The Divided-Johnny Cade

10

Johnny was woken up by faint clanking of dishes in the kitchen, and the mumbles of people talking all around him. He heard his name mentioned a few times, catching his attention. Johnny opened his eyes and sat up a bit. As Johnny adjusted himself on the couch, someone noticed and started walking over. Johnny was still too disoriented to realize who it was. "Mornin' sunshine!" Two-bit said with a cheerful smile. "How'd ya sleep?" Johnny let out a low groan and Two-bit chuckled. "Well that tells me all i need to know." Two-bit ruffled up Johnny's hair, which woke Johnny up a little bit more. "Kid was so tired he slept right through Katherine leavin." Dally said, trying to discreetly let Johnny know what had happened. He narrowed his eyes and gave Johnny an intimidating and disapproving look. Johnny sat up fully and looked around. It was Dally standing in the doorway, Two-bit sitting on the floor in the living room, Steve and Sodapop in the kitchen, and Darry in his chair. No Ponyboy or Katherine in sight. Johnny had to take a second to remember the night before, but once he did his face reddened.

"Katherine told me to give you a message." Two-bit said. "She didn't wanna wake you. She told me to tell you thank you, sorry for forgetting your jacket, and.." Two-bit thought for a moment. "And see you soon." Darry chimed in, finishing Two-bit's thought. Two-bit gave a huge grin and Johnny couldn't help but give a small smile back. "I gotta say Johnny.." Darry spoke in a steady voice, and Johnny was about to start trembling. Darry was a little scary to be honest. "Bringing her into here was a bold move." Darry kept giving him the same stone cold stare as Johnny panicked. "I got permission from Soda before i brought her in here, i swear!" Johnny said frantically, he didn't want anyone to be mad at him. Johnny saw Dally roll his eyes. "Really? Then I guess it's alright." Darry gave a little shrug and sipped his coffee, dropping serious expression.

"You let 'em in?" Ponyboy shouted at Sodapop as he walked out of the hallway next to the living room. Sodapop stuck his head out of the kitchen. "Sure did! There a problem?" Ponyboy crossed his arms and stood in the middle of the living room. He stared at Johnny with an angry look. He couldn't be mad at Sodapop, just Johnny. "There is a problem, but not on your part." Ponyboy barked. Darry raised an eyebrow as he eyed Ponyboy. "Now don't you get mouthy." He said. Ponyboy's presence shrunk a little, he didn't really want to make Darry mad. But, it was to the point where Ponyboy didn't really care. "Johnny, we talked about this!" He said in a pleading, but still firm tone. "You agreed with me and Dally that you shouldn't see her anymore, and now you're bringing her into my house at midnight?" "MY house." Darry chimed in. Two-bit giggled a little and Ponyboy shot him a look.

"What do ya mean by 'we talked about this'?" Two-bit asked curiously. "He.." Ponyboy started but stopped himself. He couldn't tell the entire gang that Johnny liked Katherine when he swore not to. Johnny looked at Ponyboy, his eyes begging him not to tell them. Ponyboy shook off his conscious and blurted out, "He likes Katherine." Darry sipped his coffee steadily, trying to stay out of it. Two-bit's eyes grew wide as Sodapop and Steve peeked out from the kitchen. "Not a surprise.." Steve whispered to Sodapop. Johnny stood up and glared at Ponyboy. "What the hell?" He said, his voice steady and intense. "Pony, you said you weren't gonna tell anyone." Ponyboy shrugged. "Oh like it was some big secret, you made it obvious." Dally nodded in agreement. "Listen Johnny, i'm just acting in your best interest." Ponyboy argued. "She's a soc, you don't wanna get caught up with her." Johnny threw his hands up into the air. "She's a soc that, she's a soc this." He exclaimed. "It's wasn't a 'she's a soc' when you picked up that gal Cherry." Ponyboy looked at the ground for a moment as he thought of something to say. "I haven't been frequently seeing Cherry for 2 weeks." He snapped back. "She doesn't care about you Johnny! Dammit, why can't you see that?" Everyone looked away, not wanting to see Johnny's face. His angry expression dropped. "She kissed me.." Johnny shrugged. "But yea, i know she don't care." He slumped back down onto the couch. Two-bit looked at him with a sad look and Darry just shook his head at Ponyboy. Steve and Sodapop were still hidden away in the kitchen, but Johnny could only imagine the looks on their faces. Dally strolled over and stood next to Ponyboy. He whispered something into Ponyboy's ear that Johnny couldn't quite hear.

