Hey! I'm really sorry it took me so long to get this story up. I've had the
worst writer's block and it only seems to go away at 11 o'clock at night.
To compensate, I made this chapter pretty long, and I should have the next
one up very soon. Thanks for continuing to read this!
Chapter 12
Taylor didn't go back home. She began living at Two-Bit's, the Curtis', Alyssa's, anywhere she could. The only time she went home was a few days after, when she knew her parents were both working. She snuck up to her room, and packed away as much of her stuff as she could. Then, with a quick glance back at the things she'd been forced to leave behind, she left the house, and did not look back. What surprised Taylor the most was that they never tried to call and see if she was okay. Soda had talked to her about that.
"Does it bother you that they don't call?" he had asked.
"No. I don't want to talk to them anyway," she said coldly.
"Are you sure?"
Why did Soda have that ability to see through every lie?
"I guess it does in a way. I don't want to bother with them, but by them not calling, I know that they don't care what happens to me."
"I know that hurts. Lots of people feel what you feel. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Look at Johnny, his father beats him with a 2 by 4 and he still loves the old man. He still goes back"
"He shouldn't. No one should have to live like that."
"I know. Johnny knows that too. And as much as he says he doesn't care about his parents, he does. He's hoping that one day they'll just look at him and tell him that they love him."
"It's something to hold onto, even if it won't happen. I think it's the same with me. Even though they're wrong and won't admit it, they did raise me. I feel like my family is falling apart. First Travis, he's still in jail, now this. What did I do wrong?"
Soda put his hand on her shoulder, "Nothing. This has nothing to do with you. It's not right for your parents to leave their son in a New York City jail, or to kick out their daughter, without proof that she did anything wrong. But that is what makes them trash, not you," He put his arm around her, Taylor was glad that someone was there to comfort her, "Don't you ever think that you did something wrong. You're one of the strongest people I know. Everyone deals with their problems differently. Dally turned mean and hard, Johnny keeps hoping that it will change, Two-Bit makes a joke out of everything, Darry tries to pretend everything's okay. Some people can't talk about their problems, you can. And that is what rises you above other people who hide it."
It suddenly dawned on Taylor that Soda had just mentioned how most people he was close to dealt with their problems. And she was sure that Soda would try to help each of them. Was that Soda's problem? Was he too busy trying to help others that he pushed his own problems aside?
"Taylor, you look like you're gonna fall asleep."
Taylor felt someone poking her arm, breaking into her thoughts; she looked over at Alyssa, who was sitting next to her in Math class.
"What?"
Alyssa rolled her eyes, "Taylor Ms. Jacobs is going to beat you if you fall asleep, trust me, I know," she said, flashing a smile.
"Oops. Sorry Alyssa, I was spacing out."
"Obviously, hey are we still on for tonight?"
"What do you mean?"
"Taylor how could you forget? I'm having a party tonight, I was gonna introduce you to my boyfriend Matt's best friend. I was going to set you two up."
"Oh. Sorry Alyssa, my brain just needed a second to come back to planet Earth. I remember."
"So are Soda and the other's coming?"
"I don't know, maybe. I'll ask if you want."
"Okay, you know, I just want to make it big. My parents went out for the weekend so I figure it's the perfect time for a party."
"Yeah. I know it's pointless to ask but did your parents say it was okay to have the party?"
"Yup, it was pointless to ask."
"I thought so. What time should I tell the guys to be there?"
"Around 10. I need time to set up and I'm hoping the party will last into the morning."
"Okay. I'll be there at 9 to help set up."
"Thanks Taylor."
"No problem."
Taylor invited Two-Bit and Steve at school, and headed to the DX with Steve after school to tell Soda.
"Hey Sodapop!" Steve greeted as he walked in.
"Hey Steve, Hey Taylor," Soda greeted, pushing through a crowd of girls to meet them.
"Hey Soda, Alyssa's having a party tonight. You wanna stop by with Sandy?" Taylor asked.
"Sure. You going Steve?" Soda asked.
"Definitely. Evie's been bugging me to take her out but I'm broke. This will get her to stop complaining," Steve said.
