~Ponyboy~
"What was that?" Soda asked as we got into the car.
"What are you talking about?" I ask.
"You kissed Grace!" he says.
I start to blush at the sound of her name. The sound of her name made me forget about everything that has happened these past few days. She's one special girl. "On the head, not an actual kiss." I say.
"You kissed her good bye though. That like a couple thing." Sodapop says flashing his grand celebrity smile.
That makes me blush even harder. I try to hide it though, I don't need the whole gang to know I'm swooning over Grace Winston.
***
~Grace~
"Grace?" a voice called.
I look over and see Steve. He has a pretty worried and upset look on his face. I stand up and go to him. "Hey." I say hugging him.
"What the hell we're you thinking? Going into a fire like that. You could've gotten yourself killed!" he whisper shouts.
"I know, I know, but I can't imagine a world without Johnny, I'm sorry." I say sliding my hands off of him.
"Grace... Winston!" a nurse calls.
"That's me." I say.
"You can come see Dally now." she says.
"What about Johnny?" I ask.
"No visitors allowed yet, I'm sorry." she says taking me to Dally's room.
I walk in to see him fussing with a nurse. "Get out here! Get out of here you bum! You can't tell me what to do!" he yells.
The nurse walks out and I go to his bed. I sit down beside him. "H-Hey sister. You know about the big rumble tomorrow night?" he asks.
"No..." I said with suspicion.
"Well, the Greasers and Soc's are fighting tomorrow. Everyone's mad about Johnny and Bob." he says.
"Oh, are you gonna let me fight?" I ask.
"Of course... not." he says.
"Then why are you telling me? C'mon Dally! You know I'm tough, you know I can do it. Please Dally." I beg.
"Alright, alright! Quit your winning and leave me alone, I want sleep." he says.
I smile and walk out of his room. "Why you smiling?" Steve asks.
"Dally's gonna let me fight in the big rumble tomorrow night." I say with a huge smile.
"Really?! That's amazing!" he says putting his arm around me and walking out of the hospital.
***
Me and Steve go over to the Curtis house. We walk right in and sit down. "I have an announcement!" Steve says.
Everyone's attention goes on him. "Grace... will be joining us in the big rumble tomorrow night!" he says shaking me.
"See Darry! Even Grace is doing it! C'mon! Let me do it!" Ponyboy begs.
That's clearly the topic they were on. I plop down on the couch next to him. "Yeah Darry, let him do it." I say.
"Stay out of this, this is family business." Darry says.
I roll my eyes and walk out of the house. If that were Steve or Two-bit saying what I just said he would've let Ponyboy fight. Darry really doesn't like me, at all.
I walk down to the lot, where all this shit started. God, I hated the lot now. I left the lot and walked home.
***
~Ponyboy~
"Really Darry? Grace is as much family as we are! If Two-bit told you to let me fight you would. You wouldn't say what you just did to Grace." I say.
"Watch your mouth boy! I'm gonna let it go now because I know you're upset about Johnny." Darry says.
I let out a scoff and roll my eyes. I couldn't believe Darry right now. I walk out of the house to go look for Grace.
I walk to the lot to see if she went there but she wasn't. I walk over to her house and knock on the door but no answer.
***
~Grace~
I hear a knock at the door, I knew it was one of the boy's I didn't feel like answering. I lied down, trying to sleep, until I heard them burst through the door. "Excuse you!" I yell at Ponyboy as he walks into my room.
"Look, Darry didn't mean what he said. He just wants to protect me, you know." Ponyboy says sitting beside me.
"You don't have to sugarcoat shit. I know he don't like me. He thinks I'm bad influence on you, and I take gang banging too serious. He thinks I'm too young to be in and out of juice as many times as I've been. He hats we hangout, but he knows we only hang because of Johnny, but Johnny ain't here for much longer so you can leave." I say.
"I ain't leaving, and don't say that! Johnny'll make it, he's a strong one." Pony says sitting up.
"We need to talk about... us." I say sitting up.
"What about us?" Pony asks.
"What are we? I don't want us to be like how me and Steve were. I don't wanna fool around with you, I like you Ponyboy, like actual like like." I say.
He smiles and leans up and lays his lips on mine. Our kissing quickly changed to making out as he puts me on top of him. We made out until one of has had to break for some air. Ponyboy was the one to pull away, I would gladly die from lack of oxygen because I was kissing him. He quickly started up again, placing his hand in my lower back pushing me down on him. He slides my jacket off of my shoulders. It was finally getting good till someone walked in. "Hey lovebirds." Dally says.
I get off of Ponyboy and lay down. "Aren't you suppose to be at the hospital?" I ask.
"Snuck out, I need to be at the big rumble tomorrow." he says.
"Dally! Do you think you can convince Darry to let me fight?!" Ponyboy asks sitting up.
Dally nods his head and walks out. "Wanna go see if we fan visit Johnny?" I ask.
"Yeah." Ponyboy says getting up.
***
We finally get to the hospital and they let us see him. I couldn't bare to see him like that. He couldn't move, he clearly wasn't comfortable. "Hey Johnny, how you doing?" I ask.
"Not so good, doctors say I might die." Johnny says.
"Well you prove them shitty doctors wrong, you're strong Johnnycake." I say squatting down to look at him.
"W-where's Ponyb-boy?" Johnny asks.
"I-I'm right here!" Pony says.
"You ask her out yet?" Johnny asks.
Ponyboy looks at me then back at Johnny. "No, not yet." Pony says.
"Do it now. Johnny always wanted us to get together, and you know I'm not gonna reject you, so do it now." I say.
"D-Do it, be b-b-brave." Johnny says.
Ponyboy let's out a little chuckle. "Grace Winston, will you be my girl?" he asks.
"Yes I will, Ponyboy Curtis." I say smiling.
Pony reaches over and kisses me. "Now look at my two best friends together, this is the best last thing to see before death." Johnny says.
"Oh shut it, you're not dying Johnny. You can't leave me. You're the brother I've always wanted." I say.
"You got Dally, Grace." he says.
"Yeah, but he's not like you. He doesn't let me soften up, he doesn't listen to me, he won't let me talk about my parents, he's not a brother. He's person that just got stuck with me." I say.
"Cut it out! I'm tired of hearing you say Dally doesn't care about you, the gang doesn't care about you. You know everyone one of em care about you, Gracie. You know I do!" he says.
Tears run down my face. Johnny never really got a stern tone with me, but every time he did it made me cry, I knew he cared. "I-If you care s-s-so much then don't l-leave me." I say sobbing hysterically.
"Stop your crying, I ain't going nowhere. I love you, Gracie." Johnny says.
I usually hated when people called me 'Gracie' it made me feel weak, but the way Johnny said it, he made me feel empowered. Another reason I couldn't bare to lose Johnny.
"W-We gotta go Johnny, we'll see you later, okay?" Ponyboy says.
"O-Okay." Johnny says.
"I love you, Johnnycakes." I said before getting up.
"I love you too." he said.
***
"Why'd you do that? We got no place to be!" I yelled at Ponyboy.
"I couldn't take it in there much longer. I'm sorry, Grace. Let's go see if Dally confused Darry to let me fight." Ponyboy said.
"Are you okay? You look pale, more pale than usual." I say putting my hand on his head.
He pushes my hand off of his hand. "Hey! Stop it!" I yell at him as I put my hand back.
"You're a little hot, Pony." I say.
"It's fine, I took a handful of Advil when I get home, don't worry." he says getting into the bus.