Y/n's POV:
I woke up to soft snoring. Johnny was laying on my shoulder, and Ponyboy in his lap.
"Johnny." I gently shook him awake. His eyes slowly blinked open.
"Y/n? Is the train stopped?"
"No, it's still moving, but I think it might stop soon, the sun is rising."
Johnny poked Ponyboy's cheek.
"Hey Horseman. Up."
We both laughed at Ponyboy shot up.
"Johnny, not cool man..." Pony's voice was groggy and scratchy.
We felt the train come screeching to a stop. I was the first off the train, then Ponyboy, and then Johnny.
"Geez Ponyboy, you put my legs to sleep."
"Ah, you'll get over it."
I looked around in hopes of finding Jay mountain just from sight, but had no luck.
"I have an idea." Johnny and Ponyboy looked to me.
"Ponyboy, you'll pretend to be a farm boy and go ask that guy over there where Jay Mountain is. Then come back and tell us."
"Y/n, do I look like a farm boy to you?"
"Well you look it more than Johnny does. Just go, okay?"
He grumbled and started over to the Farmer.
Johnny elbowed me and said, "What a farm boy huh?"
I giggled and said, "I had to. The look on his face was priceless."
We stood there laughing until Ponyboy came running back.
"Guys! Jay Mountain is a little ways down the road. Let's go!"
I took Johnny's hand in mine and we started down the road. When we made it up the mountain, all of us were exhausted.
"We *pant* made it."
After getting inside, we all just plopped down on the floor.
Ponyboy was already out cold, and Johnny was getting groggy.
"You going to sleep too?"
"Yeah. Sleep well Johnny."
"You too Y/n."
A few hours later
I woke up to Johnny's jacket laid over me, but no Johnny. Ponyboy was still sleeping, so I quietly looked for Johnny so I wouldn't wake him. I saw a message written in the dust and dirt on the floor.
'Went for supplies. Back soon -J'
Went for supplies? But Dallas gave the money to me. I went digging in my pockets to find the money was gone. I guess he took it while I was sleeping. I tried to sneak back to where I was, but Ponyboy was already half awake.
"Y/n? Where's Johnny?"
"He went to get supplies. I dunno when he'll be back."
We were interrupted by a whistle. A long low note, ending with a quick high note. I had no idea what it meant, but apparently Ponyboy did, because he returned it, and then ran to the back door of the church. I only heard the conversation that happened out there, but I could hear the smirk on Ponyboy's face.
"Hey Johnny, fancy seein you here."
"I swear Pony, you're getting more like Two-bit every day."
Johnny and Pony walked back in with a box full of supplies, and he set it on the bench.
"Hey Y/n! Sleep well?"
"Yeah! Uh, what was that whistle?"
"Oh, I guess no one ever told you huh. It's something we use in the gang to let us know that it's one of us."
"Ohhh."
I walked up to the box to see what he bought.
"Two loaves of bread, a week's supply of Baloney, Gone With the Wind?"
Pony boy perked up and ran over to take the book out of my hands.
"Gone With the Wind?? How'd you know I've always wanted this?"
"I heard you talk about it once. We went to see that movie, remember? I thought you could read it out loud to pass the time."
Ponyboy looked happier than a six-year-old who just got a pony for her birthday. It was adorable. We went back to investigating the things inside the box.
"A deck of cards... Peroxide?"
Ponyboy's eyes widened. "You ain't thinkin.."
"We're all gonna cut our hair Ponyboy. And you're gonna bleach yours."
"Uh uh. You ain't touchin my hair."
"Come on Ponyboy, they must've gotten our descriptions in the paper by now. We can't fit em!"
I can't imagine Ponyboy with short hair. This should be interesting.
"Boys stop arguing. Johnny's right. We gotta stay safe."
Ponyboy started pouting and thumbing through his book.
"Look, I'll go first," I volunteered. "so you can see it really isn't all bad Pony."
Johnny handed me his switchblade and I walked out to the back steps of the church. Well, here goes nothin.
Time skip
It took around 10-15 minutes to finish cutting my hair. I tried my best to make it even, but I'm sure it looks like a real hackjob. I came back in and was met with shocked expressions from Johnny and Ponyboy.
"See Pony? It's just hair. No problem." I handed Johnny his blade and he turned to Ponyboy.
"I can cut your hair if that'll make you feel better."
He nodded and they headed towards the door. I picked up Johnny's jacket and curled up on a bench for another nap.
An Hour Later
When I woke up, the "makeovers" were already done. God Ponyboy looks so different. His hair is almost white now thanks to the Peroxide. We joked about him looking like a farm boy earlier, but I don't think we're joking anymore.
"Nice hair Ponyboy."
"I know. Don't rub it in." He said rubbing the back of his neck.
Johnny doesn't look too much different, but boy does his hair look soft when it isn't covered with grease and oil.
"I guess we're all disguised now." I said, giggling.
"I hate it!"
"Well, shoot Ponyboy, it's just hair."
"No Johnny, it's not just hair. This is like a Halloween costume you can't get out of, and I hate it."
I pat his head.
"This is how we stay safe Ponyboy. It'll go back to normal soon. Promise."
For the rest of the day we played cards, Ponyboy read his book to us, and the boys smoked until Pony got sick. Then, it was time to settle in for the night.
The next morning
I woke up at sunrise, and Ponyboy and Johnny were already outside watching it. I decided to join them.
When it was over, Johnny said, "Man, that sure was pretty."
"Yeah."
"The mist was pretty," I added, "All gold and silver."
Johnny nodded. "Too bad it can't stay that way."
"Nothing gold can stay." This is the first time I've ever seen Ponyboy so serious.
"What?"
"Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower,
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf,
So Eden sank to grief.
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay."
Johnny and I looked at each other. 'huh-'
"Where'd you learn that? That's what I meant."
"Robert Frost wrote it. There's more to it than I'm gettin though. I always remembered it because I had no idea what he meant by it."
"Ya know," Johnny said, staring at the sky. "I never noticed colors and clouds and stuff until you told me about it Pony. It's like they weren't there before."
"I couldn't tell just anyone about all that. Just you guys and Sodapop. Maybe Cherri Valance."
"We're the strange ones, aren't we?"
"Shoot," Ponyboy chuckled. "Maybe they are."
(Hey y'all! No new chapters this weekend! I have a big event to go to. I'm gonna attach a link to a playlist on Spotify called Johnny Cade's playlist. I didn't make it, but its great for us Johnny lovers out there. Not only is it accurate, but its just some good music. See y'all next chapter! Author out! -Bunny <3)
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7KzYi7ut3tyO748joapmDo?si=3fd908fe07f04c39
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