Chapter Text
My life was over the day it started. My parents where (and still are) poor. Aft first, they were overjoyed about me, but things took a turn for the worst. Father lost his job and became a heavy alcoholic. He was fighting with Mother all the time. In an attempt to get their anger out, they would beat me. Anything you can think of, they had it in their hands.
I started staying later at school, I didn't want to get beat. Sometimes, even, I'd sleep on a bench outside. Anything to avoid the constant beatings.
I don't know the exact year or date, but I met a boy. His parents were poor as well but they never beat him. Naturally, I was envious of his life.
I became closer with the boy who I soon came to know as Ponyboy. I often went over to his house after school. He had two older brothers, Sodapop and Darry. They were nice. His mother took quite a liking to me. She taught me how to bake, how to clean certain things, how to sew my own clothes. She taught me everything my mother would never teach me.
As I hung out with them more, I was introduced to Two-bit and Steve. Two-bit was Darry's friend while Steve was Sodapop's best friend. They eventually became my friends as well.
I skipped school one day and it was the worst mistake I made. The beatings were horrible. My arms were cut up, my body bruised. I wanted to cry but I knew crying would make it worse. Mother grabbed a broom and started whacking me with it as I made my way to the door.
Two-bit just happened to be nearby. He saw me getting beat and rushed over, pulling me away from my mother and shoving her off me. He called her every name he could thing of, both made up and not, but I didn't pay attention. I was too busy catching my breath.
My body ached. It hurt to move. The bruises covered my back, my front, my arms, my legs. Everywhere. Two-bit wrapped his arm around me and helped me limp over to the Curtis' house.
Ponyboy was at school, as was Darry and Sodapop, but Mama Curtis was home. That's what everyone called her. Two-bit went to go get her after putting me on the couch. The two rushed back in and began tending to my wounds. Someone put something on that burned, but I couldn't tell who it was. I was dizzy.
I ended up falling asleep. That beating was worse than all the other ones. When I woke up, Ponyboy was reading a book in the armchair. Ponyboy noticed me when I woke up. He gave me a soft smile and let me wake up first.
"What book is that?" I asked hoarsely, my throat ached with dryness.
"The Odyssey by Homer. I have to read it for class and write an essay." Ponyboy responded to me before putting a bookmark in his book, setting it down, and handing me a glass of water.
I took the glass and nodded in thanks before downing the entire glass in almost one gulp. My throat no longer cried out for water as it was now satisfied.
"What's it about?" I asked Ponyboy, extremely intrigued by the book.
"Greek mythology. It's about this guy named Odysseus who fights in the Trojan war and takes 20 years to get back home. He fights gods, goddesses, and monsters," Ponyboy explained with enthusiasm. "My favorite part is when he tells a Cyclops his name is Nobody and stabs him in the eye. The Cyclops started screaming that 'Nobody stabbed him' and no one believed him."
I chuckled at the smartness of Odysseus and the stupidity of the Cyclops. "That sounds interesting."
"It's an epic. Which is a really long poem. Like Romeo and Juliet or The Tragedy of Macbeth." Ponyboy explained what the book was.
"I wish I was better at reading, ya dig? I like books like that. They seem interesting." I grinned at Ponyboy. Soon enough Mama Curtis walked into the living room where Ponyboy and I were taking.
"Oh Johnny, honey, how are you? You were pretty beat up. Would you like some aspirin? I'll get you some." Without waiting for a response, Mama Curtis was off to the kitchen to retrieve an aspirin and more water for me.
"I think Mama loves you more than she loved me, Johnnycake." Ponyboy sighed and chuckled slightly.
"Don't say that, Pony. She loves you plenty. That's why she wants you to go to school. Get good grades n stuff." I tried to comfort the boy. Ponyboy gave me a smile. As fake as I knew it was, I would have been fooled if I didn't know him.
Almost unexpectedly, Mama Curtis reappeared in the living room with a pill and a full glass of water.
"Here. Take this and don't drink too fast. I don't want you to throw up." Mama Curtis warned me before wandering back to her household chores, leaving Ponyboy and I to talk about everything and nothing.
Dallas, a member of our 'gang' walked in the house, not slamming the door as per Mama Curtis's shout.
"Hey JC. Heard what happened. You doin' okay now?" Dallas asked me, but not without ruffling my hair with a smirk tugging on his lips. I nodded in response.
"I'm good, Dal. Glad to see you back." I grinned, enjoying seeing an old face. Dallas had hitched a ride on freight trains to New York and back for business. I knew he probably killed someone or threatened someone but he never told us of his business.