Tough Love, Johnny Cade (Jally)

Nine: What's It Like?

"Get off!" Steve was losing his patience with Two-Bit, but Two was much more broad than Steve. Steve couldn't get loose from Two's playful hold. This was the next morning.

"It's a mating ritual!" Two said, messing up Steve's hair. "It helps attract all the females, you'll be pulling so many girls!"

Darry finally had to come in and break it up. Steve got super mad and started yelling something about his curls and Evie. I was sitting on the tan chair, fiddling with a drawing Pony had made for me. It was a little dog, a pup, but a mutt. I wasn't sure why he gave it to me, but I admired his skill.

"What is that, a gorilla?" Dally was looking over my shoulder. I startled slightly.

"Uh, no, it's uh, it's a dog."

"Huh." Dally raised his eyebrows thoughtfully. "It's got a big four-head. Looks like a gorilla. Lean forward."

I leaned forward and he pulled his jacket off the back of the chair. Two-Bit was now going at it with Sodapop, and Darry was staring to lose his patience too.

"Two's exited for camping." Pony said, suddenly beside us.

"It's a week away." Dally scoffed.

"Two-Bit doesn't need to count the days, he has the time of his life knowing it's going to happen." Pony said, observant as ever. Pony likes knowing things about people, and he pays attention. Then he'll rattle off something you never noticed or didn't pick up. He reads people. That's just how Ponyboy is.

"Alright, you lose, Two-Bit." Darry was wrestling Two, and he lifted him off the ground. Two was bent over Darry's shoulder at the waist, holding onto his head so he didn't topple.

"What the hell are you, Godzilla?" Two said. He made a silly "rawring" sound, biting his teeth at thin air, although I'm not sure how that resembles a dinosaur at all.

"No, I'm no Godzilla," Darry dropped Two over the back of the couch, and Two almost kicked Sodapop in the jaw as he fell into the cushion beside him. "Just impressive."

Darry wasn't wrong. It was pretty impressive that he could lift Two-Bit up like that. Two was the biggest one of us besides Darry himself. Two-Bit was laughing, exhausted. He still had his back on the seat of the couch, his head dangling off and his legs over the back of the sofa. Darry moved around Two's suspended foot, and headed for the door.

"Hey, where are you going?" Two said, a playful disappointment in his voice.

"Work, Two-Bit, somebody's gotta pay rent."

"You just got home from your job an hour ago!" Two continued. He reminded me of a little kid, who really didn't want their parent to go to work.

"Yes, I did, and that job isn't enough." Darry winked at Two, and got his keys. He looked at Soda.

"Later, Pepsi-cola."

"See ya, Darry." Soda said. Darry looked at Pony. He thought for a moment.

"Don't spend all day at the movies again, you hear?"

Pony groaned. "I was spending time with Johnny!" He complained.

"Alright, well you can spend time with Johnny here, or at Two's house. Socs are everywhere recently, it's getting deeper into summer."

"Okay!" Pony said. "We'll be with Dally the rest of the day anyways."

Darry looked between me and Pony, and then he nodded at Dally.

"Have a good day, Honey." Dally teased. Darry gave him a "watch yourself" look, and he left as Two and Soda laughed.

Dally suddenly grabbed me and Pony by the shoulders and and pulled us in. "So," Dally said, "what will we be doing together, Pony?"