It was exactly ten days after the rodeo thing, Nessa was back from her tenth day at school and she had already get an homework. It seemed that her English teacher was crazy... He was throwing chalks and yelling at anyone who wasn't enough calm for him.
Nessa was supposed to come back with her sister but Christina had told her that ' Garry' or maybe was it ' Larry' was going to walk her home... So she was there alone, trying to remember what she had learned today and finish her homework as soon as possible.
She took an apple and starts writing... She had almost finish when she eared someone opening the door.
'' Hi... '' she says, without looking who it was. The only thing she eared in return was a plaintive moan that gives her a shiver.
She turned slowly to the entrance, afraid of what she could see... Her sister was standing in there, blood was running down her face and she was cuted everywhere...
Nessa runned to Christine and took her in her arms, as she was going to fall on the floor.
'' Who did that to you, Christine? '' Says Nessa, panicked and started crying. '' Who? Is it that guy who was walking you home...tell me please... ''
Christine closed her eyes and opened then back... she opened her mouth and blood felt on the floor...
'' Ssss...Socs... '' She whispered... '' They got him too... but I escaped... '' she starts crying too. Nessa helped her to walk to the couch and says:
'' Wait... I'll call an ambulance... ''
(…)
Thirty minutes later, Nessa was waiting at the hospital, hopping Christine wasn't in too bad conditions and her parents were supposed to join her as fast as they could. She remembered her own experience in the hospital… She was young then, she couldn't even remember what she was there for exactly but there was to much noise during the day and nights were to long and calm when there was no one screaming painfully.
Why Christine? She didn't deserved it, no one deserved it. Socs couldn't just think, they were stupid trash with stone heart and greasers were the one who were victims. It wasn't fair. How could someone be so bad? Oh yeah, in simply being a Socs…
A doctor called her…
'' Where are your parents?
Not there yet… they are out of town…
Okay… Your sister will be okay, lots of cuts and only a broken finger. She need a lot of sleep and we'll keep her for about three days. The ones who did her that didn't miss her.
Thanks for taking care of her doctor… Can I stay with her?
She's now sleeping but if you want, it's okay… ''
She walked to a room he indicated her and sat on a chair, beside the bed. Christine had a couple of pipes connected everywhere, one of her teeth was missing and she was as white as a ghost. Nessa had a lot a difficulty to accept that it was her sister lying in that bed. Why not her? Or anyone else. And what if she didn't let that guy walk Christine home? They both would have been sitting calmly in front of the television or talking in the backyard… No, it wasn't her fault, Socs are faulty! Tears stars running down her cheeks and she saw her parents entering the room.
'' Oh god… '' whispered her mother and walk slowly to the bed. She looked at Christine with wide eyes and she was close to cry.
Her father stayed in the entrance, his face as white as Christine's one. If Nessa had not know him, she would have think that he was going to cry too but he never did, even in the worst situations.
They both looked at Nessa, like she was going to reveal something but finally looked back at Christine who slowly opened her eyes.
'' Mom…Dad… '' She whispered. '' hi. ''
'' Hi, love… '' whispered back their mother, holding her hand and she starts crying.
'' I'll be okay, don't cry… '' Christine says with a little voice and take a big breath.
They stayed there for about four hours before Christine get really tired and the doctor chassed them. They drive back home and go to bed. Nessa tried to have a good night of sleep but couldn't. She was half asleep when a picture of a gang of Socs betting greasers came in her mind. She opened her eyes and walked upstairs… Her mother was there, watching the TV, no sounds.
'' What they her… it's horrible… '' She whispered when Nessa sat beside her. Ms.Jones looked like a zombie with her pale skin and a kind of green reflect on it because of the television light. She had big rings under her eyes and the full cup of coffee she was holding seemed cold.
'' Yeah, I know… '' Nessa answered. She would like to forget it all but how? Just at the though of having to go to school the morning after, she was getting sick. The only thing she though about was so horrible that it chassed every happy though from her mind.
'' I'm scared, Nessa… I got to tell you something… '' Her mother told her with a strange voice and her eyes were blazing with some kind of craziness.
(…)
After school, Nessa was waiting for a bus to the hospital. All day, she had been thinking about that, she couldn't leave her sister there and act like if she was happy. Teachers had been asking her too much question that day and it had become irritating. She felt like if she was going to blow on every one who was going to talk to her.
'' You're going to see ya sister at the hospital? ''
She turned slowly to discover that this voice was coming from Ponyboy.
'' Yes… How did ya know?
Steve heared a Soc talk about it, he told it to Soda who told me. Can I come with you?
