Change Your Life (The Outsiders fanfic)

Chapter 5

"Tell me about your folks. What're they like?"

"They don't like me. I don't have brothers or sisters, so they want me to be perfect. Mom and dad fought a lot and tried to make me choose sides. I was stuck in the middle. Mom doesn't talk to me. And dad doesn't like me, and I sure don't like him..."

"Why don't he?" he asks.

"I don't know. That's what I don't get. I'm an alright kid at home. I just got mad at him that one time. And now here I am."

"I think I like it better when I'm getting beat on. At least they know I have feelings to hurt. Sounds like your folks ain't got that," he says.

"Don't say that. You're too good to get beat on."

"So are you. What's a nice girl like you getting all this trouble for? Nothing?"

"Yeah... Nothing," I confirm.

I lean back beside him, feeling the cold air freezing my entire body. I don't mind it though. Being here and talking to Johnny is something I've always wanted to do. Now that I'm here, it's fine.

"Hey, Johnny."

"Yeah?"

"Sometimes, do you ever wonder if when you wake up in the morning, you're actually falling asleep? Then your whole day is a dream. And when you go to sleep at night, you're just waking up. And your dreams are your days," I ask.

"I've never thought about it like that."

"Sometimes I just wonder how we really work."

"If my day was a dream, the pain is awfully real..." he says quietly. I nod gently. The sky is so clear here. Back home, I could never see but a handful of stars. But here, the whole sky is lit up by the twinkling of little lights shining across the black sky. Sometimes, I'd only see a shooting star once in a few months. Now, a few streak across the sky with a blue and white tail behind them.

"Things will get better in the end. If they're aren't better, it's not the end. We could get away somewhere. It'll all change. I like sitting here and talking to you. It's just as good as running away," I tell Johnny.

"I ain't ever heard someone talk like that. Maybe Ponyboy. I guess it feels different because you understand," he says. "But I guess it ain't the end just yet," he adds.

I smile to myself and chuckle. "I guess it ain't, is it Johnny?" I look over and see his smile.

"I guess not."

Clouds quickly begin to cover the sky. Thunder rolls, causing Johnny to open his eyes.

"Guess it's gonna rain," he says.

"Guess so... Should we head home?"

"You can. I'll stay out here."

"What if it rains?" I ask.

"I'll go to Pony's." Thunder sounds again. This time, it brings rain with it. It pours down on both of us, immediately drenching our hair and clothes. The fire begins to hiss and smoke as it smolders.

Johnny and I jump to our feet. I pull my jacket over my head. We begin running and laughing. I look over to him as we hurry home. He's smiling from ear to ear, revealing a glimmer in his dark eyes. He laughs as his long hair falls in his eyes. For the first time since I've been here, he looks like he's having some fun. I guess it doesn't take much for him to enjoy something in his life.

We reach the gate of the Curtis house. He holds the top of the fence and jumps over, landing perfectly on the wet grass. I run through the gate. We get to the porch and quietly sneak back inside. I find a towel for both of us. I come back to hand it to him and find Two-Bit staring at me mischievously.