For The Love of a Greaser
Chapter 4
Shattered
The next day I woke up early. When I looked at my clock, it read 6:30. I expected Eden to still be asleep in her room, but when I looked, she was gone. I looked all over the house, but still found no Eden. This left me with only one answer. She was still mad at me and likely got up earlier and snuck out, probably over to one of her friends before school started. That left me to myself until Darry arrived, giving me enough time to wash up and take a bath since the shower didn't work properly. Keeping that in mind, I went into the bathroom and turned on the hot water, letting it run for a few minutes while I went back into my room and grabbed some clean clothes.
As I looked through everything, I concluded that I'd have to do laundry later. I just grabbed the first thing that I could find, that thing happened to be my slightly wrinkled sleeveless black shirt. I also grabbed my usual pair of jeans from my dresser. After that, I deposited them in bathroom and went down stairs, filling the tea pot with water and placing it on the stove. I figured at least then when I was done, I could have some hot water waiting for me so that I could have some refreshing tea for the morning. Also, I figured that I could possibly offer some to Darry if he was interested, it just depends.
T
When I was done in the bathroom, I went back downstairs and turned the stove off, carefully removing the pot from the burner and placing it on a different one. This was something that I had done dozens and dozens of times before. At times, the act seemed almost ritualistic to a degree. Tea always seemed to relax and calm me down though, soothing my frazzled nerves. It's what I've been using to keep me sane for years now. Although, sometimes I still didn't really know what I kept fighting for.
"Eden," I breathed out.
She was my only reason to keep going at times. I promised Mom that I'd always look after her no matter what. What she didn't know was that it would be far more literal than just watching out for my little sister. Instead, I'd be raising her by myself for about eight years, possibly a little longer depending on what happened the next four years of her life.
I tried to put all of this out of my mind though as I put a couple slices of bread in the toaster, turning the knob to make sure it was lightly done. I never did like my toast very crunchy. I grabbed a plate from the cabinet after that, sitting it on the counter next to the toaster and waiting for it to get done. I also grabbed my cup from the counter and poured the hot water into it, before grabbing a tea bag and placing it in the cup. I watched for a few moments as it floated on top of the water, slowly soaking in the liquid until it dropped to the bottom of the cup. Color followed shortly after, the tea spreading through the water and coating it with luscious flavor.
"That smells so good," I sighed as the aroma of the tea hit me full force.
I took my time drinking my tea, savoring the flavor on my tongue. Some people loved coffee, but I loved my tea even more. Tea was also something that my mother got me started on.
T
Nine o'clock came around quickly and I found myself waking up from my nap on the couch by a knock at the door and the sound of Darry's strong voice.
"The door's unlocked," I said with a yawn, making sure I was loud enough for him to hear.
After I said it, I heard the door open and Darry's footsteps walking toward the couch.
"I didn't wake you did I?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck for a moment.
I just shook my head and yawned again, curling up a bit as I laid there on the couch, burying my head in my arm.
"Just…give me a…few more…minutes…to wake up," I yawned, my mind fogging over as I dozed off again.
T
Darry stood there, watching her as she slept on the couch. He was at a loss for words. He had come over to continue his work on the roof as promised, yet here she was, sleeping once more. It was obvious that she was tired. Given the way she had talked the last time, she didn't sleep very well and was likely up late last night. It was like him to a degree. He was always up worrying about everyone else that he never took the time to get proper rest his own self. He was sure that she had spent a good chunk of her night worrying about her sister, especially, given how things had gone when Abigail had introduced the two to each other. What Darry didn't understand, was what Eden's issue was with him. It was like she despised him for some reason or another. Not to mention the way that she treated Abigail.
Now, if Darry were any other guy, he simply would have started on his work and not bothered with the fact that Abigail was sleep. Darry wasn't just any guy though, Darry was considerate. He figured he'd sit down in the kitchen for a bit and finish reading his newspaper, let her sleep just a bit longer before getting started. He knew that running on little sleep wasn't good for her, just like it wasn't good for anyone. Darry on the other hand was getting used to it, but that didn't mean that he liked it. He enjoyed a good long sleep every now and then, just like everyone else did. She deserved a good sleep as well.
