A/N: Hello again! I don't really have much to say so here's the next chapter. Enjoy!
Elena's POV:
Ponyboy and I are sitting in the living room, helping each other with our biology homework, when we hear the phone start to ring. We both look up when Soda comes in the room from the kitchen, picks up the phone and starts talking with whoever is on the other end. Me and Pony go back to our homework, tuning Soda out until he puts the phone down a few moments later.
"Who was that, Soda?" Pony speaks my exact thoughts.
"Hmm," Soda looks up at us from the other end of the room and shuffles closer. "It was Darry. He got invited to stay over for dinner with the family of the house he was roofing today. He won't be home until later tonight."
Ponyboy and I exchange a mischievous look.
"Probably not until after we go to sleep." Soda adds, pointing a finger at the two of us.
We narrow our eyes at him, but he mocks us and we all end up laughing. "I'm going to make dinner, stay out of trouble will you."
"Aw, Soda. Cut it out. We are just doing homework, you know." I roll my eyes at him.
"Yeah, yeah. If you say so," he says, already walking into the kitchen.
Pony rolls his eyes and I stick my tongue out at the back of Sodapop's head.
Once again we go back to doing our homework. About half an hour later, as we both finish, we hear the door creak open. Both out heads turn in that direction to see the doorway and it's current occupant. I'm not surprised when I see Johnny's small figure standing in the doorway.
"Hey there, Johnny. Come in, we just finished our homework." Ponyboy calls to him. Johnny doesn't respond, he doesn't even show any sign that he even heard what he said.
I take a more careful look at Johnny. There are a few new bruises on his face, but I'm guessing that there are more under his clothing. His dad must have just beaten him up again. I feel bad for him honestly, having to deal with that all the time.
I get up from the couch and pad over to him, right as Soda enters the living room. Johnny's shaking slightly, but even when I'm right in front of him he doesn't notice my presence. He seems sort of lost in a daze.
I put both my hands on his shoulders, and at my touch he jerks out of his daze and he finally seems to acknowledge me. He tenses up, starts breathing harder, and when he looks at me, there is a scared look in his eyes. I sigh. "Was it your dad again, Johnny?" I ask softly.
When he nods, I pull him into a tight hug. He closes his eyes and buries his head into my shoulder. His body relaxes a little in my embrace, but he's still shaking so I rub his back. When the shaking starts to subside and his breathing is more normal, I look over at Ponyboy and Sodapop. They both look worried, and I know exactly why. Johnny is used to getting beat up by his father, but lately, he has seemed worse off. He has been coming over, looking more shaken up than usual. Today is a perfect example, and it makes me wonder what is going on with him. I'm starting to get worried about him, I hate seeing him hurting like this all the time.
'What's wrong with him.' I see Soda mouth.
Ponyboy mouths something at me too. 'Was it his dad again?'
I nod. 'Yes. I'll tell you more later,' I mouth back, still rubbing Johnny's back.
"Hey, Johnnycakes. If you want, I'll help you clean yourself up," Soda offers.
I feel Johnny lift his head to look at Soda, then nod against my shoulder.
"Well, come on then," Soda says, disappearing into the kitchen once more.
I pull back from the hug enough to look Johnny in the eyes. "Hey...are you alright?"
His eyes flit to the ground and back as he takes a deep breath. "Yeah..."
"Are you sure, you don't seem alright. We are best friends Johnny, you know you can tell me anything, right?" I ask him, genuinely concerned.
"Yeah, I know, Elena. " He says, looking back at the ground again.
I smile at him and nod. " Well, if you ever need me, I'm here. Come talk to me."
"You know I will." Johnny smiles. I let go of him and he walks off to find Sodapop.
I sigh loudly as I sit down on the couch beside Ponyboy. "That's exactly the problem though...I'm not sure if he will."I start.
Pony gives me a questioning look. "What do you mean?"
"Come on Pony. You know what I mean. He doesn't want to bother us with his problems, so he deals with them on his own. I'm just afraid that one day, Johnny is just gunna' break, and no one will be there when he does. I wish he would tell me, or you, or anyone. Just someone, what's going on to make him like this. He's used to the beatings, they have never made him like this before. Not unless they were particularly bad, if his father was really drunk. And even then he wasn't like this. It started about a month ago, when Johnny came in one day, almost in a trance, remember that?" Pony nods so I continue. "It has only gotten worse since then, today being the worst I have seen him. Well, in his metal state at least. I want to know why he's always more upset now. I'm worried about him, Ponyboy."
He smiles at me softly. "You really do worry about Johnny, don't you Elena?"
"Yeah, don't you?" I ask.
"Come on, El, we all do. He's my best friend, of course I'm worried. But, I mean, you really worry about him. We can't force him to tell us anything, but I know that you know, that he will tell us when he needs too."
