Hey! Sorry it took me so long to post, I had this chapter totally different
and then I changed it at the last second. If you want to know what my
original idea was, e-mail me and I let you know why I changed it. My e-mail
address is DanceGoddess113@aol.com
Chapter 10
After making sure Johnny was safe at the Curtis', Taylor headed home. She saw the porch light was on and she considered sneaking up on to the roof to her room but just then the door opened. Her dad stood in the doorway, an angry expression on his face.
"Where the hell have you been?" he snapped.
"I was on my way home a while ago but one of my friends got jumped and he almost died. I had to make sure he was okay."
"I don't like these friends of yours."
"It's not Johnny's fault he got jumped! He's the sweetest, quietest person alive."
"Don't be a smart mouth. You're becoming just like your brother."
If he had said that at any other time, Taylor could have brushed it off, but now she was still shaking from worry over Johnny and she was fuming at her father for yelling at her. She exploded.
"How dare you talk about Travis! He wouldn't be the way he is if you had bailed him out of jail the first time."
"Don't you dare put this on me young lady."
"Why not? It's your fault. Jail changed him, and he's still there."
"I don't see you doing anything about it."
Taylor froze. Her eyes burned with hatred, her body shaking uncontrollably.
"I did more than you did," she said slowly, "I was there for him."
"That must explain why he's in jail in the first place!"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You say you were there for him but you didn't stop him from running out did you? Both times he came to you and did you stop him? No. Don't try to blame me, blame yourself."
Taylor's cheeks flushed, she staggered back as if he had slapped her. Her mother appeared in the doorway.
"What's going on? Why are you yelling?" she asked.
"It's nothing dear, go back inside," her father said.
"Why were you yelling?" she asked again.
"We had a disagreement. Don't worry it's okay. Go back inside," his voice became more forceful. Taylor still hadn't moved.
"Okay," she said slowly, turning towards the door, "Taylor come on inside sweetie, it's late."
"In a minute Alice, we're still talking," her father said
"Okay George," she said, before walking back into the house.
"I have nothing more to say to you," Taylor said, her voice cracking.
"Well that makes two of us. You're so ungrateful, we care for you, give you what you need and this is the thanks we get? You coming in at 1:30 in the morning. Just what were you doing?"
"I told you. Johnny got jumped, he was hurt; I needed to help him."
"Sure. That's what you say."
"What are you implying?"
"I know your friends, I know their kind. They're all boys aren't they? And you come home late almost every time you go out. And I'm not going to forget the time you snuck out to see them."
"How dare you!" Taylor cried, "How could you think that I…" her voice trailed off, she bit her lip.
"Well I will tell you one thing I don't want people like you in my house."
"Fine. I'll leave, that's what you want isn't it?"
Her father said nothing, but the look in his eyes told Taylor that he didn't want her there. She turned and left, even though she had no place to go. She considered going to the Curtis' but Johnny was there and he needed them more than she did. So she kept on walking, her body shaking from what her father had said. How she hated him, more than she hated anyone in her whole life. She felt hot tears of rage fall down her cheeks and she made no effort to get rid of them. A car started following her and she walked quicker. It continued to trail her and she finally gave up on running away, right now she could kill anyone who bothered her. But as the car pulled up, she recognized it.
"Hey kid! What are you doing out here?"
"Two-Bit!" she exclaimed, "Oh man, I don't know where to start."
"Do you need a ride home?"
"No way. I'm never going back there again."
"Did something happen?" Two-Bit's voice became more concerned than it already was. Damn, why did she have to have problems now? After what happened to Johnny everyone is shook up.
"Yeah but I'm okay. I'm just need to take a walk."
"No way, get in. I just saw that Mustang drive by a while ago." He cursed them out then reached over and pushed the door open.
"Get in," he told her. Reluctantly, she did. As she closed the door behind her she saw the headlights of a car in the side mirror.
"It's our friends," Two-Bit said sarcastically, hitting the gas and tearing out of there.
"So where are we going?" Taylor asked after a while.
"I'm taking you to my house. You can stay there tonight."
"No, I don't' wanna be a problem."
"No problem at all. Eventually you wanna tell me what happened?"
"Eventually," she said, "I just need to think about it for a while."
"Okay, I won't pry." Two-Bit could tell something was bothering her. After a while she broke the silence.
"Two-Bit, when you first met me, what were your thoughts about me?"
"What?" he asked, surprised.
"What did you think of me?"
"I thought you were beautiful. And I was confused because I didn't know who you were."
"Anything else?"
"Not really."
"What about when you asked me to the dance?"
"Taylor what is this about?"
"Just answer my question."
He thought for a while, "Well, I wanted a date and I saw you walk in and I thought 'Maybe Taylor would go with me' and I asked you."
"Anything else?"
"Maybe if you gave me a clue as to what you're searching for, I could tell you better."
"Well," she tried to decide how to word this, "When you went out with Kelly, she was really…" she couldn't find the right word, "Really…"
"Slutty?" Two-Bit suggested.
