Chapter 11 - Hurl

The next morning, Rae rolled off of Two-Bit's couch and hit the floor. She sat up quickly, awake, with a headache that throbbed viciously. She pressed her hand against her temple and tried to remember the night before. It was all real fuzzy, but there were flashes. Two-Bit pulled out some alcohol when they got home, which wasn't out of the ordinary, except that it wasn't just beer. He'd gotten into the stash his father had left behind that just sat in the cabinet in the living room.

Did she drink? She didn't usually. Steve had just praised her for being clean and she'd just promised Darry that she wouldn't turn to alcohol and- God, what would Dally say?

"Calm down, kid. It was just you and me," Two-Bit's voice said from the doorway. Were her emotions written on her face or something? "Looked like you needed to forget for a bit. You sure put back a lot, though. Honestly, if you drank more often, you'd prob'ly rival even me." Rae looked up at him. He was holding two steaming coffee mugs in his hands. She stood up, slowly, trying not to disturb the leftover contents of her stomach. "Here," he said, pushing one of the mugs at her. She took it gratefully and took a sip. The coffee burned her tongue.

"Well, you've answered my first question," she said. "And-"

"Nothing too embarrassing," he answered her unasked question. She eyed him, suspiciously.

"Too embarrassing?"

"You didn't come onto me or anythin'." He took a sip out of his own mug, an amused smile spreading across his mouth as he watched her. "We, uh, did play some strip poker, though." He nodded his head towards her chest and she looked down. The mug almost slid out of her hand and her face turned beet red. She was definitely not wearing a shirt. "Lady Luck was not on your side last night, but you did get my pants off." He winked.

"What the fuck?" she cursed, setting the cup down before she dropped it.

"Oh, don't you worry. I've seen it all before." Rae knelt down, rummaged through her duffel bag for a camisole and threw it on. At least her bra was still on. "Calm down, Rae. Nothin' happened. Scout's honor. Jesus Christ, you're like my sister." She sighed and dropped back into the couch, grabbing the mug as she went. "Otherwise, you just...wanted to talk."

"'Bout what?" she asked him. He looked at her again, his eyes sad.

"You know, the things you are afraid to talk about when you're sober. You also thought you figured out who beat you up," he answered. "Said that you recognized the voice you heard. Even gave me the name. Do you remember now?" Rae knit her eyebrows together.

"No, I- " she started, trying to remember. Her head throbbed violently and her stomach churned. She winced.

"It alright," he said. He gently clapped her on the back, gently. "We'll talk about it later. Go get ready. We're goin' to a movie with Ponyboy and Johnny. I'll get you a couple of aspirins. Don't puke on my carpet." Rae put her mug on Two-Bit's dresser, grabbed some clothes and went to the bathroom to take a shower. Hopefully the shower would help. She vowed to never drink again.

When she was combing her hair out, there was a knock on the bathroom door.

"Almost done? The movie starts in half an hour!" Two-Bit yelled through the door. Rae set her comb on the counter and opened the door. Her friend stood just outside the door, leaning up against the wall, a couple of pills and a glass of water in his hands. He handed them to her, and she downed them. "Good to go?"

"Just about," she said after she'd polished off the water. She went back to her friend's room to put on her shoes and grab her jacket. "We pickin' them up this time?"

"Nah. They're walkin', as usual," he replied, rolling his eyes. "Just hope they don't get jumped. Ponyboy and his damn scenery." They headed outside.

Rae dropped into the passenger seat of the beat-up car and shut the door. Two-Bit got in the driver's side and started the car. She went to looking out the window, lost in her own thoughts. After a few minutes, she went pale and bit her lip. Two-Bit noticed.

"Rae? You 'bout to hurl or somethin-?" She looked at him, eyes wide.

"A week," she whispered. "It's been a week, hasn't it?" Two-Bit looked back at the road and cursed.

"We were hopin' to keep your mind off it today," he explained. Rae looked back out her window. Her panic had been gone for a couple days, but now… It gurgled in her gut. Or was that the coffee? The hangover? Shit.

She grabbed ahold of Two-Bit's arm, digging her nails into his skin, her face going from pale to green. Immediately, he pulled over. She threw the door open and stumbled out, vomiting the contents of her stomach on to the dirt. She sat back in the car seat, taking a deep breath. She felt his hand rubbing circles into her back.