"Alyssa said to come at 10. It should be cool, she's really excited about it," Taylor told them.
"Well, if Steve will help me put this car back together, I can get home early," Soda said, handing Steve a part. Taylor left them to finish work, and headed back to the Curtis' to get ready. At 8:30 she left and went to Alyssa's.
"Hey Taylor!" Alyssa called, as she saw her walk up.
"Hey Alyssa, what do I have to do now?"
"Well, we need to move the couches back, put out the food, and make sure the bedrooms are securely locked."
"Okay, that shouldn't take too long."
They weren't thinking that after a while.
"Alyssa, why won't your couch move?"
"I think it's caught on something."
"There's nothing there but carpet!"
"Don't yell at me!"
Taylor stopped pushing the couch and wiped her forehead.
"You know, maybe your parents cemented the couch so you couldn't have a party" she suggested. Alyssa tossed her strawberry blonde hair, a habit she had when she was annoyed.
"I guess we can leave it here. " She kicked the couch as if that would make it move, but all that she got out of that was a big pain in her toe. She cursed out the couch and clutched her throbbing toe.
"That worked Alyssa," Taylor said sarcastically.
The doorbell rang. Alyssa's hair slapped Taylor in the face as she whirled around, cursing again.
"Damn! People shouldn't be here yet." Taylor followed Alyssa as she went to open the door.
"You ladies need help?" With a grin, Two-Bit walked in.
"Oh are you Mr. Big-tuff-guy?" Taylor asked, smiling.
"That's me," Two-Bit said, cocking an eyebrow.
"I'm glad you're here Two-Bit. We can't move this couch," Alyssa said, still holding her toe.
"Not a problem, give me a hand and we'll have the place set."
"Okay, when Two-Bit is the one who knows what he's doing, I begin to get worried," Taylor told Alyssa. She nodded in agreement.
"So what are you doing here Two-Bit?" Alyssa asked, pushing the couch.
"Well, I'd normally be picking up my date, but at the moment I don't have one so I figured I'd come early and help you girls."
"You don't think us girls could take care of it?" Taylor asked, trying to sound angry. It wasn't working.
"Nah. I knew you could Taylor. I'm not sure about Alyssa though. She's a weakling," he smiled at Alyssa. She punched his arm. After some more furniture moving they were set, and not too long after, people started coming.
"Taylor get over here!" Alyssa called, grabbing her arm, "I want you to meet Chris."
Alyssa led her over to a tall boy with brown hair, and a slightly shorter boy with sandy blond hair. The tall one was Alyssa's boyfriend, Matt. Taylor figured that the other was Matt's friend Chris.
"Chris, this is my friend Taylor. Taylor this is Chris, Matt's friend."
The sandy haired boy smiled at her but seemed too shy to say hi.
"Hey," Taylor said, hoping that if she talked, maybe he would.
"Hi," he said quietly.
Alyssa went over to Matt and put her arms around him. Taylor felt uncomfortable, with Alyssa and Matt all together and she and Chris just kinda standing there.
"Taylor!" she turned around to see who called her name. She saw Soda walk up.
"Hey Alyssa, Matt, Chris." He greeted. They all said hi.
"So, having a good time?" Soda asked Taylor.
"Yeah. Great party," the truth was, Taylor wasn't happy. She was there for Alyssa but she really wasn't having much fun. She really wasn't a party person.
"Soda! There you are!" Taylor saw Sandy walk up.
"Hey Taylor!" she greeted sweetly.
"Hey Sandy, I haven't seen you in a while."
"Yeah. Hey can I talk to you?"
"Sure."
Taylor followed Sandy off into a corner.
"What is it?" Taylor asked.
"I was just curious, do you like Sodapop?"
"Yeah, he's a good friend."
"No, that's not what I mean. Would you go out with him?"
"No. He's your boyfriend."
"So? Lots of girls try to steal him from me."
"But they won't. Soda really likes you. I know that."
"So you don't like him?"
"Not that way."
"Okay, I was just wondering because you hang around him a lot."
"Like I said before, he's my friend."
"Okay. I was just curious, that's all."
