A/N: Sorry guys, I know that I said that I would update yesterday, but something came up. Anyways, I'm updating now, but sorry it's late, enjoy!
Elena's POV:
When I see Johnny crying, I'm honestly not sure how to react. I guess that I really should've seen it coming, because he has seemed really shaken up a lot lately, but I am still a little shocked. It takes a hell of a lot to make Johnny cry, but yet here he is, sobbing on the ground in the vacant lot. It makes me wonder even more what's been going on, and I'm going to try and find out right now.
As I take a few steps closer to Johnny, I start to hear his sobs more clearly. They are loud, full fledged, heart wrenching sobs. He is shaking like a leaf, his head is buried in his arms, and knees pulled up to his chest. Even though I'm not being quiet as I step closer and closer, he still doesn't notice me.
I run over and kneel down in front of him. "What's wrong, Johnny?" I ask softly, but worried, resting a hand comfortingly on his shoulder.
He jumps back but continues to sob. "P-please...d-don't...hurt...m-me!"
I'm slightly taken aback by this exclamation. "It's just me, it's Elena," I reassure him.
He peers up at me a bit, but only enough to see my face. "El-Elena?" Johnny chokes out, sounding a little bit hopeful.
"Yeah, bud, it's just me." I rest my hand back on his shoulder, but he jumps again, despite the fact that he knows it's just me. Something is definitely wrong here, well at least more than usual. I immediately remove my hand.
He repeats what he said last time, but sounds frantic this time. "P-please! D-don't hurt m-me! Please!" He sobs.
As soon as the words leave his mouth, I realize what's been going on. "Johnny," I start softly, "Did your dad do this?"
He nods vigorously, and starts to sob even harder, if that's possible. My heart aches for him, I hate seeing him so upset. Especially if it's because of being abused by his own father.
I envelope him in a hug, but he flinches again, and I back off. "D-don't hurt me..."
"I won't hurt you, Johnnycakes. I would never hurt you." I say softly to him.
"P-promise?" He chokes out.
"Of course, I promise." I state clearly.
He buries his head in his arms once more, and I sigh. He just looks so...broken. "Oh Johnny..." I envelope him in another hug, but this time he let's me.
He starts to settle down a little bit, so I pull out of our hug, and settle myself down beside him. "Johnny...Can you tell me what happened?" I ask softly.
He nods, and attempts to wipe at his eyes. "M-my dad...well you already know that he beats me." I nod, letting him continue. "It's getting worse...but not physically. H-he says things to me...terrible things. But, I'm starting t-to believe him."
I nod slowly. "What kinds of things has he been saying to you?"
"True things." He states, bitterly.
"Johnny, whatever it is, I am sure that it's not true." I reassure him.
"It is, though!!" Johnny wails, starting to cry again. "He calls me names. Trash!Unwanted! Worthless! I am those things! I'm a disgrace to my family, they are ashamed to call me their son!! They hate me!! My parents don't love me or want me, they hate me! And they should! I'm worthless!!"
"Johnny..." I pull his head down on my shoulder, and wrap my arms around him. Nothing I say is going to get through to him right now, and frankly I just don't know what to say, so I just hold him as he sobs. I can't believe that his dad would say stuff like this to him, it's terrible. He's shaking again, so I rub his back soothingly. "Shh, shh, it's okay, Johnny. You're gunna be okay. It's alright, none of that is true."
"Yes it is!" He yells. "Why don't you understand, Elena?! No one cares about me! Everyone hates me and wishes I was dead! I wish I was dead! I want to die! I'll kill myself or something, I don't know! No one will give a hang anyways!! No one cares about me! Not my teachers, not you, not the gang, and definitely not my family!! You know why, because I'm worthless!! I'm a worthless piece of trash! My old man was right, I'm worthless!!" Johnny wails, full out sobbing once again.
I swear, one day I'm going to kill Johnny's dad for doing this to him. He doesn't deserve this, any of it. He's too sweet to. What kind of father makes their son want to kill themselves because they told them all of this sh**?! It's just sick.
I take Johnny in my arms, rocking the hug back and forth and rubbing his back, trying to calm him down. "No, Johnny, no, you've got it all wrong. There are tons of people who love and care about you Johnnycakes, including me. The gang loves you, Johnny, and they care about you a lot. I don't know what we would do without you Johnny..." I ramble frantically. He just can't kill himself, he can't. We need him here. The gang needs him. I need him.
"P-please, Elena, d-don't lie to me!" Johnny chokes out through his tears.
"I'm not, Johnny. We all care about you, especially me. The gang needs you, I need you. Please don't kill yourself, Johnny! Please! I care about you, so, so much!" I ramble once again, pulling back to look him in the eyes.
He just looks at the ground, thinking probably. I lift his face up to look at me.
"Please, Johnnycakes. I need you here." I almost whisper to him, a single tear sliding down my cheek.
His big brown eyes stare into my greenish grey ones. Even through the tears, I can see how soft and beautiful they truly are. Although tears still stream down his cheeks, and his face, though tanned, is red and splotchy, he is still adorable.
