Beach Babe | The Outsiders | Johnny Cade

| Job | 35 |

I spent all day at the Curtis's with Johnny. He's so jumpy and he's flinching at everything, they really messed you up, huh Johnny?

           We watched Sitcoms together till school ended and Two-Bit came over and hijacked the TV to play Mickey.

         As the different guys stopped in each and every single one has tried to convince me not to drop out.(besides Dally he thinks it's a great idea) but my mind is made up, I've wanted to drop out since the first week of freshman year.  This whole year with August and moving and the gang has just made me want too more, it's not like I had a plan for after high school anyway.

I'm holding hands with Johnny and leaning my head on his shoulder when Dally comes in beat to hell and back.

"Whoa Dallas what happened?" Steve asks

"Stupid Socs tryna jump a kid." He says accidentally spitting a bit of blood

"Jesus- let me clean you up." I head to the bathroom and grab the first-aid kit, I swear we go through two of these every week.

     I make him sit in front of me on the couch, I clean his face off and just about every bad word In the English dictionary comes out of his mouth when I our peroxide on the gash in his forehead. It's a nasty cut, doesn't need stitches it just looks like he slid across the pavement.

Johnny rubs his neck "Glory, I wish you were the one who cleaned my face instead of Darry. He's violent."  That gets a good laugh from the gang

"I am not. I'm thorough." Darry states

"You're a little heavy handed though." Ponyboy says timidly

"Oh whatever, like she's any better." He says playfully

"No but she is." Dallas says "Granted it still hurts like hell but not as bad. You know what I mean?" I apply a band-aid on his check where there's a small cut that won't stop bleeding.

Alright he's done "Okay good as old!" He stands up.

"So who was it Dal?" Soda asks

"I don't know, some drunk assholes looking for trouble. They were harassing this girl." He smiles "I took 'em all down no trouble. Sent them running with their tails between their legs."

"Well that's good." Johnny says

Steve glances to the clock then back at me "Hey don't you need to be home?" He asks me "Make sure your little brothers are there or something?" Shoot. I told him to remind to go make sure they were there.

I stand "Yeah. I'll just go check on them, I'll be
back in no time."

Johnny stands too, wobbling slightly "I'll walk you back."

"No you won't either." Darry says "You need to sit and rest, that's too much walking." Johnny looks at me worried

"Yeah, plus I can hold my own." I reassure him "I'll be fine."

"I'll walk with her just in case." Soda says

"Alright. I'll be back soon!" Me and Soda make our way out the door.

We walk a little ways down the road before Soda breaks the silence "I'm glad you're coming to work with us y'know." He nudges me

"Oh yeah? Why?"

He flashes that movie smile "Because you're cool and fun to hang out with. It'll give both me and Steve time to get to know you better."

I smile "Aw thank you Soda. You're cool too."