Sitting at her table, he'd glance over at her every now and then, his eyes steering away from his paper. She seemed so at peace while she was sleeping, yet when she was awake, there seemed to be something missing. He didn't know what it was, but it bothered him a bit for some reason or another. He supposed the thing that bothered him the most though was the fact that she was still young and dealing with so much, kind of like him. That was one thing that he noticed. Just like him, his parents were gone and he was left to raise his brothers, she was left to raise her little sister. The only thing that he didn't know was how everything came to be, how she ended up the way that she was.
After about a hour and a half though, he knew that he would have to wake her up and get started. It's not that he didn't mind taking a bit of a break and all, but he knew that he had to work on the roof. If anything, he'd at least have to patch up all of the little holes since it was supposed to rain tomorrow. He knew for a fact that Abigail wouldn't want any more water getting into the house. So, with that in mind he got up from his chair, pushing it back in under the table and walked over to her.
"Abigail," he called, nudging her shoulder with his hand gently.
She didn't move, so he tried again.
"Abigail, wake up," he called once more, this time a little loud.
"Mmm," she groaned, curling up a bit, but still not opening her eyes.
Darry let out a sigh, running his hand through is hair for a moment, before crouching down in front of her. He sat there for a minute or two, sitting and waiting, until she finally opened her eyes.
"Have a nice nap darlin'?" he asked, the side of his mouth tugging into a faint smile.
"Darry?"
T
I was woken up from my sleep by the sound of a voice. At first I just passed it off as my imagination and curled back up, but afterward, I knew I wasn't dreaming. I also noticed the familiarity in the voice, though their voice sounded a bit muffled to my tired and sleep ridden ears.
"Darry?" I groaned out as I opened my eyes, his figure a bit blurry at first as I rubbed them.
"Yep, it's me," he said, confirming my earlier thoughts.
"What are you…" I started with a yawn.
"You let me in, remember?" he said.
After that, everything came back to me. I remembered fixing myself some tea and toast, then taking a nap. I remembered letting Darry in some time after that. What I didn't know was why he was sitting right in front of me though.
"Why aren't you up on the roof?" I asked quietly, letting out another yawn as I continued to lay there and stare out at him.
"Well, you told me to let you rest a bit longer, so I thought it only fair to let you," he told me, sitting there for a moment longer before finally deciding to stand back up. "Besides, if I was up there hitting on the roof, how would you be able to sleep?" he asked innocently.
This made me laugh, a small friendly smile breaking out onto my face.
"Thanks Darry," I said softly, pushing myself up into a sitting position.
I was still a bit sore from yesterday though and couldn't help, but let out a small groan.
"How long was I asleep?" I asked curiously, running a hand through my hair.
"I'd say a hour and a half to two hours, give or take," he said with a small shrug of his broad shoulders, his thumbs hooking around his belt-loops.
"I'm sorry for holding you up for so long," I told him, stretching my arms above my head, before standing and getting up off of the couch.
I nearly fell over as I did this though, placing a hand on my head as I steadied myself from my sudden dizziness. That normally happened when I was laying down for too long or after just waking up.
"You okay?" Darry asked, taking a firm hold of my shoulder, helping to steady me the rest of the way.
"Yeah, I just stood up too quick, that's all," I assured him.
My eyes then trailed down to his hand that was still on my shoulder. He saw this and quickly removed it, apologizing afterward. Strangely enough, I didn't really mind that much, and in a way it was kind of comforting.
"Well, I'm going to get started on the roof. I'll let you know when I'm done," he said, grabbing his tool belt and walking out of the house.
I nearly laughed at this, sensing the slight awkwardness that he likely felt. Darry was definitely something else, that was for sure, but a good something to say the least.
T
The same routine went on for a whole week. Each day Darry would come back and work on the roof a bit more, eventually redoing the whole roof for me. When I tried to pay him though he refused, saying that it was the least he could do for me after keeping Ponyboy and Johnny out of jail. Although, I suppose feeding him lunch everyday also had something to do with it, but that was beside the point. Heck, I even let him take a nap on my couch once. I was grateful though for his kindness, very grateful. I just wished that Eden could be the same.
