Change Your Life (The Outsiders fanfic)

Chapter 11

"But I have to!" 

"No, okay? Stay here." I cross my arms and sit back. "But why aren't you worried so much about them?" 

"They are a bunch of hoods I ain't gotta worry about 'cause they know how to use their head!" 

"Yeah! To keep their ugly faces on 'em!" Two-Bit adds, laughing loudly.  

"Let's go!" Soda shouts. They all whoop and holler out the door. Ponyboy stops before running behind them. He looks me dead in the eyes. "Just know we're all fighting for you," he says. I hug him tightly.  

"Thank you, Ponyboy." He smiles and closes the door, running to keep up with them. I hear their obnoxious parading down the street. I glance at the clock. Five minutes until eight. I could find Dally in time, couldn't I? 

The butterflies settle in my stomach. My heart feels like it's going to pound out of my chest. This isn't happening. I have to do something! 

Ignoring Darry's instructions, I run as fast as I can to the lot. Thunder rolls across the sky. I guess it is gonna rain.  

I decide to go to the rear of the lot so I'm not right in the middle of it. I see them sizing each other up. It looks like Darry and some soc are talking at each other. Ponyboy takes the first punch. After that, all hell breaks loose. They're swinging back and forth. It's one big mess. But I manage to find Dally in the midst of it.  

I jump over the old fence set up there and start running. I'm not exactly sure what I'm doing but my mind's working faster than I can make sense of things. I see a soc pulling a blade out after a good minute of fighting. His gaze is locked on Dally. I run harder.  

As I get closer, I see the glint of the knife from the fire they have ablaze behind them. It's an eerie feeling.  

Dally's distracted by another soc. The one with the knife sneaks in from an odd angle. I intercept and tackle the soc with full force. I feel a sharp pain in my stomach and a breathless feeling in my chest. Rain begins to pour down as the soc stares at me and his blade in shock and disbelief. He curses before calling the others to run off. Every greaser there starts cheering on their victory.  

Cold drops of water sprinkle my face. I feel my clothes already getting drenched. I don't mind it though. I saved Dally's life. That's all I'm worried about. He's okay.  

I hear footsteps running toward me. I'm not sure if they see me or if it's a soc that got left behind with the stragglers.  

"JT?" a familiar voice asks. Nope. Definitely greaser. "JT... What- what happened?" Dallas asks.  

"Soc stabbed me," I answer a little weakly. He looks down at my abdomen to see a blood soaked shirt. I guess I'm pretty bad off.  

"What the hell are you doing here?! Are you outta your mind?!"  

"They were gonna kill you. I came to tell you 'cause you ain't around enough," I answer. His face twists in pain, but not physical pain. It's the emotional kind of pain that you can't hide. I know how that feels. It's not good.  

"Johnny!" he calls, his voice cracking. "Johnny, man! Come here!" Tears are threatening to spill down his cheeks, disguising as rain droplets on his face. Johnny runs over and kneels beside me.  

"What happened?" he asks.  

"A soc stabbed her," he says. "They were gonna kill me. But he got her instead." I close my eyes since the rain is getting in them. It bothers me.  

"JT? Don't close your eyes," Johnny warns, his voice cracking too.  

"I'm okay... I think," I answer.