Chapter Twenty

120 since Sodapop held my battered body in his arms and prayed for God to spare my life. 116 days since the hospital chaplain told Darry to gather the family to say good bye to their baby sister. 91 days since I opened my eyes to find Darry holding a vigil by my side in the hospital room. 78 days since I first heard Owen tell me that he loved me while the soft music played and the lights dance around us at the Winter Formal. 66 days since my family celebrated our first Christmas out of our neighborhood, as guests at the Jasper mansion. 55 days since my first day back at school with Casey by my side. 40 days since I realized the Socials Owen kept as friends were nothing like the Socs who drank during the day and reeked havoc in our neighborhood for their own amusement. 30 days since all of my hard work paid off. With Ponyboy by my side I jogged all the way around my block for the first time. 22 days since Sodapop pulled me into his room to tell me a secret. He pretty sure he was in love with Casey. I wasn't surprised, Soda seems to fall fast and hard for any girl that will love him back. 12 days since Ponyboy and I began waking up the house with nightmares again. 3 days since Darry, Sodapop, Ponyboy and I walked into the cemetery and placed roses on the headstones that bared our parent's names.

So many days had passed, but by Friday afternoon I had as much of Two-Bit Matthews as I could handle. "Enough already!" I screamed and slammed my hands down onto my math book. "I have enough work to do on my own! I don't have time for your little games and funny jokes."

My comments only made the young man laugh and he tried to look serious as he drew his attention back to his schoolbook. Two-Bit had changed so much in the past months. It was already two months into the new-year and he still had his part-time job at the grocery store.

For which I lost a ten dollar bet with Sodapop. I thought for sure Two-Bit would get caught for stealing something from the grocery store, but Sodapop bet me he wouldn't. Of course before the handshake I had to clarify with my brother that he meant Two-Bit wouldn't steal anything and not that he just wouldn't get caught stealing something. Soda won because Two-Bit was a changed man. He seemed to be committed to working for a brighter future for himself. He cut back on his beer and parties and was even focused on graduating from high school. That's why he was studying with me. Ever since I went back to school for the second semester Two-Bit joined me every afternoon to do homework together. He usually behaved.

Two-Bit looked across the dining room table at me again and playfully whispered. "Sissy….Sissy I got another question for you."

I looked up from my algebraic formula and glared across the table at him. "This better be something you can't figure out on your own."

Two-Bit tried hard to suppress a laugh. "What's twenty nine times zero?" I rolled my eyes and Two-Bit roared with laughter.

My agitation with him built up. "That's it Keith Matthews! You are out of here! I am not gonna help you with your homework if you are going to screw around! I have had it with you!" Two-Bit laughed and threw his head back causing his chair to tip over. He crashed to the floor laughing even harder. "Get out! Get out of my house so I can get this homework done!" I demanded, walked around the dining room table and pulled at Two-Bit's arm. He pulled back yanking my body to the floor next to him. Frustrated by his insistent laughter I slapped him on the arm a few times and he grabbed tightly to my wrists.

"Scout?" Two-Bit's eyes were sincere as he lay next to me propped up on one elbow. "How come you don't laugh with me anymore like you used?"

"Cause I'm busy, and you are pissing my off, that's why." I said and pulled one of my wrists free from his grasp. "Why don't you ever take anything serious?"

Two-Bit's laughter ceased but his grin remained. "I do take things serious."

"Oh yeah?" I said sarcastically. "Name one thing."

"Well…" The grin faded and he acted as if he was thinking really hard. "I take you serious."

I raised my eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"

"You're as smart as your mama was. You've known what's best for me all these months. I can't spend the rest of my life horsing around. If I do I'll never get a girl like you to care about me." The comment surprised me and I became more aware of how warm and soft Two-Bit's hand was on my wrist. I made the mistake of looking into his eyes and noticing him staring back at me. My heart pounded nervously inside my chest and my body grew flush. Slowly, Two-Bit inched his face forward readying himself to be brave enough to kiss me. I felt his warm breath on my face and thought through my emotions. Something in me wondered for a moment what it would be like to kiss him.

The creaking of the front door shocked the two of us as we lay together on the dining room floor. We scrambled to our feet and tried to make what was obvious to us not obvious to who ever came through the door.

"Hey Scout?" Owen stepped into the living room with a smile.

"O!" I sighed and walked towards him. He gathered me up in a hug and kissed my lips. Inside, all of the emotions I had been worried about moments ago were swept away.

"You told me you'd be ready to go by five." Owen stated.

I had to think hard, then the scheduled date popped into my brain. "Oh yeah! I had just been caught up in my homework, give me just a minute." I quickly looked towards Two-Bit to be sure he kept our encounter quiet, then I ran back to my bedroom.

