Johnny Cade sat in silence on the couch as Ponyboy Curtis bounced into the living room, in an obvious state of bliss.
"He asked me out, Johnny! Finally, I've been waiting for forever!" The fourteen year old sighed happily and collapsed on the couch next to his best friend.
Johnny swallowed hard. "Y-you're talking about...Curly?" Even so much as the thought made him want to roll his eyes. But he didn't. He forced a smile, and the sight of his friends smile and how happy he looked almost cheered him up.
But then he remembered why Pony wore that stupid, lovesick smile, and was jealous that it wasn't for him.
Ponyboy grinned hard and nodded. "Yeah! I didn't think he'd go for me, but wouldn't you know it?"
Johnny looked down and forced a smile. "That's great Pony. Real great." For you... Johnny thought.
He never was one to lie, so he wouldn't tell Ponyboy that he was happy for him, that he hoped they went steady for a long time, because he didn't.
He hoped that they broke it off soon.
But as the days turned into months, it became pretty clear that their relationship wasn't going to end anytime soon.
They were the perfect couple. Everybody wanted their relationship, and Johnny had to sit and watch the boy he had grown to love kiss somebody else.
Every. Single. Day.
Then there was that awful day that Pony had come home with his hair a mess and a slightly dazed look in his eye. He wouldn't stop giggling.
Johnny winced at the memory.
Curly...Curly...Curly! He was all Pony ever talked about. All Pony ever wanted to hang out with. Eventually, Johnny wasn't as important to Ponyboy anymore.
Johnny had lost count of the Saturday's him and Pony were supposed to spend together outside in the lot, or the amount of movies he'd had to go see alone because Pony had flaked on him last minute.
He wanted to hate him. He wanted to scream and cry and shout, but he just couldn't. Deep down, he knew he still loved Pony, and deep down he knew that he always would.
Oh, how bad he wished to be the one that gave Ponyboy all of his happiness.
Everyday he would come into his house smiling, or giggling, or eager to tell anybody who would listen about his and Curly's mostly recent date.
Until one day, he didn't.
It was as if someone had flipped a switch inside him that controlled how happy he was. His eyes had lost some of their usual glow, and he didn't smile as much anymore.
Johnny would have confronted him about it, except they hadn't really talked in months. Sure there would be short conversations every now and then, but it was nothing like before, where they would tell each other everything and stay up for hours just talking.
So he didn't talk to Pony. He wouldn't until Ponyboy came up to him first.
-
Pony trudged up the steps to his house slowly, a frown present on his face. But that was nothing new. He always seemed to be sad lately. "Stop slouching," Curly pushed his shoulders up. "I don't wanna be dating a bum."
Pony wanted to point out that Curly slouched as well, but didn't want to get scolded again.
They entered the house and found the gang sitting in the living room, all laughing and having a good time. Pony's eyes fixed on Johnny, who was giggling at something Dallas was saying to him.
