Stars// Johnnyboy [𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕡𝕝𝕖𝕥𝕖𝕕]

10

hi y'all!

thanks for sticking with this book to chapter 10! I also wanna say please so check out my other book, Yellow Roses. That one's a little more interesting, since it has an actual plot and all that jazz lmao

Basically stole this idea from angel_writez , so please go check out her books and read them, cause they're wonderful n I love em!

(this is the first half of a two-shot I'm working on, and the update should be out soon! All I ask for is a little bit of patience!)

anyway, enjoy!!💕

Ponyboy's POV

I chewed the inside of my lip, only half-hoping it wouldn't bleed. The church fell in on Johnny 5 days ago, and I haven't been allowed to see him. He's been in and out of surgery, and even with that, consciousness.

They were sayin' he wasn't doing so good a couple days ago. But he's gotta live. He just has to. We can't get along without him. I just.. need him alive. I can't explain it.

And even besides that, I wouldn't be alive if he hadn't shoved me out before the roof collapsed. He saved my life.

I don't wanna think about that. Anyways, they're letting me see Johnny today. Said he's doing a little better.

"Mr. Curtis?" A nurse asked, snapping me out of my trance.

"..Y-yes?" I asked, licking my cut-up lip, like it'll heal something.

"You're allowed to see Johnny now, if you like," She said, as I stood up, nodding quickly. She nodded once, and led me down the hallway.

The nurse stopped in front of a door halfway down, and peered in through the window. She stepped aside, motioning for me to open the door.

"I'll be outside, just in case something happens."

"Thank you, miss.."

"Hinton."

"Thank you, Ms. Hinton." She nodded, and I hesitated, before turning the door knob and heading inside.

Johnny was laying on the hospital bed, with none short of a billion tubes attached to him.

"Hi Johnnycake," I whispered, sitting down in the chair next to his bed.

A smile tugged at his lips, and his almost-black eyes darted over in my direction.

"Hey Pone," he replied, in a raspy voice that sent something off in my stomach.

They're not kidding when they say butterflies in your stomach make you feel weird. Just 'cause I haven't seen him in 5 days doesn't mean I should be so nervous..

I smiled, I couldn't help it.

"How ya feelin'?" I asked. It was a stupid question. What did I expect him to say? 'Oh, great, not like a burning church fell on me or anything.'

Johnny didn't seem to think it was stupid, though. He tried to shrug, sticking out his bottom lip for a second. He sighed, before replying. "I'm pretty alright, could be a little better," he said, half-laughing without making a real sound. A hollow laugh.

Sense of humor's still there, it looks like. Thank goodness.

"How you and the gang doin'?" He asked. I met his eyes again. Swear it feels like you could dive into his eyes, they're so pretty and deep..

"Just missin' you.." I sighed, fiddling with my hands. I tore my eyes away from his, letting them settle back on the ground. Johnny was quiet for a few seconds before opening his mouth to respond.

The nurse burst into the room, starting to usher me away.

"His heart rate is too high", is what she told me. She said "his heart beat picked up so suddenly" that it was dangerous for him.

I made my way down the hallway, through the parking lot, and into Steve's car, where he was waiting for me.

Later,

I came back the next day, after school. I walked this time. Steve was still at the DX, and I wouldn't have wanted to bother him, anyway. The school isn't too far from the hospital, so it wasn't a long walk.

I had my bag slung over my shoulder, as I walked into the building. The nurse recognized me, and  quickly made her way over.

"Mr. Curtis! Good thing you're here. I have some news for you, about Johnny Cade."

"Yes'm?" I asked, rocking back and a forth on my heels anxiously.

"Johnny's.." She pursed her lips, taking a deep breath. "He's going back into a few surgeries. For his back. It's going to be a tough couple surgeries, and the doctors have a few concerns. But, you won't be able to see him for while, during the procedures and while he's recovering. He should be pretty good as new in a.. few weeks, or months."

I almost couldn't believe what I was hearing.
".. No seeing Johnny..? For weeks? Or months?"

The nurse paused, before nodding slowly. "It's the best option we have for him.. he should be alright afterwards.."

I nodded slowly, trying to process the whole thing. I started chewing my lip again, a bad habit I really need to break.

"Alright.. thank you for taking care of him.." I murmured, finally able to tear my eyes up from the floor.

She nodded, her lips forming a straight line.

"I'm sorry, sir. He'll be alright."

a/n: yoooo this is part 1, and part 2 should be out in 3-6 days, so get ready folkssss

thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!