Chapter 16
Sara was doing all she could do to keep her eyes open during school. She didn't want Darry to get another phone call from Ms. Martin, especially the day before her birthday; she needed to come up with a plan. As she lied stretched out across her desk she had her head laying on her arm that was now draped across her worksheet that she was supposed to be working on. After a few minutes, Sara started to feel her eyelids becoming so heavy that she couldn't keep them open any more. They had just drifted shut when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Ms. Curtis, is everything alright? For, we do not slouch over our desktops." The instant Sara heard Ms. Martin's voice she sat right up in her chair. Her mind started spinning, trying to make up an excuse, but someone must have been watching over her today because before she knew it, Ms. Martin had her hand on Sara's forehead. "Oh my, Sara. You feel warm to the touch. I think you should go see Mrs. Timmons. I think you might need to go home for the day." Sara was completely shocked. For she didn't feel like she was under the weather at all, but then again this would be a good excuse to use just in case Ms. Martin called Darry with another report of her falling asleep in class. And just maybe she could use this as an excuse to get a little sleep in the back room of Mrs. Timmons' office.
"Ok. Ms. Martin. I'm sorry I was slouching, I just couldn't help it." Sara knew that it was the right thing to apologize for her poor posture.
"I understand. You should have spoken up Sara, dear, if you weren't feeling well." Sara just shook her head in agreement. "Do you want me to send someone to walk you down?"
"No, Ma'am. I think I'll be ok." Sara took the nurse's pass with her and headed down the hall to Mrs. Timmons' office. Sara was having mix feelings about this trip, for the last time she had visited with Mrs. Timmons it didn't go so well, and Department of Social Services sent someone over to try to take her away. Sara weighed her options as she approached Mrs. Timmons' door. As she got to the door she saw Mrs. Timmons working at her desk. It looked like there were no other students in the room at the moment. Sara paused at the door. She wasn't sure how long she had been standing there but it was Mrs. Timmons' voice that brought her back to earth.
"Well, if it isn't Ms. Curtis." Mrs. Timmons had gotten up from her desk and was walking towards Sara. "What can I do for you, Sara?" Sara handed Mrs. Timmons the nurse's pass. "You're not looking well Dear. Come on into the office and have a sit in that chair." Mrs. Timmons took the pass from Sara and placed it on her desk and then moved to her medical shelf. "So what seems to be bothering you today?"
"Ummm, Ms. Martin said that I felt warm to the touch, and I am feeling a little tired." Sara managed to get out. She was feeling a little nervous to be back in this office after the mishap with the bruises on her arms a few weeks back.
"Well, you do look pale and those dark circles under your eyes are a dead giveaway that something is not right with you. Here place this under your tongue." Mrs. Timmons placed a thermometer in her mouth. "Have you eaten today?" Sara remembered back to breakfast and how she managed to get out of the house without touching anything because of the whole thing with Dally and all. Then she thought about the snack of crackers that she munched on, but she threw most of her lunch, a bologna sandwich, chips and her apple in the trash. So to answer Mrs. Timmons she just shook head no. "Huh." Mrs. Timmons took the thermometer out and looked to see where the red line was. "Not to bad, but it's 99 1/2. I usually don't call someone unless it's 100. I assume that both Darrel and Sodapop are working?" Mrs. Timmons questioned Sara.
"Yes, Ma'am. Darry probably can't come and get me, but Sodapop might be able to." Sara looked up at the wall and noticed that the clock read 2:05. She had another hour or so before school was out. To bad that Pony and Two-Bit had to stay after school, or they would have been able to come pick her up.
"I'll give Sodapop a call. Why don't you come in the back room and I'll let you lie down and rest. Here's a pillow and a blanket. I'll be back in to check on you in a bit."
"Thanks, Mrs. Timmons." Sara let herself fall onto the cot and the minute she got comfortable her eyes began to shut, and no matter how hard she continue to fight to keep them open, they just wouldn't obey.
