Chapter Text
Johnny POV:
Pony has been different lately.
Sure he's been through alot, but this time it's different. He doesn't cry, laugh, smile, and I don't think he even sleeps much anymore. He's practically a robot.
It scares me.
He barely talks too. I mean, sure, he's always been kind of quiet, but now he's practically silent. Heck, he doesn't even tell Sodapop anything like he used to.
And believe me, Sodapop has tried to help him. Pony just refused and sat there in the carpet, watching the T.V. with that dead look in his eyes. Even Steve tried helping Pony, but Pony wouldn't budge.
Eventually Sodapop gave up, and along with him, so did Steve.
Darry helped too, he begged and pleaded for Ponyboy to eat, talk, or do anything non-robotic. He said that if Pony kept bottling everything up, he would break.
After many failed attempts, Darry decided that he would just leave Pony alone and see what happens from there.
The cycle continued, one by one they would start giving up. Everybody, but me.
___
"Pony?" I knocked on his door.
I wasn't expecting an answer and I put my hand on the doorknob, ready to turn it.
"Johnny?" I heard from the inside.
"Can I come in?"
"Sure."
Pony was sitting on his bed, knees to hit chest, a notebook next to him. If I were to guess, it was probably full of drawings. Ponyboy has been drawing alot more lately. Almost anything he owned had little dooodles on it.
"You okay man?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Ya sure don't look like it."
"..."
"Sorry."
Pony leaned against me. I could see the bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep.
"Y'know Johnny, I don't feel like myself."
"Yeah?" I asked waiting for him to tell me more.
There was a long pause between the two of us, then Pony abruptly got up.
"I'm goin' out for a smoke."
"Wait."
I grabbed his wrist before he could move any further.
"Please, Pony. Tell me what's wrong?" I pleaded.
He just tugged his arm away and walked out.
I sat on his bed and sighed. Pony was probably on the porch right now, and he planned to stay there as long as possible.
"Johnny."
"Soda?"
Sodapop looked back to see if Pony was there, then closed the door behind him.
"How'd ya do it?"
"Do what?"
"Get Ponyboy to talk."
I looked at Soda with confusion, "He talks to ya all the time, don't he?"
"Yeah but not like that."
"I dunno man."
Soda gave me a hard glare.
"Really, I don't." I assured him.
Sodapop just sighed and walked right outta the room.