Chapter Thirteen

Scar POV

I started seeing a van almost everywhere I went. If it didn't park right next to me, it did across the street. If it didn't drive right next to me, it was at a safe distance behind me.

I didn't tell anyone, I just tried not to go anywhere alone or let anyone else. It was hard. I finally caved and called Matt.

"How long's this been going on?"

"A couple months..."

"And you're just telling me now?! This is getting bad, you need to tell dad."

"No! I'm not telling Sodapop."

"Fine, I'll tell him..."

I groaned.

"You wanna play that card? Fine. Don't tell, or I'll tell Uncle Soda how you're paying someone to do your work so you'll pass. He'll pull you out of school right now..."

"Actually... That doesn't sound like a bad idea..."

I gawked over the phone.

"What? You told me you hated it here!"

"I do... But I ain't aiming for something to happen to you, Keegan, or any of your gang. If I'm there, I can..."

"You can what? Watch out for us?"

"Mostly you. You're obviously what they're after."

He needed to finish school and he was almost there. Only one more year to go.

"I can't... I won't let you give up your life. I got it, and I'll let you know anything else, I promise..."

I hung up the phone.

Later that night, I was going upstairs...

"Hey, Scar."

I backtracked to the kitchen.

"Hey, Uncle Pony."

"Whatcha reading?"

"The Great Gatsby."

"For school?"

"No, there's only a couple of weeks left. I'm just reading it to read it."

"And then it's my turn."

James walked in and went directly to the fridge.

"We bought it together, but she got to read it first, unfairly I might add."

I rolled my eyes.

"I paid more, idiot."

I caught Ponyboy staring at me.

"Wow..."

"What?"

He got up and grabbed my chin. James was watching, curious.

"You... You really do have my eyes."

I smiled, then he smiled.

"And Soda's smile."

I looked at James who was smiling sadly for his dad.

"Dad used to tell me that all the time. That he had a piece of you guys with him..."

"Oh, you look like Darry, too. I'll be honest, you don't really look like your mom. Like a Hurst."

I chuckled.

"It's those damn Curtis genes. They're just too strong, I guess."

James came and put his arm around me.

"I can't believe I never noticed it, myself."

Pony frowned.

"What happened to your arm?"

I frowned and looked down to see that James had a really bad scrape all the way down his forearm. And it was fresh. He put his arms behind his back, sheepish.

"I was trying out a new trick. Fell right on my ass a dozen times. After the arm, I decided to call it a day."

Ponyboy groaned and went to get the first aid kit. He came back and made James sit at the table.

"One day, you're going to break your damn neck on that skateboard and I'm gonna laugh."

I started busting out laughing, trying to talk at the same time.

"No offense, Uncle Pony... But... You wouldn't laugh... You'd be too mad to laugh..."

That made James laugh. Ponyboy was trying not to smile at us.

"Go read your book!"

OoO

The van wouldn't stop following me. One day, while I was driving my truck, it got so close to me that it scared me and I pulled into Bonnie's since I knew people in there. I got out of my truck and bolted to the door, only to slam into someone and hit my head pretty hard on the ground.

"Shit, kid!"

I looked up with blurry vision.

"Steve?"

He helped me stand and I swayed. He caught my arm.

"Whoa! Are you okay?"

I tuned around. The van was gone, probably seeing that I ran into someone. Following my eyes, he turned my face to look at him. I must've looked panicked because he frowned.

"Scar, what's wrong?"

I shook my head.

"I'm just... Dizzy."

Danny walked out of the store.

"Scar?"

Steve took my keys from my hand and threw them to Danny.

"Get her home, I'll be right behind you. She hit her head, I need to have a good look, but I can't here."

Steve looked over me good.

"Still feel dizzy?"

I didn't lie. It was no use.

"A little."

I rubbed my eyes.

"I just wanna take a nap."

A look of concern crossed his andDanny's faces. They took me to the hospital just to make sure.

"No signs of concussion, just a hard fall. Any harder, then there would be. She's fine."

The doctor let Steve sign all of my papers. Apparently, he knew that Steve was like family. I went home and went to sleep on the couch.

"So, she's okay?"

"Yeah. Worried me a little when she wanted to sleep, but she checked out fine."

Soda sighed with relief.

"Thanks, man."

There was a pause and then...

"She was running from something, Sodapop. She wouldn't tell me, but I know she was."

I got grilled later, but kept my mouth shut. I wasn't getting anyone else involved.

OoO

School was finally out for the summer. We'd only been out for a week, and I found myself antsy.

"Scar!"

Nicky ran in the living room and jumped on my lap.

"What's up?"

"Can you take me to the park?"

"Nicky, it's like 100 degrees outside."

He poke out his lip. I cocked my head.

"Ain't you too old for that?"

He kept doing it. I groaned and yelled from our spot.

"Uncle Pony, can I take Nicky to the park?"

"Sure!"

The park was only two blocks away, so we were walking. He was babbling about his new girlfriend.

"Have you kissed her yet?"

He made a face.

"No! Eww!"

I started laughing when all of the sudden, a van pulled up next to us. Before I could react, someone jumped out and grabbed Nicky.

"No!"

I started at him, but he pulled a gun on him and I stopped in my tracks. He smiled.

"Good girl."

Nicky was whimpering. I was begging.

"Please..."

The guy had a dangerous smile on his face while two other big guys got out.

"We don't want him. We want you."

I nodded.

"Okay... Okay, you can have me... Just... Just please let him go. Please..."

He gestured for the others to grab me. When they did, he threw Nicky on the sidewalk.

"Scar, no!"

He ran back to me even though the guy pulled a gun on him. He wrapped his arms around me. I crouched in from of him, grabbing his pale face.

"You listen to me, you gotta go home. Run as fast as you can."

He shook his head.

"No, I won't leave you!"

It broke my heart to see an eight year old being this brave. I blinked the tears away and looked at him sternly.

"Nicky, they won't take both of us. Just one. It can't be you. Listen to me, and go home now."

"But..."

I hated to do it, but I had to...

"NOW!"

He faltered back and started running. I was shoved into the van and blindfolded.