Forever Apart (Johnny Cade) {The Outsiders}

Nineteen

Two-Bit turned to the others. Steve nodded and then turned to Darry. They had collectively agreed to lock me in the bathroom. But none of them wanted to do it, so Two-Bit stepped up.

"She's gonna hate you," warned Darry.

"I'm alright with it."

"What are we waiting for?" Steve yelled. "Let's kick some soc ass!"

The boys hooted and hollered as they ran outside and out onto the cold dark streets. Two-Bit followed behind, chugging a beer.

I banged on the bathroom door a couple more times before slipping into the floor. I crouched into a ball and rested my forehead on my knees. I wanted to fight. I needed to fight. Do it for Johnny.

I was there that night, I was the reason Johnny killed Bob. I owed it to him to be there and fight the socs to show them that Greasers don't take shit. I owed it to Johnny after everything he went through for me. And I owed it to Dally, my wonderful big brother.

I stood up and looked at the window above the shower. I was going to fight. And I was going to do whatever it took to get there. I walked into the shower and stood on my toes and tore the small brown curtains from the rod. Then I slid the window opened and pressed my palm against the screen. Curtis boys were also leaving knives in their jeans pockets. I slipped my hand into my pocket and retrieved the blade that was left in the jeans. "Forgive me, Darrel," I whispered. Then I cut through the screen and crawled out the window.

I pushed the blade back into my pocket and jogged down the dark street. The clouds in the sky covered the stars, but I knew my mom was watching over me, (and probably thinking I was a little stupid). I could hear thunder rumble lowly in the sky and knew rain was coming.

When I arrived at the empty lots, the fight had already started. Greasers and Socs were yelling and throwing punches at each other in the grass. I stood atop and hill and looked at all the Socs still dressed in their nice pants. They outnumbered the Greasers, easily.

Then the rain came pouring down. I walked down the hill and slid in the mud on my butt. But I quickly jumped up and found Ponyboy laying in the mud getting beaten by a soc. I snuck behind him and kicked the back of his knee. The soc fell into the mud and I jumped on his back. His face was pushed further in the mud and I heard his back crack. The soc crawled away and I turned to Ponyboy. He grabbed my hand and I helped him into his feet. "Peggy?" He asked me. I brushed his hair from his face and looked at his eye.

"I couldn't let you do this without me," I said.

Then we turned and fought back to back. A soc grabbed me by my hair and punched me in the nose. I grabbed his sweater and kicked his gut and punched his face. One soc came out of nowhere and punched me so hard, I slipped and fell in the mud. Ponyboy punched him in his gut and tripped over me. He grabbed the soc by his shoe and dug his nails into the soc's skin. The soc kicked him away but Ponyboy didn't release him until he was on the ground as well. I crawled backwards in the mud and backed into the legs of another soc. He picked me up by my shirt collar and I screamed for help.

Dally whacked the soc in the head and kicked him onto the ground. Then he helped me onto my feet. "Dally?" I asked him. "But your ribs..."

"I'll be fine, man. Come on." I wiped the blood from my nose and we helped Ponyboy with the soc that just wouldn't quit. Dally and I ganged up on him and kicked him with our boots. But the soc refused to let go of Ponyboy's hair. The rain poured down even harder and some socs even ran to their cars.

The soc finally released Ponyboy and Dally picked him up by his jacket. Dally punched the soc across the face once, then twice, and the soc dropped unconscious in the mud.

I helped Ponyboy onto his feet. He looked even worse than before. His face was pale and there was blood under his nose and on his knuckles. "Ponyboy?" He stumbled into my arms as if he was going to pass out.

"I-I'm alright, Peggy," he mumbled.

"No you're not," I replied. "Dally!" The socs were clearing out and retreating to their cars. The greasers were hollering and celebrating each other. "Dally!" Dally ran to me and took Ponyboy in his arms. "Dally, you gotta get back to the hospital," I said. His bandages were bleeding and he was walking with a limp.

"You're comin' with me." We discreetly left the greasers celebration and jumped into a car of one of my brother's "buddies."