"Hello Sodapop? This is Mrs. Timmons', I have Sara here in my office and she is running a slight fever. Oh, no, nothing to serious. 99 1/2. Is there any way that you or Darrel could come and pick her up? Oh, I see. No, I have her resting in the backroom. She isn't complaining of any serious symptoms. She just looks worn and tired. I can keep her here until the end of the day. I'll send her home on the bus if I haven't heard from anyone by the end of the day. I will. Nice speaking with you." Mrs. Timmons was on her way in to let Sara know that Sodapop was the only one at the DX at the moment and he couldn't get away to come get her, but when she walked into the backroom she could tell that Sara was already asleep. "Such a Dear little girl." Mrs. Timmons pulled the shade down a bit to darken the room and then pulled the blanket up on Sara and closed the door as to not disturb her.
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Sodapop was surprised when he receives the phone call from Sara's school. He had no idea that she was feeling under the weather. Maybe this explains the reason why her behavior has been so odd the last few days. Maybe she has been trying to fight something off. Sodapop was feeling pretty bad that he couldn't go and pick her up, but Frank had gone out on a wrecker call and he couldn't just close up the station, plus he had no wheels. His car was coming along nicely and he and Steve truly believed that they would have it up and running here in a few more weeks. Sodapop was stewing about not being able to go get Sara from school, but things were picking up with fill-ups now that the high school students had been let out. Soda was taking note at how many carloads of just girls were coming and going. All the flirting going on between him and the girls were helping him keep his mind off of Sara. For a while there Soda had soon forgotten about Sara until he noticed Steve pulling in.
"Hey Sodapop, looking a little busy around here, where's Frank?" Steve asked leaning against the gas pump.
"He's been out on a call for more than an hour now. Wish he would get back soon." Soda finished filling up the car that had just pulled in.
"Well, what do you need help with? I might as well do something while I'm waiting for your sister." Steve didn't even finish his sentence before Sodapop was jumping in to take him up on that offer.
"Good, you can either finish up for me here, or you can go get Sara for me at school." Soda had noticed that it was only 2:40. Sara still had 35 minutes left of school. Soda knew that she would appreciate being picked up early, and not have to suffer through the remaining 35 minutes.
"Hey Man, Mr. Frizzle said no more over time for me. I can't get caught." Steve put up his hands to tell his best buddy that he couldn't help him out this time.
"Ok, then go pick up Sara for me. She's running a slight fever and they called me about 30 minutes ago to come and get her, but I couldn't because Frank was gone."
"No way. I'm not stepping foot in that school. Plus, they won't let me take her. I think the gas fumes are getting to your head, there buddy."
"Steve, I really need you to do one of those things for me. Please?" Soda was practically begging Steve while running inside to get some change for the carload of girls that he had just finished filling up.
After a few minutes of hesitation and Sodapop giving him his puppy dog eyes, Steve finally gave in. "Fine, I'll go get her, but now you owe me bigger than before." Steve huffed.
"What else is new, Steve? I always owe you. But just think you were all worried about having to be with her this afternoon, and she will probably just sleep the whole time. If that's the case, all you have to do is sit on the couch and watch tv until someone gets home." Soda flashed Steve one of his movie star grins and headed back out to give the girls their change.
"Yeah, right. You think I'll get that lucky? What do I say to the people at her school? They're gonna know that I'm not family." Steve hollered over to Soda as he was walking to his car.
"I'll go call them right now and let them know that you're gonna be picking her up." Soda waved to the car of girls driving off and ran into the DX to call his sister's school.
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When Steve walked in the school he was regretting giving into Soda. He would rather being serving a detention with Two-Bit or emptying oil pans or anything but picking up Sara at school. He shuffled his feet through the hall making the noise from his feet echo off the empty hallway. He quickly came to the main office and noticed Mrs. Vance filling the teacher's mailboxes with mail. Steve cleared his throat to get her attention. "Oh, well if it isn't Steven Randall, of all people. How have you been Steven? I believe it has been quite a while since I've seen you last. I surely hope that you are not spending as much time in the principal's office over there at the high school as you did when you were here." Mrs. Vance said approaching Steve.
Steve could feel the heat rising on his cheeks feeling a little embarrassed that Mrs. Vance remembered him spending so much time here. "Well, Ma'am I have learned some lessons."