Eden still detested Darry for some reason and was still hateful toward me. I honestly didn't know how much more of it I could take. If she kept at it, then I'd likely end up breaking down and crying, which was something that I really didn't want to end up doing in front of Eden of all people. Darry was still very understanding with the whole thing though, so I was lucky. I just didn't understand Eden.
Unfortunately though as the week came to an end, so did Darry's job. The roof was finished so there was no longer a need for his services. This left me with a particular sadness that I didn't think I would feel. I had been without company or friends for so long that I had gotten used to it, but then Darry came along and changed that. I didn't want to be alone all the time anymore and I had come to enjoy his visits. We even talked about different stuff at times. Sometimes he would tell me stories about his friends while he worked on the roof and I'd just sit there on the porch listening to him and actually enjoying myself.
T
"So, how are things going with that young man?" Joe asked as he leaned over the counter, the diner currently empty at the moment.
"You mean Darry?" I asked, turning my head to look at the man as I wiped down one of the tables.
"Of course I mean him. You seemed happy all week long," he expressed.
I just turned my head away from him as he said this, going back to the table. I could almost see my reflection in it.
"He's done with the roof, so he left," I said, moving onto the next table and putting things where they should be.
"Well, that's a darn right shame," Joe said, walking down the length of the diner. "For a moment there, I thought that you might actually have yourself a decent boyfriend there for once," he continued, glancing over at me as I continued to work.
I was glad that he couldn't see my face because I went completely red at his statement.
"Come off it Joe," I told him in embarrassment.
He merely laughed at this, enjoying the fun at embarrassing and picking at me. It seemed to be his favorite past time now a days since I'm the only one that ever seemed to get close to him. The other two girls that worked there from time to time were only there for the job, not the people. They could care less about anyone else, just as long as they were getting paid, then they were happy.
"You should find some way to see him again you know," Joe said, a goofy grin on his face.
"Lord have mercy, don't you ever stop Joe?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
"No, not really."
Lord have mercy, he was terrible. Absolutely terrible. The man was worse than the girls in high school at times.
"Hey now, you're my best girl. I just want to see you happy," he said, coming around from the counter and walking over to me.
"He's just a friend though Joe, that's all," I said with a sigh, sitting down in one of the booths.
I was so tired, that, and I didn't feel very good. I guess it comes with the rotten weather, since it had been raining for several hours now.
I looked out the newly placed window in the diner and watch the lightening streak through the night sky, the thunder soon following after it. It was a beautiful, yet scary sight to see.
"I think it's time we closed up for the night Abigail," Joe said, going back and turning the light off in the kitchen.
He then came back and grabbed his jacket, along with mine from underneath the counter and met me by the door, handing it to me.
"Why don't I give you a ride home? It's a bit scary out tonight," he said, hoping that I'd accept his offer for once.
I almost didn't accept it, but after looking back outside again, I figured that I should. So with a nod of the head, I turned toward him.
"Alright, I suppose this once couldn't hurt," I said.
"That's my girl. I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever let me give you a ride home," he chuckled.
"It's not that I'm not comfortable with the idea or anything Joe, it's just that you live on the opposite side of town from me. I don't want to take up your time," I explained, shrugging my blue jean jacket on over my shoulders.
"Always thinking of everyone else, never your own self," he voiced aloud, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his keys. "I'll pull the car around," he said, pulling the door shut and locking it behind him.
I stood there leaning against the glass under the oning as Joe ran around for his car through the pouring rain. About two minutes later, he was in front of me again, leaning over and opening the door for me.
"Thanks Joe," I said, quickly getting in and closing the door behind me.
I was thankful for the heat in the car. It felt so good against my skin in this cold weather brought on by the rain.
"Now remember, I don't come down this way too often, so you're going to have to help me," Joe told me as he turned down the road, keeping his eyes peeled for any problems.
"Take a right up here Joe," I told him, pointing up ahead.
He nodded, turning once we got up to the intersection. He then continued on down the road at a slowed pace because of the rain. I watched the rain splash onto the sidewalk as the car drove through it, wetting the ground further.
