Chapter 21

Owen sat on the edge of his bed and watched me walk around and double check the that the door and windows were locked. After I sat down on the side of my bed, he looked over at me and asked, "Feeling safe and sound?"

"I think so." I answered. I opened the drawer to the night stand between our beds to make sure the switchblade was still inside before I laid down next to Casey.

Owen frowned at the weapon and shut the drawer. He tucked me into bed, leaned down and gave me a kiss on the lips. "Sleep tight. Let me know if you need anything, because you don't need that." He motioned towards the drawer before he turned the light off and climbed into his bed.

The silence in the room barely lasted thirty seconds before Casey opened her mouth. "Ya'll sure you don't wanna share a bed? Ya know I aint gonna tell Darry on ya."

"Let's not talk about Darry right now." I said with a sigh because I wasn't happy that our journey had disappointed him.

"This is fine Casey." Owen told her. "Go to sleep."

"I'm just saying, ya'll should be sharing a bed 'stead of Scout sleepin' here with me."

"We're fine." Owen declared.

Casey rolled to her side and gently ran her fingers through my hair. "What about you Scout? How you doin'?"

"I'm good, but I'm tired so shush up." I said with a yawn.

Casey said softly. "Well… before you go to sleep I wanna tell you something that's been on my mind, but I don't wanna upset you, 'cause it's about you and the first time I met James."

"Maybe don't upset her right now." Owen suggested with an annoyance that she would bring up James at bedtime.

I was curious to know what Casey was recalling so I told her, "You can tell me."

"Scout, I don't think that's a good idea." Owen said with concern.

I sighed, "I'll be fine… I think."

That was all the permission Casey needed to share her story. "So, on the drive here, while you were sleeping, I was watching the sunset and doing some thinking about James and everything that's happened then I remembered the first time I met him. You remember that day?"

"I don't think so." I answered.

"You and me were walking around the neighborhood then we decided to hang out at the Dairy Queen with everyone, and James was there too. We were talking to some guys. I don't think James liked what he seen so he walked up all tuff to try to scare you off. He was talking like he was the best guy you'll ever have and other lies like that. At first you decided not to talk to him and you were fixin' to leave then he said something and pissed you off, so you stood your ground and stayed. I think that kind of pissed him off too because he threatened you to be 'his girl', or else. Well, you weren't having none of it, so he told you it didn't matter what you wanted because he takes what he wants anyway. You remember what you said next?"

I answered my friend. "No."

"I do, 'cause I remember thinking, damn this little girl is tuffer than she looks! Even Two-Bit and Dally who were watching from a little ways away were impressed."

"What did I say?"

Casey told me. "You warned James that if he tried to take you it would be his own death sentence!"

"You said that to him?" Owen asked with surprise.

"I remember that now." I said quietly. I looked up at the ceiling as images from the encounter filled my memory.

"Scout, the point is, you warned him! You told him exactly what was gonna happen if he didn't back off, and he didn't listen. You couldn't do no more than that." Casey assured me.

"Maybe you're right. I'll try to remember that when I'm feeling bad about everything."

Casey reached over to pet my head again. "There's nothing to feel bad about. He knew the consequences of not leaving you alone."

"He got what he deserved." Owen quietly added. "Everyone knows it, even his mother."

"That's true, she didn't seem too torn up about what happened to him." Casey told us. "She knew he was evil."

I thought about how sweet he seemed when I first met him. I wanted to believe it was because he was a good kid, but really it was just an act to get what he wanted.

"You know what else," Casey told us, "Even though I wanted to hang out with ya'lls friends and go to that pool party I am real happy Owen decided to take us on this road trip instead. It would have been lonely to ride on the bus all by myself. I'm just sorry it has to come to you at a pretty high cost. Being grounded is the worst!"

"If she is feeling better when we get home, it will be worth it." Owen said sleepily.

I looked over at Casey. "You don't think Darry's punishment is fair?"

"Hell no!" Casey exclaimed. "Grounding you for weeks aint fair. Considering what a good kid you are. He should give you a pass like Owen's dad did. Besides, Pony didn't get grounded after he ran off."

"What happened with Pony was different." I reminded her.

"How so?" Casey questioned.

"You know how so, besides, Darry kinda blamed himself for all of that."

"Do you think Darry will actually follow through with grounding you for as long as he says he will?" Owen asked.