"I was a bit shocked when Sodapop Curtis called and said that you would be picking up Sara. That's a mighty fine thing to do. If you would just sign right here, you may walk around the corner and Sara should be with Mrs. Timmons." Steve walked over to the counter and signed his name and placed the pen back down. He felt so out of place in this tiny school. He gave Mrs. Vance a small smile and turned and walked into the nurse's office. He was bracing himself for another conversation like he just had with Mrs. Vance. When Steve was entering the room Mrs. Timmons looked up from her paperwork.
"Well, it isn't Steve Randle. Welcome back, Steve. I heard that you're here to pick up Sara. I bet she'll be feeling a bit better knowing that she'll be able to go home. Wait right here and I'll get here. She was still asleep a few minutes ago when I checked on her." Steve just gave Mrs. Timmons a smile, still not feeling comfortable himself about this arrangement. He found that he couldn't even stand still. He started pacing back and forth from the door of her office to her desk and back again.
Mrs. Timmons gently shook Sara awake. "Sara, honey someone is here to bring you home. Billy brought down your bookbag and jacket. Ms. Martin said no homework for the night and that she hopes you're feeling better and that we see you tomorrow, for your birthday, I hear." Mrs. Timmons was holding out her hand to help Sara sit up. Sara took a hold of it and was sitting up now. Sara was probably figuring it was Sodapop that came to get her, so she slowly started for her bookbag when Mrs. Timmons beat her to it. "I got it, Dear. You just hang onto your coat." Mrs. Timmons placed her hand in between Sara's shoulder blades and pushed her along out to her office. Sara barely got through the thrush hold of the door when she looked up to see the back of the person who was here to pick her up. To her surprise it wasn't Sodapop after all, it was Steve. "Steve, I think she's ready to go." Mrs. Timmons handed him her bookbag. Steve looked at it was an ugly expression on his face, but when Mrs. Timmons pushed it towards him again, he reluctantly took it from her. "Sara, Dear, I hope that you get some much needed rest and are feeling better for your birthday tomorrow." Mrs. Timmons gave Sara's shoulder a little pat. "Thank you, Mr. Randle for coming to pick her up. I'm sure the Curtis Family appreciates it."
"Yes, Ma'am." Steve said take a hold of Sara's elbow and pushing her towards the door. Steve walked out through the main office with Sara right at his side.
"Good-bye Mr. Randle, have a good afternoon. Hope you're feeling better, Sara." Mrs. Vance waved at the two. Steve waved back, and again pushed Sara out in the hall. The two walked down the quiet hall towards the exit door. Once they were out the door and down the stairs, Steve tossed Sara her bookbag.
"Here, I think you're capable of carrying this yourself. Get in the car." Steve didn't even open the door for her, he just scooted over to the driver side and climbed into the car and waited for Sara to get in. He noticed that she was moving as slow as molasses. "Come on, Kid. Let's get a move on." Sara just threw him one of her glares but tried to hurry up and shut the door. She barely had the door latch when Steve was already moving the car in reverse. Sara just rolled her eyes at his tactics to try to get her moving faster. As Steve drove she leaned her head back against the seat and just starting wondering why Sodapop hadn't come to get her. Steve must have been reading her mind at that exact moment because he spoke to her again in his harsh tone. "Look Kid, I don't want to be doing this anymore than you want me too, but I had no choice. Soda needed me to come do this and he couldn't leave the shop because Frank was out on a wrecker call. So as much as we don't like it, we're stuck with each other until either Soda is done work, or Two-Bit brings Pony home. But whichever one it is, you're not going to give me any trouble. Got it?" Steve kept looking up in his rear view mirror making sure she got the point. Sara just shook her head "yes". Steve came to a stop light and was getting impatient that it hadn't turned green yet. While waiting he looked back over his shoulders and noticed that Sara was looking pretty bad. Her usually roses red cheeks were pale and looked concave some. Not that he normally paid much attention to her eyes, but he did have to admit that they normally are a sparkling sapphire color, but not today. They had this dull tint to them, and not to mention the dark circles around them made the color of her eyes looked even less bright than normal. "Kid, you better not get sick in the car." Steve turned back around and was just about to tell her she best tell him if she was going to be sick, when the light turned green. He stepped on the gas a little harder than he meant and started burning rubber. "Did you hear me Kid?" Sara again just shook her head "yes". "Jesus, Kid, you not talking anymore, it's