Stronger with You

Here is Better than Home

Johnny*
May 31, 1965

By the time I had left the Curtis' last night, my stomach was sore from laughing so much. I liked being with the gang. They made me feel loved and accepted.

and they didn't beat me.

I walked home and hoped when I got there my parents would have a change of heart.

Even if I knew deep down they would never love me, every time I came home I wish it'd be nice and peaceful. I wish I had that loving, caring family, but I don't and I just have to accept it.

I walked inside the house, the voices on the TV rang in my ears. My mom sat on the couch a cigarette dangling between her fingers and my dad say in his cheer with a beer in his grasp.

"What the hell do want?" He slurred narrowing his coal like eyes at me.

"I just figured I should come home for a few days. Thought maybe y'all wanted me here." The words left my mouth so quick and quiet that I didn't believe I actually said them.

My mom let a bird like laugh out and it sent shivers down my back, "We don't."

My dad got up and fumbled over to and grabbed my shirt, "Are you sassing me boy?" He pinned me against the wall.

"No, no, I'm sorry." I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for him to hit me, but instead he threw me on the ground.

"We never should of had you!" He sneered kicking me in the stomach. I didn't show how bad the words hurt I just let him continue the beating.

It wasn't until a two-by-four came across my back that I screamed.

"No good, piece of shit!"

The piece of wood came across my thigh and a foot came to my mouth. My body throbbed and my head was spinning. My dad threw down the piece of wood and stumbled back to his chair.

I let the tears drip down my teeth and crawled to the door, my drunk mother laughing behind me.

I knew my back and thigh would be bruised and my lip would stop bleeding soon, since I only took one blow to the face. I managed to get myself outside and once the throbbing stopped I picked myself up and walked to the lot. I could hide this from the gang.

I figure I deserved the beatings I got. You'd have to be a real shit person To get beat by your parents, and maybe I was.

I saw the Curtis' football and decided to take it back to their house. I picked it up and my blood ran cold when I heard the low rumble of a way nicer car than what normally drove around in this neighborhood.

I didn't carry a blade on me, I never thought to need one, but right now I really wish I had one.

"Hey Greaser!" A deep voice yelled out. The hairs on my arms and back of my neck rose and a chill ran down my spine.

I tried to find a place I could run to, but I was too late and the Socs were already circling around me.

"Y-you better get outa our neighborhood." I tried to sound strong but my voice betrayed me.

The leader, wore rings on his fingers and had a flask in his back pocket. His hair was curly and blonde; I had seen him before at school.

Every blow I took from the Socs seemed to go in slow motion. I felt every hit, until the cold rings came in contact with my cheek, right below my eye.

My vision blurred and dotted and I didn't realize they had left until awhile later. My jacket was off, but I wasn't very sure where it was at nor did I really care all too much.

I was falling in and out of consciousness when I heard two or three people walk up to me.

I felt my body get pulled into someone's arms and I couldn't stop the flow of tears.

"It's alright, Johnny Cake, I got you. I ain't no i'm gonna hurt you." I knew it was Soda. No one in the gang had that smooth of a voice when someone was hurt.

When someone was hurt Dally's voice got real cold, Two-Bits got high-pitched, Darry's stayed the same, but in a whisper. Steve just didn't talk, his presence was calming though. Ponyboy's voice got real shaky, like he was scared we wouldn't wake up.

The girls voices were of course smooth and nurturing, but with the guys, Soda was the only soft one.

I couldn't figure out why I started crying, my parents whooped me so I was used to the pain. I was real shaken though, the Socs were different then my parents.

I started retelling what had happened even when Soda told me to shush. I couldn't help but replay the senecio even when I was falling in and out of consciousness.

The last time I fell asleep, when I woke up I was laying on the couch in the Curtis' house. The gang was in the kitchen whispering amongst themselves.

"How're you feeling kid?"

I moved slowly and looked up to see Dally. His arms were crossed, a glare on his face, "Them damn Socs."

"I'm okay, Dal. Just a little sore." I didn't want to admit how scared I was. How much it had actually hurt.

Dally pulled a blade out of his back pocket and handed it over, "To protect yourself, just incase."

I took the object, but before I could thank him the girls walked in and he walked out.

"Here Johnny, take these. They'll help with your swelling and pain." Peyton said.

She dropped three pills in my hand while Maya grabbed me a glass of water.

"Thank you." I took the pills and laid my head back down, quickly falling back asleep.