Steve came back around one. He grunted his acknowledgement to Soda and collapsed on the couch, grabbing the remote. Staring vacantly at the screen, he sighed. I curled up on the recliner as the audience for The Price is Right cheered for Bob Barker's arrival onstage.
"What're we doing tonight?" He asked to no one in particular. I noted he didn't sound too excited.
Heather walked in from the hallway and leaned over the back of the couch, smirking. "We could see how many times I beat you in poker."
Steve sat up immediately, vacant eyes now glittering with delighted surprise. "I thought you was leaving!"
Heather laughed. "She gave me a week."
He was smiling real big, like he hadn't done in a long time. I know he'd kill me if he knew I told you, but he had a soft spot for her, just like the rest of us.
Just then the door burst open, and there stood Two-Bit in the doorway. He had a beer in his right hand and he looked tired, but as soon as he saw her, he threw it behind him and raced into the room. His whole face was twisted into a goofy grin, and he scooped her up in a crushing hug, spinning her around. "Whee! You're staying!"
She let out what sounded like a cross between a laugh and a cough. "Y-yeah, I'm staying…" her voice was strangled. "Two-Bit, put me down…"
He dropped her and she stumbled to stay on her feet. "Sorry." he said, but he was still smiling.
"Glory, Two-Bit." I muttered, walking over and putting a steadying arm around her waist. "You'll crush her before the cartoons start."
"Well, I couldn't very well let you get all the Heatherhugs to yourself, now, could I?"
-0-0-0-
The next three days passed pretty normally. Even school was more enjoyable knowing she was still there. We stayed up late every night playing poker and watching whatever was on the TV, telling stories, just being buddies.
On Thursday evening both Soda and Steve insisted we needed popcorn. Darry said it'd be a waste of time and money to go to the store just for a bag of kernels at nine, and of course, the two of them started pouting. Eventually we all got sick of it, and Heather mentioned she'd found fifty cents in the street on the way home from school and offered to walk to the store.
"Oh, would you do that?" Soda looked hopefully at her.
"Yeah, sure."
"Thanks!" he glared at Darry. "She's nice."
"I'll come with you." I said. I wasn't about to let her walk East Side alone.
"Me, too!" Two-Bit piped in, scrambling up from his spot on the carpet and standing beside me.
So we headed out. It was a warm night, a little muggy. I had the feeling it would rain tomorrow; everything just had that wet feeling. I walked with her clutching me to her, Two-Bit ranting on an on about some story that was supposed to end in a joke. A bad one, too, by the sound of it. I didn't pay much attention, but it was very relaxing.
"…and Nate the Snake jumped in front of the truck to protect his home, the Lever of Doom." Two-Bit was finishing.
"That's a little morbid." Heather muttered.
"Wait, wait, you didn't let me say the moral!"
"Which is…?" I asked.
He smiled broadly and said, "Better Nate than Lever!"
"Oh, how funny." a slick, fearsome voice said from behind us. "People should pay you for that crap."
I turned stiffly around to face the two dark haired Socs who threatened me the week before. They had that cocky, lopsided smile on, the very one Bob wore that night. I felt my insides twist, and Heather squeezed me tightly.
Two-Bit flipped out his new switchblade. "We ain't itchin to be held up by you." he growled, "You best stay out of our way."
"Aww, shame." the first mocked. "And we got all our boys out here for some fun."
As if on cue, seven other Socs slinked out of the darkness, sneering threateningly, blades and busted pipes gleaming in the orange streetlight. I pulled Heather closer to me, one thought racing through my head. I have to get her out of here. I have to get her out of here.
Two-Bit swore under his breath. "Just let us be on our way."
"Sorry, no can do." the second said. He flipped out his own knife. "You killed Bob and you beat a few too many of our buddies. Needless to say," he shrugged, "The boys are pissed."
They had circled us completely now, offering no way out. I flicked out my switchblade from my back pocket. If I was going to get her out of here, I'd have to cut my way through.
Heather gave me one last squeeze and stepped away, staring them down.
They paused for just a second, then smiled wider, laughing. "What d'ya know." one said, "We caught him with his girl. How nice."
I raised my blade. "You touch her and you're dead."
"Well, little man," another tsked, "You're not in any position to be making such a claim."
Then it all happened way too fast.
Five jumped at Two-Bit, leaving the other four to me and Heather. She socked one in the face. I leapt at another, lunging into a flurry of stabs and doges. I tried to remember the anger from before, but I knew I couldn't go as crazy as before. I could hurt Heather.
Fists flew and blades flashed, and this time I felt it when they collided. I strained to drive them back, to give her a chance to run…
Then she screamed.
Out the corner of my eye I saw a thick-muscled blonde holding her down by her wrists. She thrashed and kicked, but he just held her tighter. He was smiling, his face too close to hers, and she moaned.
I threw myself at him, forcing him off her and slashed his face. He shouted, and lifted a pipe, but grabbed him by the hair and slammed his head into the concrete. That shut him up.
Another one was pulling me off him, slugging me hard in the face when I turned to face him. I kicked him in the groin and he doubled over, allowing me enough time to check up on Two-Bit. He was having a little trouble, but I knew he could handle it.
When I turned back, one had his blade pointed at me, the other with a gun pressed against her throat. "You don't really want to hit us again, do ya?"
I dropped my knife, and he smiled. Behind me, I heard Two-Bit groan in pain.
"What we gonna do with 'em?" he asked.
The one with the gun shrugged. "Let's play a game."
"Yeah." he grinned slyly, "We'll play a game. You know how to play hide and seek, greaser?"
He slammed the hilt of his blade in my gut, and the wind whooshed out. I dropped to my knees. I knew they all ran, taking Heather with them, but the one in front of me stayed a second longer.
He leaned down close to my ear and breathed, "Count to twenty."
Ah, sweet suspense… I have a question for you all: Should Heather live or die? Tell me in a review, and please be quick about it. I'm excited to write the next chapter!
--thelastOpenDoor