"You noticed too?"
"Yeah, but what does this have to do with you?"
"Were you interested in me that way?"
Two-Bit didn't say anything for a moment; he looked at her.
"No. I figured we'd go as friends and if something came from that then cool. I didn't think you were like that. Why?"
"Because apparently my dad thinks I am. He thought I was lying when I came home. That Johnny didn't get jumped, that I was… you know."
"No way!" Two-Bit exclaimed, "I can't believe he'd think that. Taylor from the moment I met you I knew you weren't like that."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I had always thought the total opposite. Your dad has got it all wrong."
"I know that. So you never thought I was like that?"
"Never once."
"How bout the others?"
"No. They knew you wouldn't be into that stuff. You're different Taylor."
"Thanks. You made me feel a lot better."
Two-Bit broke into a grin, "Glad to hear it. Well here's my house, nothing fancy but it's better than being on the streets."
They got out and walked into the house. It smelled of cigarette smoke but Taylor didn't mind.
"You can sleep in my room tonight." Two-Bit offered.
"No way. I told you, I don't want to be a problem."
"Taylor, just go. I have to work on my host skills."
Taylor laughed quietly; she didn't want to wake anyone up.
"I'm not going to. I can sleep right here, on the couch."
"No. If my mom walks in and sees you then she'll go nuts. Just sleep in my room and make things simple."
"Okay fine. Listen, thank you so much. I don't know what I would have done without you."
"No problem. Come on I'll show you where my room is." He led her up the stairs into a room that had several posters of Mickey Mouse on the wall, and lots of cigarette butts on the floor.
"Not the cleanest but oh well." Two-Bit remarked as he scooped up some dirty clothes from the floor.
"You don't have to do this really." Taylor started but Two-Bit broke in.
"I know but I want to." He went over to his dresser and pulled out an old t-shirt and a pair of sweat pants. He tossed them to Taylor.
"Here. You can sleep in these if you want."
"Thanks." she said. He headed towards the door but stopped and turned to face her.
"Taylor if you need anything, let me know okay?"
"Sure."
"Are you sure you'll be all right?"
"No, I'm not sure. But I believe, and that's good enough."
"I'll be downstairs if you need me."
"Okay. Thank you, for everything."
"It's okay. Sleep well."
"I'll try," she said, trying to grin. She didn't succeed very well. Slowly, Two-Bit left and closed the door behind him. Taylor quickly changed into the t-shirt and sweat pants and sat down on the bed. She didn't think she could sleep, but surprisingly as soon as her head hit the pillow she fell into a dreamless sleep.
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Chapter 10
After making sure Johnny was safe at the Curtis', Taylor headed home. She saw the porch light was on and she considered sneaking up on to the roof to her room but just then the door opened. Her dad stood in the doorway, an angry expression on his face.
"Where the hell have you been?" he snapped.
"I was on my way home a while ago but one of my friends got jumped and he almost died. I had to make sure he was okay."
"I don't like these friends of yours."
"It's not Johnny's fault he got jumped! He's the sweetest, quietest person alive."
"Don't be a smart mouth. You're becoming just like your brother."
If he had said that at any other time, Taylor could have brushed it off, but now she was still shaking from worry over Johnny and she was fuming at her father for yelling at her. She exploded.
"How dare you talk about Travis! He wouldn't be the way he is if you had bailed him out of jail the first time."
"Don't you dare put this on me young lady."
"Why not? It's your fault. Jail changed him, and he's still there."
"I don't see you doing anything about it."
Taylor froze. Her eyes burned with hatred, her body shaking uncontrollably.
"I did more than you did," she said slowly, "I was there for him."
"That must explain why he's in jail in the first place!"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You say you were there for him but you didn't stop him from running out did you? Both times he came to you and did you stop him? No. Don't try to blame me, blame yourself."
Taylor's cheeks flushed, she staggered back as if he had slapped her. Her mother appeared in the doorway.
"What's going on? Why are you yelling?" she asked.
"It's nothing dear, go back inside," her father said.
"Why were you yelling?" she asked again.
"We had a disagreement. Don't worry it's okay. Go back inside," his voice became more forceful. Taylor still hadn't moved.
"Okay," she said slowly, turning towards the door, "Taylor come on inside sweetie, it's late."
"In a minute Alice, we're still talking," her father said
"Okay George," she said, before walking back into the house.
"I have nothing more to say to you," Taylor said, her voice cracking.
"Well that makes two of us. You're so ungrateful, we care for you, give you what you need and this is the thanks we get? You coming in at 1:30 in the morning. Just what were you doing?"
"I told you. Johnny got jumped, he was hurt; I needed to help him."
"Sure. That's what you say."
"What are you implying?"
"I know your friends, I know their kind. They're all boys aren't they? And you come home late almost every time you go out. And I'm not going to forget the time you snuck out to see them."
"How dare you!" Taylor cried, "How could you think that I…" her voice trailed off, she bit her lip.
