Shepard was driving like a maniac through the streets of Tulsa with me sitting beside him leaning my head against the window. I didn't mind the speed, I often went with Soda and the others to drag races, sometimes I even raced myself.
Shepard reached over and put the radio on, he switched past the rock cannels and to my surprise he turned up the volume at a slow ballad and started to hum along.
He continued driving while singing along with the radio, his voice was really nice, dark and soothing. I looked over at him to see his profile, he was kind of handsome in his own way. His features classic but sharpened and hardened, his cheekbones high and his nose straight. He reminded me of an old greek statue I had seen at the museum once. His skin was some shades darker then mine but still not as dark as Johnny's had been, come to think of it all the Shepard's looked kind of tanned with black wavy hair. Perhaps their parents were Mexican or something.
The car stopped suddenly and as I looked out the window I saw our house. Shepard left the motor running and turned to me.
"I don't think I will follow you in, don't want Darrel to kill you for being with me", he said flashing me that wide wolf like grin.
I nodded and got out of the car, I saw him starting to turn from me to drive away, and I panicked thinking I had to say something to him so I called out to him.
"Tim!" He turned around again waiting for me to talk, "I…thanks for the ride", that was all I could think of to say, and he just waved to me and drove away.
As I walked in the house I noticed it was all silent, must be pretty late I thought and Darry and Soda had work tomorrow, Pony and me had school.
"Where the hell have you been Nora? Do you know what time it is?" Darry who had been sitting in an armchair hidden in the shadows of our living room, came at me yelling.
"Sorry Darry I forgot the time", I said and walked past him to my room. Of course he followed me and stood leaning against my doorframe looking pissed.
"Where were you?"He asked crossing his arms over his chest.
"The Dingo", I said simply not really wanting to meet his eyes, he was really pissed at me, and I didn't like it, me and Darry have always been great friends, he used to trust me. Doesn't seem like he trusts me now though.
"With who?" He fixed his eyes on my back as I started to take the cover of my bed.
"No one", I said suddenly tired of everything.
Unfortunately that only made Darry angrier, he looked like he was going to explode.
"You mean to tell me you walked home from the Dingo all alone at 1.30 in the morning?" He screamed, "I knew your brothers could do something like that but you were always smarter then that!" He took a breath and was about to continue when I turned around at him screaming,
"I didn't walk home alone Darry, don't you think I know how dangerous that is, God Darry I´ve lived here all my life, I know the way it is".
"But you said you were alone", Darry looked confused and tired now.
"I was but Tim Shepard drove me home," as I said his name I saw Darrys eyes change, what was that, fear or anger?
"God Nora, you went in a car with Shepard? Did he touch you? I swear to God…"
I just tuned out as he began to talk about killing Tim for driving me. This is crazy I thought, he doesn't want me to walk alone and he doesn't want me to get a ride with Shepard. What does he have against Shepard anyway, he likes him well enough when they need him for a fight.
"Darry what the hell is your problem? Shepard saw that I was alone and offered me a ride, what's wrong with that?"
I was really angry now, what had Tim ever done to him anyway?
Darry seemed to have calmed down now, most of his anger was gone, he looked tired as he sat down on my bed motioning for me to sit down next to him.
He looked me in the eyes as he said;
"Tim Shepard ain´t like us, he ain´t like Steve or Two bit or…"
"Dally?" I said looking at him, he sighed and rubbed his temples.
"That ain´t the same thing," he said.
"What's the differens Darry? Dally was no angel either, he was mean and him and Shepard were friends," I said feeling so tired, like I could fall asleep sitting there talking.
"Fine," Darry said standing up, "just be careful with him."
"Don't worry Darry it's not like we're friend, he just drove me home once," I said laying down on the bed falling asleep before he had left the room.
