Author's Note: Sorry guys. I didn't mean for it to take so long for me to upload. I was in Mexico for a week, if that helps. I didn't really have much inspiration, sorry. But thanks to my darling Raine, I HAVE THE OUTSIDERES ON DVD! YES! So I was inspired and managed this. Review, it makes my heart happy.
Bex: Thank you! Sorry it took me so long to update.
Sodapop's#1gurl: I was just teasing you darling. You didn't offend me at all. Sorry if I came across offended,
Raine:You're the best, have I told you that? I'm glad you like it. You so boosted my inspiration. I like the Dally in the movie more than I do the one in the book. Not that you really needed to know.
Chapter 8
When I got home I was exhausted. I didn't want to get sick, especially since I was about start a new job, so I took one of the vitamins that Tommy had given me. Then I remembered that I hadn't taken one yesterday, so I took another one. I got jittery again. That's when I noticed that somehow my blouse had gotten stained. I changed into jeans and a white tank top and made myself a frozen turkey dinner. But when it finished cooking I wasn't hungry anymore. I was restless. I decided to celebrate my new job by going out to get a Coke somewhere downtown. I shook my hair out of its falling French twist and walked to Main Street.
Since it was Friday night the street was crowded with people. Big groups were gathered on corners, boys in fancy Mustangs, Corvettes, and even a few older cars that I knew contained supped up engines drove up and down the street, and a couple of fights were going on. I walked past it all. A couple of guys honked or made catcalls at me from their cars which I, in my over energetic state, winked over my shoulder and waved at them. I knew I shouldn't have, but I did anyway, so what happened next was really all my fault for better or worse.
I was waiting for the light to turn so I could cross the street when a big red Corvette pulled up to the curb and three guys piled out. I glanced briefly at them, but then the light turned, so I started to cross the street. Unfortunately I didn't make it. A tall, husky guy with blonde hair and a crooked nose grabbed me around the waist and pulled me so close to him I could smell the alcohol on his breath.
"Where do you think you're goin'?" He hissed into my ear, pressing his stubbly cheek against mine.
"Across the street," I hissed back, jerking away from his foul breath. He grabbed my hair, forcing my face towards his.
"Is that so? 'Cause I think your plans are about to change." I opened my mouth to scream and he kissed me violently. He thrust his tongue between my open lips and I bit down as hard as I could. He jerked back and let out a stream of curses.
"Grab her." The two guys who had stood silently leering grabbed my arms and forced me against a wall, lifting me off the sidewalk. The blonde spat blood onto the sidewalk.
"You're gonna pay for that." I prepared myself for the impact of his fist.
"What do you think you're doin' Holden?" The blonde spun around and his jaw went slack, spilling blood down his shirt. I felt the strong grips on my arms slacken. I jerked instinctively and they remembered themselves; pressing me harder against the wall. I slumped, my head down.
"Just having some fun Darrel," My head flew up. It was Darry Curtis. His eyes caught mine and I was instantly reassured.
"Maybe you should find someone else, someone who isn't so...feisty. Wouldn't want you to get hurt."
He smirked at his nod his companions stepped forward. The blonde tipped his head toward the car. His friends dropped me and I fell to the ground with a thud. All three of them were in the car and down the street before I could stand up. I looked up at Darrel through my hair. He walked to me and knelt down. In a voice that only I could hear he asked me if I was alright. My hands trembled as I tried to shove my hair out of my face and answer him at the same time. He stood up and took both my hands in his as he had done months ago and pulled me up close to him. Inches of light and our clasped hands were the only things between us. Had it really only been two weeks since I had seen him last? It seemed like such a long time. Our eyes locked and I tried to smile, but couldn't. He was being so gentle, but his hands were so rough. I was shaking. He looked worried, his eyes searching mine and looking me over for injuries alternately. I opened my mouth, but my tongue wouldn't work. He started to pull me closer. Someone behind us cleared his throat. We both spun around, our hands flying to our sides. I felt a rush of warmth go up my neck. Sodapop, Ponyboy, Two-Bit and Steve were watching us with grins on their faces. I backed away from Darry into the shadow the wall I had been pressed against created to hide my flaming cheeks, chiding myself for allowing him to hold my hands like that.
"'Spose you boys ought to get to that movie." He stated without looking at them.
"What about you?"
"I'm going to walk this lady home, or where ever she so desires to go." I saw Steve and Two Bit exchange glances and Steve nudge Soda before they all walked on. Darry turned to me.
"You go on to the movie, Darrel. I was just going to the diner across the street, but I think I'll head home." He smiled.
"Well then, let's go." He held out his arm as I withdrew from the shadow.
"No, really, you go on and do what you had planned. I'll be fine."
"I really didn't have anything else planned."
"Surely you want to spend some time with your friends."
"Would you want to spend time with that group?"
"Well, maybe..."
"May I at least walk you home?"
"I suppose it wouldn't hurt anything."
We were both fairly silent as we walked to my apartment. I was still shaking, from fright or from the cool night air I don't know which. Darry noticed and wrapped his jeans jacket around my shoulders. It was warm and it smelt good, like soap and something spicy I couldn't identify. We saw a shooting star slice through the night sky. And then another, and another. The sky was filled with falling stars.
"It's a meteor shower." Darry whispered we were half a block from my apartment.
"C'mon." I ran to the apartment and dragged him up the stairs to the small balcony off of my living room/bedroom. He raised his eyebrows at the huge pile of boxes in the middle of the floor, but didn't say anything. I grabbed a blanket and took off his jacket, replacing it with the blanket. I set his jacket on the bed and went outside. He was leaning on the guardrail, eyes fixed on the sky when I came out. From then on the sky sucked me in. We were both silent and enthralled by the beauty of the night sky. Slowly the stars stopped falling and when it was finally dark I sighed.
"That was beautiful."
"Yeah, yo—it was." I wrapped my blanket tighter and turned to step inside. "I'm glad you were the one I watched it with." He said softly. That caught me way off guard. I tripped over the doorway; my hand flew out to grasp the doorframe in a death grip.
"Yes. Well, I—Um, I've got to...That is, you've got to work tomorrow. I—We both need some sleep."
"Yeah." His husky voice was in my ear. I spun around to face him, backing into the living room. He took my hand in his.
"Thank you for letting me watch it with you, Angel."
He lifted my hand to his lips and gave it a courtly kiss before letting me retreat to the bed and hand him his jacket. Then with a soft, sweet, "I'll see you later," he left. After I closed and locked the door I sank to floor, shaking all over. I had never, ever been this flustered around a guy before. It didn't help that I was torn between such strong attraction to him and the fear of getting hurt again. I leaned my head back to rest on the door, my arms wrapped tightly around my legs. What am I going to do?
