Chapter 5 "Days suffering"
I walked down the street, heading to the court house. It would be hard to confirm charges against him since I don't have any proof….anymore.
But I didn't care I was going to get revenge one way or another, I just wanted him to pay, pay for what he did.
"Are you crazy," Dally said, running after me.
"Yeah I am, you just noticed," I asked sarcastically, rolling my eyes.
"They'll never believe a greaser," Soda said, running out also.
"Well there going to have to, they can't tell me to go away when it's their job to help," I said, and kept walking, not daring to look back at them.
"At least let us drive you."
I turned around to find everyone on the porch, the gang looked at Johnny shocked. I couldn't believe he wanted to help me.
"Alright get in the truck I'll get the keys," Darry gave in and went back inside.
I smiled at Johnny and jumped up in back. Darry drove us all to the court house. I convinced them to stay in the truck, I wanted to do it alone anyways.
I pressed charges, they kept asking me questions, but ignored most of them. They eventually gave up and let me press charges against my father.
Now they said I had to get a lawyer so here I am at another big building walking up the big steps into the building.
There was a lady at a desk in front. I walked up to her, "How do you get a lawyer?" I asked.
"Excuse me?" she asked, she looked shocked that I just came out and said that. I wasn't surprised, I liked to get to the point.
"How do you get a lawyer?" I asked again.
"It depends, why do you need a lawyer?" she asked, flipping her long blond hair back.
"Oh, just because I'm pressing charges against my father," I said, calmly.
"How old are you?"
"None of your concern lady," I sneered.
She looked a little taken back but she recovered quickly and asked, "Why do you want to press charges?"
"Because he is a sorry excuse of a father, and he's trying to take me home."
"That is not my problem."
"So…you want me dead?" I asked.
"No but-"
"But what, do you want me dead, cause if I go back with him, you can sure count on me being on the news for being killed by my own father; and whose fault is it, yours because you decided to ignore me and not help me. You could get in serious trouble for this, you might even lose your job. You don't want that do you?"
She looked at me wide eyed then sighed and said, "Fine, down the hall on your left you can talk to a lawyer."
I gave her a nod and walked down the hallway, using the direction the lady at the desk gave me, I found my destination in a big room with red curtains, 2 black fancy chairs, and a big desk with a chair behind it turned towards the wall.
Slowly the chair turned to show a woman with a fancy dress on. "Can I help you?" she asked.
"Yep, you sure can. I want to press charges against my father, and don't even think about asking why. If you need to know why then ask the lady at the desk in front, cause I for one am not talking anymore," I answered, sitting down in one of the black chairs in front of her desk.
"Okay um, how old are you?"
I sighed, "13, does age really matter?"
"Yes, sorry but your too young come back when your 18."
"Okay then I guess you will never see me again," I said getting up.
"But I said you can come back when your 18," she said.
I slammed my hands on the table, looking her straight in the eyes I said, "Ma'am I'm 13 turning 14 next week, I cannot wait 4 years. I'll be dead by then, do you want me dead. I don't think it should matter how old I am, we are talking about my life here. This is a big case, and you're losing it. If you don't want to help me then fine I'll go to another court house and get that lawyer to help me. Then they will be known as the one that helped a helpless 13 year old girl from going home where her dad was going to kill her."
I stared at me, shock spread across her face from my speech, she cleared her throat and said, "Is there any other reason why you want to press charges against him?"
"He was the reason why I ran away, now is that good enough, are you going to help me or not?"
She stood up, stretched her hand out towards me and said, "It's a pleasure to be at your service, I will set the trial in a week."
I looked at her hand, "I don't shake hands."
She brought her hand down awkwardly and I told her thanks and walked out to the truck. The gang waited for me to say something but I didn't and they ended up asking me.
"The trial is next week, I got myself a lawyer," I said happily.
"Good for you kid," Steve said messing up my hair.
"So what do we do now?" Pony asked.
"I don't know, celebrate I am hungry," I said.
"Okay how about the Nightly Double?" Dally asked me.
"Um….how about the drive in, there's food and free TV," I said, laughing.
"Free? So you're planning on sneaking in?" Darry asked.
"DUH!" I said, like it was obvious.
"Now were talking, we will drop the truck off and walk there," Dally said, satisfied with my answer.
