"Wake up Vixen. We gotta get back home." I hear someone whisper. I open my eyes and came face to face with Johnny.
How come he didn't move?
I look around and the sky was a little darker. How long had I been asleep?
It's like all I do now is sleep.
Guess when you don't have to fear for your life you're actually able to.
"Hmm?" I mumble. Johnny helps me sit up. Ponyboy was nowhere to be found.
"Mmmm where's Pony?" I ask wiping my eyes. Johnny stands up and stretches.
"Went on back home."
"Why'd you stay?" I ask looking up at him. He blushed slightly.
"Dally would kill me if I left you alone." He answered.
"Oh. Right. Has anyone heard from Dally?" I asked. I was really starting to worry. He promised he wouldn't leave then the day after I come home he leaves. Typical Winston men I guess.
"Let's get back." Johnny says. Avoiding my question. I nod and he helps me up and we walk side by side in silence until we make it to the Curtis house.
Johnny allowed me to walk in first.
Everyone looked up at me when I walked in. Darry smiled.
"Hey kiddos. Where ya been?" He asks after Johnny follows in behind me.
"Fell asleep at the lot. I'm sorry." I tell him.
"No need to be sorry kid." Darry says. I sit by Two Bit and he smiles at me.
"Hey kid. Have fun?" I nod slowly.
"Yeah. Pony and Johnny took me to the park. Had a great time."
"Well glad you're gettin along well kid." Darry says. He gets up and goes to the kitchen to start dinner.
Steve and Soda were playing cards at the table. It's like that's all they did after work. Maybe that's how they let off steam.
"Any of y'all heard from Dally?" I asked.
"Uh yeah kid. He was over at Bucks. Beat up pretty bad. Apparently he got in a fight with ol Tim again and he's been recovering there." Two Bit responds not taking his eyes off the tv.
I sigh. Dally got in a fight with some hood. I wonder how bad it is for him to be recovering for so long. Dally doesn't look like the type to hurt easily.
"So kid. You ain't scared of us no more?" Steve asks from the table. I shrug slightly.
"Not quite sure just yet. I ain't known y'all that long." I reply.
"Aw come on. You get along with Pony and Johnny just fine." Soda adds. I smile slightly and look at the two boys. They looked over at me and smiled.
"They's to sweet to hurt no one. Y'all I'm not so sure about." I tell them. Pony and Johnny blush slightly.
"Shoot kid. We're the least of your worries." Two Bit butts in. I was confused but didn't bother to ask what he meant.
"Say y'all wanna go by the nightly double tomorrow night?" Two Bit asks.
"Steve and me are going to pick up Evie and hang out for a while so probably not." Soda says.
I assumed Evie was a girlfriend perhaps. But I could be completely wrong.
"Pony? Johnny? Vixen?" Two Bit asks. I look at Pony and Johnny and they shrug.
"Might as well ain't got nothin better to do." Pony answered. Johnny nodded in agreement.
"I'll go too." I added. Two Bit nodded. I assumed the nightly double was some sort of movie place or something.
"We might stop by Bucks tomorrow and ask Dally to go." Two Bit says. Almost as if to reassure me.
I nod slowly.
Darry called us for dinner and this time Sodapop brought out my plate. I take it happily and Soda gives me a big warm smile. I couldn't help but to smile back.
It seems Soda can make anybody smile. That's a nice quality to have.
"This seat taken?" I heard someone ask. I looked over and saw Johnny standing up with a plate of food in his hands.
"No. I don't believe it is." I smile slightly. Johnny smiles back shyly and sits beside me. Just a couple inches away from me.
I felt his elbow brush against mine as he ate his food happily. When I was done Sodapop was quick to take my plate. I wondered why these boys wouldn't let me get and take my own damn plate. I wasn't as helpless as they thought.
Steve and Two Bit left about an hour later. Pony and Soda went back to their rooms and got ready for bed. Darry stayed up for a while longer reading the paper before he left.
Then it was just me and Johnny. We sat in comfortable silence. I could hear his light breathing.
"Well I'm gonna go. I'll be at the lot." Johnny stands up and I was quick to pull at his sleeve.
"Don't leave. It figures I can sleep if I'm near you. Please don't leave me alone." I said pathetically. Johnny's eyes soften and he nods kicking off his shoes.
He hangs his jean jacket on a chair and get up under the covers with me.
I had rid myself of the pants Pony lent me. They were abnormally tight. They must have been some old jeans of his.
I guessed Johnny felt my bare legs and he blushed. He turned so he faced away from me but I still cuddled up to his back.
It rose and fell softly as he breathed. I inhaled his scent.
He was so warm. I fell asleep shortly after. Gripping onto Johnny's shirt in an attempt to keep him with me.
Not that he'd leave me alone after I asked him not to. Johnny didn't seem like that type of person.
