Michelle had been in the hospital for some time now, and every day she'd gone to see Johnny.
One day was a particularly hard one though,
She had been woken up by a rowdy Two-bit and a sickly-looking Ponyboy.
"Ponyboy, are you alright? You look worse than I do, and that's saying something." Michelle said, jokingly.
"Yeah, I'm alright Shelly. Just need to take some aspirin." He smiled.
"Alright. Well, can we go see Johnny?" Michelle asked, looking between Ponyboy and Two-bit.
"Yeah, let's get you in the wheelchair." Two-bit smiled.
"No it's okay, I wanna try walking today."
"Are you sure? It's alright to be in the chair — nothing wrong with it. Right, Two?" Ponyboy said, looking at Two-bit with almost a desperate look.
"What — Yeah! Maybe the chair would be better for right now!" Two-bit said.
"Please guys, It's fine. I'm fine!"
"Alright, but let's bring it just in case." Ponyboy gestures to Two-bit to bring the folded-up chair.
"Okay fine." Michelle huffed as she stood up from the bed. From not walking for a while, she was a bit wobbly and Ponyboy was right there by her side.
It took a lot of persuading for them to see Johnny, they said he was getting worse, critical condition. it took a doctor to say something to the nurse for the three to go in.
It wasn't easy to tell, but there was something off about how the doctor sounded. The quietness of the hospital was all still weird, even for Michelle who'd been there just as long as Johnny.
Walking into the room, the sight of Johnny still pained Michelle, even though she'd seen him like that every day.
"Hey, JohnnyKid," Two-bit said.
"Hey y'all," Johnny replied weakly.
"They treatin' you okay, kid?"
"They don't," Johnny gasped like he couldn't get enough air, "don't let me put enough grease on my hair."
"It's alright Johnny, you don't gotta talk, just listen. We'll bring you some grease next time."
Johnny swallowed deeply in reply.
"We have a rumble tonight," Two-bit said, pulling up a chair next to Johnny.
That was a shock to Michelle, "You guys didn't say anything to me about that?" she said, questioningly.
"Shoot — sorry Shelly I was supposed to tell you. I'm sorry." Pony said.
"Pony you're not fighting, are you? I mean —"
"I'll be fine, I promise."
"Don't get killed now, that won't be any good."
"Tim Shepard came by — To see Dal," Johnny said suddenly.
"You guys know you got your name in the paper? Makes y'all out to be heroes."
"We ain't no heroes. Just in the right place at the right time." Michelle said quietly.
"Tuff Enough," Johnny said.
Johnny had started to get tired now, it was easy to tell.
"You want anything else from the shop, kid?" Two-bit asked.
"A copy of Gone With The Wind. Can you go to the drug store?"
"Yeah, I'll be quick." And Two-bit had left.
Ponyboy had taken Two-bits once occupied seat, and sat on the other side from Michelle. They were quiet for a bit, unsure what to talk about.
"We're gonna have a rumble tonight. Against the Socs." Ponyboy said, breaking the silence.
"You didn't say anything?" Michelle's head snapped up to Ponyboy.
"I forgot Shells, I'm sorry."
"It's fine, but you know —"
"Fighting ain't gonna do anything well." Johnny cut in.
Michelle and Ponyboy looked down at Johnny, he'd been quiet most of the time.
"Yeah. Exactly." Michelle said quietly. And the room went quiet again.
Two-bit came back with a copy of Gone With The Wind.
"I hope you bought that," Michelle said, eyeing their Two-bite mischievous smile.
"Oh come on Shells, I thought you knew me better than that." Two-bit winked.
"I don't even know why I asked—"
There was a knock on the door then it opened.
"Johnny?"' one of Johnny's nurses said, opening the door.
"Your mothers here."
Michelle had heard about Johnny's parents and nothing good about them. Johnny always talked about how much he hated that his parents fought.
"Tell her - I don't wanna see her."
"She's your mother, Johnny-"
"I don't - I don't --" and he suddenly stopped talking.
"What happened?! Is he alright?" Michelle stood up, wincing from the pain.
"yes, but I'm afraid you have to leave now. It's too much stress on his body." the nurse said, ushering them out of the room.
"it's his goddamn mother— that bitch." Two-bit muttered angrily, stalking out of the room with Pony and Michelle behind him.
As they walked out, they could hear the god-awful screeches coming from a woman.
"He is my son-!" The woman yelled, turning towards the three walking out of the hospital room.
"You! This is all your fault! Make them let me see him!" She pointed a finger at the three.
Michelle could easily tell she was intoxicated, she'd seen the look in her father's eyes too many times.
Michelle watched as Two-bit eyes narrowed.
"No wonder he hates you! Look at you! He has to live with what you are!" Two-bit looked close to tears, and Michelle personally had never seen him like that.
The lady -- Johnny's mother looked stunned, and before she could say anything else, we had hurried to the elevator.
Before they even got to the room, they could hear Dallas arguing with a nurse. When the group walked in, Dally grinned, "Am I glad to see you guys! These damn nurses won't let me smoke! And I wanna leave!"
"Maybe it's better if you cut off smoking for a bit, Dal." Michelle grinned at him.
"Who are you to tell me what do, hm, Seashell?" Dallas laid back on his pillow.
"Shut it, Winston." But Michelle smiled, she was glad to see Dally was still his old self.
The four had talked for a bit, and Dallas had said Tim Shepard came to see him. Then, they started talking about Johnny.
No matter what, knowing Johnny was lying in the same hospital, barely able to move, Michelle felt so sick.
Time had passed, and Michelle was reading a book in her bed. Unable to focus, she had reread the same page five times already. Her mind was everywhere else besides the book.
She couldn't think of anything or anyone else besides Johnny. Her brain knowing and understanding gave her the worst headache in the world. She always got headaches on the same side of her head, right above her right ear - but they've been getting worse and worse.
Hours had passed and Michelle woke from a nap. she must've been sleeping for a while because from out the window she could see the moon beaming.
She really woke up when she heard familiar voices coming from the hallway.
"C'mon, Pony!" The voice of Dallas Winston came through the halls.
"Dallas! Ponyboy!" Michelle yelled from her room.
Ponyboy was at her door, "Shelly-!"
"What the hell! Your face! Come here!"
"The rumble - we won -!" Ponyboy said, out of breath.
"Get over here, you need to clean your face! And where is Dally?" Just as Michelle finished her sentence, a bleeding Dallas Winston was leaning on the door frame.
"Hey, Shells," he said non-chalantley
"Why - are you- I don't even wanna know, get over here," Michelle said, ripping off pieces of the hospital blanket and handing it to both the boys.
"We gotta go see Johnny! Ponyboy grabs her rolly chair-" Dallas said, already in the hallway.
"It's a wheelchair- Nevermind." Ponyboy unfolded and rolled it over to Michelle then helped her into it.
"I don't even need this, you know." Michelle sighed, leaning back in the chair and looking up at Ponyboy.
"Extra precaution, Shells." He said as he rolled Michelle out of the room.
They made their way to Johnny's room, and they all braced themselves for the worst. Dallas went in first, and then Ponyboy began to push Michelle.
"I got it, I wanna walk."
"Are you sure? The doctor said-"
"I don't care what the doctor said. I'm going to walk, just give me a sec."
Ponyboy nodded, with a sad look on his face. Michelle didn't mean to get like that- she was just determined to walk into the room, with her own body.
She took a deep breath and walked in.