Chapter Seventeen

Four days had past since Erica had came out of a coma. I give her one last look before I shut the apartment door and walk down the steps. Just four days ago she was lying in the hospital bed, dead to the world.

The following night, the first time I slept in my bed for about a week, she whispered to me,

"Hey Hail."

"What Erica?"

"I had the weirdest dream when I was out."

She meant when she was unconscious.

"I don't think you dream when you're in a coma Erica."

"Oh… really…"

"Yea but go ahead."

"Me and Chris where dating…"

I rolled over to face her and I could make out her staring up at the ceiling.

"I knew you liked him!" I said grinning. She turning to me quickly, a smile soon forming on her face, "He's nice!" she defended. "Yea, he's cool. I mean he gave you his fish! I mean that really makes a man when he gives you his pet fish when you're dead to the world…" I said sarcastically. She glared at me across the room, "But I like Killer." she said softly. "God Erica, you're still a little doped up aren't you? I was joking!" I said laughing softly… "Do you think he likes me Hail?" "Yea, I mean… yea…"

I walked briskly down the sidewalk, past the kids playing, past the world that I no longer felt hatred towards. Everything is back to normal now that Erica is back; she was the little one who held it all together… It didn't take me long to reach the cemetery. That was my first time going during the day, and it looked a whole lot different.

I'd been there every night since the accident with Erica and I enjoyed just sitting there. Nobody ever noticed me, and if they did they probably just thought I was some psycho who enjoys sitting with a bunch of dead people underneath them. Though today I brought something with me, the journal I took off my moms night stand. I read it sometimes and I always got into it, picturing the scenes as if I was there.

August 13….

I slept on the Curtis's sofa. It was really uncomfortable and I shared that lumpy ol' thing with Johnny. I'd walked in late that night and had an argument with Dally because I heard he'd been seen with a couple other girls around town. I didn't go home because I knew he'd come looking for me there and he probably never would think to check Pony's house. It was dark in the Curtis's house and as I walked in Johnny's small voice said "Two-Bit?" "No, Johnny. It's Kristina." There was some shuffling and a table light flickered on. As close as I am with Johnny that was the first time I'd seen him with his hair that messy! I told him what had happened and he reassured me they where all lies that I'd heard. He offered to sleep on the floor and I told him no because this was his normal place. Then he said I couldn't sleep on the floor so I suggested we both sleep on the sofa. I woke up, and I dominated most of the sofa and Johnny was staring at me. "You talk in your sleep." he said getting up. I knew that, tons of people had told me that before, including Dally. I watched him go over and sit in the arm chair. "What I say?" I asked sitting up amused. "I dunno and you kicked the hell outta me." "Then why the hell didn't ya move?" "I did!" he claimed with a smug smile. "Then why where you there?" I asked. "So I could give ya hell about it." I threw a pillow at him and he was grinning. Johnny's a real good kid.

"What ya reading?" a voice said behind me. I turned quickly, having to squint to make out who it was. "Nothing, why you here?" I said, I guess I didn't notice the car pulling up or Tim approaching. "You know, doesn't look like nothing." he said making a grab for the journal. I grin as I stood up holding the book behind my back. "What is it?" he asked again, flicking his cigarette on the ground. I don't think I ever saw him come up to somebody without a cigarette in his mouth. "Nothing." I claimed, he stared at me before making another grab for it.

"Stop Tim!"

"Let me see!"

"No!"

"Why!"

"Because it's not mine!"

He sighed heavily acting as if he was walking away. We sounded like a bunch of little kids. As he walked away I looked at the book and tied it carefully, about to slip it into my jacket but Tim grabbed it. I clutched it and he looked down at me with a smug little look on his face. "Stop." I said tugging on it. He chuckled, knowing he could have snatched it right there and then if he wanted to. "I'll bite you boy." I said, I don't know what the big deal was but I didn't want him seeing it. I guess it was personal to me. "You won't." he said looking at me strangely. I raised my eyebrows, "I won't?" He watched me for a few moments before letting go. "You Winston's are crazy." he muttered walking off towards his father's grave. He stood there looking down at it and I watched him carefully not following him until he walked off towards his car.

"I didn't know you came during the day." I said leaning against his car. "I don't… plus it was seven thirty when I got here." he said getting in. Seven thirty? I didn't look like seven thirty… "You coming or aren't ya?" he asked grimly. I smiled running towards the passenger door and hopping in.

