Life Choices

Disclaimer: The Outsiders is owned by S.E. Hinton I own nothing.

…

(Johnny's POV)

"I'M BORED," proclaimed Two-Bit loudly from the other side of the couch.

I chuckled as Ponyboy rolled his eyes at him.

Two-Bit, Ponyboy, and I were at the Curtis' just watching whatever came on television. Steve and Soda had gone off with their girlfriends a little while ago and Darry was out having fun with his friends.

"So why don't you just take off," replied Ponyboy smartly.

Two-Bit grabbed him by the shoulder and hugged him to his armpit. "I promised Darry I'd babysit little Pony wony."

Pony grunted as he pushed Two-Bit off him. "I don't need no babysitter," he proclaimed angrily, "and besides I got Johnny with me."

It was then that Two-Bit's expression changed from amused to hesitant. Why would he be hesitant about me being alone with Ponyboy?

"We'll be fine by ourselves go out and do something." Pony was practically pushing him out the door so he could leave faster.

"You sure you two will be okay," Two-Bit raised any eyebrow at us. "I don't want to be blamed when you two do something crazy."

I nodded at him. "Yeah we'll be fine here." This will give me the chance to ask Ponyboy about Dallas.

"And besides, what crazy things could Johnny and I do alone together," Ponyboy piped in oblivious to his own words.

I blushed as a few "crazy thing" came to mind.

"Oh Pony," Two-Bit sighed and shook his head at him. "Since I'm getting kicked out, I might as well go out to a bar or something." He pointed his finger at Ponyboy dramatically. "Keep an eye on the little one Johnny."

"I will," I called out to him

"Yeah, yeah now go," Ponyboy order him.

Two-Bit saluted him with his left hand. "Sir Yes sir," and with that he marched out of the house."

I sighed nervously. Ponyboy and I were now officially alone together. I know I'm kind of making this seem like a big deal, but it kind of is. When you are alone in a place with someone you have feelings for an undesignated amount of time it gets a little nerve wrecking.

"So, um, Pony," I froze as Ponyboy got into my personal space. He stared at me for a second before grasping my hands in his.

"Johnny," he said sweetly.

"W-What," I managed to stutter out.

"Don't you want to come with me to the movies," he smiled at me. I was feeling my temperature rise from how close he was to me.

"But we just told Two-Bit…"

He shook his head and squeezed my hands tighter. "He's not gonna be coming back, and we'll be back before Darry and Soda come home."

"Please Johnny," he looked up at me pleadingly. "I really want to see this new movie playing."

Judging by how desperately he wants to see this movie, he'll go whether I come with him or not. Better I be with him to keep him from getting in any messes, then leaving him all by his lonesome.

I sighed. "Alright"

He gave me his award winning smile before dragging me out the door.

…...

"Hell's Diner," I raised an eyebrow at him confusedly. "You want to see a movie called Hell's Diner."

I had just paid for out tickets, I insisted on paying, and we were now trying to find some seats.

"Yep," he told me briefly as he finally decided on a place to sit.

"Um, Pony you know this is gonna a horror movie right." I was already regretting this. The gang will kill me if he comes back to them traumatized.

He nodded at me excitedly. "I know and this is my first one too. I heard people were actually running out of the out of here scared out of their wits."

"And you want to see it," somehow Pony doesn't strike me as the type of person that likes being scared.

The opening credits just started to come on.

"I've wanted to see it for a while," he clarified, "Dally said he would take me but he hasn't yet." I noticed his face sadden at the mention of Dally.

I sighed. Why does he like him so much?

"AHHHHH"

We both jumped in our seats as a woman screamed at the top of her lungs on screen. A hooded man was trying to chop up a woman with an axe. He already chopped up her foot and was now moving to her arm.

We were only ten minutes in and I could already hear some people whimpering in fear at what they were seeing.

I groaned. This was going to be a long movie.

…

You know maybe this movie isn't so bad after all.

Sure, a whole group of people had walked out looking sick and disturbed while the other half that stayed, the stubborn ones, wouldn't stop moving in their seats looking like they were getting ready to bolt any second.

But that's not the point.

The point is Ponyboy had not let go of me for the last hour. He's currently watching the movie from my neck while occasionally peeking out every now and then to see what's happening, only to dive right back to me.

This movie's awesome.

As soon as it ended, Ponyboy jumped up from his seat and sprinted to the exit. Since his arm was still wrapped around mine, I had run with him or risk losing my arm due to how fast he was going.

He stopped running as soon as we were a few feet away from the theater. I had to catch my breath as he started to walk us back to his house.

"How were you not scared," he asked me, not out of breath at all.

"I was distracting myself," I replied as soon as I recovered.

Or rather you were distracting me, I thought to myself.

He sighed. "Why would Dally want to take me to see that?"

I gazed at him and felt my anxiousness come back. Now is a good as time as ever to ask some questions.

"How long have you and him been together," I asked him.

He looked shocked at the question. "Me and Dally? Not too long I guess. Why?"

I shrugged trying to make myself look casual. "No reason, it's just that he looks like he's really protective of you. Were you guys close before you got together?"

I was a little surprised to see him shake his head at me. "No not at all. In fact, we didn't even know each other until this year."

"He never hung out with the gang," I frowned. I thought Dally was a friend of the gang that eventually started dating Pony.

"Nope," he denied. "We started dating and when I started bringing him around the gang is when he became friends with them."

That is really strange. Darry and Sodapop are really protect of Ponyboy, always have been and probably always will be, so what is it about Dally, a hood they don't know, that made them lower there protective barriers (albeit only by a little bit). What did he do to earn their trust so easily?

I was so distracted I didn't even hear a car pull up next to us.

"Hey Greasers," I heard a voice call out to us.

As I felt Ponyboy stiff beside me, I could only utter one thing.

"Aw hell"

…