kind of nice. Let's keep it this way, huh?" The normal Sara would have had a nice comeback to this remark, but she couldn't even muster up the energy to think of one. Instead she just closed her eyes and prayed to God that they would be home soon, so that she wouldn't have to listen to Steve anymore. But as Steve drove he decided that he needed the radio blasting at about maximum volume and this just made Sara want to get out of the car faster. Again someone must have been watching over her, for before she knew it the car was coming to another complete stop. She opened her eyes and was relieved to see that they were indeed at home. Steve was out of the car like a flash and was opening the front door before Sara had even managed to climb outta her door. She was dragging her bookbag along the ground and her coat was draped over her arm, with one sleeve of the coat dragging right alongside of her bookbag. Steve was watching this and just started shaking his head as she was approaching the stairs. "Damn it Kid. You need to learn to start taking care of your stuff. You know your brothers bust their asses to buy you this stuff and this is how you treat it?" Sara noticed the scowl that Steve was wearing and decided to try to gather everything up before heading up the stairs. She was fumbling and trying to get her bookbag up over her shoulder but the coat was entangled into the strap and she wasn't being very successful. Steve had just about enough watching her look like a squirrel chasing its tail before scolding again. "I don't know how the hell Sodapop and Darry puts up with this. You're hopeless." He let the screen door slam shut and waltzed down the front stairs and with a little more force than he needed he grabbed Sara's bookbag and coat and flung them over his own shoulder. "You know what I think?" And before Sara could even think about saying something, Steve was continuing with his ranting. "I think your brother's baby you way too much! You need to start taking more responsibility and start doing things on your own." Sara wasn't sure what he meant by that, for here he was helping her after all. If he really believed what he was ranting about, he wouldn't have come over to help her. Steve pushed Sara up the porch stairs and flung open the screen door for her. He threw down her bookbag and coat near Darry's chair and went to the refrigerator for a beer, but to no luck there wasn't any in there, so he settled for a Pepsi instead. Sara felt like she only had enough energy to make it to the couch. She managed to get her shoes off and left them over by the door. Steve had come back into the living room and flipped the tv on. He took a sit on the couch and starting drinking his Pepsi. He noticed that Sara was just standing there looking at him. "What's your problem?" He asked with a shitty ass grin on his face.
For the first time since Steve had picked her up at school she said something. "Nothing. It's just usually when I don't feel good, Soda and Darry let me lay on the couch and watch cartoons." Sara started for the couch hoping that Steve would get up and leave, but he just sat there.
"Well, to bad, because I'm pretty comfortable where I am." Steve looked back at the tv. Sara didn't know why but she started to feel tears prick at her eyes. She unexpectedly let out a heavy sigh. This caught Steve's attention and he looked back over at her. He will be the first to admit it, he was not one of Sara's biggest fans, but she was Sodapops kid sister, and Steve knew how much she meant to him. And even though Steve didn't want to be here doing this he also could tell that something was really bothering her. For a brief second he felt the ice melting around his heart for this kid. As much as she drove him crazy, he would probably throw himself in front of a bus to save her, but he wouldn't verbally admit that to anyone. He waved her over towards the couch. "Well, I think there's enough room for the both of us, don't you?" Sara nodded and made her way over to the sofa and climbed up and sat at the other end of the couch than where Steve was sitting. They sat there watching Looney Tunes for a while in total silence. Towards the end of Bugs Bunny and Friends Sara started leaning towards Steve feeling herself drifting off to sleep. She started to lean and fell right into Steve's arm, causing him to spill his Pepsi some. "Jesus, Kid. Look what you just did. What are you doing?" Steve took his flannel shirt off and tossed it onto the coffee table. "Thanks a lot Kid." Sara just looked at him with wide eyes, she didn't mean too. If it was Soda he wouldn't of reacted like that, but then again Steve was nothing like Soda. He wasn't kind, or compassionate, or has the patience of Soda. He wasn't gentle, or soft hearted either. Sara didn't know what to do or say.
"I'm sorry, Steve. I didn't mean to. I just forgot for a moment that it was you sitting there and not Soda." Sara tried to defend herself. Steve just sat there for a second looking at her in amazement.
