Tangled UP In Me

Chapter Ten

Before it's too late

I woke up at the sound of yelling. I shut my eyes trying to remember where I was. I remembered when I heard Darry yelling.

"You and Johnny were in there MAKING OUT! And you woke me up! Making out is a silent activity!" Darry yelled. I looked at the clock and saw that it was four in the morning. How the hell did they wake him up? I thought about it as I got up.

"You're the one waking up the whole town!" Ponyboy yelled back.

"Would up guys shut your traps?!" Abby yelled. I walked out into the living room and told Abby and Christina to go sleep in Darry's room. Darry was red at the face as he stared down at Ponyboy. Johnny was shaking over beside Ponyboy's room. Ponyboy looked Darry in the eyes and didn't look away.

"Darry come on. Go lay on the couch." I said taking his arm. He snatched it away.

"You little punk…" He said as he jaw tightened. I knew he was real angry but I was sleepy too.

"Darry will you just drop it?" I asked firmly. His cold eyes shot to me.

"No I will not 'just drop it'. From the noise that was coming from that room there could have been other things going on…" Darry said, running his hand through his hair.

"Nothing else was going on!" Ponyboy yelled, crossing his arms.

"You little brat!" Darry yelled. It felt like the house shook.

"Darry stop it!" I yelled to him.

"If you don't like the way I handle things then go back to 'Daddy'!" He yelled, not even looking at me. My face turned red and I went into Darry's room. When I got there Abby and Christina were asleep. I put on some jeans and a long sleeve shirt. I slipped on some shoes and walked back into the living room. I walked to the door. "What are you doing?" Darry asked softening up.

"I'm going back to 'Daddy'. Isn't that what you want?" I asked going out the door, slamming it behind me. I began to run. I could hear Darry yelling behind me, but I didn't catch what he said. I got to a part of the street I didn't know before I stopped. It was still dark outside as I walked around aimlessly. I didn't know or care where I was going. I had time to think things over. I was thinking about why I'd left. I mean I didn't have to and it was a stupid thing to do. I don't even know how to fight. Why hadn't Darry gone after me? I hugged my self to keep warm.

'I shouldn't have done that…' I thought. There was nothing I could do but turn around and go face Darry. I stopped and stared at his class ring on my finger. I didn't want to go back just then. I walked a little bit more. Maybe I'd stay out till the sun comes up. I found a place to sit. I sat down and stared at the ring some more. I turned it around and upside down, looking at every detail. I did this for what seemed like an hour. I was okay with staying outside for a while. I needed to clear my mind. It wasn't really that I was upset about what he was yelling about, it was that he yelled at me. I just felt so numb inside when he did. I didn't know what to do but run. That's what I did… Now I don't know where I am.

"Hey there, Baby." I heard. I looked over and saw two hoods, smoking grass. They were walking over to me, grinning in a twisted way. I got up, backing away from them. I felt someone grab my arms.

'There was a third guy!' One of the guys in front of me grinned.

"Hey there… Darrel." I didn't even have time to turn around before Darry belted him. In a blink of an eye, Darry took them both out. He looked back at me. We stared at each other for a minute before Darry ran over and hugged me.

"Don't you ever do that again." He said. I nodded and hugged him back.

"How did you know where I am?" I asked. I knew he was grinning.

"I've been following you the whole time."

Later that day Darry and Ponyboy were done fighting. Sodapop and Steve came back along with Two-Bit and Dally. Darry wouldn't let me do anything alone. I went to the kitchen, he went to the kitchen. I went outside, he went outside. I was kinda fun, having your big, strong boyfriend following you. Running from him was really fun. He was really fast, but sometimes I'd almost get away. We finally all settled down at the dinner table. After we ate there was a knock on the door. Darry answered it and looked back to me. I knew who it was.

"Hello… Sir…" Darry said, putting his hand out to shake my fathers. Instead my dad put a large bag in his hand.

"You can have her… I want my two other daughters back." He said. He … disowned me… That was one of my fears. I walked into the kitchen and hugged Ponyboy. He probably didn't know what was going on, but he didn't seem to care. Darry came into the kitchen and put my bag down.

"Christina… Abby… Go with your father…" He said. I felt him hug me from behind. My sisters were gone and my father disowned me. For a couple of hours I just sat at the kitchen table. Darry sat there most of the time. At some point he had to go do something for work.

"Look, I can stay if you need me too." He said, rubbing my back gently. I wanted him to stay, but I knew he needed to leave.

"Baby… You need to go to work. I'll be fine… I'll just be in here." I told him, trying to smile. He leaned down and kissed me on the top of the head.

"I'll be back in an hour or so. You don't have to wait up." He said leaving the kitchen. I heard Darry talking to Two-Bit. "Two-Bit, stay in there with her till I get back." He said.

"Okay Dar." He said. I saw him walk in and sit down in front of me. We sat in silence for a few minutes. "Uhm… So…"

"You don't have to stay in here…" I told him. He shook his head.

"I'll stay with you." He said, getting a beer. He tossed a cigarette at me.

"I don't…"

"You do now. You're going to need it if you're going to live here." He said, lighting his own. He lit mine. I inhaled the smock and began to choke on it. He grinned at me. "You choke on it the first few times." He explained. After that we started to talk about everything. Even Abby and Christina.

"So, what do you think about them?" I asked, getting another cigarette.

"Well let me tell you something, you and your sisters are cute broads. But, Abby, now she's got it all. Smarts and brains. I like that." He said, smiling. I grinned at him, but didn't say anything more about it. Darry was home soon after. He kissed me and looked at Two-Bit.

"Did you giver her… cigarettes?" He asked. Two-Bit smiled.

"Sorry Dar, but if she's going to live here she'll need to smoke." Two-Bit told him as he left. I got up and went with Darry to his room. We went to bed and I couldn't sleep.

"Are you okay?" Darry asked rolling over onto his side to look at me. It was dark but I could still see him.

"Yeah…"

"I don't believe you…" He told me, putting an arm around me. "Look, I know you're upset about your Dad, but I want you to know that I'll never leave you. I love you Molly. I haven't ever felt like this before. You made me feel like this and it makes me happy. SO, all I want to do is make you happy. If there's anything I can do tell me… "