When Will You Come Back to Me? - A Johnnyboy Story

Chapter Three

Ponyboy's brothers and I left the hospital after another few minutes. We all wanted to stay, but the doctors wouldn't let us see Pony yet, told us that they had to check over him some more and that there was nothing we could do right then. Darry and Soda had work the next day anyways.

I was already drifting off by the time we got to the truck in the parking lot, I was so tired.  Soda and Darry kept exchanging nervous glances at one another, but they always managed to smile when they caught me looking up at them. Even though they didn't have to and I honestly wish they wouldn't, it was nice of them to try to be strong for me.  But I didn't need them right then— I needed Ponyboy to be alright. 

We all did.

I had never seen the two older Curtises look so tired out before. Sodapop was usually bouncing off the walls whenever we were together, and he was always wearing that wild grin of his. And even though I had claimed that it wasn't true while talking to Pony, Darry's face did always look hard and cold. He wasn't as unloving as Dally, that's for sure (although I knew quite well that Dallas was capable of love), but he was stern and strict pretty much all the time. I felt a little bad for Pony sometimes— it was true that Darry was always joking around with Soda and ruffling his hair, but I've never once seen him give Ponyboy more than an approving smile.

But now, they both were walking slowly and Soda was practically stumbling. Darrel Curtis would never trip, but there was no doubt he was exhausted, physically and even emotionally. Their eyes had deep, dark circles underneath them that suggested extreme lack of sleep, and Soda even looked a little thinner. Simply put, they were in bad shape.

Darry opened the door to the back seat for me, and even though I didn't feel much like talking, I made sure to thank him, to which he responded with a nod. I climbed in and leaned my head against the cool window almost as soon as the door closed. Darry and Sodapop got into the front seats— Darry in the driver's and Soda in the passenger's, which I was relived about.  I had seen Soda drive before, and I didn't even want to know what he drove like when he could hardly keep his eyes open.

As we pulled out and drove away from the hospital, I stared at all of the bright lights that were shining through the windows. I wondered briefly where Ponyboy's room was. I hoped that wherever it was, he would be able to see the sunset.

Street lights, bright signs and dim lights from store windows illuminated the otherwise pitch black streets.  I didn't know just exactly what time it was, but it was late.  I squinted my eyes.  After spending a week in a place where at night the only light I saw was a little fire, it sure felt strange to see all these things again that I've been looking at my whole life.  I wondered if anyone else would feel like that if they experienced really fast changes in their environments, or maybe it was just me.  Maybe I only felt strange because I just loved being in the countryside of Windrixville with nothing but Pony and our fire much more than being stuck in the busy, mean society of Tulsa.

It's funny— I had never thought about stuff like this before I got to know Ponyboy.  Like how I told him about how he dug sunsets and started showing them to me, and it was like they were never there before.  I really meant that.  Talking to Ponyboy and really knowing him opened up my mind.  I saw things in a new way, and thought deeper about them, too.  When he woke up and was out of the hospital, I'd have to bring it up to him how much he's changed me.  I thought that'd make him feel good.

I stared out the window again, watching the houses and barren trees whiz by.  It made me feel a little dizzy, so I closed my eyes slowly and tried to clear my mind.

I hadn't realized I had drifted off to sleep until the truck jolted to a stop and made me jump out of my skin. I yawned widely as the Curtis brothers got out of the car and slammed their doors shut. The loud noise made me groan quietly in the back of my throat.

I was so tired that I barely heard Darry say, "Dammit, Johnny, you never even put your seatbelt on that whole time." I hadn't realized that my seatbelt hadn't been on, but I didn't much want to reply. "You're damn lucky it was me drivin' and not Sodapop, if it wasn't, you'd be dead by now," he continued. His voice sounded so far away.

I nodded a little and tried to get out of the car, but instead, I felt two strong arms lift me from my seat. Darry must've been carrying me. I'd have to thank him for that later, too. I tried to help him by sitting up and wrapping my arms around his neck, and I heard him and Soda chuckle. What was so funny?

"Don't you think he's a little old to be carried, Darry?" Soda said, and I heard the gate to their house squeal open.

"Yeah, but it's not like it's hard. He's so light and thin," Darry said slowly. Was I really? I'd never much thought about it.

I felt us come to a stop. "We're here, kid," Darry said. "You want me to set you down here, and you can get some rest on the couch for now?"

I nodded weakly and felt myself get lowered down to their living room floor. "Thanks," I mumbled almost inaudibly, and I opened my eyes just a crack so that I wouldn't crash into anything as I stumbled to the couch. I barely smiled in relief when I finally sank down into the soft pillows. Gosh, but it felt good to not be sleeping on the church floor.

I was asleep before I could even get upset thinking about Ponyboy again.

Hi, guys!  A new chapter is finally up!  Thanks to everyone who's reading this story!  I hope you like it!
- Leah 💕