Times Change [UNDERGOING EDITS]

Chapter Twenty

I couldn't stand not knowing how the rumble went. I also couldn't stand just sitting around while the rest of the guys rumbled. But if I had gone, I would have just spent the whole time worrying about Johnny. So best I stayed behind, worst thing you could do in a rumble is go in distracted.

I had just started to nod off right where I sat when Johnny let out a loud gasp, eyes screwed shut in pain.

"Johnny? Are you okay?" I exclaimed, nearly falling out of my seat. "Johnnycake?"

It took him a moment to catch his breath before he could answer me. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine Sissy. It just hurts sometimes, don't worry about it," he said reassuringly. I wasn't reassured, not one bit.

"Okay..." I sat uncertainly, sitting back down.

After a while Johnny dropped off to sleep again. He was looking really pale, like, almost as pale as me. And me and Ponyboy were both pretty damn pale year round.

The worst thing I could have possibly imagined happened next, the doctor asked to talk to me out in the hallway. Then he gave me the straight-up, honest to God truth. "I'm sorry, Johnny's not going to make it, he's dying," he said to me. I couldn't move for a moment. I knew Johnny was in bad shape, but that didn't mean this didn't hurt like hell anyways. I mumbled something along the lines of 'thanks for your time' and numbly walked back into the room, sitting back down next to Johnny.

I gently took his hand and ran my thumb over one of the bandages. I couldn't bear the thought of loosing my best friend. I rested my forehead on Johnny's hand as a stray tear escaped the corner of my eye.

I had almost fallen asleep again with my head rested on the edge of Johnny's bed when Dally and Ponyboy came stumbling into the room.

"Hey!" Dally drawled, "Guess who just kicked some Socialite ass?" They were both bleeding and Ponyboy seemed to have a pretty nasty cut on his temple. Ponyboy swayed precariously and steadied himself on the door.

"Oh Dally for crying out loud why did you bring him?" I asked, rushing over to my little brother. "Kid looks like he'll pass out any moment!"

"I'm fine," Pony mumbled dismissively.

Dally smirked at me, "See? He said he's fine." Then he placed his hands on either side of my waist, picking me up and spinning me around, "More important thing is... WE WON!" He set me down and gave me a quick and loving kiss, still grinning like a madman.

Ponyboy stared at us in confusion for a moment, looking back and forth between the two of us. "I'm pretending I didn't just see that."

"Ain't hard to figure." We all looked over to see Johnny grinning weakly at us. I gave him a playful glare that clearly said 'You little shit, Johnathan Cade.'

"Hey Johnny," Dally said gently, moving to stand next to Johnny. "We won! We chased those dirty bastards off our turf and they ain't comin' back for a long time."

"Fighting..." Johnny winced, "Useless... Ain't gonna get you nowhere."

"They're writing all sorts of stuff about you guys in the paper, for saving those twerps," Dally said nervously, "Making you out as heroes, who would've guessed they'd be calling greasers heroes huh? We're all real proud of you, buddy."

Johnny's eyes lit up. Dally said he was proud of him, and that was all Johnny had ever wanted.

"Alli..." Johnny said weakly, barely more than a whisper.

I took his hand, "Yeah Johnnycake? What is it?" My heart was pounding out of my chest.

"You and Dal...I'm real glad for you two, you're gonna be real happy together" he winced, "Take good care of eachother."