The next three days I spent mostly by myself. I did what I should, went to school, got home in time, did my chores but it was all quiet and boring. I didn't talk to anyone that much, or more correctly no one talked to me. Darry was pretty much giving me the silent treatment, Pony didn't say much he just looked at me when he thought I didn't see it, Soda tried to act normal but since nothing was normal he was more silent that usual, his eyes worried, Steve kept glaring at me and Two bit seemed very interested in the TV which he kept watching while mumbling to himself and laughing quietly as to not disturb the pressing silence. It was ok in the beginning, because the silence gave me time to think but once I realized I couldn't get any clarity in my thoughts the silence just stressed me out. I became more and more irritated by their reaction, they had no right to treat me like that, I was old enough to make my own decisions, I knew of course as well as them that sleeping with Shepard wasn't the best decision I'd made, but still it was my decision not theirs.
As I walked in the living room that night Darry, Soda and Steve were watching TV, Pony sat at the table reading. None of them looked up at me as I entered but I knew they had registered my presence. I coughed to get their attention and when they were looking at me, Darry tiredly, Steve angrily, Pony curiously and Soda smiling sadly, I said;
"Look guys, I've said I was sorry…" I didn't get any further because Darry rose from the couch and walked over to me his arms folded.
"Actually you didn't" he said as he looked at me, he didn't seem angry anymore he just looked sad and tired.
"Oh…" was all I could say as I realized he was right, I had only apologised to Soda. Steve was glaring daggers at me from the couch an evil smirk on his lips and I felt anger bubble up inside of me as I watched him. I turned to Darry again.
"I'm sorry, I thought I did" I took a step towards him and he looked up and I saw all the anger melt away from his eyes. Suddenly I felt something heavy jump on me and as I tumbled to the floor I saw Soda grinning madly at me. When I was lying on my back, Soda sitting on top of me I looked up to see Darry standing over us laughing heartedly, Pony stood next to him grinning down at us. Steve was still on the couch but through his anger I could see a small smile creeping up on his lips.
"Hey Nora" I heard someone call me and as I turned around Angela was leaning against a locker, chewing on a bubblegum. I walked over to her wondering what she wanted, probably something about Pony I thought.
"So I heard your brothers weren't too happy" she stated with a slight smirk.
"About what?" I answered with a bored expression, that was the only way to talk to Angela; you had to sink to her level.
"Tim of course" she said smiling wickedly. "He was at our house some days ago" she tried to look bored but I could tell she was enjoying it, God, she really loved being the bringer of bad news I thought as I watched her chewing loudly "the big one" she added. Darry was at their house I thought, why the hell would he be going to see the Shepards?
"Talked to Tim" she said smiling at me like a perfect porcelain doll. I felt myself grow angry, my fist clenched unintentionally and I felt like hitting something, preferably my brother. Just when we were getting along again I find out he pulled something like that, what the hell had he been telling Shepard anyway? As I looked up I saw Angela looking at me curiously, her mouth a bit open, she had stopped chewing and her eyes kept blinking. I just looked back at her commanding and she shook her head saying;
"I don't know what they were talking about, but Tim sure looked pissed the rest of the night" she snickered while nodding to herself. I felt so frustrated as I watched her, I felt like making her nose bleed just because she was enjoying telling me this. I soon calmed down however and the only person I felt like making bleed was Darry. What had he said to Tim anyway? Probably told him to stay away from me, like that would make any difference to Tim anyway, he had gotten what he wanted why would he be anywhere near me now. I walked away from Angela without even looking at her and just walked out of school and down the road and I kept walking till I was at the DX.
"Hi Nora, you not in school?" Soda asked me with a smile as he saw me walking up to him. I shook my head at his question forming one of my own in my mind.
"Why was Darry talking with Shepard?" I asked fixing my eyes on his, he meet my stare with sad eyes.
"Look, he's just trying to protect you…"
"I don't need protection!" I spat out feeling my heart beating fast with anger. Soda sighed and reached his hand out to me touching my arm lightly.
"I don't know what he was saying to him, but I don't think it went that well, he was kind of pissed when he came home" I felt strangely content at hearing that.
"I tried to tell him not to interfere but you know how Darry gets when it comes to you and Pony" Soda sighed again and smiled slightly and I returned his smile, reassuring him that I wasn't mad at him.
"Yeah, well I should go again" I said as I saw Steve coming out of the small building, I didn't feel like being confronted with his angry stare, I was pissed enough as it was.
As I was walking home it started to rain, I didn't notice it that much tough I was too angry. I was kicking a rock in front of me when I felt something behind me and when I turned around I saw a black car following me slowly, when turned around again it drove up next to me. I began to feel scared now and quickened up my pace but the car kept following me and the suddenly it drove off but a bit down the road it stopped and someone walked out.
"I thought you said you weren't scared of me" Tim was leaning against the open car door grinning widely at me. He motioned for me to hop in the car and I did, the rain had soaked my clothes right through and I felt cold.
"So…" he said as we drove of "…why are you walking around in the rain?" He looked at me his eyes jet-black. His face was back to normal again, the bruises had paled and the small cuts had healed, the only thing that remained was that cut in his eyebrow. My eyes wandered down to his hands, most of his busted knuckles had healed some were still a bit red. I snapped my eyes up again.
"Did you have a nice chat with Darry?" I spat out, I didn't even know why I was taking it out on him, maybe because he was acting like nothing had happened. Tim looked at me his eyes fiery, his lips in an evil smirk.
"What did he say?" I asked even angrier with him now that he didn't answer me. Tim turned his face towards me once more, his eyes was cold and cunning and he smirked at me, his lips slightly curving to show his teeth, I drew back in my seat. He was scary when he looked like that, like a spitting wild cat. He gave a low chuckle at my reaction and snarled;
"Why don't you ask him" I didn't answer him, I felt so small suddenly. Besides it wasn't him I was angry with or at least I tried to convince myself of that as I looked out the window. None of us said anything until he pulled up in front of my house.
"Thanks for the ride" I said quietly as I opened the door, I didn't dare to look at him, I could feel his anger hanging in the air. Just when I was about to get out I felt his hand on my arm.
"Nora…" he said and as I turned around he let go of my arm and looked through the window "…he's just acting his role"
I felt something stir in my mind as I heard him say that, he may be a good-for-nothing hood but he was a smart good-for-nothing hood. I was still angry with Darry but after hearing Tim say that I knew that that was just it, he was doing what he thought he should do, what he thought was his job to do. So I decided not to make a big fuss about it, after all it hadn't hurt anyone. Tim didn't seem upset about it and he was still talking to me so obviously he hadn't listened to him. I smiled feeling happy for the first time since the night of the drag race as I walked up the stairs to our house.
Hope you like it, if Nora doesn't make any sense that's because she is confused... Read and review! Tack
