High on Life | Johnny Cade | The Outsiders

Chapter 7 | The Newspaper

I want to know why Dally wants me to stay with his random ass friends I barely know. Like Dally, what the fuck are you thinking.

Don't get me wrong, I bet they're good people, but isn't it strange to stay with your brothers friends? At least that's what I assume.

"Okay, so you've met Johnny and I, of course you know Dally, you've met Soda and Steve, so the only ones you haven't met are Darry and Two-bit." Ponyboy says. I don't know if he's talking to me, or talking at me. I don't really know how to respond.

"What kind of a fucking name is Two-bit?! Wait never mind." I changed my mind

"Ponyboy..Sodapop...of course there's more weird names." I muttered to myself, causing Johnny, who was right next to me, to chuckle.

His chuckle made me blush, what the fuck? I made the warm feeling inside me go away.

We made it to Pony's house. I was scared to go in, but I relaxed myself. I'm not weak, I can go in a damn house.

Johnny opened the door, Dally and Pony went in. Johnny watched me for a second.

"Well what are ya waiting for, go ahead." He said.

"Yeah none of us bite." Pony said, "Actually Steve and Two-bit might." I thought it was a joke, but he looked serious.

"I-okay?" I said confused.

I went inside the rickety looking house. It wasn't all that nice, I wasn't expecting much. It was really homey and cozy, so it's not a bad place.

"Seems nice." I said, and I was being honest. Better than where I lived in New York.

Pony looked at me, in shock from the comment. "Thanks."

I guess he didn't hear that a lot. I don't know what's wrong with the place. Sure on the outside, there's peeling paint, an overgrown yard, and a flimsy fence. But on the inside, it looked like a nice cozy home. I would've loved to spent my time as a child in a house like this.

"Can I see the newspaper again?" I asked Pony, who was about to put it down.

"Sure." He shrugged giving it to me.

I skimmed the story, looking for names I recognized. I found Eric's name. He was interviewed by police, and it said what he told them.

"She hasn't been the same for a while, but I know she would never do this, at least on purpose. She may seem tough, but she really is a good person deep inside, it's just nobody ever cared to see it."

Those words meant a lot, but they also hurt. I could almost hear him saying it. He's told me countless times he knows there's a good person somewhere in me, I just have to dig deep to find it.

I wish I listened before I went with Mike that night. It seemed like ages ago, but it has only been a  few days.

There's no going back.

I have to be tough. I can't let my guard down, not here. These people can turn on me any second. Dallas can always leave me again. The world is unexpected.

Dally leaving me in New York is what made me realize you can never fully trust anyone. Everyone can turn on you, and in your worst time, they will.

I truly believed Mike and his friends truly liked me. I thought Mike loved me, but he doesn't give a damn. The only person in this world who I can fully trust is Eric. He has never stopped caring, and I know he never will.

I kept reading more.

"The police interviewed Ava Winston's boyfriend, who states he was there, but only because she asked. He fled as soon as she through the stick through the window. He ran because he was afraid of getting in trouble."

"Of course he fucking said that." I muttered under my breath. Dally heard me.

"Who?" He asked.

"Huh? No one." I said quickly. That seemed suspicious, damn it 

He snatched the paper out of my hands. I rolled my eyes.

"Who the hell is Mike?"

"Some fucking loser I dated for a while. It's over now." I said.

"Well he sure as hell doesn't think so."

"Yeah, 'cause he doesn't know. He'll figure it out." I said with loud tone

Dally looked at me in shock. "What happened to ya, man?"

I shrugged, getting a cigarette out of my pocket and lighting it. "Life."

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Words: 707

Published December 26th, 11:43 p.m. EST