A/N: This one-shot was requested by Erin Cade. Thank you Erin, and also Keri for revealing the “dirty but not blonde” mind that was much needed for this fic Oh yeah, Johnny’s alive.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders, S.E Hinton does.

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Johnny’s POV

It was a dark and stormy night (Yes, I used the dreaded sentence), me and Pony were having a slumber party. Yes, slumber party, I’m not ashamed to admit it.

After chasing each other around the living room for an hour (breaking a lamp while doing so), we sat down to have a nice, calming, much needed smoke. I put the stick to my mouth and took a drag, then attempting to blow a perfect smoke ring. I was pretty close, and I was pretty damn proud when I saw Pony try, who couldn’t blow one worth two-bits.

The thunder outside crackled, and the lights inside flicked. Pony explained to me then that the lights would probably go out in a few minutes because of the storm. I nodded, looking out the window.

Another crack of thunder occurred, and then the lights shut off. I shivered. Pony grabbed my hand in the darkness. “Johnny, you okay?” He asked me quietly. I took a deep breath. “Sure, Pone, I’m just fine an’ dandy!” I answered. I could barely see the smile on his face. “Power-outages are pretty scary, I used to be terrified when I was a kid!” He exclaimed. I coughed. “Er, Pone, you still area kid.” I said. He chuckled.

Okay, so I really was terrified. So? Pony said he was terrified when he was younger, right? I had all the right to be scared of the dark. A flash of lightning lit up the living room. I jumped. Ponyboy leaned over to me. “Johnny, are you scared of the dark?” He asked, tauntingly. I shook my head fiercely.

“No, siree! I’m fine!” I said, trying to make my hands stop shaking. Everything was quiet for a second. I heard a loud thump from a different room. “Pony?” I called quietly. Ponyboy was quickly at my side. “Aw, don’t worry man, it’s probably just some bird flying into the window!” He reassured me. I nodded, still unsure. Another thump came, and I nearly leapt out of my skin. Just then, Two-Bit jumped in through the window. I screamed, while he tripped and knocked over the already broken lamp.

“Hey kiddos, enjoying the storm?” He asked teasingly. I curled into a ball. He jumped onto the couch. “I’m going to bed. Y’all try to be quiet, ya hear?” He said. Pony and I agreed. We laid down on the carpet beside each other. Pony wrapped his arm around me just like I’d seen Soda do for him. There was another loud thum from the other room. I huddled closer to him. Was it, could it be...?

A low moan came from the other room. I jumped up. “Pony, there’s a ghost in your room!” I shouted. Pony jumped up. “Johnny, there’s no ghosts in this house-” He started, but silenced when the noise was repeated. “Shit.” He whispered silently, as we both sunk to the floor. I shook like a leaf. “Pony, I never told you this but, I’ve always had a feeling this house was haunted...” I told him. He nodded. “I never thought about it that way, Johnnycakes. I thought it was just the house creakin’ and all that...” He explained. I took in a deep breath, and let it out slowly. “It’ll be okay Pone, I think...” I whispered. Another thump could be heard from the room. Pony grabbed my hand and squeezed it.

A loud snore erupted from Two-Bit. Me and Pony burst out laughing, though I was still shakin’ severely. It’s not a ghost, it’s not a ghost...I kept saying to myself, but I didn’t believe me one bit.

We were going to die. That was all I could think, as I sat there on the floor with Pony. The Curtis’ house was haunted, and as soon as I discovered this we didn’t have any adults here to protect us. I felt Pony shake. We were terrified, and nobody was here to comfort us.

“You’re my best friend, you know that Johnny? And you always will be.” Ponyboy started. I nodded.

“You too, Pone.”

“I mean, I love you Johnny! At least we’ll die together...” He whispered. I replied,

“I love you too, Pony. It’s okay, I really don’t think we’re gonna die though...”I tried to reassure him, but another moan came from the other room and lighting lit up the room. I let out a scream.

“I have a crush on Cherry Valance!” Ponyboy said abruptly.

“I have a girlfriend! Her name is Erin!” I responded, continuing our last words to eachother.

“I’m still a virgin!” Ponyboy admitted, looking down to the ground.

“So am I!”

“What?” He looked up and me, then burst out laughing. I smacked him on the head.

“Shut up, kid. You started this whole confession thing.” I said harshly. He nodded.

The thunder clapped and shook the house. Pony and I screamed at the same time. Darry then burst through the door, making us scream even louder like girls.

“What the heck are you guys doing?” He demanded.

“There’s a ghost in my room, Darry!” Pony responded.

“Your house is haunted!” I added, still frightened by the towering Darry who was dripping rain water all over the carpet.

Darry shook his head. “The house isn’t haunted-“ He started, but stopped as another thump came from Pony’s room. He raised one eyebrow, and headed over to the room.

“No Darry! Don’t do it!” Ponyboy pleaded. I looked down to the ground to find a weed that I guessed I’d dropped earlier while screaming. I picked it up and took a long drag, then passed it to Pony who seconded my action. We looked over to Darry, who had seemed to be walking in slow motion to the door. Me and Pony covered our eyes when he placed his hand on the doorknob and slowly turned it.

“God damn it son of a bit-“ A long curse came from the room. Darry’s voice suddenly boomed.

“SODAPOP CURTIS WHAT IN THE ALMIGHTY UNIVERSE ARE YOU DOING?”

Me and Pony removed our hands and strained to see Soda in the darkness. A flash of lightning lit up the room again, and gave us a better look on Soda. He was covering himself with a sheet.

Two-Bit, who I guessed had woken up by Darry’s shouting, burst out laughing. “Sodapop Curtis, I’d never have thought...” He started. Soda blocked the doorway. Darry pushed him aside, and stormed into the room. A high pitched scream filled the room. I jumped, and looked at Pony who’s eyes were wide open. Two-Bit shook his head while laughing even harder. “Just as I suspected.” He stated. My eyes widened as I came to a realization of what the “ghost” was.

Disgusting! That was all I could think, as I shook my head in disturbance. Pony gagged.

“Soda, that’s so perverted! Me and Johnny were planning this sleepover for weeks, why would you go and do that on the night you KNEW we had plans?” He shouted. I’ll second that, I thought.

Two more figures emerged from the room. I couldn’t see who they were, though.

“Soda, I understand the human mind has its NEEDS, but this is completely different...” Darry trailed on, cursing at Soda.

“YUCK!” Pony shouted, realizing that there was a bit more going on than he thought. I almost wished that it was a ghost, but I took it back quickly.

After the long lecture Darrel Curtis decided to give us about sex and using protection, the lights came back on, and our somewhat terrifying night ended. I learned what all of the noises I’d heard before must have been, well, you know...Anyways: Me and Pony’s slumber party came to an end and continued on like most nights at the Curtis house, nothing special.

The Curtis’ house definitely wasn’t haunted, I concluded. Ghosts might not even exist! I thought. All of the noises, even ones that occurred when we knew for sure that only me and Pony were home, weren’t ghosts. The mysterious figures and shadows trailing across the wall when nobody was there, weren’t ghosts. Not even the floating glasses of chocolate milk-

Oh screw it. The Curtis house was definitely haunted.