"Yeah... I know. I just care about him, Pone." I pause. "He's my best friend too, you know?"
Pony smirks at me. "Nah, you two seem like more than just best friends. Are you sure you don't like him, El?"
"No! I mean...no. I just care about him. A lot..." I blush as I answer him.
"Mmm hmm. If you so say so sis." He chuckles.
"What is that supposed to mean?" I ask curiously.
"Mmm, I think you'll figure it out on your own." Pony smiles and goes to the kitchen when Soda yells that dinner is ready.
I stay behind for a minute to think about what Pony just said. I feel my face heat up as I realize what he meant. Do I have feelings for Johnny?
*
I'm still thinking about this when I crawl into bed tonight. I toss and turn for hours, not being able to fall asleep. I drift in and out of sleep, for the most part staying in the abyss in between consciousness and sleeping, thinking. Johnny and I have been best friends since we met, many years ago. We are very close, as well, I tell him everything. He rants to me about how much he hates his parents. I know that Pony is right, too. I know that Johnny will come to me when he needs to, he always does. At least Pony was right about one thing. However...the other thing...I just don't know. Yeah, okay I do really care about him, but isn't that normal for best friends? That's how I have always thought of him, but now, I don't know what to think. Or what to feel.
At some point I hear Darry come home, and bang around in the dark until he gets to his room, but even then I don't wake up. I just continue to lay there in my daze, trying to figure out exactly how I'm feeling. What does wake me up however, is the loud yell coming from the living room. At first I am scared, still half asleep, not fully aware of what is going on, but for some reason I jump out of bed, and run out into the hall. That's when I realize why I jumped out of bed, because I know who screamed. Johnny. He didn't want to go home to his parents, so he slept on the couch in the living room.

Johnny yells again, this time for help. The yell sounds scared and panicked. This time it must've been louder, because Pony, Soda, and Darry all come out into the hallway.
"He must be having a nightmare..." Soda speaks for all of us, rubbing his eyes.
We all nod.
Johnny screams for help once again, and this time Darry takes a step towards the living room, which is in clear view. I don't know why I take a step in front of Darry, but I do. Somehow I just know that I have to be the one to talk to Johnny right now. "Go back to bed, guys." They look at me like I have three heads. "Don't worry, I've got it. I couldn't sleep anyways."
"Okay, if you insist..."Ponyboy says dreamily. I wonder if he even realizes what is going on, he still seems like he is asleep. However, I, on the other hand, am now fully awake. Soda and Darry nod towards the living room as Johnny yells once more.
I turn around and walk down the hallway, towards the living room. Towards Johnny. When I get to him, I kneel down I front of him. He is shaking like a leaf, and muttering things in his sleep. Things like "help me," "please," and "stop." He tosses his head from side to side, scrunches up his face, and then goes still. Suddenly he yells again, and then calls for help. "Ow, dad! Stop!" He starts whimpering and thrashing, muttering "please, stop, please."
I cover my mouth to stifle a sob, and look into the hallway, where my brothers are still watching me. Even in the dark I can see the horrified looks upon their faces, after hearing what Johnny just said. He is dreaming about his dad beating him up. The poor boy just can't escape it can he? I can't just sit here and watch him suffer, so I decide to wake him up.I pull a chair up beside him and shake his body lightly, "Hey, wake up. Johnny, wake up," I whisper, so I don't startle him.
Johnny's eyes fly open and takes in his surroundings. He looks over at me, fear present in his eyes and gasping for air. He looks terrified and he is shaking hard. Then he clenches his eyes shut, and I hear his breathing start to choke.
"Hey...hey. It's alright Johnnycakes, I'm right here. It's Elena. It's okay. You're okay..." I whisper, rubbing his arm gently. "Go back to sleep, you're okay. You're okay..." I raise my left hand and rest it on his head for a moment, but then my fingers start running through his hair.
Johnny visibly relaxes, his breathing returning to normal, and the shaking subsiding.
I look out into the hall, which is now empty. My brothers must've went back to bed, knowing I was here with Johnny.
I look back at Johnny. His breathing has evened out now, meaning he is asleep. "You're okay..." I whisper once more, leaning down and pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead.
My arm falls back to my side. Greenish grey eyes sweep over his body, taking it in fully. He looks younger when he is asleep, less pained, less.....abused. Honestly, I think he looks adorable.
My face heats up once again when I realize what I just thought. I guess that Ponyboy was right. I do like Johnny as more then a best friend. I smile to myself and rest my head on the armrest of the couch, watching Johnny sleep soundly. As I finally drift off into a dreamless sleep, I can only form one clear thought.
I like Johnny Cade.
A/N: So...that's the chapter. Personally, I loved the way it turned out. What did you guys think? Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it. Next chapter soon! :)