"You're gonna put us on the socs radar." Dally said sternly. "If that boyfriend of hers even gets the idea that y'all are messin around we'll all get beat." Dally smirked. "Assuming we didn't fight back." Two-bit said as he grinned. "I ain't scared of no socs." He said happily. "They probably got blades." Ponyboy added. Dally nodded. "It's best not to get caught up in it." He walked forward and put his hand on Johnny's shoulder. "You'll be alright kid. She's just a mindless broad." Johnny got a little upset at the comment but he shook it off. He knew better than to get mouthy with Dallas Winston. "Now as for this one.." Dally said as he pointed a finger at Ponyboy. "No clue why he's bein such a lil ass." Ponyboy swallowed nervously as Dally got real close to his face and gave him a nasty expression. "Ima go take a smoke." Dally muttered as he walked out of the front door. Ponyboy relaxed as Dally's intimidating presence exited the house.

"Why do you care so much about her anyway?" Ponyboy questioned. 'Man, he just really has to keep going..' Johnny thought to himself. "She's just a stuck up, emotionless soc girl." Johnny raised an eyebrow. "She's not stuck up or emotionless." He said firmly. Ponyboy gave him a doubtful look. "Sure." He replied slowly. "I mean it." Johnny sat up a little bit. "She's a real sensitive gal, somethin i appreciate." Ponyboy nodded, once again not very convinced that what Johnny was saying was true. "You're being naive, Johnny." Ponyboy warned. "Oh bullshit." Johnny hissed. "You know i ain't naive. Why do you gotta make it such a big deal? Make like Dally and take a smoke or somethin." Two-bit gave a surprised smile, Johnny was never talkative, let alone sassy or mouthy. "Are you jealous or somethin, Ponyboy?" Two-bit asked. Darry shook his head at him, signaling him not to get involved. "I ain't jealous, i'm just looking out for Johnny." He defended. "I don't want him to get hurt, physically or emotionally." Johnny looked down at the ground. "He's been hurt enough.." Ponyboy said quietly. Johnny made an upset noise in his throat.

It was true, Johnny had already been hurt enough, mistreatment and heartbreak from his parents for his entire life. But, that just meant Johnny could take any sort of emotions that came from his situation with Katherine. Nothing could ever possibly be worse than the pain he'd been feeling at home for the last 16 years. Nothing. "I can take it." Johnny said. "Well what are you gonna do if those socs come tryna beat you up?" Ponyboy replied. "I can take it." Johnny repeated. "Besides, i got my blade." He patted his back pocket with his head held up a little high. Two-bit nodded with a shimmer of pride in his eyes. "Where is all this confidence comin from kid?" Two-bit asked curiously. Johnny took a second to think. "I.. I don't know.." He trailed off. "It just kinda appeared. somethin changed, i guess." Johnny shrugged and Two-bit gave a little nod to show that he understood.

"It's the girl." Ponyboy said firmly. "Her kissing him and givin him all this attention is making him more confident." He said. Johnny shrugged. "I guess? What does it matter?" Ponyboy looked around nervously. "So i'm talkin a lil more, isn't that good? I was already quiet before, but ever since those socs got me few months ago i was even worse. And now that i'm getting a bit of my groove back you wanna complain?" Johnny looked at Ponyboy with a confused and aggravated expression. "It's just not like you! Sorry for being concerned." Ponyboy crossed his arms. "I think i'm just gonna go." Johnny said as he stood up off of the couch. He waved goodbye to Two-bit and Darry, then shouted bye to Sodapop and Steve, whose heads popped out of the kitchen. "Bye Ponyboy." Johnny said, emotionless. Then he slammed the door. Johnny inhaled a big, agitated breath as he stepped onto the porch.

"Hey Johnny." Dally said as he took a puff of his cigarette. "Hey Dal.." Johnny replied a little startled. "I forgot you were out here." Dally gave a little smile. "I heard it all, man it was fun hearing you get all mouthy like that." He chuckled a bit, but Johnny just stood there numbly. Dally looked at him as his laughing slowed and his eyes changed from amused to serious. "But ya really shouldn't get like that again. I know Ponyboy's hounding you, and i don't fully know why. I'm just assumin it's somethin along the lines of him wantin to protect you." He put out his cigarette and tossed in the ash tray. "Yellin at him ain't gonna do any good." Johnny crossed his arms across his chest. "But you yell and get mad all the time." He tilted his head in a confused manner. "Does it ever actually solve anythin?" Dally questioned. Johnny looked at the scenery in front of the Curtis house as he thought. "nope." he replied. Dally nodded. "Exactly."

"I hope Ponyboy isn't too mad." Johnny said softly. "Oh he wont be. And if he is, he'll get over it." Dally stood up and patted his pockets. "But all jokin and yellin aside, you for real gotta steer clear of that girl, ya hear?" Dally crossed his arms and looked and Johnny. "I will." Johnny promised.

"As much as i can."
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A/N; next chapter might take a good amount of time, sorry! Also apologies for any typos there may be. Thanks for reading