Thank you guys for the reviews. Special thanks to one guest who I know. Yes I'm talking about you. They really make my day. Here's another chapter. There is a lot of talking in this one, so it might be pretty long. Please review.
"Tali? Are you awake? Open your eyes." It was my dad's voice. I moaned so that he knew I was awake, but my eyes just didn't want to open.
"Come on Tali. Open those beautiful blue eyes. You can do it." It was Soda this time. I opened my eyes & the whole gang, Paxton, Parker, & my dad were there. The room was blindingly white. I was in the hospital.
"Hi. How are you?" Parker asked. I looked at him.
"What happened?" I asked. I was really confused.
"You don't remember?" Steve asked. I shook my head.
"What's the last thing you do?" Pony asked.
"Um…" I had to think about this for a second.
"Um, Was I stitching Soda's leg?" I asked. Soda nodded.
"You passed out & we called your dad." Darry explained. I nodded.
"Can I talk to Soda alone?" I asked. Everybody nodded & walked out. I actually looked at Soda. He had a black eye, but they were both red & puffy. He had been crying.
"Come in here." I instructed him, scootching over on the small hospital bed. He got in, being careful not to touch my wrist. I just noted that my cast was red, my favorite color. He gave me a real big hug & was stroking my hair.
"You had me so scared." he choked. I squeezed him even tighter.
"I was the one who caught you...you scared me Tali." he cried. I could feel my hair get wet.
"Hey. I didn't get too hurt. I kept the promise." I told him.
"How long have I been asleep?" I asked, changing the topic.
"Um, we brought you here on Saturday night & it's Monday morning, so about a day. Nobody, really got any...sleep." he yawned. I was really tired too. Soda fell asleep, his head on my shoulder & before I knew it, I fell asleep my head on his.
I had to spend the rest of Monday in the hospital, spent playing poker & sleeping. Tuesday came & I got to go home. I suddenly felt the same thing Pony felt when the nurse rolled the wheelchair in. Paxton drove, dad sitting in the passenger, & Parker sitting in the back with me. I fell asleep lying down on Parker.
"Come on. It's time to get up." Paxton said, shaking me gently. I groaned & finally, Parker just picked me up & carried me up the stairs into my bedroom. I mumbled a thank you & he left shutting the door. Rain jumped up on the bed & I cuddled with her for a couple minutes. I got up & she whined, staying on the bed. I cleaned up my bedroom & changed my clothes. I got into a pair of jeans & a Minnie Mouse t-shirt with a jean jacket. I put my hair in a messy bun & walked down stairs. It was kind of difficult with a cast on.
"In the kitchen!" Paxton yelled. I walked in & found my brothers arm wrestling.
"Just give up!" Parker yelled through clenched teeth.
"Never!" was the reply. After about eight minutes, Parker won.
"How ya feelin'?" Paxton asked. I nodded.
"I'm good. My wrist really itches though." I confessed.
"Do you want us to take you over to the Curtis'?" Parker asked.
"What are you guys gonna be doing?" I questioned.
"We're gonna go to the Dingo." they said in unison.
"Sure you can take me." I nodded. We walked over to their house & I waved by to my brothers. They left & I walked through the door.
"Hello Curtises, Randle, Cade, Winston, & Matthews. Adders is here." I shouted. I was in a particularly good mood. All of the boys looked up.
"Hey!" Soda greeted, jumping up.
"How are you kid?" Dally asked, getting up off the couch.
"I'm good. I'm actually in a good mood. Dally, keep your seat. I'm taking Soda to the park. If that's okay with Darry of course." I said. Darry nodded. Soda put his shoes on & I grabbed his hand while we walked out. We got to the park & sat on the browning grass. I put my head oh is shoulder & we sat in silence for what felt like a real long time.
"So, our date on Friday? What's the plan?" Soda asked, breaking the silence.
"Well, come to my house around six, & we'll eat dinner. Then, we'll go play some games, then we'll watch saddle bronc." I told him. He nodded.
"Sounds like a plan." he said. Again, we we were silent.
"Can I tell you somethin'?" he asked.
"Yeah. Anything." I replied, sitting up.
"When I was twelve, I did saddle bronc. I had this horse named Mickey Mouse, damn. He was mean. He wouldn't listen to no one, he kicked the other horses, he was mean. One day, I went to go ride him, get some practice in. He was gone, nameplate, everything. I ran to the stables office & asked Mr. Miller what happened. "Son," he said, "We had to sell Mickey. He was a real valuable horse son. I'm sorry." he told me. I ran back home & locked myself into my room. I wouldn't let anyone in & I cried myself to sleep. After that, I went to the stables everyday to see if he came back." he confessed.