"Well I will tell you one thing I don't want people like you in my house."
"Fine. I'll leave, that's what you want isn't it?"
Her father said nothing, but the look in his eyes told Taylor that he didn't want her there. She turned and left, even though she had no place to go. She considered going to the Curtis' but Johnny was there and he needed them more than she did. So she kept on walking, her body shaking from what her father had said. How she hated him, more than she hated anyone in her whole life. She felt hot tears of rage fall down her cheeks and she made no effort to get rid of them. A car started following her and she walked quicker. It continued to trail her and she finally gave up on running away, right now she could kill anyone who bothered her. But as the car pulled up, she recognized it.
"Hey kid! What are you doing out here?"
"Two-Bit!" she exclaimed, "Oh man, I don't know where to start."
"Do you need a ride home?"
"No way. I'm never going back there again."
"Did something happen?" Two-Bit's voice became more concerned than it already was. Damn, why did she have to have problems now? After what happened to Johnny everyone is shook up.
"Yeah but I'm okay. I'm just need to take a walk."
"No way, get in. I just saw that Mustang drive by a while ago." He cursed them out then reached over and pushed the door open.
"Get in," he told her. Reluctantly, she did. As she closed the door behind her she saw the headlights of a car in the side mirror.
"It's our friends," Two-Bit said sarcastically, hitting the gas and tearing out of there.
"So where are we going?" Taylor asked after a while.
"I'm taking you to my house. You can stay there tonight."
"No, I don't' wanna be a problem."
"No problem at all. Eventually you wanna tell me what happened?"
"Eventually," she said, "I just need to think about it for a while."
"Okay, I won't pry." Two-Bit could tell something was bothering her. After a while she broke the silence.
"Two-Bit, when you first met me, what were your thoughts about me?"
"What?" he asked, surprised.
"What did you think of me?"
"I thought you were beautiful. And I was confused because I didn't know who you were."
"Anything else?"
"Not really."
"What about when you asked me to the dance?"
"Taylor what is this about?"
"Just answer my question."
He thought for a while, "Well, I wanted a date and I saw you walk in and I thought 'Maybe Taylor would go with me' and I asked you."
"Anything else?"
"Maybe if you gave me a clue as to what you're searching for, I could tell you better."
"Well," she tried to decide how to word this, "When you went out with Kelly, she was really…" she couldn't find the right word, "Really…"
"Slutty?" Two-Bit suggested.
"You noticed too?"
"Yeah, but what does this have to do with you?"
"Were you interested in me that way?"
Two-Bit didn't say anything for a moment; he looked at her.
"No. I figured we'd go as friends and if something came from that then cool. I didn't think you were like that. Why?"
"Because apparently my dad thinks I am. He thought I was lying when I came home. That Johnny didn't get jumped, that I was… you know."
"No way!" Two-Bit exclaimed, "I can't believe he'd think that. Taylor from the moment I met you I knew you weren't like that."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I had always thought the total opposite. Your dad has got it all wrong."
"I know that. So you never thought I was like that?"
"Never once."
"How bout the others?"
"No. They knew you wouldn't be into that stuff. You're different Taylor."
"Thanks. You made me feel a lot better."
Two-Bit broke into a grin, "Glad to hear it. Well here's my house, nothing fancy but it's better than being on the streets."
They got out and walked into the house. It smelled of cigarette smoke but Taylor didn't mind.
"You can sleep in my room tonight." Two-Bit offered.
"No way. I told you, I don't want to be a problem."
"Taylor, just go. I have to work on my host skills."
Taylor laughed quietly; she didn't want to wake anyone up.
"I'm not going to. I can sleep right here, on the couch."
"No. If my mom walks in and sees you then she'll go nuts. Just sleep in my room and make things simple."
"Okay fine. Listen, thank you so much. I don't know what I would have done without you."
"No problem. Come on I'll show you where my room is." He led her up the stairs into a room that had several posters of Mickey Mouse on the wall, and lots of cigarette butts on the floor.
"Not the cleanest but oh well." Two-Bit remarked as he scooped up some dirty clothes from the floor.
"You don't have to do this really." Taylor started but Two-Bit broke in.
"I know but I want to." He went over to his dresser and pulled out an old t-shirt and a pair of sweat pants. He tossed them to Taylor.
"Here. You can sleep in these if you want."
"Thanks." she said. He headed towards the door but stopped and turned to face her.
"Taylor if you need anything, let me know okay?"
"Sure."
"Are you sure you'll be all right?"
"No, I'm not sure. But I believe, and that's good enough."
"I'll be downstairs if you need me."
"Okay. Thank you, for everything."
"It's okay. Sleep well."
"I'll try," she said, trying to grin. She didn't succeed very well. Slowly, Two-Bit left and closed the door behind him. Taylor quickly changed into the t-shirt and sweat pants and sat down on the bed. She didn't think she could sleep, but surprisingly as soon as her head hit the pillow she fell into a dreamless sleep.
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