As I sat in the seat, before he took off I looked at the clock. Eight o' clock…. We sure weren't talking for a whole half hour, at most twenty minutes. "Tim… We weren't talking for thirty minutes." I said eyeing him carefully as he drove forward. He shrugged his shoulders and let what I said pasted. I wondered if he'd been watching me, and for how long… "You're driving slower today." I said after a couple minutes. "You got a problem with it Winston?" he asked grimly. "No, you just seem weird today and well I was wondering what's up with ya." I said quickly, wondering what bit him in the butt.

He was silent for a while as the car drove probably twenty five down the roads. "The rumbles for tomorrow night." he said one we finally reached DX. "Is that what you're upset about?" I asked not helping to grin. At first I thought he was going to kill me with the look he gave me but he just said shaking his head, "Yea Hailey… yea, I'm afraid of fighting a bunch of Socs." the sarcasm dripping from each and every word. I laughed softly, staring out the window waiting for him to get done filling up the gas tank. He got back in the car, I don't think he paid either, and we drove off.

"Just skin… Greasers against Socs." He said turning a corner. "Good… I'll be there." I said, watching for his expression. "You'll be the only girl." he said, I think he was trying to back me out of it. "No… Melody will probably fight too." I said looking forward.

"What about Erica?"

"What about her?"

"Will she fight?"

"I don't think so. Why?"

"That Chris, he really likes her." he said his voice softened. "How do you know?" I asked quickly. "Just the way he looks at her, and he was really bent out of shape when she was in the hospital. Even before then he liked her." he said pulling the car to a stop. "And how would you know about liking somebody Tim Shepard?" I asked sarcastically looking around. He shrugged his shoulders, "I'll be back." he mumbled as he got out.

I recognized the area as apart of the lower east side, Brumly's turf. I rarely came down here… in fact I only remembering come down here once with Colby. I don't like being around Brumly guy's. They're extremely disrespectful and stupid… I mean just flat out stupid, they make Mickey look like a Harvard graduate. I got board just sitting there, an hour had to past and I wasn't about to shut my eyes for a little nap on Brumly turf. A girl just can't do that!

Tim finally returned, wiping his mouth as he got in the car. "Took long enough." I grumbled shifting myself so I faced his way. I looked at him closely and my mouth dropped. "You where fighting!" I said, I think I might even have shouted it. He turned to me and grinned. "Who?" I said, getting a little excited. "One of the Brumly boys."

"I realized that but who?"

"I told the leader that the rumble is tomorrow night just skin and one of his guys wanted to give me trouble on the way out." he said as we drove away. He was just like Colby, Joe and all the other greaser guys, they where so used to fighting that it didn't bother them. Fighting to them was just like breathing, it came natural. Me on the other hand I was excited or really pissed after a fight and he didn't seem neither.

"Teach 'em a lesson?"

"Damn right I did!"

I forgotten what we where talking about when we pulled up in front of my apartment building, but I must have said something crazy. "You Winston's are something else." Tim said chucking softly. "What's that supposed to mean Shepard?" I asked, glaring at him playfully. "Nothing… you guys are just… I dunno." he said slowly. "What are we?" I asked, amused about figuring out what he thought about us. "Just well first I see you at the Dingo and you don't even bat an eye when you tell me, Tim Shepard, you'll send me to the doctors." he said, "Don't forget the dentist too." I added comically. "Then you got me feeling funny, next thing I know I'm driving around town and you're just about to murder some girl!" he paused shaking his head, "We get to talking and we just about a like, you shrug your shoulders when Joe moved away and now I can't turn around without you being there!" he said. I stared at him for a moment. "What'd ya mean I got you feeling funny and do you think I'm stalking you?" I said; this guy was confusing me. "No… it's just like I dunno." he said softly, looked like he was confusing himself too. "Well that was all about me… And I don't represent all the Winston's because we're all different. Colby is just about the most reckless but caring person I ever met, Erica is so quiet and me well I dunno 'bout me." I noticed Tim was staring at me. We sat there quiet for a moment before I finally sighed and got out. "I'll see ya later Tim." I said before shutting the door. I walked threw the door and out the steps and into our apartment.

Ooooo, Tim is in the picture again! I hoped you like it so far, Read and Review plz!