"It's okay," he said, reassuringly. They sat in silence for a few minutes and when her heart stopped racing and limbs stopped shaking, they went on their way again.

They managed to get to the movie house fifteen minutes early. The two paid and went inside. Ponyboy and Johnny were already there, sitting three rows from the front. The theater was otherwise empty, so, instead of actually watching the movie, Johnny, and Two-Bit, even Pony, started throwing popcorn at each other. Rae sat between Ponyboy and Two-Bit and tried hard to pay attention to the show.

Eventually, she got so fed up with them and told them she was going to the bathroom. Instead of actually going, she left the building and went walking down the street. No doubt her friends would come and look for her sooner or later, but for now she just wanted some peace. She let her feet carry her wherever they felt like going. After a while, there was a slight tug on the sleeve of her jacket that pulled her out of her thoughts. She turned.

"Johnny?"

"I knew you hadn't gone to the bathroom," he said quietly.

"You didn't tell them, did you?" she asked. Johnny shook his head.

"Nah, I know the feeling." Rae smiled.

"Thanks. Let's walk a while longer." He nodded and put his hands in the pockets of his jacket.

"You okay, Rae?" he asked her as they walked. There it was again- that question. At least today it didn't piss her off. Maybe it was because it was coming from Johnny.

"I don't know," she answered with a little shrug. "I think I'm still shocked." Johnny opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by a car with a loud engine that had pulled up next to them.

"Well if it ain't my lucky day," a familiar voice said. Rae's face went pale again. They turned to see her father sitting behind the wheel of his car. "Out with these God forsaken punks again, I see." The rage set in real easy, and this time, she didn't try to hold it back.

"Did I not say it loud enough the last time? Fuck you," she said, gritting her teeth. He smiled at her, that dangerous, angry smile he always had on his face before she would get a sound beating.

"See, ya can't talk to me like that without bein' taught a lesson, kid."

"Why don't you just leave her alone?" Johnny spoke up. Rae looked at him in surprise. "None of us want you around." Her father got out if his car and slammed the door shut. Johnny recoiled, instantly, his bravado disappearing. Rae looked around for anyone nearby, but there was no one. Of course, he wouldn't risk this shit on a busy street.

"Come on, Johnny, let's get going," she insisted, but poor, poor Johnny was frozen to his spot. She put herself between her friend and her father but the older man pushed Rae out of his way, hard enough that she tumbled to the concrete, broken pieces and stray rocks digging into her hands. The shoulder of her jean jacket ripped open at the seam. Her father rounded on Johnny, and punched him in the stomach. He gasped loudly, the breath stolen from him. She pushed herself up and threw herself at her father. It knocked him off balance.

"Run, Johnny. Go get Two-Bit," she ordered him as her father turned and caught her on the cheek with his fist. Rae rolled to the ground again. God damn motherfuckin'-

Johnny just stared at her, dark eyes wide. She looked up at him and nodded at him. "Go." He stood up from the ground and took off. When her friend was nearly out of eyesight, she felt pain in her head. Her father lifted her a few inches by her hair.

She reached into her back pocket and pulled out the switchblade that Dally had gotten her. He wasn't going to catch her without it again.

"You gonna take me on, lil girl?" he asked with a smirk. "You ain't gonna win."

"Don't matter- I'll hold ya off til one of my good-for-nothin' friends gets here," she answered with a smirk. "You never shoulda let Johnny get away." He tugged her hair tighter and she winced. She lifted her blade and swiped at the hand that held her up. It connected and he cursed. He dropped her back onto the ground. She swept her legs around and kicked up. Her blow hit the bend of his knee, causing him to grunt in pain and fall to his other knee.

She scrambled to her feet quickly while he recovered. Her breathing was heavy, and her hands were shaking, but Rae held her knife up, gripping the handle tightly.

"Get away," she threatened. He closed in on her, wiping the blood from his hand on his pants. His smile was back again.

"Gotta hand it to good ole Dally for gettin' you that knife, huh?" he asked, then feinted. She fell for it and he grabbed hand held that held her blade. He twisted it behind her back and forced her to drop it. "Didn't teach ya how to use it, though, did he?"

He let her twist out of his grasp. When she was facing him again, his fist was raised, poised to hit her again.

"This'll teach you to talk back to your father."

Rae spit on the ground between them.

"You ain't my family."

As he honed in on her, she started backing away from him. Before he had a chance to do lower his hand, someone in a white t-shirt barrelled into him.