"I don't know. Darry often follows through with his decisions." I assured him. "We should consider making this trip quick. I don't want to go too long this summer without being able to see you."

Owen rolled to his side to look over at me. "Don't worry, I'll be able to see you."

"How?" I asked.

"Through loopholes in his rule." Owen confidently told me.

"What loopholes?" I asked.

"Like, he can't stop us from visiting Soda at the DX at the same time, or grocery shopping at the same store, or if I go for a walk outside your house on the city owned sidewalk."

Casey laughed, "Loopholes, Owen you're a genius!"

"Yeah but, how will you know I'm going to do any of that?" I questioned his plan again.

"I'll find a way. We can make plans ahead of time, and if that doesn't work, he can't stop me from sitting outside your house. I can wait to see where you go and follow you, or just sit there and know you are safe inside."

"So, you're going to stalk me?" I asked with a little giggle. "He might not be able to stop you from doing that, but the cops can."

"I'm not worried. I hear the cops don't care to much about what happens in your neighborhood." Owen joked back.

Casey added. "I bet when you come home feeling better, he'll probably let you off the hook for good behavior."

"Good behavior is an expectation for Darry, it's not something that's rewarded." I told her.

"Well, if being good don't matter I don't think you should be sleeping in my bed right now!"

"Good night, Casey!" Owen said to try to get her to end her conversation.

She continued, "I'll tell you what, if Owen were my guy, I'd be in his bed right now. I'd probably even send Scout to the front office to get a bucket of ice, lock the door and have my way with him." Casey laughed at herself.

Owen told my friend. "I already know Darry's mad as hell at me, I don't need to make him even madder by messing around with his sister."

"Darry should cool it." Casey said.

Owen sighed. "At least he cares enough to be mad and worry about us. My dad doesn't care about where I'm at or where I'm going. He just wants me to stop and see my mother on my way home."

"You gonna go see her?" Casey asked.

"I don't know." Owen said with a heavy sigh. "I don't see the point in it."

"We should. I think it's important to see for yourself if she is getting any better." I said and thought about how their relationships might still be repaired at least a little.

"Just because she acts one way in treatment doesn't mean she'll stay the same when she comes home." Owen explained one of his fears.

Casey offered advice to our friend, "I know she has been pretty horrible to you, and I aint the one to be preaching about giving a crappy parent a second chance, but I think you should try. It's what your dad and your sister want, and if somehow, she gets better, Scout's gonna need a new mamma in her life too. You don't have to forgive her for anything in the past, just try not to hold it against her in the future, if she gets better."

"Thanks Casey. I appreciate the advice." Owen told her.

Casey added, "My pleasure. I love you both so much. Ya'll are amazing and I want your life together to be amazing too."

I reached over, hugged my friend and kissed her cheek to let her know how much I loved and appreciated her too.

Something woke me. I opened my eyes and noticed it was still dark outside. I rolled over and read the clock on the nightstand. After struggling to fall asleep, it had only been another hour before I was awake again. I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling then my ears caught the sound of Owen rustling around in his bed. A few seconds later he began mumbling in his sleep. I worried he may be having a nightmare, so I sat up to watch over him as his mumbles turned into words.

"No! No don't, Scout!" Owen demanded then his body lurched, and he sat straight up in his bed.

Shocked by his outburst, I went to his side. I grabbed his hand and quietly asked, "Are you okay? Did you have a nightmare?"

He looked at me in great relief. "Oh good, you're okay. It was only a dream." He gathered me into his arms and held me tight.

"I'm okay." I assured him. "What happened?"

Owen released me and explained, "We were at my house, in Olivia's room, my mother came after you, but instead of her attacking you, you pulled out that knife and stabbed her right in front of me and Olivia."

Even though it was a dream, I was mortified. I didn't know how to respond, so I pulled at his bed covers to straighten them out.

Owen ran his fingers through his hair as he calmed down. "I hate that knife! I don't think you understand. I don't want to lose you forever, and if you stab someone, I will."

"I'm not going to stab anyone." I reached over and fluffed his pillow for him, so he could lay back down and try to get some sleep.

"That's what you think, but you didn't plan to stab my mother, it just happened." Owen whispered. "I can't fix it if you do."

"Don't worry about that tonight. We'll be okay, and tomorrow I'll put the blade in the glovebox and leave it there."

