My grandma has been in the hospital for four days now. Everyday I sat in her room, hoping and praying that my grandma would pull through this. I never left her side. There was a chair in the room that pulled out into a bed that I would sleep on everyday. Yes it incredibly hurts, but I wasn't going to leave her side. I rarely even slept. I would only get about 2-4 hours a night. Continuously I wake up at night thinking that she's going to wake up, but I think that my subconscious is just playing jokes on me. She still hasn't woken up yet and it's starting to worry me. I hope it's just because she needs more sleep.
My grandma hasn't gotten any company besides myself and the doctors occasionally coming in to check on her. Each time he comes in, a more nervous look appears on his face as he notices that she hasn't woken up yet. It is starting to worry me more. She needs to pull through this. Why do bad things only happen to the good people. Why couldn't this be me instead of her?
I found myself waking up with the scratchy blankets covering my entire body, except my arm that hung out so I wouldn't heat up. My head was laid on the pillow softly on my left cheek so I could breath. It was one of those kind of pillows that when a weight goes on it, it sinks. It's a terrible pillow, but I don't protest. I sat up and saw Soda just walking past the room. What is he doing here? I fixed my hair a little so I didn't look like such a mess. He peered into my grandma's room and then continued walking, only for him to double back and look at me. He was holding a cup in his hand with a top on it and a huge smile was plastered on his face.
I stood up to walk to the door to see what he wanted. Adjusting my shorts in the back, I was careful so he didn't notice the huge wedgie I woke up with. I haven't changed my clothes since the day of the accident. I haven't even taken a shower or brushed my teeth. I only went to the bathroom. I wanted to be the first person she sees when she wakes up.
I walked to the door and opened it letting Soda in. Quickly I turned back around so I could see my grandma's innocent body. I always checked to make sure that her chest was going up to indicate that she was still breathing. Sitting down on my 'bed' I felt the cushions go down meaning Soda sat next to me.
" What are you doing here Sodapop?" What was he doing here? This was the only question on my mind right now.
"I thought you might want some company." He had sadness in his voice. I looked up at him questionably. How did he even know that she was still here? "Oh here. I brought you some coffee. Courtesy of Sodapop Curtis." A huge grin was plastered on his face and I couldn't help, but laugh a little.
"Thanks Soda."
"How is she doing?" He asked with concern dripping in his voice.
"She hasn't woken up or showed any signs of waking up. What if she doesn't make it Soda?" I kept my eyes glued to my grandma and her limp body in that hospital bed. Leaning my head on Soda's chest, he put his arm around me as tears poured out of my eyes. I thought that I had dried my eyes out from crying so much. As if on cue my grandma's eyes fluttered open.
I couldn't move. My entire body froze. I never thought that this would happen. Soda held me tighter as she looked around the room to see where she was. I sniffed quietly when her eyes landed on me.
"Hi sweetie." She had such innocence held in her voice.
"Hi grandma." A small smile appeared on my face as I got out of shock mode.
"Well who is this young man? A boyfriend I see?" My grandma knew that I haven't ever had a boyfriend. One of the many secrets my grandma held about me.
"Grandma, this is Sodapop Cutris. He drove me here when I called the ambulance." Sadness filled my voice as I recollected what happened that day. The large grin that was held on my grandma's face disappeared in an instant.
"I'm gonna have to talk to the workers here. They wouldn't let my granddaughter in the ambulance with me. No that just won't do with me." My expression changed as did Soda's. Mine and Soda's laughter filled the room.
"It's fine grandma. As long as you got the right care, I didn't mind." I responded.
"I want you to go home and change and shower. Will you? That's the same thing you were wearing when you went to the gym." I guess I did smell.
"I can't go back there grandma. Not back to the place where…. This happened." I pointed to all the machines that she was connected to. A frown fell on her face as she understood what I was implying. I don't think I can ever go back there.
"You can shower at my house. I'm sure my brother can give you some clothes too." Soda had a hopeful grin on his face.
"Are you sure?" I asked as a smile was spread across Soda's face.
"Yeah it's fine. I can introduce you to everyone then." A confused look appeared on my face. Everyone? Who does he all live with?
"I guess. Thanks Soda." A small smile appeared on my face as. Because of his tall height, he could easily place a kiss on my forehead, which he did so. A smile blush poured onto my pale cheeks adding color to my face. Soda stood up giving me a hand. I took it. As we started walking out of the room my grandma stopped us.
"I'll meet you outside the door." I told him so. He continued walking as I walked over to my grandma's bed. A smile small was on her face, forcing one onto mine.
"He's a keeper." The grin became bigger as she thought that me and Soda were together.
"Oh no. He's-" She put her hand up stopping me from finishing my sentence. Then she shooed me out with her hand.
