~Emily~
I silently sat, picking at a loose thread on my jeans as I listened to Pony read Gone With the Wind aloud. Him, Johnny, and Alice all seemed really into it, but I didn't really find it all that entertaining. And, it's kind of hard to process when I'm not looking at the pages. I've always loved reading books of course, but I can't process the story when I can't read the words for myself. Plus this wasn't really my type of story.
The only thing keeping me from falling asleep was the sweet sound of Pony's voice. I could describe it like how Bella Swan thinks of Edward Cullen's, smooth and velvety (lmao pretend twilight already came out back then).
These past couple of days have been the longest. We've eaten the same gross food and I felt like I'd be sick. Alice looks like she lost ten pounds and Johnny has purplish blue marks under his eyes from lack of sleep.
Pony's been smoking a lot more lately, which is saying a lot since he already smokes so much. Sometimes I worry that he will get sick or something, the amount he smokes. A few nights ago, I went outside with him to smoke. He should've called bullshit, he knows I don't smoke.
I just wanted to be alone with him. It had just gotten dark and we sat on the front steps of the porch blowing puffs and staring at the sky.
I don't know what's going on between us. I feel like he knows that I like, really like him, but he's kind of giving me mixed signals here. I wish I could talk to Soda about it. But most likely I'll never see him or the rest of the gang again...
The door of the church burst open suddenly.
I immediately covered my face with my arms. Alice and Johnny's heads snapped up, and Gone With the Wind flew across the dusty floor.
"Calm down, y'all are freakin' sissy's." Wait a second... was that... yes! I'd recognize that voice anywhere.
"Dally!" I ran up to him and wrapped my arms around his neck.
"Woah there kid! Calm down!" He laughed as he picked me up and swung me around.
"Wow! You look so different as a blondie!" He exclaimed as he finally put me down. "But I think you look better like this. Less ugly." I rolled my eyes.
Dally gasped when he saw Pony. "Jesus! Pony, your hair!"
He shook his head. "Yeah, yeah. I know."
"And that was the only good thing you had going for you. I hope it grows back!"
"Do the boys know where we are? Are the fuzz after us? What about the Socs..."
"Woah, there kid. I can't answer everything at once. Let's go get something to eat. No ones gonna recognize you here, there not even gonna be lookin' for ya."
"Why not?" Johnny asked.
Dally smirked. "I may have told the fuzz you guys were heading towards Texas."
I shook my head. "Well let's hurry up and go. I'm starving."
***
We decided to just eat in the car, just in case someone did happen to notice us. It was probably the best tasting food I've ever eaten, or maybe it was just because I'd been eating the same thing over and over.
On the way back to the church, for some reason, I just burst into tears. And like, it was bad. Like sobs that shook my body and snot every where.
Alice reaches up into the passenger seat where I was sitting next to Dally. "What's wrong Em?"
I sniffled loudly. "It's, it's just, I missed you so much Dally. And I miss Soda and Darry and Two Bit and Steve and I'm never gonna see them again!" I sobbed harder.
Alice rubbed my shoulder. "It's ok, Em." She said softly.
"No it isn't! And it's never gonna be."
Dally rolled his eyes. "Quit cryin', you little shit. I gotta plan. Y'all are just gonna turn yourselves in, they can't arrest ya for self defense. I read a law book."
"You? Reading?" Johnny gasped in shock.
Dally reached his arm into the backseat. He was about to punch Johnny in the shoulder, but then he stopped himself and pulled back his arm. Dally's always had a soft spot for Johnny.
"Are we going back now?" Alice asked.
"Yeah..." Dally's response was cut short when we noticed a huge scene happening as we passed the church.
"The church is on fire!" Pony screamed before I even knew what was happening.
Dally slowed the car. Orange and yellow flames were everywhere. Little kids running, adults yelling for their children. I could smell the ashy smoke, it stung my eyes and burned my nose. I could even feel the fire. It was as hot as the sun's rays.
"Ponyboy, where are you going!" I was snapped out of my thoughts as I saw Ponyboy running toward the fire.
"No! Wait!" Johnny got up and followed him.
I started to unbuckle when Dally grabbed me by my shirt.
"I swear to god, if you even think about it, I'll kill you myself. Stay here." He slammed me backwards and body crashed into the car door. He pointed his finger in Alice's face. "You too. Don't move."
He jumped out of the car and sprinted toward the church after them.
I turned around and climbed into the backseat next to Alice.
"There are little kids inside... they went to save them," Alice said through tears, "it's our fault. The church burnt down because of us!" She and I both cried into each other's shoulders as the ashes from the fire fell into our hair.
a/n
I've been working on another book lately that I like better than this one (it's not posted yet) so I'm really sorry for the lack of updates on this one.