"Oh Soda." was the reply I gave. We didn't even notice that it started raining. Soda got up & held out his hand.
"May I have this dance?" he asked, politely.
"You may." I laughed & he helped me up. We danced for a long time before it started to pour. We ran back to the house & we were laughing super hard. We ran into the house & kissed in the doorway.
"Eww!" Two-Bit & Steve hollered. We were absolutely soaked.
"You guys are gonna get pneumonia! Go change!" Darry spoke, motioning towards Soda's & mine wet clothes making a puddle on the ground. We ran into the bedroom laughing.
"Here. You can wear these." Soda chuckled, giving me a pair of sweatpants & an old sweatshirt. I ran into the bathroom, changed, & came running back into the bedroom. There was a half naked Sodapop.
"Oh, um...I'm sorry. I'll...I'll uh...I'll go." I blushed. I turned around & walked into the living room. I sat on the floor & Soda came out sitting next to me.
"So, what'd you guys do?" Two-Bit asked, Steve snickering behind him.
"We talked & then we danced." I told them.
"Where did you go dancin'?" Pony asked.
"In the rain." me & Soda said in unison. We started laughing.
"We're turning into my brothers!" I laughed. After that we played poker & watched Mickey Mouse, waiting for the rain to let up. It was raining so hard, you couldn't even see the other side of the street.
"Why don't you call your brothers & tell them you'll spend the night here." Darry ordered.
"Are you sure?" I asked. He nodded. I walked over to the phone & dialed the phone number.
"Hello. Parker speaking." he said in his official voice.
"Hey Park. It's Tali. I'm gonna spend the night at the Curtis'." I told him.
"That's fine. See ya tomorrow." he said, hanging up.
"We'll all spend the night." Two-Bit offered.
"Can they?" Pony pleaded with Darry.
"I guess, but where are we all gonna sleep?" he asked.
"Tali, you can sleep in my old bedroom, Darry, you can sleep in yours. Pony & me will sleep in ours, & the guys can figure it out out here." Soda stated matter-of-factly.
"I call the couch!" Steve yelled.
"No! I do!" Two-Bit yelled back, resulting in yet another wrestling match.
"Holler uncle!" Two-Bit hollered, putting Steve in a headlock.
"Never! The first one to say uncle loses the couch!" Steve hollered back, flipping Two-Bit off of him. Me & Soda since we were on the floor, decided to scootch back.
"Uncle! Uncle!" Two-Bit yelled, fake-pouting.
"Well, I think I'm gonna go to bed." I said, getting up off Soda's lap. I stood up & motioned for him to follow me.
"I'll go with her. Help her get ready." Soda claimed, jumping up. We walked down the hallway holding hands. We got to the bedroom & Soda closed the door.
"It's my turn to tell you some sad & sappy stuff." I told him, dragging him over to the bed. We got into bed, & he pulled me into his chest.
"Spill your sappy story." he suggested.
"Okay, back in Newark, I had three best friends. Trenton Cuevas, Lana Reeves, & Julian Lucero. That was my gang. Paxton & Parker were the oldest, then Lana, then Trent, then Julian & me. Julian & me were twins. Not by blood or anything, but we looked the same, we had the same birthdays, we did everything together. It wasn't boyfriend/girlfriend. It was brother sister. There's something about the car accident I haven't told you. The reason Parker was driving. Julian had gotten jumped by some socs, worse than Johnny. Parker & my mom were coming back from seeing my aunt, & they saw him lying on the side of the road. Park loaded Julian into the backseat & my mother comforted him from the passenger side. As they drove, the drunk hit the truck. He killed mom instantly. When Parker woke up, he drug Julian & mom from the car & passed out again. The paramedics announced mom dead at the scene & rushed Parker & Julian to the hospital. Parker had to have surgery to repair the arm & lung & Julian had a better chance of dying from the beating, then the car accident, that had already claimed my mother's life, & very well could have my brothers. Julian had internal bleeding & a major concussion. The doctors said that he was gonna die & that my twin might not even remember me." I stopped when I realized I was crying.
"We can stop if you want to." Soda told me. I shook my head.
"Anyways, he woke up while I was watching him. He didn't remember me & he wanted me to get out. I didn't know where to go, so I found my way to the lobby & almost fell asleep when somebody started shaking me. It was Trent & Lana. "He's dying. He wants to see you." Lana told me. We ran into the room & I sat down. "I'm sorry I didn't remember you. Doc says I'm in pretty bad shape." I had shaken my head. "Listen...One day...you'll find somebody you love. I would have loved...to be there...twin. I'm gonna...miss you." And he died." I finished the story.
"I am so sorry Tali. Truly sorry." Soda whispered.
"He would have absolutely loved you." I whispered back. We kissed & then, I fell asleep with "the one I love".
