Before Everything Changed // The Outsiders

Chapter 12

When I woke Dally was asleep in the arm chair and the guys were spread around the room on the floor laying in there coats. I looked back at Dally Laine was asleep in his arms she was so small compared to before she looked smaller than the last time I had saw her. Her face was stained with tears and she looked so young when she was asleep. My therapist walked in just on time like he should of been.
"Hey joh- woah what happened here"
He said. I laughed.
"Family"
I answered looking at Laine. Her hair was out of a ponytail now laying at the sides of her face. She know had skinny jeans on and a red life guard sweatshirt she must of been taking courses she was at a medical school. The therapist saw me looking at her.
"Old friend?"
He asked. I smiled at her beauty.
"I guess you can call her that"
I said. He laughed.
"Are you ready?"
He asked. I nodded and he picked me up setting me in my chair. My therapist was strong enough already handling other patients. As I rolled out after him I looked at Laine again and she had little smile spread across her face. I can't let her go again.
"Johnny your getting stronger!"
He exclaimed as I held my self up by the two bars I felt like a fricken gymnast and the metal pole was killing my back trying to keep it together. I didn't say anything because if I did I would plunge down and probably catch him unexpected. He helped me down and set me in my chair. I was about to roll out until I saw Dally burst through the door.
"Jonathan your not allowed to leave my sight ever again, I thought you were dead before don't bring me to other conclusions"
He yelled running to me and bending down. I stared into his cold icy blue eyes.
"I promise"
I said hugging him. He flinched at me but needed someone. He surprisingly hugged back. He rolled me to my room. I was glad Dally was my big brother figure. Laine had changed while I was in therapy into her work cloths. Once they got me settled into my bed Laine shooed the boys out because they couldn't be in here during my checkup. She sat there going through my files and then I saw my nurse walk through the door. I loved her she was so kind and the kinda woman I always wanted my mother to be like.
"Hi johnnycakes how ya feelin?"
She asked before pressing her lips against my forehead.
"Better now that your here"
I said. I immediately realized that might of hurt Laine's feelings.
"Oh nurse Winston's not that bad"
She said squeezing my hand we laughed and Laine stopped looking at my files.
"He was good all night his check ups turned out good and by the looks of it another day here and then he can get out of here"
She said handing her my files. She flipped through them quickly.
"Gee doll your so much better than your brother, I remember he was in her because he burnt his arm saving Johnny here and boy was he trouble. I walked in one day and he didn't have his robe on I asked him where is was and he goes I threw it out and I started going in about how much trouble he was and he goes get out your making me sick then started laughing boy I was glad when he got out"
She said laughing.
"But I couldn't love that boy more he would beg me to come down here and see Johnny and that he needed to make sure he was okay, that boy may of been trouble but he needed to sound tough so he wouldn't get hurt but I swear he didn't care about anyone as much as he cared about Johnny"
She said before kissing my forehead again.
"Now Laine I have to help doctor Peirce with a surgery can you take Johnny out for his walk?"
She asked setting ya files down and sitting at the end of the bed. She nodded and pulled my chair out. My nurse picked me up and set me in.
"Johnny be nice"
She said before walking out. I chuckled to myself. She never told me her name and I could never read her name tag the letters were to small or I must of been blind. She made everyone in the hospital call her ma'm. Laine pushed me out the room and the boys were there.
"Whatcha doin John?"
Steve asked.
"Going on my walk"
I said putting quotations around walk.
"It's supposed to help my depression but I honestly think I just need you guys to pull me out of my depression"
I stated. The boys laughed at my jokes. Darry came and ruffled my hair. I hated when people played with my hair now. I had no bangs anymore and it was way to short.
"Bud were gonna go grab something to eat see ya in a bit?"
He said. I nodded and the boys took there loud party down the hall leaving me and Laine behind. She started to push me in my normal route. She started laughing.
"What?"
I said with a giant grin at her beautiful laugh I had t heard in forever.
"You can make everyone fall in love with you can't ya?"
She said. I now laughed.
"I'm just saying ma'm loves ya and the gang loves ya especially Dally and Pony and I love ya how do you do it"
She said now with my giant grin but mine was gone if she doesn't want to get tangled up she should just stop and I do love her we would of been together a whole year and she was the first real relationship I have ever had. I loved her and she just sat here smitten at her words doesn't she know she is hurting me too.
"Johnny"
She broke into my thoughts I looked up and we were I frog. Of that big window this time I didn't have to want anything.
"Ma'm says you like stopping here"
I nodded.
"You know I think nurse ma'm makes us call her that because it's the closest thing to mom"
I said. She giggled.
"Me to me too"
She said. God she looked so pretty in the sun that was now getting ready to start coming down we had many hours still before it made it's way down. She started to roll me back to my room and the guys were there waiting.
"How was your lunch kiddo?"
Soda asked.
"Good"
I always stopped for lunch after my "walks". He smiled.
"C'mon john let's get you into bed"
He said picking me up and setting me down. I looked at the clock ma'm would be here any second and just on time the door opened. She studied the room.
"Well look what the cat dragged in"
She said at the sight if Dally.
"Well I can't say I wasn't thinking the same"
He said to her. She knew how to break him though and I already had the grin on my face.
"Well ol' Dall, it's real good to see you again"
She said wrapping her arms around him. He pushed her off and she laughed. He flashed a bright red.
"Where did your robe go?"
She mocked. He couldn't help but smile.
"I threw it out"
He said before they both joined each toner in laughter. She sat at the foot of my bed.
"So johnnycakes how's the back?"
She asked. I was still smiling at her.
"Well I can't feel the pole anymore"
I said with a smirk.
"Good"
She said in an actual caring tone.
"Well your burns are perfectly fine in perfect healing shape by now and as long as your back doesn't hurt I can start packing your bags tonight and you will be out by tomorrow morning. The boys started cheering and I smiled I was heading home.
"Ok John we will just need your parents to Coe. In and get you out so we know your safe"
She said. I forgot she wasn't there when my mom tried to visit me she didn't know anything yet.
"That can't"
I said.
"Why?"
She asked I looked at the gang.
"The gang will just sign me out"
I said.
"Jonathan!"
She snapped.
"They abuse me ok I don't want to see them and I'm not going to a boys home they gang has always taken care of me please don't have my parents come"
I begged. She looked shocked the a smile grew upon her face. She caressed my face.
"Oh Johnny"
She said kissing my forehead.
"I'm going to file a complaint about your parents abuse and then I'm going to adopt you"
She said. I had to shake my thoughts.
"Wha-what?!"
I asked.
"I adopted my seven year old a year ago and he needs a new friend well I mean brother and me and my husband have been looking for an older not to do the job"
She said. I started crying then hugged her.
"You are the first person that has ever shown they have cared about me other then the gang but I mean as an adult your not one to look at me and go eew greaser you like me for me!"
I exclaimed. She giggled and the room cheered once again.