"You need to give it back to Darry."

"I will. I promise. For now, everything is alright. Go back to sleep before we wake Casey." I pressed my hand against Owen's bare chest to convince him to lay back down.

Owen grabbed my arm to keep from falling backwards. "Stay with me."

I was surprised by the proposition. "In your bed? We promised Darry we wouldn't."

"No, we promised Darry we wouldn't come home with a baby." Owen laughed a little and whispered. "I just want to hold you, so I know you're safe."

I looked down at the boy in the darkness and knew he was everything I had ever wanted. I needed to start accepting that I deserved him in my life. I caressed his cheek then ran my fingers down his bare chest so he would lay down. Owen scooted his body over and lifted the covers for me to join him. I snuggled in next to the young man and rested my head on his chest.

He wrapped his arms around me and whispered, "I'll keep you safe."

I felt the boy's warm chest against my cheek. I thought back to the afternoon when his demeanor towards me had been drastically different in the Ottavi's front yard. I wondered how he had decided that leaving town would be the best thing for all of us. I whispered, "Owen?"

"Yeah?"

"How, or when, did you decide to drive Casey home tonight?"

Owen laughed softly.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Because I am not totally sure. I think it was when the only parking spot in the parking lot at Rusty's was that spot. At least that's when I felt like I needed to get out of town, but I knew I needed the means. That's when I decided to go to the bank, but I figured you'd go into Rusty's with Casey, not stay with me."

"Were you mad at me then?"

Owen quietly sighed. "Not mad, maybe just frustrated. Frustrated with everything, and wishing we didn't have to deal with it all. I would never be mad at you for all of this. That wouldn't be fair, and before you ask, I wasn't mad at you at the bank either."

"Just frustrated?"

"Yeah, but not because of you, because of everything. I had a lot going through my mind and worrying about you alone was some of it."

"I'm sorry. I didn't think ..."

Owen immediately shushed me. "That's not my point. When I heard you yell for me in the bank, it scared the hell out of me. I thought for sure someone had come after you, and that is when I decided we were getting out of town. I didn't even care where we were going. Once we were heading west Casey joked, I was taking her home, that's when I knew where we were headed."

"And you didn't think to ask me if it was okay?" I kidded.

"Nope." Owen and I shared a soft giggle together then he added. "I love you. I've loved you since the day I rescued you from that rainstorm. I would have kissed you that day if I knew you would have kissed me back."

I could feel myself blush in the darkness. "I wouldn't have, but deep down I probably wanted to."

"Did you love me at first sight too?" Owen asked softly.

"Owen, that's not a fair question."

"Why?"

"Because when I fell in love with you doesn't change how much I love you now. Plus, when we met, I had a ton of worries. Considering all that I was going through, I needed more time to warm up to the idea of being in love with you."

Owen laughed a little. "You had to get used to me to love me?"

"No, I mean… yeah! Come on... you're Owen Jasper! Class President, football star, and a Soc."

"Ugh," Owen grumbled. "I hate that word."

"I'm from the north side of town. The odds of a boy like you falling for a girl like me are pretty slim. Besides, my life was a mess. Falling in love with someone was the furthest thing from my mind."

"So, when did you know you loved me?"

"I don't know. Honestly, I think I've worried more about losing you than I have thought about how much I love you."

Owen laughed and softly kidded with me, "Do you even love me now?"

"Of course, I do!" I immediately answered him and propped myself up on my elbow, so I could look him in the eye. "I can't imagine the rest of my life without you."

"I agree," Owen smiled, "But when did you know you didn't want to live without me?"

I laid my head back onto his chest and snuggled him tight. "At the Winter Formal… when you carried me into the dance. That was the first time I felt safe enough to let myself truly fall for you. After that night, I wanted us to be together forever."

"We will be." Owen assured me. "I love you. I'm sorry I kidnapped you without your permission."

"Well, it wouldn't be kidnapping if I agreed to it." I quipped.

"I hope it's just what you need to feel better. I know after all you've been through it's asking a lot, but I want it to work."

"Honestly, it may be just the change of scenery I need."

"I promise to always take care of you."

"And I promise to warm up to the idea of letting you take care of me." I said will a smile my boyfriend couldn't see, but I knew he felt it when he kissed the top of my head and held me a little tighter.