Walking out, I saw Soda standing outside the doorway. As I walked up to him, he grabbed my hand in his. I hope this is just a friendly gesture. I allowed myself to melt at his touch as we wondered out of the hospital to find his beat up mustang that I remember too well. I sat in the passenger seat that I had only sat in just a few days ago.
The car ride to Soda's house was quiet, but content. It wasn't awkward. We were both just lost in our own thoughts. As we pulled up to what I assumed to be Soda's house, I saw Steve talking to some other boy outside. Steve looked directly at the car with a smile, but when he saw me his smile disappeared and he began glaring at me. The boy he was talking to followed Steve's gaze to figure out what made him like this. I guess that answer would be me.
Soda parked on the sidewalk and looked at me. "We're here." A smile was on his face as I nervously put a fake smile on my face. He got out of the car and then opened my door.
"Thanks." I said quietly.
He nodded his head as he led me to a fence. He put his hand over it opening the latch and let us through. He walked up to Steve and the other boy and gave them both man hugs.
"Two-Bit this is Max. Max this is Two-Bit. Steve you already know who she is." The boy who's named seemed to be Two-Bit turned his head to look at me and when he did his eyes popped out. He swiftly walked over to me trying to look cool. He slithered his arm around my waist and looked me in the eye. I didn't like this position at all.
"Well hello there pretty lady." He smirked at me. As he spoke I could smell beer and cigarettes coming off his breath. Are they all going to smell like this? I heard a door slam shut and I looked up startled at the sound. I noted that the Steve was made by none other than Steve. What is his problem?
"Don't mind him darlin. Stevie is always in a bad mood." Two-Bit said flirtatious. I nervously put a small smile on my face agreeing with the boy standing in front of me who I had only just met seconds ago. I did not like the position we were in and I think Soda noticed that. He grabbed me and jerked me towards him getting me out of Two-Bit's grasp.
"Alright, kid. Don't startle the girl too much. Don't want her never comin back her." Two-Bit snickered and walked in the house.
Soda and I followed him. As we walked through the door, Soda put his arm around my small waist, feeling much more comfortable with him touching me than Two-Bit; the door slammed loudly behind us. When we walked in the house an aroma of beer and cigarettes hit me. Well they all must drink and smoke. Peering towards the couch I saw three boys that I had never seen before and Steve and Two-Bit sitting on the ground. Two-Bit was holding a piece of what looked like to be chocolate cake. It actually looked pretty good.
The three boys on the couch looked all different ages, but all looked like greasers. The one on the side had dark brown, greased back with that went right below his ear. He had dark looking green eyes that pierced right through me. He looked like a younger version of Sodapop. I take that to be his brother. The boy in the middle look had dark skin and pitch black hair that was also greased back. Some of his hair hung in his face a little above his eyebrows. He had brown eyes that reminded me of chocolate. His face had a long scratch going along it. He looked frightened as if he were beaten. I can only imagine something that horrible. He reminded me of a lost puppy. The third boy on the other edge also had greased back dark brown hair. His eyes were dark brown too just like his hair. His stare at me kinda scared me. His cheek bones were defined. He looked very intimidating. I'll make sure to never get in his way.
"Boy, what did I say bout slamming that door!" A thundering voice called. A large man that was very built, walked into the living room doorway holding a rag that he was drying his hands on. His hair was greased back, but had a little bump in the front with hair that hung covering his eyebrows a little. His cheekbones were also very defined and you could see a little stubble growing on his face. He was tall and was wearing a muscle shirt showing that he could beat you down. Surely he wasn't the one to hit the dark skinned boy on the couch. This man seemed intimidating, but somehow I was no where near afraid of him. If anything he almost seemed protective.
Once he saw me, the angry look on his face disappeared. It's as if my innocent look calmed him down. "Oh well who is this Sodapop?" He asked.
"I'm Max Bryant-" Soda seemed to have interrupted me.
"This is my friend Darry. So be nice." He had a tough tone to his voice that almost frightened me. The man standing in the doorway who's name seemed to be Darryl, nodded his head and headed back into the what I was guessing was the kitchen.
The intimidating boy on the couch stood up and walked over near me and looked me up and down. Either he was checking me out or approving me. "Well aren't you jus' an angel?" He said. His voice had a raspyness too it that sent shivers down my spine.
"Don't mess with her Dal. Got it?" Soda put on an intimidating voice. The boy who was looking at me nodding his head as if in approval and sat back down on the couch snickering the whole way there.
"Boys, this Max Bryant. Max this is Johnny Cade, Dallas Winston and Ponyboy, my brother and the CRANKY MAN in the kitchen is my other brother Darryl but you can call him Darry" Soda said feeding me this information.
"I heard that kid brother!" Darry yelled. Suddenly a delicious smell escaped what I guess was the kitchen. We all laughed at Darry's comment.
