Chapter Four
I woke up to the side of my face against somebody's back. I sat upright and saw Ponyboy sleeping next to me and I remember what happened last night, he looked very peaceful. I looked at the clock in the room: 3:18 it read and I lay back down; I stared up at the ceiling and somewhat smiled at what happened last night. I felt Pony stir beside me and he slowly turned to face me, I'm pretty sure he was hoping I was still asleep because his ears began to go red again.
"Glory, your ears can get red Ponyboy." I commented and he looked at me, he seemed to be embarrassed by what happen last night.
"J.C. I-I" He stammered with his words as he sat up, I looked up at him. Trying not to laugh actually.
"Pony, it's okay." I said, and he looked at me. "It's okay, you did nothing wrong." I looked to the side, I then sat up. He still looked confused and I sighed. "I kissed you first and you kissed back, there is nothing wrong with that."
Pony still didn't seem convinced and I sighed not knowing what else to say, he turned to look at me and I stood up. I opened the door to the room and walked to the hall to the bathroom, the shower was already running so I couldn't go in. Ponyboy came down the hall and turned me around gently, he looked at me with a guilty look in his eyes.
"I'm sorry if I made you mad," He said, "I was just surprised that's all." He hugged me suddenly, I just stood there. My arms still to the sides of my body, I heard the shower shut off and someone opened the door. I wasn't sure if it was Sodapop or Darry it didn't really matter anyway, Ponyboy still let go.
I turned and saw it was Soda, I was glad it wasn't Darry. He'd asked too many questions and I am somewhat afraid of him, I knew he was nothing like my brother it was still possible. I knew it was horrible to think this, but knowing it was true it was hard not to think. I heard Ponyboy's foot steps go down the hall and to his and Soda's room, then the sound of the door closing. I turned away from Soda and went to the spare room and closed to the door, pulling on some jeans and a shirt. The shirt's bottom stop just above my belly button and I pulled on my jacket again, zipping it up to the collar. After putting on my sneakers and making sure the rest of the house was clear, I walked out going straight to the lot.
I wasn't using my head then, I wasn't thinking of how worried everyone might be if they found I was gone. I realized I shouldn't have left when I reached the lot, realized I was being stupid for not using my head because I saw my brother and he looked stare at me. I staggered backward, turning to run away when he came at me. He grabbed my arm pulling me toward him and keeping me there, I struggled to get away but his grip was like steel. He hit my back again and pain ran through it and he let me go to fall to the ground.
I started to yell for one of the gang, I heard somebody yelling my name but it was hard to hear with the kicks to my stomach. My brother picked me up by my arms, yelling something at me and more than leaving bruises of his hands on my arms. I'd coughed up blood when he had kicked and he punched me straight in the nose, breaking it. My brother disappeared from my view and my head body hit the ground, I couldn't move. I hurt all over, every movement I made shot pain through my body. I was able to turn to my side, people kneeled beside me and I looked up. I saw Two-Bit and Dally and I think even Steve, the pain that shot through my body made me black out.
I don't know what happen next, I was going in and out of conscious. I knew I was being carried and I knew it wasn't my brother who was carrying me, I didn't know who it was.
"What happened to her?" I heard a familiar voice asked, it sounded like Johnny or Ponyboy. I couldn't separate them; I didn't open my eyes and black out again and didn't wake up for a while.
When I did wake up, I stare at the ceiling of the spare room at the Curtis house that I lived in. I saw from the corner of my eye, the door opening and someone walking in. It was all the Curtis brothers, I could sit up but it pained me to try.
"Ponyboy, Darry, Sodapop?" I said, I knew I was delusional and my vision was fuzzy.
"Yeah," Darry's voice came first. "It's us."
"How did I get here?" I asked, sitting up anyway. It still hurt though.
"I had to carry you." Soda replied and I looked at all three of them.
"Was that your brother?" Ponyboy asked. I was taken aback by this; I have no idea why I just was.
I looked at my hands and nodded, it was first time he drew blood from hitting me. I looked back up at the three brothers; I admit I started to bawl. You would start bawling too, if you were hurt this bad.
"I mean when I lived at home he would hit me, but never this bad." My voice cracked, "He never drew blood by hitting me, and I don't know what his problem is." I looked down; hot tears ran down my cheeks and onto the sheets. Ponyboy hugged me around my neck and I leaned my head against his shoulder. "What happened to him?" I asked them.
Soda looked at Darry then back at me. "Darry here got to him before he could do anything else, he pushed him off ya. Landed a few blows to his face and your brother ran to his car and drove off. Everyone came when you started to yell and when you blacked out." He explained to me, Soda left the room then. Muttering something about being late for work and the same with Darry, Pony stayed hugging me as a bawl.
"How long have I been unconscious?" I asked, looking up at him.
"Four days." He replied, and I was taken aback. I never knew I could be unconscious so long, it was surprising really. Ponyboy stopped hugging me and looked at me straight in the eye.
"Four days?" I asked, "Why didn't you try and wake me up?" Ponyboy sighed and looked down; I'm guessing this reaction wasn't what he was hoping for. "What's wrong?"
He sighed again. "It's just you scared me to death, disappearing like that. Then Soda came in with you all beat up and bleeding it scared me even more, I thought you were going to die in our own house." I saw his hands started to tremble; I put my hands over his.
"Ponyboy its okay, you see that I'm still living and I'm okay." I reassured him. "Yeah I got a few bruises and yeah I was bleeding, but I'm okay. You don't have to worry about me, I-I mean I could've fought my brother off --"
"Then why didn't you?" Pony broke in, making jump a little.
"I didn't know his was going to be at the lot! He surprised and scared me at the same time." I finished, my voice cracking more. Pony leaned and kissed me slightly, drawing back and putting his forehead against mine, he hugged me gentle around my waist.
"I just don't want this to happen again," He said with some fear in his voice. "I don't want to see somebody else die, like my mom and dad."
"I can't promise anything." I replied and moved out of his grip, he leaned in and kissed my forehead. He left the room, leaving me sitting on the bed. When he closed the door I noticed there was mirror in the corner of the bedroom, I climbed out of bed. It hurt, but not much anymore.
I looked at myself in the mirror and almost gasped at the reflection. It was me, but not me at the same time. I saw the dried blood from my nose and mouth; I saw the hand-print bruises on my arms. I lifted up my shirt and my stomach was black and purple where my brother had kicked me, I let go of my shirt letting it fall again. I dropped on the edge of the bed, also seeing bruises on my legs. I lay down on the bed, my legs hanging off the edge, and stared at the ceiling again. I couldn't think for awhile, I didn't want to. Too many painful memories would run through my mind and nightmares would haunt me again. This is why I could never go back to my old house, my old family. There was too much pain to bear there, too much pain.