Taylor watched Sandy walk of and she wasn't sure what to think of her. She hated when people accused her falsely but she had reason for that. It was just a problem she needed to get over.
*Please Review*
Chapter 12
Taylor didn't go back home. She began living at Two-Bit's, the Curtis', Alyssa's, anywhere she could. The only time she went home was a few days after, when she knew her parents were both working. She snuck up to her room, and packed away as much of her stuff as she could. Then, with a quick glance back at the things she'd been forced to leave behind, she left the house, and did not look back. What surprised Taylor the most was that they never tried to call and see if she was okay. Soda had talked to her about that.
"Does it bother you that they don't call?" he had asked.
"No. I don't want to talk to them anyway," she said coldly.
"Are you sure?"
Why did Soda have that ability to see through every lie?
"I guess it does in a way. I don't want to bother with them, but by them not calling, I know that they don't care what happens to me."
"I know that hurts. Lots of people feel what you feel. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Look at Johnny, his father beats him with a 2 by 4 and he still loves the old man. He still goes back"
"He shouldn't. No one should have to live like that."
"I know. Johnny knows that too. And as much as he says he doesn't care about his parents, he does. He's hoping that one day they'll just look at him and tell him that they love him."
"It's something to hold onto, even if it won't happen. I think it's the same with me. Even though they're wrong and won't admit it, they did raise me. I feel like my family is falling apart. First Travis, he's still in jail, now this. What did I do wrong?"
Soda put his hand on her shoulder, "Nothing. This has nothing to do with you. It's not right for your parents to leave their son in a New York City jail, or to kick out their daughter, without proof that she did anything wrong. But that is what makes them trash, not you," He put his arm around her, Taylor was glad that someone was there to comfort her, "Don't you ever think that you did something wrong. You're one of the strongest people I know. Everyone deals with their problems differently. Dally turned mean and hard, Johnny keeps hoping that it will change, Two-Bit makes a joke out of everything, Darry tries to pretend everything's okay. Some people can't talk about their problems, you can. And that is what rises you above other people who hide it."
It suddenly dawned on Taylor that Soda had just mentioned how most people he was close to dealt with their problems. And she was sure that Soda would try to help each of them. Was that Soda's problem? Was he too busy trying to help others that he pushed his own problems aside?
"Taylor, you look like you're gonna fall asleep."
Taylor felt someone poking her arm, breaking into her thoughts; she looked over at Alyssa, who was sitting next to her in Math class.
"What?"
Alyssa rolled her eyes, "Taylor Ms. Jacobs is going to beat you if you fall asleep, trust me, I know," she said, flashing a smile.
"Oops. Sorry Alyssa, I was spacing out."
"Obviously, hey are we still on for tonight?"
"What do you mean?"
"Taylor how could you forget? I'm having a party tonight, I was gonna introduce you to my boyfriend Matt's best friend. I was going to set you two up."
"Oh. Sorry Alyssa, my brain just needed a second to come back to planet Earth. I remember."
"So are Soda and the other's coming?"
"I don't know, maybe. I'll ask if you want."
"Okay, you know, I just want to make it big. My parents went out for the weekend so I figure it's the perfect time for a party."
"Yeah. I know it's pointless to ask but did your parents say it was okay to have the party?"
"Yup, it was pointless to ask."
"I thought so. What time should I tell the guys to be there?"
"Around 10. I need time to set up and I'm hoping the party will last into the morning."
"Okay. I'll be there at 9 to help set up."
"Thanks Taylor."
"No problem."
Taylor invited Two-Bit and Steve at school, and headed to the DX with Steve after school to tell Soda.
"Hey Sodapop!" Steve greeted as he walked in.
"Hey Steve, Hey Taylor," Soda greeted, pushing through a crowd of girls to meet them.
"Hey Soda, Alyssa's having a party tonight. You wanna stop by with Sandy?" Taylor asked.
"Sure. You going Steve?" Soda asked.
"Definitely. Evie's been bugging me to take her out but I'm broke. This will get her to stop complaining," Steve said.
"Alyssa said to come at 10. It should be cool, she's really excited about it," Taylor told them.
