Ti Amo da Lontano // Johnnyboy

Chapter Twenty Four // Discuss

I ran all the way to Steve's car at the end of the day, not wanting to waste any time. 

Yesterday, he promised me to help me with Italian. I intended to utilize his help for my plan. 

I can't believe you're about to do this! I thought to myself. I felt nothing but excitement growing in my bones, making me feel warmer inside. 

I also felt nervous too, but I brushed the feeling off. 

Suddenly, my eye caught Steve's car. I sprinted towards it, knowing that he'd be waiting for me. My sneakers were hitting the pavement quickly. I didn't have time to waste. 

A few seconds later, I was standing face to face with him. 

I was began to breathe heavily, and I hunched over. 

"You okay there, Ponyboy?" he asked me, his southern accent shining through. I looked up at him, and met his shining blue eyes. 

"Yeah, I'm alright. I'm just excited, that's all," I stated. Steve smiled a lopsided grin. 

For a second, I realized how kind Steve could be. He wasn't all bad and spoiled, like I had previously thought. No, he was just deeply understood. 

In that moment, I felt immense respect for him. 

"..Well, let's go! I want to help you get your man!" he exclaimed with a wink.

I couldn't help but giggle at his statement, as we climbed into his car. 

-

When we finally began driving, we began to discuss the events of the day. 

"So, did you talk to Johnny today, or have you still been ignoring him?" questioned Steve. I sighed, but I knew that we had to have this talk before our plan could proceed later on. 

"No, I didn't completely ignore him, but I didn't seek him out, either," I stated. Steve nodded.

I took my seat in my language arts class, near the back of the room. I began to pull my notebook and pens out, when someone sat down next to me. 

It was Johnny, who sat to the right side of me. I had forgotten that our assigned seats were next to each other! 

Almost immediately, I could feel him watching me. I felt an aching in my heart. I just wanted to reach out and grab his hand, and kiss his cheek. 

I resisted the urge, but did something else instead. 

I turned to face him, just as he diverted his eyes.

I thought that it was cute that he thought that I wouldn't catch him staring at me.

"Hey, Johnnycakes," I started. He immediately perked up when he heard me say his name.

"Hi, Pony," he mumbled, with a hint of happiness in his voice.

I gave him a wide smile. 

"How're you?" I asked. He grinned. 

"I'm doing a lot better now, thank you," he replied. 

Suddenly, class began to start. 

We didn't talk again for the rest of the period, but I knew that his eyes were constantly on me. 

I was bright red for the whole class.

Suddenly, Steve began to talk, taking me out of my thoughts. 

"...Well, that's good. He probably feels a lot better," he stated. I nodded.

"Yeah. I hope. I'd hate to see the person I love- like most get hurt by me," I said, turning red by my slip up.

Steve didn't comment, but instead smiled. 

He knew.

-

Steve and I finally got home to my empty house, much to my relief. Everybody was out or away, and I couldn't be happier about it. 

Two Bit was probably with his sister at home, Dally was definitely at Buck's, and Darry and Soda were at work. Steve and I didn't have to worry about distractions. 

I quickly pulled out my Italian books, waiting for instructions from Steve. 

"Alright, so, you understand the fundamentals of Italian, correct?" asked Steve. I nodded my head. 

I had briefly taken Italian in sixth and seventh grade, so I was more fluent than one would think. But, then I switched over to French.

It was obviously a mistake, but then again, I didn't know Johnny was going to enter my life back then, either. 

"Yeah, I do. I just need some direction on what to say to Johnnycakes," I stated in response. He nodded, and then opened up the book to a random page. 

"Well, tell me exactly what you want to say to him," said Steve. 

I thought about it for a while, and then told him what I wanted to confess to Johnny in English. 

Immediately, he began working on the translation. 

-

I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the collar of my shirt. I was wearing a white button up, with Johnny's denim jacket, and a pair of clean, black jeans. 

I wanted to look nice. I needed to look nice for Johnny. He only deserved the best.

There was a knock on the bedroom door.

"Come in!" I yelled. The door swung open. 

I expected to see Steve standing there, but instead, it was Soda. He looked kind of shocked. 

"Why're you so dressed up?" asked Soda. I started to blush, as I thought for an excuse. 

"I kind of have a date," I mumbled in response. 

Suddenly, half of the gang showed up in the room.

"Did Ponyboy Michael Curtis say he has a date?" yelled Two Bit. He was now present in the room, along with Dally and Darry. 

"A date? Ponyboy? Nah!" responded Dally, slapping Two Bit in the chest. The two of them began to giggle like crazy. 

"Aw, shut up guys! It ain't that big of a deal!" I exclaimed. Everybody began to snicker. 

"Well, you look mighty fine, ain't that right guys?" said Sodapop. All the guys nodded. 

"I'm so happy that my boy is finally getting some ladies!" shrieked Two Bit. It took everything I had to not fall over laughing. 

"Yeah, well, I gotta go if I don't wanna be late," I replied, pushing through all of them.

When I was a few steps down the stairs, I only heard one thing. 

"Make sure to use condoms! No STD's for Ponyboy!" yelled Darry. 

I began to run down the stairs, when I heard something else. 

"PONYBOY MICHAEL CURTIS IS GONNA GET SOME PUSSY! LET'S CELEBRATE!" screamed Two  Bit. 

If I wasn't sprinting out of the house yet, I definitely was now. 

-

I walked up to Johnny's door, and knocked on it slowly. In the reflection of the glass door, I fixed my collar again, and made sure my hair wasn't too messy from running. 

The door suddenly swung open. 

"Ponyboy?" asked Johnny, clearly shocked.

I gulped.