Yellow Roses// Johnnyboy [𝒸𝑜𝓂𝓅𝓁𝑒𝓉𝑒𝒹]

u n o

welcome to my first real johnnyboy book! im writing this out of stress and procrastinating studying for my French exam tomorrow but I'll live

you might've read this from my other book, but i changed it up a little :)

anyway this is a soulmate AU and I hope you enjoy!

(I already have chapter 2 written so I'll post it as soon as possible :))

edit from chapter 11 ria: yooo I'm re reading this and I swear my writing gets better later, I'm super rusty in the first few chapters lmao, but enjoy the book!!

Ponyboy's POV

I walked alongside my best friend, smiling to myself. It was bright out today, which meant more people would probably wear short sleeves.

And short sleeves means being able to see people's tattoos, which means checking if it matches mine.

Everyone in the world has a soulmate, and a tattoo on their arm. Their soulmate has a matching tattoo, in the same spot. I haven't found my soulmate yet, but a few of my friends had. Just Johnny and I, I think, that haven't. It bugs me something awful to think about the fact that they're out there, somewhere, and I haven't found them yet.

I had a rose tattoo on my forearm, which doesn't seem all that tuff to me, but you get what you get.

I sighed, as Johnny spoke up.

"Don't worry about it, Pony.. They oughta turn up.."

I looked over at him, studying the deep look in his big black eyes, and his ruffled black hair.

"How'd ya know I was thinking about it?" I asked, as he reddened, that anxious look returning to his eyes. He looked away.
"You just get that look.. like you're worried about somethin'." Johnny replied, shoving his hands in his pockets.

I nodded, slowly. "Yeah.. it just.. kinda aches, y'know? That person's prob'ly thinking the same thing I am, right now.." I shook my head, as if to clear the thought. Johnny just nodded.

"Se solo tu sapessi..." Johnny whispered, running his hand through his hair.

"Huh?" I didn't understand Italian, but I knew Johnny was fluent. That must've been what he said. Unless I've just lost my ability to understand English.

"...Oh, nothin'. Just nervous practicing.. got a test later today." He replied, pulling at the sleeves on his jean jacket. I was wearing a T-shirt, like I always did. I'm not sure why he always wore hoodies and sweatshirts.. doesn't he get hot?, I wondered, as I stared off at the landscape.

We walked the rest of the way to school, talking about our friends, track, sunsets and everything in between.

"You know that one poem?" Johnny started, staring at the trees in the distance.

"Nature's first Green is gold.
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower,
But only so an hour.
Then, leaf subsides to leaf.
So, Eden sank to grief.
So dawn goes down to day..
Nothing gold can stay.." Johnny recited, slowly, keeping his voice down as usual.

I nodded, as a smile tugged at my lips. I loved talking poetry with Johnny.. he's the only one in the gang that's interested in it. Everyone else is all rumbles, or jobs, and no time for fun. They'd probably make fun of me, anyway.

But not Johnny.

"Sure do. What about it?" I asked, studying him. The way the light bounced off his eyes, they looked an amber color. And with his hair slightly messed up, and the light making his skin look a light caramel.. I subconsciously bit my lip. He's just so pretty..

No! I almost screamed at myself. That's not fair to your soulmate- You're not allowed to want him. You just.. can't..

Johnny turned back to me, and I averted my eyes in a panic.
"I was thinking about it.. and I think I figured out what Frost meant when he wrote it." He stated, as we stepped onto school grounds.

"You think so?" I asked, carefully letting my eyes tack onto him again.

"Mhm.." he hummed, as he began to tell me all about it, in his steady, quiet voice. His voice reminded me of.. music.
But not Elvis, or Johnny Cash, or any tuff singers like them.
Not that Johnny's voice isn't tuff. It just reminds me of.. a lullaby. He's got a real sweet voice. Bet he'd be a good singer for sure..

"Golly Johnnycakes.." I murmured. He sure did a lot of thinkin'..

Johnny always understood things deeper than I did.. that's what made us different. I could grasp a topic awful fast, and be ready to move on real quick.

But Johnny, it took him a little longer. But boy, he could understand anything deeper and better than anyone else I know.

"'Never thought about it like that.." I said, mostly to myself, as we swung our lockers shut. He nodded, taking his spot at my side again.

"I thought maybe you knew already. But you always tell me.. the more that 'chya know.." Johnny said, and smiled just a bit. Johnny doesn't smile too much, so I just had to smile back. I could feel my ears burning.

What a day I'm in for..