Thank you for sticking with me through this story! I know that last chapter
was really confusing but hopefully this will clear it up.
Oh I forgot to say that Chris and Matt were mine, but I figured you knew that.
Chapter 14
Taylor raced down the stairs after Alyssa, her mind racing. What was Alyssa doing? She could really hurt herself, why? The question kept flashing through Taylor's mind.
"Alyssa!" she called, spotting her friend. Alyssa turned and walked back to her.
"What?"
"Can I talk to you?"
"Yeah, come into the kitchen."
They walked through the crowd and into the quiet kitchen. Alyssa sat down at the table but Taylor remained standing.
"Alyssa, what are you doing?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean why are you using acid?"
"How do you know?"
Taylor had to use all her strength not to hit Alyssa, "How could I not! Alyssa why are you doing this?"
Alyssa looked stunned, "I don't know, it's just…"
"Well tell me then. Why are you hurting yourself?"
"I'm not hurting myself! I'm just trying to have a good time."
"Have a good time! Alyssa-"
"Look, just because you don't like it doesn't mean I'm gonna stop! Why are you bothering me about this, it's my life. I can do what I want."
"I'm your friend Alyssa, I'm trying to stop you from doing something that could kill you."
"Why does it matter?"
"Why does it matter?" Taylor repeated, "Alyssa it's your life!"
"And what's so great about it anyway?"
Taylor stopped. She finally realized, "Alyssa, what's wrong?"
"Nothing! Look I'm just not happy okay?"
"Why? Did something happen?"
"No. I just… never mind."
"Alyssa tell me."
"NO!" She screamed, "It doesn't matter, you wouldn't care. No one does."
"I care Alyssa!"
Just then, Soda walked into the kitchen
"What's going on?" he asked, "I heard yelling."
"Nothing happened. We just got into a fight that's all. I'm going back to the party," Alyssa said, heading for the door.
"Alyssa wait," Taylor started but Alyssa had walked out.
"What happened?" Soda asked. Taylor paused; obviously Alyssa didn't want anyone to know.
"Nothing, we just got into a fight about something. Don't worry about it okay?"
"Okay, "Soda said hesitantly, "But if something's wrong let me know okay?"
"Alright," Taylor lied. The lie made her feel worse than she already felt.
Taylor left soon after that, she just needed to take a walk and think. She was positive that something happened to Alyssa that made her so upset; she just didn't know what it was. Why was she doing this? How could she be so upset that she was doing drugs? Taylor never thought Alyssa was like that. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't notice the car trailing behind her until it was too late. She stopped when she saw four guys stumble out of the car. Strangely, she wasn't afraid, if anything she was angry that they were wasting her time.
"Hey cutie, what are you doing out so late?" one of them asked.
"Why do you care?" she shot back, she wasn't going to show any fear.
"Don't be stuck up sweet thing. Come on, we'll take you home."
"I live nearby, I don't need a ride."
"Why not? Come on, it'll be fun," another spoke up.
Taylor turned to walk away but one of them grabbed her arm.
"Let go," she hissed.
"Come on, just come with us."
Taylor tried to jerk away, "Let go," she repeated. The other three guys surrounded her, and she was starting to be afraid.
"I'm only asking one more time," the one holding her arm said, "Come with us."
Instead of answering, Taylor spit in his face. One of the guys rushed forward and threw her backwards, into the dirt. She screamed and the same guy that pushed her back put his hand over her mouth.
"Let her go," a voice said. Taylor tried to jerk her head around but one guy was holding her down.
"Who the hell are you?" one of them asked.
"Doesn't matter, leave her alone."
"And if we don't?"
Taylor saw the guy that asked the question suddenly fly backwards, hit by a punch. The guys holding her let go and went after her rescuer. She flew to her feet and punched one of the guys across his head; he sprawled forward. Soon the four guys ran away. Taylor looked at the person left, who was slumped over holding his stomach.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, just took a punch there."
"Thanks for helping me."
"No problem," the guy straightened up and Taylor almost dropped her jaw. It was Dallas. He seemed to notice her shock.
"What?"
"N-Nothing, I just… never mind."
Taylor couldn't believe it; Dallas had to know how much she hated him for what he did to Travis. Why would he help her? Why would he care?
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Heading home, or wherever. You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks."
"Want me to walk you home?"
"No. I'm fine, I'll just go back to the Curtis'"
"Okay, see you."
"Bye."
As he walked away, Taylor stood there, puzzled. She knew he couldn't forget. Why did he help her? Soda's soft words came into her head.