Owen, dressed in sweatpants and a school sweatshirt, strolled over to the dining room table and sat down. "How's the homework going?" He asked Two-Bit as part of idle chit chat.

"Not bad." I was just about finished. Two-Bit folded up his books. "So what are you two headed off to do?"

"Play football." Owen said with a smile. He loved to play football just as much as Darry did.

Two-Bit looked up with a rarely seen concern in his eyes. "Football? You sure Sissy is ready for that? She aint even played with us since before the accident."

Owen shrugged his shoulders. "She's the one who said she was ready."

"Who you playing with?" Two-Bit questioned.

"Some guys from the team and school. We get together once or twice a month and play over at Morrison's field."

"Tackle?"

"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure they'll go easy on her." Owen said, "she says you all play tackle all the time."

"Uh uh, She's not ready to play tackle." Two-Bit shook his head in disagreement as I walked back into the dining room dressed in a sweat suit and tennis shoes. "Sissy, I don't think you ought to be playing tackle football! Does Darry know about this?"

I looked at Two-Bit with a grin, "Darry knows, and don't worry dad I'll be fine. I've been back on my feet for a long time now. Plus, the doc says I'm fine too."

"You sure?" Two-Bit questioned again. "I don't want to see you get hurt again."

I shook my head. "I'm sure. Besides, Darry says he's gonna get a game together this Sunday at the lot. So I'm playing this weekend anyway you look at it."

"Yeah…but we're family." Two-Bit's puppy dog eyes blinked with apprehension. "Maybe I should go with and look out for you."

I smiled. Owen stood up to show his strong, athletic stature to Two-Bit, and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll look out for her." The two of us headed out of the house and didn't hear Two-Bit mumble.

"Yeah, right."

Owen pulled the car to a stop in the parking lot at Morrison's field just as the sun began to set along the horizon. I eyed the grandstands and the 6 foot high chain link fence that surrounded the junior high school field. "O, when we play in the dark at the lot we use the headlights from the cars. How are we going to be able to play here after the sun goes down?"

"Matt's dad is the school superintendent. He gives us the key to the fence and the lights."

I nodded my head just as the lights from the field flashed on. Owen and I walked hand in hand to the field where a large group of Soc's from school had gathered. My heart picked up a few extra beats and nervousness set in. I wasn't nervous about the social class I was joining. In fact, that wasn't an issue at all. I was accepted by Owen's friends. The problem was this was the first football game anyone had ever brought a girlfriend to, and the fifteen boys waiting to play the game were staring at me as I walked towards them.

"Owen!" Matt yelled and threw the football to the boy. "Glad you two could make it. Everyone is here, except the star quarterback you promised to bring."

Peter yelled into the conversation. "Yeah! What's this I hear about you thinking there's a better quarterback out there than me?"

Owen through his hand up on Pete's sturdy shoulder and spoke matter of fact. "I hate to break it to you ole buddy, but there's one other guy I know who plays the position better than you."

A slender boy with short blond haircut looked past Owen and interrupted the conversation. "Who's that guy?"

Everyone strained to see the tall, muscular man walking into the field, his face and image shadowed by the bright setting sun behind him.

Owen smiled with pride. "That's my quarterback for the day, Darrell Curtis." My eyes went wide in realization that Owen would care enough to ask Darry to the game. The boys in the crowd whooped and hollered about the past high school a football star coming to play along side of them. Quickly teams were established based on who wanted to play with Darry and who wanted to play against him.

My brother walked up to the group with the tough look on his face he seemed to wear too often. He reached his hand out to shake my boyfriend's hand. "Owen, thanks for inviting me."

"No problem. I'm glad you could come. Are you ready to play?"

"Let's go." Darry answered and then tussled my hair and gave me a look that told me he would be keeping a close watch on me during the game.

"Wait just a second." The slender blond boy spoke up. "I just want to get a few things straight. The girl here, she's playing right?"

"Right," Owen said, "and her name is Scout."

The boy spoke again. "And we are playing tackle, right?"

"Yeah John, we're playing tackle," Owen answered again. "Don't worry. She doesn't need any special treatment. She's played tackle football before."

John grinned. "I just wanted to be sure I understood, that's all." With that clarified he called his team into a huddle and began to assign positions and team strategies.

