Chapter 11 "I would have followed you"

I think I might have stopped breathing for a few seconds when I saw his face. I felt like I might have died and went to heaven. But would heaven really be in a Dairy Queen fast food restaurant.

He stared at me, then looked at the back door, and then mouthed at me, 'this way'.

He walked out and I ran after him. As soon as we got outside, we were in each other's arms and we didn't let go for a long time. It's hard to find the right words to express the feeling I felt right then.

I mean how would you feel to be in your brother's arms? The brother that everyone told you was dead.

"Dad didn't want me to take care of you, that's why he told the doctors not to tell you I was alive. I heard he got the death penalty. When I woke up the doctors didn't have control over me anymore. And dad told the doctors I probably wouldn't live anyways."

I had nothing to say to that.

I just started to cry and whispered to him, "well dad was wrong, you are superman."

"Where have you been staying?" Brandon asked me.

As we got a seat at this fancy restaurant.

"The Curtis'."

"Care to explain who they are?"

"The guys you talked to the first time you called," I said.

"Oh them, they're really protective of you aren't they?"

"Yeah, well the first guy you talked to, that's who adopted me," I told him.

"Really?!"

"Yeah, really!"

"Well I started to work with this guy at the hospital. He helped me recover, and he said I should go to college. He told me, that he would give me the money to get an apartment around here, and then go to college this spring."

"That's great."

"Yeah I know, I wanted to talk to you before I left. Don't tell the guys that are taking care of you that I'm leaving tomorrow. I want you to continue your life, okay?"

"Okay," I smiled.

"Do you want me to drop you off, at least at your neighborhood?" he asked.

"You have a car?"

"No, but I can get one, borrow one from someone."

"You have friends?!" I acted shocked.

"Yeah, very funny," he grinned, "anyways I almost forgot that I already borrowed one from my doctor, I left it at Dairy Queen."

"Alright, let's go."

With that Brandon left the money on the table and we left.

The drive was short, it seemed. We talked the whole time, and in almost every sentence there was an 'I love you' in it. Then came the road leading to my neighborhood, and my heart sank.

It was time.

I sank down into my seat, and looked up at my older brother.

"It's time," he said sadly.

I nodded, we didn't say anything, but I collapsed into his arms, and we hugged, and I kissed him on the cheek.

We didn't say I love you to each other until I was out of the car.

I knew this was for his and my own good, he had to get an education and get his life back on track, I mean he has been in a coma for 2 years.

It's not like he's never going to come back, now that he knows I'm alive and safe and knows where I am at, he'll come back.

He always comes back.

I had a block to walk before I was back home. My hands clenched in fists in my pockets, I walked slowly.

Crying, and sniffling.

To be honest I don't know if it was tears of joy or of sadness. He's alive, but he's leaving. All I know is I was crying for a good reason, and that's good enough for me.

Every few minutes I would rub my eyes, and eventually I was back home. I went upstairs and changed out of jeans to leggings. Now wearing a red flannel with a black tank top underneath, red leggings, and bluish/greenish converse.

I went downstairs and called the DX, expecting everyone to be there by now.

"DX gas station, Steve speaking. How can I help you?"

"You can help me by telling me if everyone is there," I said.

"Oh, hey Rayna. Yeah everyone is here except Pony's at track and Darry's at work."

"Okay, well I'm coming over," I hanged up.

I stopped at the bathroom first looking at myself to see if it looks like I been crying, it didn't so I took off.

For some reason when I cry it never looks like I cried afterwards, I mean I'll have to cry for 2 hours straight for people to realize I been crying, and even then I only look like I been crying for about a few minutes.

But I'm thankful for that.

Walking through the parking lot, I could already see everyone.

Steve was right EVERYONE was here except Pony and Darry. Ciara, Scar, and Ocean was even here. Evie was leaning on the car Steve was working on. Soda was holding hands with Ocean while they talked to Two-bit and Scar, and Dallas, Ciara, and Johnny.

Two-bit with his arm around Scarlett, and Dallas and Ciara were almost on top of each other, they were so close. Ciara holding one of Dally's hands, on his lap, and leaning her head on his shoulder, listening to Dally's every word.

Johnny was kind of in the back ground listening to Ocean's and Scar's conversation, Two-bit, Soda, and Dally's conversation, and watching Steve working on the car.

It most have been awkward for Johnny.

I walked up to them, "hey guys, were you just going to let me sleep all day, or what?"

"Well, Soda Pop over here said you needed your beauty sleep," Two-bit said, making Dally snicker.

"I would have woke up, if you tried to," I crossed my arms.

"Yeah whatever," Soda commented.

So later on, I don't know who decided this or when we decided this but we ended up walking to the lot to hang out.

Steve and Evie side by side holding hands, Steve with Soda walking beside him holding Ocean's hand, and talking. Dally and Ciara holding hands, Dally walking aside Two-bit and talking while Two-bit held Scar's hand.

Then me and Johnny in the background, walking a few feet behind talking.

"So where did you go this morning?" I asked.

"To my house," he paused looking down and then all of sudden looked up at me and said, "that reminds me, I have to tell you something that you cannot tell the gang."

"Never?"

"No not never, but for a while."

"Okay, what?"

"Um…so a social worker called me at my house today," he said slowly.

"What? Why?"

He shrugs then says, "but I know the social worker, Rayna….she's MY social worker, MY social worker that I had as a kid."