'He's trying to change'
Why was Soda always right? She started walking, still trying to figure out what was going on. As she thought, she remembered the incident when she had gone after him.
It was late at night, she still wasn't sure how she had found him, but she did. He was with his gang, she remembered her fear as she approached, but she pushed it aside, thinking of her brother. Her heart was beating as she approached, warning her.
'Who're you?' Dallas asked.
Every part of her was screaming to get away but she had to stay.
'The sister of the kid you put in jail,' she responded, her voice clear. One of the gang leaned over to Dally.
'You want us to take care of her?' he asked. Dallas shook his head.
'Nah, I'll handle it.' He flicked away a cigarette and walked over to her.
'What do you want?' he asked coldly.
Taylor lifted her chin, 'I just want to tell you that you are a truly heartless person who doesn't care what he does to people.' She couldn't think of anything bad enough to call him. She trembled with rage. Dallas smiled.
'Is that it?'
'Do you have any idea what you've done?' she cried.
'What?' he asked, obviously not caring.
She resisted the urge to hit him, 'My younger brother is in jail because of you!'
'Sorry,' he said sarcastically.
She turned away and started to walk away, trying not to cry. She stopped and turned back.
'Don't think you can get away with this Dallas Whinston. I'll remember you, and I'll never forgive you.' And with that she turned and walked away.
Taylor was jerked back into the present by the door of the Curtis' opening. She saw Ponyboy standing in the doorway.
"Hey, what's going on?" he asked as she walked up.
"Hey Pony. Nothing, I just came home early."
"Where's Sodapop?"
"He's still at the party."
"Why's your shirt ripped?" Pony pointed to a small rip near her shoulder.
She examined it, "Oh, it must have been when those guys were bothering me."
"What guys?"
"Never mind, it's not a problem. Go inside, I'm getting cold."
They went inside and Taylor flopped onto the couch.
"Are you okay?" Pony asked, sitting down next to her.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. What did you do tonight?"
"I saw a movie with Johnny."
"That's cool. Probably had a better time than I did."
"Why?"
"Long story."
"I got time."
Taylor couldn't help but smile; Pony was so much like Sodapop. But still, he was still a kid. Even though he had recently turned 14, Taylor felt protective of him. Like an older sister.
"Don't worry about it Ponyboy. I'll be fine." She said, and she meant it.
*Please Review*
Oh I forgot to say that Chris and Matt were mine, but I figured you knew that.
Chapter 14
Taylor raced down the stairs after Alyssa, her mind racing. What was Alyssa doing? She could really hurt herself, why? The question kept flashing through Taylor's mind.
"Alyssa!" she called, spotting her friend. Alyssa turned and walked back to her.
"What?"
"Can I talk to you?"
"Yeah, come into the kitchen."
They walked through the crowd and into the quiet kitchen. Alyssa sat down at the table but Taylor remained standing.
"Alyssa, what are you doing?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean why are you using acid?"
"How do you know?"
Taylor had to use all her strength not to hit Alyssa, "How could I not! Alyssa why are you doing this?"
Alyssa looked stunned, "I don't know, it's just…"
"Well tell me then. Why are you hurting yourself?"
"I'm not hurting myself! I'm just trying to have a good time."
"Have a good time! Alyssa-"
"Look, just because you don't like it doesn't mean I'm gonna stop! Why are you bothering me about this, it's my life. I can do what I want."
"I'm your friend Alyssa, I'm trying to stop you from doing something that could kill you."
"Why does it matter?"
"Why does it matter?" Taylor repeated, "Alyssa it's your life!"
"And what's so great about it anyway?"
Taylor stopped. She finally realized, "Alyssa, what's wrong?"
"Nothing! Look I'm just not happy okay?"
"Why? Did something happen?"
"No. I just… never mind."
"Alyssa tell me."
"NO!" She screamed, "It doesn't matter, you wouldn't care. No one does."
"I care Alyssa!"
Just then, Soda walked into the kitchen
"What's going on?" he asked, "I heard yelling."
"Nothing happened. We just got into a fight that's all. I'm going back to the party," Alyssa said, heading for the door.
"Alyssa wait," Taylor started but Alyssa had walked out.
"What happened?" Soda asked. Taylor paused; obviously Alyssa didn't want anyone to know.
"Nothing, we just got into a fight about something. Don't worry about it okay?"
"Okay, "Soda said hesitantly, "But if something's wrong let me know okay?"
"Alright," Taylor lied. The lie made her feel worse than she already felt.
