How things really are. // Johnnyboy

fear is a liar

Were at my house before I know it. By now, I've finally opened my eyes. I hear fireworks going off, but what ever joy I felt about today has been stolen. I feel skittish, like I should be ready to run any moment.

The man comes to the back, and I get a good look at him. He looks like he's around 25, with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. He looks gentle.

"Is anyone home?" The man asks.

I nod.

"Okay, I'll go up there and tell them what happened. Maybe they can help get you guys inside." He says.

He leaves, and Johnny grabs my hand. I don't pull away, because I wasn't the only one who was jumped, but I want to. I just want to forget that boys exist and that I like them.

I hear a man yell, "WHAT?!" and I'm pretty sure it's Darry.

Darry! I've never been so glad to hear his voice.

I hear footsteps running in my direction, then I see Darry and Soda at the edge of the truck bed.

"PONY! OH MY GOD!" Soda nearly yelps. I guess I must look awful.

Darry and Soda carry me in while Dally and Two-Bit carry Johnny in. I'm layed gently down on our couch while Soda runs his hands through my hair. I just stare at his shirt, hoping that he won't leave.

Darry thanks the man for getting us home, and asks him his name.

"Liam Jameson-Morales. Take care of those kids, okay?" He says. And with that, he leaves.

"What the hell happened?!" Dally asks. He holds a bag of frozen peas to Johnny's right eye.

"We was leaving da mofie theater. Damn Socs jumped us." His lisp is worse then earlier.

"He pulled a blade on you, Pony?" Darry asks, his voice shaking.

I nod dully. Suddenly the world is a lot more fuzzier then earlier.

Darry gets our medical kit while ordering Johnny to keep icing his wounds. Darry gets out antiseptic and cleans the stomach cuts. This pain is nothing compared to the never ending heat of earlier. Still, I shut my eyes again, willing today to go away.

After putting some bandages on my stomach, Darry leans over me and looks at my arm. He wipes away the blood, and then I hear him take a sharp intake of breath.

"Sodapop...come look at this." He says in a low voice. It's almost enough to make me open my eyes, but I don't.

Soda takes a deep breath. "Nothing we can do about it now." He says.

Darry says nothing, and continues healing my cuts.

Afterward, Darry tells Soda to carry me up to bed so he can help Johnny. Soda, with difficulty, does just that. He moves my head onto my pillow which feels so much softer after laying on the ground for so long. He pulls our blanket over me, and lays next to me, arms around me in a protective prison.

Before I fall unconscious, I hear him whisper, "I'm sorry I didn't keep my promise, baby brother."