"Well, if Steve will help me put this car back together, I can get home early," Soda said, handing Steve a part. Taylor left them to finish work, and headed back to the Curtis' to get ready. At 8:30 she left and went to Alyssa's.
"Hey Taylor!" Alyssa called, as she saw her walk up.
"Hey Alyssa, what do I have to do now?"
"Well, we need to move the couches back, put out the food, and make sure the bedrooms are securely locked."
"Okay, that shouldn't take too long."
They weren't thinking that after a while.
"Alyssa, why won't your couch move?"
"I think it's caught on something."
"There's nothing there but carpet!"
"Don't yell at me!"
Taylor stopped pushing the couch and wiped her forehead.
"You know, maybe your parents cemented the couch so you couldn't have a party" she suggested. Alyssa tossed her strawberry blonde hair, a habit she had when she was annoyed.
"I guess we can leave it here. " She kicked the couch as if that would make it move, but all that she got out of that was a big pain in her toe. She cursed out the couch and clutched her throbbing toe.
"That worked Alyssa," Taylor said sarcastically.
The doorbell rang. Alyssa's hair slapped Taylor in the face as she whirled around, cursing again.
"Damn! People shouldn't be here yet." Taylor followed Alyssa as she went to open the door.
"You ladies need help?" With a grin, Two-Bit walked in.
"Oh are you Mr. Big-tuff-guy?" Taylor asked, smiling.
"That's me," Two-Bit said, cocking an eyebrow.
"I'm glad you're here Two-Bit. We can't move this couch," Alyssa said, still holding her toe.
"Not a problem, give me a hand and we'll have the place set."
"Okay, when Two-Bit is the one who knows what he's doing, I begin to get worried," Taylor told Alyssa. She nodded in agreement.
"So what are you doing here Two-Bit?" Alyssa asked, pushing the couch.
"Well, I'd normally be picking up my date, but at the moment I don't have one so I figured I'd come early and help you girls."
"You don't think us girls could take care of it?" Taylor asked, trying to sound angry. It wasn't working.
"Nah. I knew you could Taylor. I'm not sure about Alyssa though. She's a weakling," he smiled at Alyssa. She punched his arm. After some more furniture moving they were set, and not too long after, people started coming.
"Taylor get over here!" Alyssa called, grabbing her arm, "I want you to meet Chris."
Alyssa led her over to a tall boy with brown hair, and a slightly shorter boy with sandy blond hair. The tall one was Alyssa's boyfriend, Matt. Taylor figured that the other was Matt's friend Chris.
"Chris, this is my friend Taylor. Taylor this is Chris, Matt's friend."
The sandy haired boy smiled at her but seemed too shy to say hi.
"Hey," Taylor said, hoping that if she talked, maybe he would.
"Hi," he said quietly.
Alyssa went over to Matt and put her arms around him. Taylor felt uncomfortable, with Alyssa and Matt all together and she and Chris just kinda standing there.
"Taylor!" she turned around to see who called her name. She saw Soda walk up.
"Hey Alyssa, Matt, Chris." He greeted. They all said hi.
"So, having a good time?" Soda asked Taylor.
"Yeah. Great party," the truth was, Taylor wasn't happy. She was there for Alyssa but she really wasn't having much fun. She really wasn't a party person.
"Soda! There you are!" Taylor saw Sandy walk up.
"Hey Taylor!" she greeted sweetly.
"Hey Sandy, I haven't seen you in a while."
"Yeah. Hey can I talk to you?"
"Sure."
Taylor followed Sandy off into a corner.
"What is it?" Taylor asked.
"I was just curious, do you like Sodapop?"
"Yeah, he's a good friend."
"No, that's not what I mean. Would you go out with him?"
"No. He's your boyfriend."
"So? Lots of girls try to steal him from me."
"But they won't. Soda really likes you. I know that."
"So you don't like him?"
"Not that way."
"Okay, I was just wondering because you hang around him a lot."
"Like I said before, he's my friend."
"Okay. I was just curious, that's all."
Taylor watched Sandy walk of and she wasn't sure what to think of her. She hated when people accused her falsely but she had reason for that. It was just a problem she needed to get over.
*Please Review*