Taylor left soon after that, she just needed to take a walk and think. She was positive that something happened to Alyssa that made her so upset; she just didn't know what it was. Why was she doing this? How could she be so upset that she was doing drugs? Taylor never thought Alyssa was like that. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't notice the car trailing behind her until it was too late. She stopped when she saw four guys stumble out of the car. Strangely, she wasn't afraid, if anything she was angry that they were wasting her time.
"Hey cutie, what are you doing out so late?" one of them asked.
"Why do you care?" she shot back, she wasn't going to show any fear.
"Don't be stuck up sweet thing. Come on, we'll take you home."
"I live nearby, I don't need a ride."
"Why not? Come on, it'll be fun," another spoke up.
Taylor turned to walk away but one of them grabbed her arm.
"Let go," she hissed.
"Come on, just come with us."
Taylor tried to jerk away, "Let go," she repeated. The other three guys surrounded her, and she was starting to be afraid.
"I'm only asking one more time," the one holding her arm said, "Come with us."
Instead of answering, Taylor spit in his face. One of the guys rushed forward and threw her backwards, into the dirt. She screamed and the same guy that pushed her back put his hand over her mouth.
"Let her go," a voice said. Taylor tried to jerk her head around but one guy was holding her down.
"Who the hell are you?" one of them asked.
"Doesn't matter, leave her alone."
"And if we don't?"
Taylor saw the guy that asked the question suddenly fly backwards, hit by a punch. The guys holding her let go and went after her rescuer. She flew to her feet and punched one of the guys across his head; he sprawled forward. Soon the four guys ran away. Taylor looked at the person left, who was slumped over holding his stomach.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, just took a punch there."
"Thanks for helping me."
"No problem," the guy straightened up and Taylor almost dropped her jaw. It was Dallas. He seemed to notice her shock.
"What?"
"N-Nothing, I just… never mind."
Taylor couldn't believe it; Dallas had to know how much she hated him for what he did to Travis. Why would he help her? Why would he care?
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Heading home, or wherever. You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks."
"Want me to walk you home?"
"No. I'm fine, I'll just go back to the Curtis'"
"Okay, see you."
"Bye."
As he walked away, Taylor stood there, puzzled. She knew he couldn't forget. Why did he help her? Soda's soft words came into her head.
'He's trying to change'
Why was Soda always right? She started walking, still trying to figure out what was going on. As she thought, she remembered the incident when she had gone after him.
It was late at night, she still wasn't sure how she had found him, but she did. He was with his gang, she remembered her fear as she approached, but she pushed it aside, thinking of her brother. Her heart was beating as she approached, warning her.
'Who're you?' Dallas asked.
Every part of her was screaming to get away but she had to stay.
'The sister of the kid you put in jail,' she responded, her voice clear. One of the gang leaned over to Dally.
'You want us to take care of her?' he asked. Dallas shook his head.
'Nah, I'll handle it.' He flicked away a cigarette and walked over to her.
'What do you want?' he asked coldly.
Taylor lifted her chin, 'I just want to tell you that you are a truly heartless person who doesn't care what he does to people.' She couldn't think of anything bad enough to call him. She trembled with rage. Dallas smiled.
'Is that it?'
'Do you have any idea what you've done?' she cried.
'What?' he asked, obviously not caring.
She resisted the urge to hit him, 'My younger brother is in jail because of you!'
'Sorry,' he said sarcastically.
She turned away and started to walk away, trying not to cry. She stopped and turned back.
'Don't think you can get away with this Dallas Whinston. I'll remember you, and I'll never forgive you.' And with that she turned and walked away.
Taylor was jerked back into the present by the door of the Curtis' opening. She saw Ponyboy standing in the doorway.
"Hey, what's going on?" he asked as she walked up.
"Hey Pony. Nothing, I just came home early."
"Where's Sodapop?"
"He's still at the party."
"Why's your shirt ripped?" Pony pointed to a small rip near her shoulder.
She examined it, "Oh, it must have been when those guys were bothering me."
"What guys?"
"Never mind, it's not a problem. Go inside, I'm getting cold."
They went inside and Taylor flopped onto the couch.
"Are you okay?" Pony asked, sitting down next to her.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. What did you do tonight?"
"I saw a movie with Johnny."
"That's cool. Probably had a better time than I did."
"Why?"
"Long story."
"I got time."
Taylor couldn't help but smile; Pony was so much like Sodapop. But still, he was still a kid. Even though he had recently turned 14, Taylor felt protective of him. Like an older sister.
"Don't worry about it Ponyboy. I'll be fine." She said, and she meant it.
*Please Review*