"Can we stop at a store first I have to get food for Phoenix?" I asked.
"Your dog, right?" Darry asked.
"Yep."
So we did, Darry drove us back to the house and we all walked. But before we left I fed Phoenix, and gave him water. I knew he would eat then find a place to sleep, like he did back home.
When we were walking something just popped in my mind, "Has anyone seen Ciara around, or her brothers?"
The gang looked at me, "She said her and her brothers had something important to do, and to not worry they're fine," Soda informed me.
I didn't know why they are just now telling me this but, I shrug letting it go. We get to the fence.
Dally, Steve, Soda, Two-bit, and Darry climbed over, while me, Johnny, and Pony climbed under.
There was a row of seats behind all of the cars in front of all the stands with food and drinks. We took our seats in the front row.
There was some beach movie playing, we were half way through the movie when 5 girls with short shorts, leather jackets, high heels, and tons of make-up, well except for the smallest girl, came walking up.
What they were wearing completely different to what I was wearing, my skinny jeans, my gray basketball shirt with the sleeves cut off, my jeans jacket, and dirty tennis shoes.
"Hey Steve," one of the girls with brown hair pulled up in one of those bee hive hair styles.
"Hey Evie," Steve replied, having her sit on his lap.
"Two-bit," another girl with blond hair pulled up in a side pony tail said.
"Hey Kathy, baby, come sit by me," Two-bit told her. So she took a seat right next to Two-bit.
Another girl came and sat on Two-bit's lap, "Katie why are you here?"
The girl with rusty long wavy hair turned her head towards Two-bit, rolling her eyes she said, "I have friends too you know."
"Yeah, I know but why are you here?"
"Oh my god Two-bit how can I make it any simpler, I am hanging out with my friends," she said the last part slowly.
"This broad is your friend," Dally said pointing at another girl still standing with blond hair in a bee hive, smacking her gum, "Since when?"
"Sylvia has always been my friend," Katie said referring to the blond chick still standing.
"Hey, Dallas seen Tim or Curly around?" the last girl with dirty blond straight hair asked.
"Nope not today Angela," Dally informed her.
Sylvia and Angela sat down in the remaining seats, and the gang got a talking to them.
"Angela, hasn't Curly been hauled in the cooler?" Soda asked.
"Yep, sure has," Angela replied.
"How come?" Pony asked.
"Been caught shopliftin' a switch blade at the gas station in town, a mighty fine one too," she said, proudly.
I was so confused now I just couldn't take it any longer I just blurted out, "Who are you people?"
The gang started laughing but the girls all turned their attention to me, they looked shocked to find me there, acted like they just noticed me.
Katie was the first to speak, "Oh, I know you! Aren't you the runaway the Curtis brothers picked up?"
I looked at her and asked, "How do you know that?"
"Baby word gets around fast on this side of town, especially if it's news like that." Sylvia said.
"So does that mean you know everything about me?" I asked.
"No just some, like you're here because of your dad," Angela said.
"Jesus, this town is full of nosey people, and spies, is that all you do all day spy on people, and listen to their conversations?"
This time everyone laughed, I looked around at them all, "What? It's true."
"You can say that again." Evie said, giggling.
"Yeah you can, hey Two-bit do you have your car with you?" Katie asked.
"No, I sneaked in. Do you actually think I payed, stupid," Two-bit joked.
Katie rolled her eyes, "For someone who sneaked in you sure do say it loud, it's like you want the fuzz to hear you," she shot back.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, come on," Two-bit said, getting up, picking Katie up on the way up since she was still on his lap.
"We are not going home Two-bit, let me down," she demanded.
"No can do, see you guys later," Two-bit told me and the gang.
We watched as Two-bit walked out of the drive-in with Katie still in his arms.
"Come on Dallas, let's go back to your room at Buck's, just the 2 of us," Sylvia said, stoking her hand across Dally's face.
Dally told her he didn't want to go, but she ended up convincing him somehow, and they left too. Steve ended up leaving with Evie too. So now it was only me, the gang minus Dally, Steve, and Two-bit.
Angela moved next to me and we started talking.
"How do you like Tulsa so far?" she asked me.
