The Other Story

Ponyboy

We start walking down to the hospital as all of us fear the worst. We get yelled at by a couple of Socs driving by on their car but we don't really pay attention. When we get to the hospital we find a depressed Dawn sitting next to Johnny.

"Hey guys." She says quietly as she hugs everyone.

"How's he doing?" Two-Bit asks and she glances at Johnny.

"He's doing okay right now.." She tells us and we all nod.

"You guys can talk to him.. I'll leave." She quietly leaves the room and we all stare at Johnny.

"Hey Johnny.." Noel says quietly as she sits next to him.

"Hi Noel." Johnny croaks and she smiles.

"How are ya holdin up?" I asks as we walk over to the other side of Johnny.

"I'm okay.." He says and we all look at each other. We give each other a sad look and sigh.

"So when are you gonna come home?" Two-Bit jokes and Noel gives him a look.

"I don't think my family cares if I do or not." Johnny says.

"Johnny my parents don't care either. I left to go get a better life for Blair and me and now i'm pregnant and alone. Johnny we love you and if I could go back in time to make it me instead of you.. I would." Noel rambles and Johnny gets chocked up.

"I-I'm sorry. I-I just want to know that.. that my parents at least c-care." His sentences start to get choppy and Noel shakes her head.

"Sh.. Sh.. Just sleep." She soothes and he closes his eyes and he's out in seconds. She stands up and walks out of the room. Two-Bit follows her but I stay with Johnny.

"Please come home.." I whisper as I notice a copy of Gone with the Wind on a small table next to his bed. I pick it up and smile at it.

I don't want to finish it. I don't want to hear about how the cowboys went into certain death totally okay with it.. I realize that Johnny doesn't have a choice if he dies or not. He always talked about how nobody would miss him but the truth is.. We would all miss him. Dawn's kids are gonna grow up without an Uncle Johnny, We're gonna have to on without Johnny holding us together. I start to think about how we will all inevitably drift apart and go on to live the rest of our life's without knowing what happened to the others and it'll all be because of some drunk Socs.. They are the reason I am going to lose my best friends and that scares me beyond my imagination.