The One That Got Away | Johnny Cade x reader | The Outsiders

Chapter 14 | Ready to Rumble

"That sure was good." You said after you, Ponyboy, and Soda finished washing the dishes. "Mhm!" Soda and Pony hummed in agreement. Darry had cooked baked chicken, potatoes, and corn. It was one of the best meals you'd had in the longest since you'd been cooped up in that church. After washing the dishes you decided to go get cleaned up. 

After you had gotten out of the shower Ponyboy went in next. He and the boys loved to get spruced up before a fight. Speaking of boys, Steve and Twobit came be over after eating something real quick at the Dingo.

"Hurry up Pony! I think I left my bandana in there." You shouted, pounding on the bathroom door knowing Pony was only looking himself in the mirror at this point. 

"Ok ok, jeez. Don't bust a whole through the wall." Pony said opening the door. "Thanks a lot Ponyboy." You said rushing in and picking up your red bandana off the counter. 

You and Pony were now both fixing and looking at yourselves in the mirror. You heard a few snickers from in the living room sounding an awful lot like Steve and Darry's. You both already knew they were talking about how alike you two were.

You tied your bandana around your high ponytail, and above your new bangs. You winced a little looking at your new hair. The blonde didn't matter to you, you actually thought it suited you well. But the problem was your hair length. Your high ponytail used to go down to the high of your back, now it just barely sits above your shoulders. 

You could tell Pony was annoyed with his new look too. He took his shaggy hair and oiled it back with his favorite brand of hair grease. You faked a frown at him to let him know that you preferred then non greased look as he mocked you.

"Hey Sodapop? When you'd start shaving?" Ponyboy asked his brother examining his jaw in the bathroom. "When I was fifteen." Soda said from the living room, playing a game of cards with Steve. "And when'd Darry start shaving huh?" Pony asked again. "When he was thirteen, why you thinking about growing a beard for the rumble?" Soda replied as you laughed your whole way out the bathroom. 

"Oh you're funny," Ponyboy started following behind you, "Maybe I'll send you into Readers Digest or something. I heard they pay people for funny things-" "Let's go!" Soda said beginning to arm wrestle after Steve had thrown cards at him, being a sore loser. 

"You like fights huh Soda?" You asked him. "Yeah I like fights doll." Soda said completely concentrating on beating Steve. "How come?" You and Pony asked him. "It's a contest. It's like a drag race or a dance competition or something like that." "Uh huh." You said sarcastically but chuckled.

"We gon beat them Soc's heads in, ain't we? When I get into a fight I wanna stomp. I like it too!" Steve said straining his voice. Just then he uses up the rest of his strength to bring Soda's hand down onto the table with a pound.

"Why do you like fights Darry?" Pony asked talking to his older brother who was putting on a tight fitted black shirt.

 "He likes to show off his muscles." Soda laughed as you joined in. 

"I'll show them off on you little buddy if you get any mouthier." Darry said, a smirk tugging at his lips. It was true Darry liked to show off his package during rumbles. And Sodapop liked competitions and Steve just likes the aggression of it all.

"Hey Pony I don't think you outta be in this rumble. Why not just sit on the sidelines like y/n here." Darry pointed at you as you sarcastically smiled and waved. "Why not I've always come through before haven't I?" Pony responded.

After going back and forth and Soda interrupting to take up for Ponyboy, they had finally convinced Darry to let him be apart of the rumble.

You walked up right in front of Ponyboy as the boys were busy chatting away. "Be safe Ponyboy, I can't bare to see anymore hurt people, ok?" You asked pulling him into a hug as he wrapped his arms around you, leaning into the embrace. "Ok doll." Is all Ponyboy replied with. 

Darry smiled a big warm smile at you too before bursting out the door. "Come on! Get out!" He shouted taking a flip off the porch as you and the boys followed, howling right behind him. Darry did another flip over the gate as Sodapop did a no handed cartwheel (Ariel). Ponyboy and Twobit did a walking handstand and just as they landed, you hit a double backhand spring. Darry was the reason you all knew about acrobatics. 

Everyone shouted and threw cans, and old cigarettes onto the pavement. You all chanted songs your whole way to the field and for once you felt good since you had left to sneak out of Tulsa with Ponyboy and Johnny, or since you had kissed Johnny. 

"Ponyboy, Sodapop, and y/n if the fuzz shows you beat it out of there. All we can get is jailed, they'll put you three into homes." Darry said as you nodded. Even though you wern't fighting you appreciated how Darry still had your back. 

When you all arrived you found a couple other Greasers, and Tim Shepherd and his gang. You were kind of surprised to not see Curly Shepard at the rumble but you had soon found out that he was in the reformatory.

Before another word could be said you all heard shouts, and beeps of cars and people. You looked up to see the Soc's arriving.

 When they had got out the car Soda put his arm over you as a beware signal. "Head over to the car and be watchful. You never know when them Soc's could try and pull a sneak attack." Soda said as you nodded and made your way over to Tim' car where you sat on the hood. You could see Tim looking at you but quickly turned back to the Soc's. You watched as they all lined up. A particular Soc glaring at Darry as he glared back.

You watched as they all eyed each other, waiting for the first hit to be thrown. Suddenly you heard a familiar yell behind you in the distance, "You know a rumble ain't a rumble without me!"

"Dal...?" You said searching for him only to see Ponyboy being punched in the face by a Soc as he fell to the floor. "PONYBOY!" You yelled as you watched him struggling. You took some deep breaths and tried to calm yourself down. 'Ponyboy is strong and can hold his own. He's perfectly fine.' You saw as Dally ran towards to the commotion. 

"HEY!" you shouted as Dally looked back at you with confusion and tiredness. "Help Pony!" you shouted and snapped towards Pony being targeted. He groaned but listened to you as he helped fight of the Soc. 

You watched as Darry continued to beat that one Soc. And Soda and Twobit taking on multiple at a time. And Steve socking and stomping any Soc that came across his path. You laughed and cheered in victory as you could see that the Greasers were winning when suddenly you saw someone with a ponytail running out of a Soc car. Why it was a girl! 'She must've snuck out here, or been sent to the sidelines herself' you thought.

You didn't think too much about it until you saw her trying to run up behind Pony with her fist. You sat up quickly, "Dally! Ponyboy!" You shouted but they were both too busy handling some Soc (mostly Dally). 

You sighed and brushed one side of your bangs behind your ear, pounced to your feet, and took  off after the girl. 

You tried to stop her by grabbing her by her shirt, "Hey you're not supposed to be in this fight." You said but she quickly escaped your grasp by throwing a kick, and you barely dodging it. You ran after her and right before she could swing at Ponyboy, you grabbed her by her hair and flung her to the ground. "Hey that's a new move." You chuckled sarcastically before the two of you started beating the daylights out of each other. She was tough you had to admit, but you were tougher. 

Soon it started raining and you noticed some of the fighters running off. But you could clearly see the ones running were the Socs. You and your gang kept fighting off the last as you finally socked it to the one Soc girl you were beating and she took off.

Right after you finished you and Darry noticed Ponyboy being beat on by two Socs. You didn't even hesitate before you and Darry overpowered them and sent them running.

 "Ponyboy you ok?" You asked him as he just stared at you. He'd looked all beaten and bruised up. His eye was almost swollen shut and he was bleeding in various places. You stood by him as the Greasers cheered in victory as the last couple of Socs retreated back to their cars.

Dally had rushed over to you and Ponyboy, "You ok?" Dally asked picking Pony off the ground with your help. "Let's get him to the hospital Dal. I wanna see Johnny too." You said as Dally nodded and off you three took.