♢ROSE GOLD♢

Chapter 08~Rose Gold

"Are you alright?" Ponyboy asked through the phone.

"Yeah, I told them you almost died and I was helping you." I played with the phone cord. I lied, my father gave me a black eye and my mother left a welt on my arm.

"The nurse called." Pony said. "She said we could visit Johnny. Bit and I talked and decided you could have some alone time with him before we seen 'im."

"I think he'd be tickled to see me." I chuckled. "In fact, he probably thinks I'm dead."

"Bit and I'll come and get you, how's that sound?" Pony asked.

"It sounds good!" I cheered. "You can meet my parents and brother."

"I'm quite nervous about that." Pony laughed lightly. "They'll skin me, I'm sure of it."

"Even if they do, I'll skin them in return." I bit my lip. "How's that sound?"

"I'll see ya in a minute." Ponyboy said. "I love you."

"I love you, too." I smiled and hung up.
_

When Ponyboy and Two-Bit got here, I put on big rimmed sunglasses and a leather jacket. I hugged him and slyly pulled a cigarette out of his jacket.

"Caught ya red handed." Pony laughed, holding my wrist. "You're the one who smoked all of 'em."

"Well, if you wouldn't have ran away, I wouldn't have needed them." I puckered my lips for Pony to kiss me, but his eyes grew wide.

I turned around and Dennis stood on the porch with his arms crossed. "Damn, the last time I saw something like that, I flushed it down the toilet!" Two-Bit laughed.

"You going to the rumble, greasers?" Dennis asked. "I am."

"Yeah, we're goin'." Ponyboy wrapped his arm around my waist.

"I'd advise you to get your hands off my sister or our rumble's gonna come a little early." Dennis said.

Pony pulled me closer. "Bring it on, I won't visit you in the hospital."

"You won't be able to, you'll be in a bed, all bloodied up and bruised." Dennis spit.

"Now, Dennis, let's give Roselle and her friends a chance." Patsy came out on the porch with an uneasy smile.

My father came out on the porch, mimicking Dennis's stance. "Greaser." He nodded.

"Stop callin' him a greaser!" I shouted. "I'm in love with Ponyboy and he's everything to me! You guys can have your riches and nice cars, but you'll never have love like I do!"

I got in the back seat of Two-Bit's car and slammed the door. I grabbed a cigarette out of the glovebox and lit it with the lighter in there. I took a puff and fell back against the seat in anger.

When we got to the hospital, I quickly got out of the car and ran to Johnny's room. He had burns all over. He looked pitiful.

"Johnny?" I looked into the mirror.

His eyes grew wide. "Rose!" He weakly answered. "Your eye."

His sudden movement caused him to hiss in pain. "My eye is fine. Just don't let Pony and Two know." I covered my face. "Oh, Johnny, this is all my fault."

"N-no it's n-not." He sighed.

"Yes it is." I cried. "You thought I was in there and now you're in so much pain."

Ponyboy came in and rested his hand on my shoulder. I quickly shoved the glasses on.

"Hey Johnny." Two-Bit came in, too.

"Hey y'all." Johnny said.

"How they treatin' you, kid?" Two-Bit asked.

Pony kissed the top of my head. He wiped the tears off of my face. I smiled sadly and leaned into his chest.

"Look, they got your picture in the paper." Two-Bit slid a newspaper under Johnny's table. "Says you're a hero."

"That's tuff enough, huh?" Johnny said.

"Guess you can look at it later." Two-Bit said. "You want 'nything?"

"A book, man." Johnny breathed slowly. "Can y'all get me another one?"

"I think he wants a copy of Gone With the Wind, so I can read it to him." Pony had trouble speaking. I rubbed his back to assure him it'd be okay. He looked at Two Bit. "Would you mind goin' downstairs an' gettin' one?"

"I'll go with ya', Bit." I left a kiss on Pony's cheek. "I'm real worried, Bit."

"Me too." Two-Bit said. "He's a fighter, though."

We went to the gift shop and got Johnny's book. We passed Johnny's mom on the way in. She just glared at us.

"What's the matter with Johnny?" Two-Bit asked. He was passed out when we came in. "Pony, is he okay?"

"I don't know." Pony's voice cracked.

"He's alright." The nurse said.

"Look, you make sure he gets this alright?" Two-Bit handed the nurse Johnny's book.

"I have the right to see him, he's my son!" Mrs. Cade shouted. "He'd rather see these no good punks than his own mother!? You're scum."

"No wonder he hates your guts!" Two-Bit barely got out. "You don't even care about him, you dumb drunk! You go straight to hell! You go right to hell!"

I glared at Mrs. Cade as Pony and Two-Bit went to Dally's room. I sat in the chair across Johnny's room where I could see him when the door was open. I leaned on the arm of the chair and slowly fell asleep.
_

It was dark, when a nurse shook me awake. "Sweetie, Mr. Cade is awake and on his back if you wanna see him." She smiled softly.

"Thank you." I returned the smile. Before I went in, I went to the gift shop and bought Johnny a stuffed pony. I went in and he smiled weakly.

"Hey, Ro." He whimpered.

"Hey, Johnny." I laid the pony on Johnny's chest. "Ponyboy couldn't make it because of the rumble, so I got you a pony."

Johnny chuckled weakly. "Thanks." He said. "It helps a lot."

"Pony and I kissed for the first time." I pushed Johnny's hair back. "We told everyone and Sodapop was perfectly fine with it."

"Mhm." Johnny closed his eyes.

"Johnny?"

"You know I'm not gonna last much longer." Johnny sniffled. "Please don't miss me when I'm gone."

"No, Johnny, you're gonna be okay." I smiled despite the tears that began rolling down my cheeks. "You're tough. You went into a burning building to save a bunch of kids."

"I also did it to save you." Johnny mumbled. "But, I really ain't gonna be here for much longer."

Dally staggered to the door. "Hey." He nodded at me. He leaned toward Johnny. "Hey, Johnnycake."

I went in the hallway to see Pony all cut up and bruised. "Pony!" I threw my arms around Pony and sobbed. "He ain't got much longer!"

"We won the rumble." Pony mumbled, pushing me aside.

He went in the hospital room, leaving me alone in the hallway. I huffed in anger. I understand that Johnny's literally dying, slipping away from us at that very moment, but Pony didn't have to do that. I stomped into the room and stood next to Dally.

"Ponyboy." Johnny motioned for Pony to come near him. "Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold."

I let out a choked sob as Johnny slipped away from us. I buried my face in Dally's neck and wrapped my arms around him. Ponyboy threw his hands in the air and slammed the door behind him as he left.