Chapter 21

Owen locked the motel room door. I followed behind him and double checked the that the door and windows were locked before I jumped into bed next to Casey.

"Feeling safe and sound?" Owen asked.

"I think so." I answered. I opened the drawer to the night stand to make sure the switchblade was still inside.

Owen frowned at the weapon and shut the drawer. He leaned down and gave me a kiss. "Sleep tight. Let me know if you need anything, because you don't need that." He turned the light off and climbed into his bed.

The silence in the room barely lasted a minute before Casey rolled over and gently ran her fingers through my hair for her comfort and mine. "I wanna tell you something that's been on my mind, but I don't wanna upset you, 'cause it's about you and the first time I met James."

"Maybe don't upset her right now." Owen softly suggested.

"You can tell me." I told her.

"On the drive here, I was doing some thinking about James and everything that's happened, and I remembered the first time I met him. You remember that day?"

"Not really."

"We were hanging at the Dairy Queen. We were talking to some guys then he walked up to scare you off. He was talking like he was the best guy you'll ever have and other lies like that. At first you were ready to walk away then he pissed you off, so you stood your ground and stayed. I think that kind of pissed him off because he threatened you to be his girl, or else. You weren't having it, so he told you it didn't matter what you wanted because he takes what he wants anyway. You remember what you said next?"

"No."

"I do, 'cause I remember thinking, damn this little girl is tuffer than she looks! Even Two-Bit and Dally were impressed."

"What did I say?"

"You warned James that he could try to take you, but if he did it would be his own death sentence!"

"You said that to him?" Owen asked.

"I remember that." I said softly.

"Scout, you warned him. You told him exactly what was gonna happen if he didn't back off, and he didn't listen. You couldn't do no more than that." Casey assured me.

"Maybe you're right. I'll try to remember that when I'm feeling bad about everything."

Casey continued to pet my head. "There's nothing to feel bad about. He knew the consequences of not leaving you alone."

"He got what he deserved." Owen said quietly. "Everybody knows it, even his mother."

"That's true, she didn't seem too torn up about what happened to him." Casey told us. "She knew he was evil."

I thought about how sweet he seemed when I first met him. I wanted to believe it was because he was a good kid, but really it was just an act to get what he wanted. No doubt it was a survival skill he learned at a young age to protect and provide for himself, not unlike Dallas, but Dally was never truly evil like James. Somehow Dally always managed to get himself involved with people who would care for him, and in return he genuinely cared for them the best he knew how.

"You know what else," Casey asked me, "I am real happy Owen decided to take us on this road trip. It would have been a real lonely ride on the bus. I'm sorry it has to come to you at a pretty high cost."

"If you are better when we get home, it will be worth it." Owen said sleepily.

I rolled over and looked at Casey. "Do you think Darry's punishment is fair?"

"Hell no!" Casey exclaimed. "Grounding you for weeks aint fair. Considering what a good kid you are. He should give you a pass like Owen's dad did."

"Do you think Darry will actually follow through with keepin us apart?" Owen asked.

"Darry always follows through." I assured him. "We should probably make this trip quick. I don't want to go too long this summer without being able to see you."

Owen yawned before telling me. "Don't worry, I'll see you."

"How?" I asked.

"Through loopholes in his rule." Owen told me.

"What loopholes?" I asked.

"Like, he can't stop us from visiting Soda at the DX at the same time. Or, grocery shopping at the same store, or if I go for a walk outside your house on the city sidewalk."

Casey laughed, "Loopholes, Owen you're a genius."

"Yeah but, how will you know I'm going to do any of that?" I asked.

"I'll find a way. We can make plans ahead of time, and if that doesn't work, he can't stop me from sitting outside your house. I can wait to see where you go, or just sit there and know you are safe inside."

"So, you're going to stalk me?" I asked with a giggle. "He might not be able to stop you from doing that, but the cops can."

"No worries, I hear the cops don't give too much care about what happens in your neighborhood." Owen joked back.

Casey added. "I bet when you come home feeling better, he'll probably let you off the hook for good behavior."

"Good behavior is an expectation for Darry, it's not something that's rewarded." I told her.

"Well, if being good don't matter I don't think you should bother practicing good behavior while you're away. You two have already missed out on so much time together. I'll tell you what, if Owen were my guy, I'd be in his bed right now. I'd probably even send Scout to the front office to get ice, lock the door and have my way with the man." Casey laughed at herself.

"Good thing for Scout you're not my girl." Owen laughed.

"Casey, this trip isn't about Owen and me. It's about you." I told her.

"I know... so why don't you be a sweetheart and go get us a bucket of ice." Casey teased.

Owen told my friend. "I already know Darry's mad as hell at me, I don't need to make him even madder by messing around with his sister."

"Darry should cool it." Casey said.

Owen sighed. "At least he cares enough to be mad and worry about us. My dad doesn't care about where I'm at or where I'm going. He Just wants me to stop and see my mother on my way home."