"Take a left into this neighborhood," I said once we were close enough to the turn.
I could feel my body pulling in the other direction as he turned, righting myself as he continues further.
"Take another right at this second street. My house is the third one on the right," I told him, pulling my jacket closer to myself as I got ready to get out.
I waited until he pulled up to my house, before grabbing hold of the door handle and turning toward him.
"Thanks for the ride Joe, I really appreciate it," I said with a small smile.
"No problem Abigail. Oh, take this," he reached out with a paper bag in his hand, holding it out to me. "A girl's gotta eat, right?" he laughed, setting it in my hands.
"Thanks," I said quietly, opening the door and running for it.
I waved as he drove off, pulling my keys out and unlocking the door. I shivered as I stepped inside, cold air blasting my face.
"Eden, why isn't the heater on?" I called up the stairs, wiping my shoes off on the doormat.
I then took my jacket of and walked over to the other side of the room, turning the dial on the heater and turning it on. I placed my jacket down on the heater afterward so that it could dry off. It still took a couple minutes or so for the heat to kick in though.
"Eden, get down here," I said as I stood by the steps for a moment.
I went into the kitchen with my bag, sitting it down on the table. I then went to the fridge and pulled out the milk, pouring a bit into my cup on the counter. Once I was done, I placed the milk back in the fridge and sat my cup down on the table.
"Eden!" I yelled, starting to get annoyed that she was ignoring me.
A minute later, I heard her stomping down the steps, turning into the kitchen with an angry look on her face.
"What?" she spat, glaring at me.
"What in the world is wrong with you?" I asked, taking half a step back away from her.
"Nothing, nothing except for you," she said in annoyance.
I stood there for a moment, placing my hands on my hips.
"Excuse me?" I raised an eyebrow at her, my voice going up a notch.
"You heard me. Where were you anyway? Out with your boyfriend?"
"Eden, that's enough!" I said, my temper starting to flare.
She had no right talking to me like that, especially, when I had done nothing wrong to warrant it.
"You sound like Mom," she said bitterly.
"How can you say that, you weren't even around her enough," I said.
"That's why I hate you! You spent so much time with her and now you're trying to replace her!" she yelled.
That was it, that did it.
"I'm not trying to replace her! How could you say that!" I cried out.
"It's true! Just like with Dad!"
That one really hit home. Now she was blaming me for our father leaving. She had no right saving such a thing.
"You're wrong," I said quietly, turning my back to her and opening the paper bag that Joe had given to me.
"How am I wrong? Tell me how I'm wrong Abby!" she yelled.
"You don't know why he left…you don't know what he was doing," I told her, rubbing my arm for a moment.
"Dad was perfect. What I want to know is why he left," she said, her voice still angry.
"No he wasn't!" I cried, whirling around to face her. "That's why I kept you away from him all those times!" I told her, trying to fight back my tears. "I kept you safe!"
"Liar, you kept me away from Dad!" she yelled back, shoving me into the table, my cup falling off and hitting the floor.
The sound of my cup shattering was almost like a smack in the face. It was Mom's cup. It was my mother's favorite cup. She had let me have it for my tenth birthday and now it was gone.
I could feel tears welling up in my eyes as I stood there, my hands placed on the edge of the table. I could feel myself shaking as I stood there.
"I can't let you see me like this," I whispered, before turning and running out the door.
I didn't even bother to grab my jacket off of the heater before deciding to run. The rain didn't even bother me as I raced forward, the rain mixing with my tears as I cried. I didn't even know where I was going. I just ran, tripping over myself a few times, before pushing myself up to keep going. I didn't even realize that I had run right passed Darry's house without a single thought.
Okay, there's chapter 4 everyone. I really hope that you liked it because I know that I enjoyed writing it for the most part. I'm sure that you'll love the next chapter though. Abigail and Darry in the next chapter. They grow closer and I'm starting it now. :) Remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE. It keeps me writing, happy, and posting. Anyway, thanks for reading everyone and let me know what you think. Also, don't forget to check my PROFILE for other possible stories that you might like.