I cup his face with my hands, as another tear slides down my cheek. "Please."
I remove one hand from his face, and brush some tears from his cheek with my thumb on my other hand.
His lips barely part, but I still hear the whisper. "Okay."
I smile with tears in my eyes. "Thank you," I whisper, barely audible.
"Anything for you..." He whispers, but a I barely catch it.
Then I pull him in and kiss him full on the lips. At first he seems startled, but then his lips move in sync with mine. Johnny's lips are soft and warm pressed against my own, and I melt into the kiss. Despite the fact that he is still crying, it's a perfect first kiss for me. Actually, from what I know of, I believe that this is Johnny's first kiss too. I can't believe that a I am finally kissing him. I'm kissing Johnny Cade. And it feels great.
A moment later, the kiss ends, and we pull away. I immediately pull him back into my arms and rock him from side to side, rubbing his back. He closes his eyes and we just sit like that for a little while, until I speak up. "Everything is going to get better, Johnny, okay? I promise you."
He sniffs. "It already is."
"What?" I question, pulling back from the hug.
He just smiles softly at me. "You tell me. What was that kiss about, huh?"
Oh no....I blew it by kissing him. He doesn't really like me...I thought he did but maybe it was just the heat of the moment. But no...what was it he said before I kissed him? Anything for you....that has to mean something, right? You know what, whatever. I've already kissed him, I can't go back now, I have to tell him that I have feelings for him.
"I really like you, Johnny." I admit, staring at my feet.
For a minute there is silence, and I'm starting to wonder if he will ever answer me, but when I look up, I'm confused. Johnny is smiling right at me, that huge smile that I hardly ever get the pleasure of seeing anymore. It's rare to see it, yet I'm seeing it right now. And I smile too, knowing that I am the cause of it.
"What?" I say, letting out a breathy laugh.
"Oh, nothing." He chuckles lightly. "It's just that...I've liked you for a while now, Elena. Like really, really liked you, but I would've never though that you would ever feel the same way about me."
I smile at him brightly. "I didn't think you felt the same way either. I guess we were both wrong, though."
"Shoot, yeah," Johnny laughs. "I guess we were, weren't we?"
I laugh and nod, but then get a little more serious again. I slide my hand down his arm. "Are you gunna be okay, Johnnycakes?"
He thinks about it for a second, but then he nods. "Yeah, yeah I think I'll be okay."
"That's good. I hate seeing you so upset, Johnny. It honestly breaks my heart to see you hurting like that." I say honestly.
"Trust me, it's not fun. It really hurts me, but I'll be okay. As long as a I have you, I'll be alright."
"Aww," I reply.
"It's true. You are amazing, Elena." Johnny says, softly.
"You are amazing too, Johnnycakes."
He smiles, but the he gets real quiet, and stares at his shoes. "Do you- um...." He starts off, very quietly. I can barely hear him.
"Sorry, Johnny... Do I what?" I repeat.
"Do you want to be my girlfriend?" Johnny asks shyly.
I smile warmly at him. "Yes, Johnny. I'd love that."
He returns my smile. Then he leans down, and kisses me on the lips once more. I smile into the kiss and so does Johnny.
Once the kiss is over, we just stay exactly how we are, for what seems like hours but in reality is only minutes, while waiting for Johnny to fully finish calming down. My head is resting on his shoulder, even though I am still holding him in my arms like I was before when he was sobbing.
Now that Johnny has stopped crying, I think that he is calmed down enough go head home. Well not to his home, he's not going back there for a while. I won't let him. Not after what his dad has done to him, he can stay with my family. I'm sure Darry won't mind.
"You ready to head home now, Johnny Cade?" I ask him a minute later.
His eyes widen at my question.
"No, Johnny. Don't worry, I'm not sending you straight back to that hell hole. You can stay with me and the boys for a while, okay?" I reassure him.
"Thanks, Elena." Johnny sighs with relief.
"No problem, Johnny. Anything for you."
He smiles that great big smile at me once again, man, I wish that I could see it more often. Hopefully, now, I will.
"Hmm, I'm getting hungry. Ready to go eat some dinner, Johnny?" I ask, laughing as my stomach growls. I stand, and pull him up with me.
"Yeah, I'm starting to get hungry too," he replies, laughing with me.
"Okay, let's go." I start to take a step, but Johnny's soft voice stops me.
"Oh, and, Elena?"
"Yeah?
"Thanks, for everything."
I smile at at Johnny, man, he sure is adorable. "No problem. Anytime." I answer him, and I'm being completely honest too. I would do anything for him as it is.
I'm about to walk again, but stop short once more, when I feel someone's fingers intertwine with my own. I look down at my hand, and see that mine is linked with Johnny's at the fingers. Tingles run up my arms, and it feels wonderful.
So, with our fingers laced, we walk back down the street to my house, for dinner.
A/N: See, I told you that the next chapter would be happier! Well, at least at the ending...So what'd you guys think this time? Good? Bad? Please leave some comments guys, I'd like to hear what you think. Anyways, until next time. Next chapter should hopefully be posted in the next couple of days. :)