Johnny let out a small gasp as he watched the rest of the gang run off, chasing the red mustang that had found its way into their part of town. He grabbed onto the Curtis' chain link fence and looked down, only to find Pony on the ground. "Jumped," he managed, his breaths getting shorter. His best friend, down on the ground, looking fit to cry. He tried to approach the youngest Curtis brother, when a wave of memories nearly knocked the dark young boy off his two feet. Memories of Johnny's parents beating him, of Sodapop holding him in his arms, and of the day he was jumped. He hadn't been doing anything wrong, he had only wanted to kick their football around a bit.

"You okay there?" Dallas' familiar voice snapped him back into reality. He glanced around quickly. Soda and Darry were with Pony, Steve and Two-Bit were shaking their heads, and then there was Dally, looking down at him, concern in his usually cold, brown eyes. The taller boy looked down at Johnny's hands, tapping his knuckles, which had turned white from gripping the fence so tight.

"Yeah," Johnny replied, looking up at Dallas. "I'm fine."