"It's alright, think I might stick around," I said, glancing at all the soc cars parked in front of us, watching the movie.
"Good, maybe I'll see you around, have to get back to my place, bye," Angela said, getting up and leaving too.
So the movie ended and me, the Curtis brothers, and Johnny headed back home. Johnny went back to his place, said he had to change clothes, and he might sleep there if it's quiet.
I went straight to bed, but took my jeans off first and put on comfortable shorts, then I went to bed. I feel asleep listening to yelling down the street.
I woke up to the smell of bacon, which is the best smell to wake up to, I think. I took a shower changing into a white shirt tied at the bottom where it shows part of my stomach, cut up jean shorts, and jean vest (kind of like Steve's but has stars on the shoulders).
I went down stairs and Johnny was asleep on the couch, Darry was making breakfast, Pony watching TV, Soda and Steve playing some type of game of poker, and Phoenix was under the table where Steve and Soda were playing.
I sat down at the table too watching them play the game. I saw under the table, Soda had cards under his leg, so did Steve.
I found an abandoned notebook on the table with a pencil, so I decided to draw. I drew a horse with spots, with long hair, it was a wild mustang. That was my favorite kind of horse.
They were wild, didn't care what people thought of them, and did what they wanted. They reminded me of some people I know.
I finished, and started on the background, some mountains, and pine trees. When I finished completely I looked at the cards under their legs again.
And then I got an idea. First I grabbed Steve's stack, and then Soda's.
"You were cheating," Soda had said before I pulled out his.
"You were cheating first," Steve said, looking at Soda's stack in my hand.
"No you were," Soda said.
"No, both of you started at the same time, now shut up," I said, throwing the cards in the air.
I looked over at the couch surprised Johnny didn't wake up from all the yelling. Then I went to the kitchen, and plopped myself in a chair, watching Darry while he set out plates.
He looked at me and asked, "Something wrong?"
"Nope, it's just your brother is so immature."
He chuckled, "Both of them are. Its normal don't worry."
"Breakfast is ready," Darry called in the living room.
Pony, Soda, and Steve sat down in the chairs.
"Should I wake Johnny up?" Pony asked.
"No let him sleep, I'll save him a plate," Darry said, setting the eggs, bacon, and toast on the table.
He then looked at me, "Are you in the mood to eat this morning?"
"I guess I'll have some bacon," I said, grabbing 3 pieces off the plate.
"What's that on your wrists?" Soda asked.
I looked at my wrists then said, "My tattoo," I put my wrists together, "Stay Strong."
"Cool, looks really neat," Steve said.
"Thanks, got it when I was 10," I said.
"That young?" Pony asked me shocked.
"Yep," I said, stealing a sip of milk from Soda's cup.
I ate my bacon then went to the living room. Watching Johnny sleep I asked, "How did Johnny get here?"
"I brought him by last night, he was thinking about sleeping in the lot," Dally said, leaning against the wall.
Then all of a sudden the front door flung open hitting the wall, and then slammed shut. It was Two-bit.
"Hey guys," Two-bit said, going in the kitchen looking for left overs of breakfast.
"Do you have to be so loud?" Dally asked annoyed.
"Yep, sure do. It's my duty," he said sitting in front of the TV with a beer in his left hand and cake in the other.
I rolled my eyes and looked at Johnny as he fluttered his eyes open.
"Hello Johnnycake, nice seeing you this fine morning," Two-bit said.
Johnny moaned, and closed his eyes. I leaned my head on the couch next to Johnny's, "Are you okay?"
He nodded, Phoenix walked over sticking his head under my arm and licking Johnny's face, making him smile.
"Want something to eat, Johnny kid?" Dally asked him.
Johnny shook his head pulling himself up off the couch, I plopped down next to him and tried to fix his messed up hair.
All of a sudden Ciara walked in, "Hey Ciara where have you been?" I asked.
"Um…nowhere," she said.
"Where are Jon, Emmanuel, and Tyler?"
"Out in the car."
"Why?" I asked.
"Um…well…we kind of need your help with…"she trailed off.
"With what?" I asked getting frustrated.
"We kind of need help with…."
"Just spit it out already," Dally yelled.
Ciara shot him an annoyed look at him then turned back to me and said quietly, "To identify your brothers bodies."