest of 'em got scared off."

we pull into the parking lot of the hospital and run in together as a group.

we're lead to johnny's room and pass bob's on the way. he looks really bad as he lies there in bed; white as a ghost with his face scrunched in pain. his stomach is bandaged up, covering the wound where johnny got him.

"madeline." darry waves me over to continue following them down the hall. i quickly catch up to the room soda and pony just entered.

"hey, johnnycakes." soda smiles, nearing johnny's bed.

johnny looks almost the same as bob does; same position, same injury. except bob's face is a mix of pain and anger. johnny's is pain and sadness.

"hi, guys." johnny's smile and voice is weak.

we all stand around his bed trying to cover our worried expressions with smiles.

"how ya doin, kid?" darry asks, kneeling beside his bed.

"i've been better." johnny jokes. "if it weren't for you spottin' me out there in the lot, i would'a been dead by now."

"yeah yeah." darry smiles.

"i'm so tired of that same group of socs, man. they were the ones that attacked us at the fountain last week." johnny looks at pony. "this is the third time bob's had his way with me and—and i couldn't take it anymore."

i look over at pony. i can see it in his eyes he's scared to see his bestfriend like this.

"you got him good, little buddy." soda smiles.

"if dally asks about me, will you tell him i'm doing j—just fine?" johnny struggles to get his words out.

i nod my head, "i will tell him just that."

he smiles before closing his eyes, dosing off to sleep.

the four of us walk out of the hospital in silence. we're heading straight for darry's car when pony drops to his knees and starts crying.

soda and darry quickly run to catch up to where he sits on the pavement in front of me.

"ponyboy?" soda asks, the same amount of concern on his face that darry wears.

"i'm sorry, i just ... i know how scared johnny is of the soc with the rings and he's had enough fight time with him to last a lifetime. i just don't like seein' him like that." pony cries.

"it's okay, kid. you're gonna be okay and so is johnny. let's go home, yeah?" soda asks and pony nods. i watch as soda scoops him into his arms and carries him to the car.

"do you think johnny will be all right?" i whisper to darry as we follow behind.

"i hope so. i'd like to think he will be."

"why's there gotta be so much fighting?" my voice comes out small.

darry lets out a sympathetic sigh as he looks at me with sad eyes, "i wish i had an answer."

"hey!" someone calls out to us right before we get in the car. soda is on one side since he just put pony in the backseat and darry and i are on the other.

the voice belongs to dallas. he must've gotten a call about johnny and rushed over to see him just like we did.

"how is he? how's johnny doin', man?" he catches up to us.

"he looks pretty bad, dally." soda frowns. "he fell asleep right before we left."

my brother turns to look at me with wide, scared eyes.

"he told me to tell you that he's doin' just fine." i force a smile.

he nods and begins looking around the parking lot in a nervous manner. i don't think he knows what to do with himself knowing johnny's hurt. i can tell how much he cares for him.

i feel darry's hands on my shoulders, "we gotta get home, dal."

dallas turns toward us, his eyes dropping to darry's gesture on me, "why don't you come with me tonight, mad?"

"why? i'm fine there—"

"come with me tonight." he states a little louder this time.

i reluctantly walk towards him, stopping to look back at darry once more, "tell pony i hope he gets some rest."

"i will." he gives me a soft smile before hopping in his car.

dallas and i walk around the parking lot until we find his car.

"why am i going with you tonight, dal?"

"just get in will ya?" he asks, opening the driver's side door. i listen and slide in next to him.

the ride back to his place is quiet. we don't speak once.

it's around three in the morning when we finally make it up to dallas' bedroom. i sit on the edge of his bed to pull off my shoes and jacket.

"these damn socs need to stay on their side of town." dallas grumbles as he stares out the window even though the lights are on in his room and he can't see anything outside.

"your bed isn't as comfy as i thought it was." i mumble, sliding under the covers.

his hands are on his hips as he looks over at me and lets out a sigh, "you're the same age as johnny. if it were you in that hospital bed," he shakes his head, ignoring my comment on his choice of mattress.

"what would you do?" i ask.

"nothin' legal, man." he pulls down the covers on the side closest to him. "scoot over, kid."

i move barely an inch since i'll fall in the crack between the bed and the wall if i move any more, "dally, i'm as far over as i can go."

we stare at the ceiling in silence once he turns the bedside lamp off.

"i guess—i guess i just wanted you to sleep here tonight because i'll know you're safe if you're with me."

"i thought you wanted me to come with you because of darry." i admit.

"yeah, that too."

i smile to myself at his answer knowing it's not just because of darry. for as little as dallas might show it, he does care.

"g'night, mad." he breathes out a sigh, facing away from me and clutching his pillow.

"night, dallas."