The Outsiders: A Fanfic

Chapter Fifteen: The Secret Ive Kept Is Finally Told

     I relaxed on the couch beside Mo and Johnny.
     "Hey Ainsley? Just curious, but how did you know Pony was getting jumped when we met and how did you bring Johnny back?" Soda asked, walking in. I glanced at Mo with a worried expression.
       "I don't...I don't want to say," I said. Mo placed a hand on my shoulder.
       "We will have to tell them sometime," Mo said.
       "But-," I began. Mo shook her head.
       "No buts," Mo said. "We will tell them later or tomorrow, but it has to happen." I sighed and folded my arms.
       "Fine," I grumbled. Mo smiled. "Tomorrow. I choose tomorrow."
"Suit yourself," she said, shrugging. Johnny put his arm around me and I leaned into him.
       "Ainsley, I'm gonna go hang out with Dally. I'll see you later," she said, getting up from the couch.
       "Don't do anything you shouldn't be doing!" I called after her. I heard her laugh as she walked out the door.
       "Do you want to go school supply shopping with me?" Soda asked, walking in.
       "No," I said. Soda folded his arms.
       "You will have to go with me sometime," he argued.
       "Ok, but not now," I said. Soda walked out, and I snuggled a bit closer to Johnny. He held me close.
       "I'll hate when we have to go back to school," he remarked.
       "You won't have to. Everyone thinks you are dead," I said.
       "Oh. Right," he said softly. "But that won't stop me from being there for you whenever you need me."
       "Johnny, some day I'll have to leave, and I may never come back. The same goes with Mo. If I have to leave, I will try everything to get back. Hopefully that day never comes," I said, tears welling in my eyes.
      "Why will you have to go back?" He asked.
      "If I tell you, you can't tell anyone," I said. Johnny mimed zipping his lips.
      "I'm not from here. Here meaning 1966," I said. "My here is 2016." Johnny looked at me stunned. I nodded solemnly. "In 2016, I have a family. A mother, a father, a brother. My only friend in 2016 is now here, thankfully because I couldn't live without Mo. But I don't want to go back. I have made some new friends here that you couldn't put a price on. Friends that have helped me and fixed my wounds. Friends I wouldn't trade for a billion llamas. Friends I wouldn't trade for the world. And then there's you." Johnny said nothing. He just kissed me. I ran my hands through his dark hair. He pulled back.
        "Go on," he said. "You stopped at 'and then there's you'." I smiled.
        "And then there's you. You have been the best boyfriend a girl could ask for. You and I have been through thick and thin together, and I wouldn't even trade the bad times for anything. The bad times and the good times make up you and I. Johnny, I love you," I said. He then kissed me again. After we just held onto each other.
       "It took everything I had to trust that you were my girlfriend. I honestly thought that you were too young and too tuff and pretty, but when you and I kissed, it felt right. I just can't explain it," he said. It took so much self control and so much smiling to not cry then and there. I remember that when I first read the Outsiders, my mom had told me she had a crush on Johnny. I admit it's a bit weird that I'm now dating him, but it's a free country. Isn't it?
       "Do you want to go scare and embarrass Dally and Mo?" I asked. Johnny smirked.
        "Yes," he said. We got up from the couch and ran out the door hand-in-hand.