If ya want… she surely will be happy to see lots of people. ''
They took the next bus and ten minutes after, they were there. Nessa walked fast to the fourth floor, followed by Ponyboy who seemed unsure about the place.
(character change)
Johnny, poor Johnny who had died here three moth ago… Ponyboy felt exactly like the day he saw him for the last time when they passed in front of the room he was in. But he didn't had much time to think about it. Nessa was painful, he knew it, she was like him during a certain part of his life. He could see it in her eyes. It's hard to see someone we like a lot being in those kind of situation.
They finally arrived to a room but Nessa stopped straight in the entrance and made Pony a sign to stay there. He looked in and saw his brother Sodapop who sat behind Christine. Soda had told him he was going to saw her… Nessa and Ponyboy stayed there, listening and watching. Christine opened an eye.
'' hey Soda… '' She says with a little smile
'' Hi, little lady, how do ya feel?
better… what are ya doing here?
What do ya think I'm here for?… '' He grinned. '' See the pope maybe? ''
Christine laughed a little and noticed Nessa's and Pony's presence.
'' Are you spying? '' She asked with a smile.
Nessa walked slowly to the bed and Ponyboy made three step front. '' hi. '' he says.
Suddenly, Steve entered too and, as hyper as usual, sat on an other chair beside Christine's bed and gave her a rose. '' Here's a gift for you, baby. ''
She looked at the thing with admiration. '' Thanks! ''
'' That's nothing… I'll beat those Socs for you! '' Steve says and took her hand. Christine smiled and smelled the flower.
Pony turned to Nessa, she looked at Steve and Soda with a smile. He guessed she tough they were very nice… They were nice. Soda is always nice. Steve have a certain love for Christine, like if she was the little sister he never had. Ponyboy would like to be so nice but he was shy and didn't really know what to say so he stood there, watching at the others who were amusing Christine. God, she was cute, even with that hospital 'pyjama' and that cut on her forehead.
(character change)
Soda got up and says: '' I'll get something to drink… anyone want some? '' He looked around. Steve and Christine didn't seem to be interested in since they were stuck in a strange conversation and seemed like if they weren't going to stop talking, even if there was a fire.
'' Pepsi, Pony? '' He asked his brother who accepted. Then, he turned to Nessa with an interrogative look on his face.
'' I'll come with you. '' She says and got up…
They walked slowly in the corridor, behind a little play room. Those kids were sick but they were playing like if nothing was wrong. Some of them, maybe, were close the die but they continue playing and smiling! Soda continued playing too but the 'game' of his life wasn't as fun as it was before. Maybe did he forgot how to play? Or he just didn't want to continue the game with a missing player?
'' thanks for being so nice with my sister. '' Nessa says.
Soda stopped looking at the kids and turned to her with a smile.
'' hey, she need us to be on her side… I want her to know that I hate those Socs too. ''
He stopped in front of a cola machine.
'' But you weren't obliged to come… that's what I wanted to say. I'm just glad to see that you came to saw her.
That ain't a miracle, everyone are talking about coming here…
Stop being so humble when I'm trying to thank you! '' She says, smiling, and gave him a little friendly slap behind his head.
'' Okay then… Yes, I know, I'm the best! '' he says, walking back to the room with drinks in his hands.
'' isn't it bugging you sometimes to see your name on a bottle? '' Nessa asked, looking at the bottle she had buy. He looked at it… 'Orange Soda '
'' Not really… I'm used to it… What's really bugging…. Really, really… Is when people remember me that I'm named like a drink. '' He says with a big smile.
'' You're a crazy one…
I'm used to that also. '' he told her and they entered the room as a greaser girl was going out. She stopped a second to look at Soda and walked away.
'' That's phenomenal… I'll put you in a cage and people would pay to see you… '' Nessa says.
He laughed and sat on a chair.
(character change)
About an hour later, the boys had left and Nessa stayed with her sister… Her mother was coming with a supper and her father was stuck at work. Christine was half asleep, Steve's rose in her hands and smiling. She seemed some kind of miserable… too much.
Nessa eat a piece of s chocolate bar she had in her pocket. Chocolate was the only thing that really calmed her. She would have like a hug or something, just too feel something warm in that cold atmosphere.
(…)
The day after, Nessa came to saw her again, with her parents and Christine told her that lots of people had come all day to saw her. Most of them had told her that the Socs didn't deserved more than hell and they were all really happy to see that she was better and better.
The next day after, Christine was back home and really happy to recover her bed and her clothes! She ate a lot: hospital food was tasting real bad. That night, every one seemed happy. His father did something really special, something he never did before: bring them all to the movie drive in!