"Will you?" Casey asked.

"I don't know." Owen said quietly.

I thought of Owen's family and how their relationships could still be repaired. "We will, I think it's important to see for yourself if she is getting any better."

"Just because she acts one way in treatment doesn't mean she'll stay the same at home." Owen told me. "Also, I don't think it's worth the time away from away from each other if seeing her means we have to spend the night in Oklahoma City."

"Again, if you were mine, I'd make one more night with you worth a dozen weeks away from you," Casey yawned then shared her dirty thought, "and if y'all need me to go get a bucket of ice for you, I will."

"Good night, Casey!" Owen and I said in unison.

Something woke me. I opened my eyes, it was still dark outside, then my ears caught the sound of Owen rustling around in his bed mumbling in his sleep. I sat up to watch him.

"No ... no… no don't, Scout!" Owen demanded then his body lurched, and he sat straight up in his bed.

I went to his side, grabbed his hand and whispered, "Are you okay?"

He looked at me in relief. "Oh good, you're okay. It was only a dream." He gathered me into his arms and held me tight.

"I'm okay." I assured him. "What happened?"

"We were at my house, upstairs, my mother came after you, but instead of her attacking you, you pulled out that knife and stabbed her right in front of me and Olivia."

Even though it was his dream, I was mortified. I didn't know how to respond, so I pulled at his bed covers to straighten them out.

Owen ran his fingers through his hair as he calmed down. "I hate that knife! I don't think you understand. I don't want to lose you forever, and if you stab someone, I will."

"I'm not going to stab anyone." I reached over and fluffed his pillow for him, so he could lay back down and try to get some sleep.

"You didn't plan to stab my mother, it just happened." Owen whispered. "I can't fix it if you do."

"Don't worry about that tonight. We'll be okay, and tomorrow I'll put the blade in the glovebox and leave it there."

"You need to give it back to Darry."

"I will. I promise. For now, everything is alright. Go back to sleep before we wake Casey."

I pressed my hand against Owen's bare chest to convince him to lay back down.

Owen grabbed my arm to keep from falling backwards. "Stay with me."

I was surprised by the proposition. "In your bed? We promised Darry we wouldn't."

"No, we promised Darry we wouldn't come home with a baby." Owen laughed a little and whispered. "I just want to hold you, so I know you're safe."

I looked down at the boy in the darkness and knew he was everything I had ever wanted. I needed to start accepting that I deserved him in my life. I caressed his cheek then ran my fingers down his bare chest so he would lay down. Owen scooted his body over and lifted the covers for me to join him. I snuggled in next to the young man and rested my head on his chest.

He wrapped his arms around me and whispered, "I love you. I've loved you since the day I rescued you from that rainstorm. Since that day I've known two things."

"What two things?" I whispered back.

"That I had never loved anyone before you, and I could never love anyone after you. That's why I don't ever want to lose you."

"Sometimes, I worry that if I love you back with all my heart I'll be punished and somehow you'll be taken from me."

"That's never gonna happen." He whispered his reassurance.

I wanted to tell him I believed him, but with my luck, it wasn't something I was sure of.

"Since the day I saw you, I knew I loved you. Did you love me at first sight too?" Owen asked softly.

"Owen, that's not a fair question."

"Why?"

"Because whether I fell in love with you at first sight or over time it doesn't change how much I love you now. Plus, when we met, I had a ton of worries in my head. Considering all that I was going through, I needed more time to warm up to the idea of being in love with you."

Owen laughed a little. "You had to get used to me to love me?"

"No, I mean… yeah. Come on... you're Owen Jasper! Class President, football star, and a Soc."

"Ugh, I hate that term." Owen grumbled.

"I'm from the north side of town. The odds of a boy like you falling for a girl like me are pretty low. Besides that, my life was a mess. Falling in love with someone was the furthest thing from my mind."

"So, when did you know you loved me?"

"I don't know. Honestly, I think I've worried more about losing you than I have thought about how much I love you."

Owen laughed again, "Do you even love me now?"

"Of course, I do!" I immediately answered him and propped myself up on my elbow, so I could look him in the eye. "I can't imagine the rest of my life without you."

"I agree," Owen smiled, "But when did you know you didn't want to live without me?"

I laid my head back onto his chest and snuggled him tight. "At the Winter Formal. When you carried me into the dance. That was the first time I felt safe enough to let myself truly fall in love with you. After that night, I wanted us to be together forever."

"We will be." Owen assured me. "I love you. I'm sorry I kidnapped you without your permission."

"Well, it wouldn't be kidnapping if I agreed to it." I quipped.

"I hope it's just what you need to feel better. I know after all you've been through it's asking a lot, but I want it to work."

"Honestly, it may be just the change of scenery I need."

"I promise to always take care of you."

"And I promise to warm up to the idea of letting you take care of me." I said will a smile my boyfriend couldn't see, but I knew he felt it when he kissed the top of my head and held me a little tighter.