"But you can call me Dally, darlin," Dallas told me with a flirtatiousness to his voice which worried me a little. Soda must have figured that because he tightened his grip around my waist.
"Be nice Dally." Soda warned again. I heard someone in the corner snort. Looking over in that direction I realized it was Steve because he was in the middle of an eye roll. When he looked at me I gave him a cold glare and he returned it.
My attention was pulled away from the glare contest as one of the boys spoke. "Oh and you can call me Pony." Ponyboy spoke up quietly. He also rubbed off on me as innocent like Johnny did.
So Johnny was the dark skinned boy, Dallas was the intimidating boy that kept checking me out, Ponyboy was the boy that looked like a younger version of Soda and Darryl was also Soda's brother. I nodded my head at both Dally and Pony's comment. Soon I felt myself being pulled into a different direction. Soda and I came upon a room that I was guessing was the bathroom. Before we entered, Soda yelled to Pony to get me some clothes. I guess that would be right because Soda is a good 7 inches taller than me. I was short for my age so I guess I would be stuck with Ponyboy's clothes anyways.
As we entered the bathroom, Soda pulled a towel out of the closet in the bathroom and set it down on the now closed toilet. "Okay, you can take a shower in here. I'll get you some clothes when you come out. Anythin' else ya need?" Soda asked me. I shook my head as Soda turned the shower on.
"Well I'll be around the house. If you need me jus' yell for me," He said jokingly. I laughed at his little joke and he walked out. I locked the door and began stripping down. Before I got in the shower, I peered into the mirror. My face was pale, but I still had on the little eyeliner and mascara that I was wearing on the day of the… It pulled me together. I didn't look ugly, but not gorgeous. So in other words, I looked me.
I got in the shower and closed the curtain. It felt great to finally be getting a shower for the first time in days. I felt disgusting in the clothes I was in because those were the close I was working out in just days ago. As the water filled my space up, drenching my long dirty blonde hair, I noticed that it wasn't as warm as the water at my house. I guess that's a perk of being 'middle class'. I washed my hair quickly and when I was done, I turned the water off and grabbed the towel to dry off. When I was finished drying myself, I wrapped the towel around myself just above my chest hiding everything.
Opening the door, I peered out to see nobody in the house. Shit. I was stuck in a towel, in a house full of boys with no clothes. Great. So I did what any girl who was stuck in a house of boys would do. I opened the door all the way and stepped out of the bathroom. I walked into the living room to see it was empty then I heard voices outside. I followed them to see all seven boys outside talking to another guy who looked like a greaser.
He had brown hair greased back like Two-Bit's and dark eyes with bags underneath them. He was short, but his upper body was very built, giving off the illusion that he was very strong. He may be small, but I'm sure that he could crush Dally; the second biggest guy here.
Now what was I supposed to do. They all looked like they were having a very serious conversation and I was left standing in a towel. I stood in the doorway waiting a few minutes, but nope, they were still talking. I gave in to my conscience and walked outside in nothing, but a towel. I was a few feet outside and within seconds the strange man who stood talking to the boys I kinda knew's eyes were on me looking me up and down.
"Well boys, I see you got yourself a toy. And my is she beauty." Spoke the strange man. I felt a blush come to my face. I folded my arms in front of my chest hiding my boobs more. All the boys eyes fell on me and looked me up and down with bugged eyes. Only Darry seemed to be the bigger man and didn't do that. I felt kind of invaded.
That's when Dally and Soda snapped out of it. They ran up to me hiding me from the man in front of us. Soda held me by my waist, while Dally stood in front of me. I think I can actually trust Dally. That made me more confident. I stood up straight with Soda's body melting into mine.
"Tim, keep your eyes away from her!" Dally screamed at the man I didn't know. I guess his name is Tim.
"Or what Winston? Since when do you care about broads?" He chuckled and looked at the men behind him. I didn't notice them until now; that was his gang. Somewhere in that I found my confidence and fire burned inside of me.
"Excuse me Tim" I spoke his name with disgust. "I am not a toy. Understand that? I am a human being that isn't used. People that use woman are disgusting scumbags. Got that greaser?" Once again I just ran my mouth. Everyone looked at me with surprise. That is the most I have talked almost all day. The next thing I knew Dally was tackled to the ground, Steve was being held back by all the guys, Soda stood in front of me holding my waist with my body pressed against his back and Tim stood in front of Soda breathing heavily. Tim pounced at me, but Soda moved us out of the way just in time.
"You got some girl on your hands Curtis. You better keep her mouth shut or I'll have to shut it up myself." He glared at me the most evil glare I could ever imagine, but that didn't make me back down. I glared right back. He and his gang retreated, but I had something to do before he went.
"Hey Tim," I yelled. He turned around giving me a disgusted look. I flipped him the birdy and I saw anger wash over his face. The guys laughed which pissed Tim off even more. A smile grew on my face knowing that I won these guys over.