Owen called his team together as well. The nine of us stood in a circle. I looked around at who I knew besides Darry and Owen. One boy Craig had a locker a few down from mine. He was a quite boy with black curly hair. Steve was more of a wild boy, he never could focus on much and he always had to be fiddling with something. I was betting he would be good at football, because he was always full of energy. Alex was the last boy I recognized. He had stunning blue eyes that were in constant contrast with his jet black hair. The other three boys I didn't know. They were freshman friends of Matt's younger brother Mark. Owen introduced them as Phil, Jeff and Dan.

Matt won the coin toss and elected to get the ball first. The teams lined up on the full sized field and Owen asked, "Who's gonna punt this pig skin into the end zone?"

"I will." Phil reached for the ball and Darry grabbed it away from him.

"Scout will." Darry said in his deep 'don't mess with me' voice.

Phil and his two freshman friends laughed before Phil disagreed and pointed down field. "When Jasper said he wanted it in the end zone, I'm pretty sure he meant the one down there."

Darry didn't comment and didn't argue. Instead he looked down at me and put the ball in my hands. "Kick the ball, Scout."

I felt the nervousness begin to build inside my gut again. I appreciated the fact that Darry was confident in my ability to play the game, but I was terrified I'd make a fool of myself on the very first play. My team lined up for the punt. I had no choice but to follow through with my assignment. One of the boys yelled "go" to start the game and I held the ball out in front of me between my hands. I took two large steps and kicked the ball as hard as I could. The boys on my team took off running as I stood still, marveling at the sight of the ball soaring down field through the air.

For almost an hour I played the position of wide receiver. For the better part of the evening, Darry didn't throw me the ball. I figured he just didn't want to see me get hurt. He launched the ball my way a handful of times. Each time I caught the ball and moved it forward. By the time the score was 28 to 14 the other team was getting a little rougher. We lined up at the 50 yard line. Darry called out the count and I took off for the end zone. My brother looked around and saw I was open for the pass. I glanced over my shoulder and knew he was considering not throwing it to me, but he knew the pass was his only option. He threw the long ball into the air. I reached up and snagged it at the same time John tackled my body hard to the ground. The impact was painful, but I knew better than to cry. I lay on the ground a few seconds and waited for the pulsing pain to pass.

John instinctively jumped to his feet and looked at Owen and Darry who were coming up on him. "I didn't mean to hit her so hard. It just happened. I thought she …"

Owen pushed him aside and knelt next to Darry who was kneeling by my side. I smiled to convince everyone that I was fine. I sat up. "Nice hit John."

Darry looked me over. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" I said and stood up. My legs wobbled and shook beneath me. "I'm fine, but I think I'm done for the night."

John walked over to me. "Scout, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it." I put my hand on John's shoulder. "I was getting tired anyway. I am just going to sit in the stands and watch."

Owen wrapped his arm around my waist and walked with me to the benches. "Scout, are you sure you are alright?"

"I'm good. I really am. Truth was I was getting tired awhile ago."

"Why don't we just call the game over. I don't have to play anymore."

"No!" I looked up at him. "I think Darry's having a really good time. I don't want to see that end for him too soon."

I climbed the wooden stairs and sat down in the front row. Owen looked up at me with a goofy grin. He grabbed my hand. "I love you."

I blushed. "I love you too." I leaned forward and quickly kissed his lips. He kissed me back then turned and jogged back to the game. I leaned forward and crossed my arms on the cold metal rail in front of me. I rested my chin on my arms and watched as Darry called out another play. He looked so happy out there that I didn't want to take the opportunity away from him. His only love was football, and he gave that up for us. Sitting in the stands so he could enjoy the game on a real football field underneath the lights was the least I could do to pay him back.

As I sat alone in the stands, I couldn't help but feel that my parents were there too. I remembered how we would go as a family to Darry's games. Sodapop would vanish into the crowd in the first few minutes. Dad always made us go early so he could be in his favorite seat on the fifty yard line, twenty rows up. Mom would pack bologna sandwiches and a bottle of milk in her picnic basket. Ponyboy and I would sit together. Johnny would often tag along and sit next to Pony. I always sat next to dad and snuggled into his side to keep warm on chilly nights. I remember looking up at my father as he watched. He would chew on a toothpick and tap his foot to keep his anxiety down. He was funny how he would yell to Darry from the stands. Mother would always laugh and look up at him to say, "Darrell, you know he can't hear a word you are saying."

My dad would look at her, his blue eyes shining. "I know that Maggie."

I sighed deeply and leaned back from the metal rail and watched as Darry ran down the field for a touchdown. He jumped in celebration. I smiled and didn't care how late it got or how cold I was getting. I would sacrifice my comfort for Darry, because he had sacrificed his dreams for me.

The End

Thank you to all who have enjoyed this story! Set your author alert. I hope to have a new part to the series posted soon! Erinskie