sorry for the delay. Just a lack of motivation, but I honestly thought this was a great chapter, so I'm pretty proud of myself for that. Read and review!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Theme song for chapter: Down by Jason Walker
Tiffany hadn't slept since she'd broken up with Soda. She really didn't want to, but what other choice did she have?
"You better break up with that boyfriend of your's or I'll make sure he pays for your mistakes!"
Tiffany turned onto her side, her side flaring up at the sudden movement. Why did she break up with Soda again? Right, GC's threat.
"Tiffany?" She turned onto her back and stared up at the blurry image of the doctor. Everything was blurry now a days.
"Tiffany, I want you to follow my finger." He held up his pointer finger and moved it from side to side, but her vision was hazy and fuzzy and she wound up just turning her head from side to side in confusion and frustration. "Is your vision blurry?"
She moved her chin up and let it fall to her chest in a weak nod.
The doctor glanced up and shrugged. "Her concussion doesn't seem to be getting better. If anything, it's getting worse."
Who was he talking to? Soda, maybe? Her eyes brightened momentarily until she remembered that she'd broken up with Soda.
But she had, too! Didn't she? She couldn't even remember.
"Is there anything you can do?" A male voice asked.
Not Soda, too deep and rougher, unlike Soda's soft and sweet as honey tone he always used. Dad... no, not deep enough and she couldn't see him visiting her. So that left... Randy.
"I'm afraid not at the moment. We've already got her on every pill in the book. Adding any more meds could kill her," the doctor replied. "We'll have to wait it out, and if it doesn't get better, we'll look into treatments."
"And the... assault? Are they looking into that?"
"I don't know, Mr. Adderson. You'll have to ask the police about that." She heard the doctor leave, but she somehow knew Randy stayed.
"Hey, Tif."
She wanted to say hi, to let him know everything was going to be okay, but her lips were glued shut. There were so many things she wanted to say. Sorry to Soda; I love you to Randy and Sodapop; to help them catch her attacker. But her voice failed her.
"I wish you could talk. I know it's hard with all the confusion going on up in there, little sis," he had a slight laugh in his voice but there was sadness to the chuckle as he tapped her forehead lightly. "I love you. "
She wanted to say I love you, too, but her mouth wouldn't open, so she settled for blinking three times.
Randy paused for a moment. "I'll take that as an 'I love you, too'?"
She gave him a single, weak nod.
"Don't worry, Tiffany. I'm gonna find the bastard that did this to you and make him pay. I'll see you soon, baby sister." He kissed her on the forehead and left.
Tiffany was both disappointed and relieved by his departure. In a way, she wanted to be alone to try and organize this jumble of things in her head into something that could be considered semi-organized. A healthy level of sanity and not this... not whatever this was. This confusion.
And yet... She'd felt better when she was with Randy, like having company made all her troubles melt away.
Why was this happening to her? She'd tried so hard... She'd been her parents' perfect girl; her brother's sweet baby sister; and Soda's loving girlfriend. She'd given up so much... She'd found the strength to apologize; she'd stayed with Soda even though her mom hated him; she'd gone on public dates with him even though she knew Greasers and Socs alike were watching them.
Why did she even try to fly? Why did she drown? Why was she all alone now?
Why was she the one always falling down... down... down?
Randy was getting closer. He could feel it in his gut.
He'd been following Gavin Connors for days, trying to pinpoint exactly why this kid would do something like that to his baby sister.
None of it added up. This person had to be very cruel to do what he did to Tiffany... beating her up like that. That just wasn't who Gavin was. Gavin was the sweet boy from Alabama that was liked by everyone and couldn't harm a fly.
Randy sighed as he closed his notepad. Maybe his gut was wrong.
"Oi, Adderson, what's up?" A voice shouted from behind him and he turned to see Gerald Carson jogging towards him.
Gerald was a pretty big guy with a broad chest and muscles to rival those of Chuck Norris (okay, an exaggeration, but you get my point). His black hair was gelled, but not Greaser territory and cropped short with a cowlick that he pulled off rather nicely. His eyes were blue and could go from warm to frigid in a millisecond. He was wearing his football team varsity jacket with new jeans free of holes and rips. Gerald was all in all perfect.
"How you doing, buddy?" Gerald asked, shaking Randy's hand.
"Great. You?"
"Fantastic. Jumping Greasers, beating Harlington's butt at football, even got some revenge on an enemy of mine," Gerald rubbed his hands together, mischievously.
"Good for you," Randy stated, dully, but that statement got him thinking. Could Gerald be the attacker?
"Gerald, come on! I'm not waiting for you!" A car horn honked and Gerald waved goodbye.
"Gotta go, man, see you 'round." And he ran off.
It did make sense. Gerald liked to jump people; he wasn't exactly known for being nice; he was a big guy and could cause a lot of damage if he wanted to; and there was that thing about getting revenge on an enemy.
Randy took out his notepad and jotted down:
Gerald Carson
He had a suspect to investigate.
Why did he feel like this? He'd never felt guilty in his life, so why was this different?
He'd jumped the girl; he'd done that before and felt no remorse. He'd hurt Greasers physically and emotionally before, so why was he so guilty over breaking Curtis' heart?
Why did he feel the need to turn himself in? He'd never felt that before.
Normally, he was always proud of himself after jumping a person and getting revenge on enemies. Why didn't he feel like that anymore?
Why was he falling down... down... down?
Preview for the next chapter:
Chapter nine will detail Soda's feelings over the break up and maybe the POV of one of the gang members (Pony, Johnny, Dally, etc.) on how they feel about Tiffany, the attack, and Soda's recent change in mood. I MAY put some of Randy in there, but I'm not sure, and I can't garentee that GC'S POV will be present next chapter. Thanks for sticking with me!
Let me know what you think!
