The Happy Ending (The Outsiders Johnnyboy)

5

(Johnnys perspective)

I could feel my cheeks reddening, I don't understand what this feeling is. It's one I've never felt before... it was an almost safe feeling, Ponyboy made me feel safe. I don't feel it often. No one's showed me love like this. The only people who've cared for me is the gang. Especially Ponyboy, he's my best friend. I felt happy when I was around him, but that happy feeling was usually pulled away when I got home at the end of the day... if I even went home at all.

As much as I want my folks to care that I'm gone, I know they don't. They wouldn't even care if I was dead. I just know that the second I go back home they're just going to just tell until they are too tired to any longer. Then they will probably just throw things at my bedroom door until they get tired of doing that too. This is how it goes every day, so I just started staying in the lot so I won't have to deal with it anymore. I'm used to it by now.

I looked up at Pony, he was looking down at me. "Uh... thank you." I say gesturing to the way he had his arms around me. "You're welcome." He says back, letting me go. I get up, pulling him with me. I pull him outside. I looked up at the stars, they sure were pretty. "They're beautiful, huh?" I say, staring up at the slightly light sky. "Not as good as a sunset, but yeah... they're pretty." Ponyboy responds. He suddenly pulls me into him, putting his arm around me. I smile at this small gesture, putting my own arm around his waist

Our faces were close again and I felt my cheeks heat up like before. Neither of us moved, we just sat there.. it was a bit awkward, but neither of us wanted to move. We just sat there, staring into each other's eyes, silently. Ponyboy moved forward a bit, our faces almost touching before moving back again, not wanting to make the situation more awkward... but still neither of us moved. It was almost like we were paralyzed.

We sat there for a long time under the stars, enjoying the moment together. "Come on, we shouldn't be out here for too long." I say, pulling him back inside. I take off my jacket and Pony takes of the extra jacket Dallas gave him and we lay down next to each other. "Night Johnny cake" Pony says, closing his eyes, "Goodnight, Ponyboy" I say back, barely able to keep my eyes open.

There was a rustling noise outside, I heard Pony move a bit. "Johnny, you awake?" Ponyboy whispers, tapping my lightly. "Yeah" I say, keeping my eyes closed. "There's a monster outside" he says, I could hear the fear in his voice. "What?" I say. I was used to things like that after sleeping in the lot almost every night. "We're going to be okay, Ponyboy." I say, trying to get him to go back to sleep. Thankfully it worked.

We slept for hours until the sun came up. I got up, putting my jacket back on, being careful not to wake up Ponyboy. I walk outside and sit in the grass. It was warmer outside, but there was still a slight breeze.

I thought about what happened yesterday while we were out watching the stars. That same feeling came back, and my cheeks felt hot just like they did when we were that close the night before. I was so confused. I've never felt like this before. I was going to figure it out eventually, I was determined to figure it out.

I sat there enjoying the nice breeze... this was going to be tough.