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"So, what did she say?" Two-Bit asked me this afternoon, whilst I walked him home. "You can't keep quiet! You've been silent all day; you didn't even have time to give Mrs. Drill the verbal abuse left over from Steve! What did she say?"

"She said she loves me," I told him sweetly, hugging my arms close to myself as a wind picked up, blowing my hair into my eyes, blinding me of all vision. "Ew, hair in mouth, hair in mouth!"

"Get it out then," he said irritably, grabbing my arms and turning me around so it blew to the back of my head. Then he rolled his eyes. "Stop being a pain in the ass, Pixiedust, come out with it, what did she say?"

I threw him a look, I would have moved away but he still had his hands firmly gripped around my arms. "Two-Bit, she asked what you said and I lied, I don't wanna have to lie to you, can't you drop it?"

"No," he said stubbornly.

"Just the same as you did basically, she was just worried about your mom, that's all!" I cried out, brushing invisible hair out of my face. "Two-Bit, really, does it matter that much?"

"Yeah, I wanna know if he's come to talk to her."

"Can't you ask her? If my brothers asked me I'd tell them."

"We're not close."

"Could've fooled me."

"Well looks like you are," said Two-Bit, frowning slightly. "Emily doesn't listen to me like you'd listen to Darry or Soda or even Pon, I'm just there. Can't you tell me, please?"

"Look, she's confused. She doesn't know up from down or right from left. It's not even worth it to repeat it." I said softly, staring into his eyes. "I swear it, and he hasn't come near her. She's just worried…about everything, really. If he came near her I'm sure she'd tell you first. Two-Bit, don't give me the crap that you're not close, she loves you and you love her. You're both just oblivious."

"Big words."

"Blind," I sighed with a smile.

Two-Bit gave me a halfhearted smile and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me tight into his leather jacket before he started leading me to his house. It smelt nice, that jacket I mean. I always hated the smell of Dally's jacket, whenever he used to give it to me when I'd forget mine, his smelt like beer, cigarettes and the latest whore he'd been with. Two-Bit's smelt different, it smelt like him I suppose, and it kinda smelt like my perfume; weird.

He led me to his house as if I'd never been there before. I would've laughed but I was losing feeling in my body due to the freezing wind, which was hitting our faces. We said nothing the whole way there; it was as if we needn't speak to understand anything. Or he didn't want to speak to me. I was just too lazy at that point, maybe he was too, I suppose we both had things on our minds either way that would preoccupy us.

But whatever we both were thinking a split moment after I'm positive both our thought processes changed into the same thing as I screamed and Two-Bit shouted before we sprinted towards his house.

"Emily!" I screamed as Two-Bit shouted, "Ma!"

I watched as Emily turned to look at me, a look of embarrassment hit her freckled face but she turned to her mom and started shouting at her dad. I stopped next to the letterbox too frozen to comprehend the fact that He was standing there on the porch demanding to be let into His house and harassing poor Mrs. Matthews who was pale and clammy looking. Emily just looked pissed beyond belief and if I hadn't of known better I'd have thought Two-Bit would have hit him.

"Get away from my family," growled Two-Bit fiercely to the man that was easily his double. Just a lot more wrinkled, gray haired and already reeked of beer despite the timing of early afternoon. "You don't belong here."

"Now, now, Keith, last time I checked this was still my house." Mr. Matthews smiled drunkenly, a tooth missing from the wide, scary smile. "Aren't you going to let your old man in? He wants a word with dear Isa."

"No, go away, now," Two-Bit said, I could see him push his mother back a step or two. Her hand gripped so firmly on her fourteen-year-old daughter her knuckles had turned white. "Come back when you're sober and maybe you can come inside. You ruined us, what makes you think you belong in Tulsa?" sneered Two-Bit. "No one wants you here."

"Then why'd I come back if I'm not wanted?" he asked his son, that wide smile not leaving his face as he raised his arms and Emily flinched. "I'm not as dumb as I look, I answer a letter when I get one. I come when I'm asked, or has your dear mother left you out on something?"

That was a blow below the belt the moment the words were uttered out of the drunken mans mouth. You could just tell the moment it had been fully dissolved that it wasn't what Two-Bit was expecting, and even Emily gave her mother a questionable look before remaining resolute at glaring at her father.

"She wouldn't," snarled Two-Bit, but you could tell in his hesitancy to answer he didn't trust a single word he was saying. "Now clear off, and come back when you're sober! Go home!"

"I am home, Keithy boy, maybe you haven't realised it yet but your ma and I are married, see, bound by God until death do we part." He laughed maniacally. "You're stuck with me as much as she is."

Two-Bit suddenly turned speechless but Emily finally snapped, and ripped her arm free from her mother.

"We don't want you here!" she shouted, "I don't give a damn why Mom wrote to you but you can go to hell for all I care and can't you just leave us alone? You ruined us once before and we don't want that again, we're happy without you! Don't ruin that again!"

Mr. Matthews just laughed edgily before stepping down the porch, shaking his head, staggering with every step he took. "I didn't ruin you before, you ruined yourself. You should have held you tongue, Emily Michelle, you wrecked it." He hissed, in such a heartless manner.

"No, you did!" I finally said to him, breaking my silence and ready to hit him or something. "You hit your eleven year old daughter! You're a creep of an old man and she was right to speak out, we were happy when you left now you just, you just go back where you came from!"

Two-Bit looked to be silently moaning and Mrs. Matthews stared at me.

"And who are you to say anything?" Mr. Matthews shouted, I'm amazed I didn't flinch for a second. "You know nothing, you're just his little girlfriend he probably knocked up!"

"So what if he did? At least he'd never hit my kids or me! He'd never do something that treacherous! You don't belong in Tulsa, Mr. Matthews, you're the scum of the earth and if you don't go back I'm sure as hell that we'll make you," I said coldly, only flinching as he went to touch me. "Don't you dare touch me."

"Touch broad you got yourself, who the hell is she?" drawled Mr. Matthews, staggering back onto the pavement. I stepped back.

"Pixie Curtis, Keith. Don't you remember her? Her and her three brothers." Mrs. Matthews said softly, but it was full of an emotion I couldn't pinpoint. Her eyes were on him meaningfully. "She grew up with your son and you don't remember. You were never involved with them, please go away, that letter was a mistake. I apologize; I'll speak to you when you're sober and not violent. Goodbye,"

As Mrs. Matthews walked into her house Emily didn't even hesitate in following her. Most likely to harass her on the contents of this said letter. I was a bit too frozen to actually move away from him as he walked closer to me but Two-Bit stepped in front of me first. Saying so softly I barely heard him.

"Bye, Dad. Don't come back. Even if you're sober."