"Do I look like Sodapop? Do I act like Sodapop?" Steve demanded. Sara just sat there still as a statue. "Huh?"
"No." Sara said in a low, soft whisper. The two sat there on the couch in silence for a few more minutes until Steve noticed that Sara was softly crying.
"What is it now? I don't want to listen to you cry. If you're going to cry, go to your room." Steve instructed her.
"I don't want to go to my room. I want to stay out here with you." Sara said quickly trying to wipe her tears from her cheeks.
"What's gotten in to you lately? It's like you're everyone's shadow. You don't sleep anymore, you don't eat." Steve stopped and looked at Sara who had a quizzical look on her face. "Who do you think you're kidding? I've noticed you not eating breakfast these past few mornings. You're barely talking anymore, only when you're spoken to. That's not the kid I've known for 5 years." Steve was actually talking to Sara this time and not scolding her
"6 years." Sara half smiled at Steve, which actually pulled a smile to his own face.
"Yes, you stand me corrected. It's not the kid that I've known for 6 years. So what gives?" Steve turned and pulled the afghan down from behind him and tossed it over to Sara. She willingly accepted it and pulled it up over her. Sara inched a little closer to Steve and waited for him to tell her to get out of his space, but when he didn't she scooted over again closer. Now she was practically sitting right next to him. "So, what gives? I know it's something, Sara. You can't keep holding it in." Sara's thoughts were going a hundred miles a minute. She needed to tell someone what was going on with her, but she didn't want to trouble her brothers. She wanted to tell someone and here was that someone, but did she trust Steve enough to tell him? She had never thought of Steve as the confiding type. If she had to pick someone out of the group to tell her darkest secrets to, she always thought it might be Two-Bit or possibly Johnny, but never in a million years would she think it would be Steve Randle. Steve was raising that cocked eye brow that Two-Bit had seemed to have taught the whole gang to do. "Well?"
"Will it stay just between you and me, until I'm ready to tell one of my brothers?" Sara needed to know this answer before saying anymore to Steve.
"You know I don't keep secrets from Sodapop. So I can't promise that I won't say anything." Steve paused to see what Sara's expression looked like. He instantly noticed disappointment so he quickly added. "But then again, if Soda doesn't ask, than I won't tell. How does that sound?" Sara thought for a second and then gave him a smirk.
"Well, you know how I got lost at Pony's meet?" Sara stopped and Steve just shook his head "yes". "Well, it really scared me. More than I'm letting on to my brothers. I don't want to worry them. But Steve, every time I close my eyes all I see is stranger's faces and strange places. I can never see my brothers. It makes me afraid all the time, I don't know why, and I am trying really hard not to be, but I am. I don't mean to be anyone's shadow, it's just I don't like being by myself. I don't feel safe when I'm not with one of you guys. I know that I drive you guys' crazy, but I also know that you wouldn't ever let anyone hurt me either. No matter how much you don't like me." By this time Steve's heart had just completely melted all ice that he had for this annoying little girl. Steve was almost lost for words. He knew he needed to say the right thing to her, but he hadn't had a lot of experience in this area. He didn't say anything for at least a minute. Sara started to think that because he was remaining silent that she shouldn't of told him. But to her surprise he finally did something. He slowly reached for her shoulder and Sara instantly tensed up. She wasn't sure what he was doing and was making her a little scared. But what he really was doing was pulled her into a half hug.
"Sara, I can only imagine how scary that must have been for you. But nothing is gonna happen to you now that your home. Sodapop, Darry and Pony wouldn't let anything happen to you. You're their little sister. Jesus, even me, Two-Bit and Johnny have saved your ass once or twice. And you know I'm pretty sure that Dally would too." This caused Sara to let out a little chuckle. "But Sara, you need to tell someone other than me how you feel. You need to let your brothers know, because you can't continue to walk around scared all the time. We have all noticed that something has been bothering you here lately. And I know you have your big brother's worrying, especially Darry. You have to try to figure a way to concur you fears. And even though I don't know how you can do that, I'm sure that Darry or Soda will. You need to tell them." Steve was still holding Sara in a half hug. "I will keep it quiet for a while, and I'll give you time to tell them, but if you haven't told them by Friday, then I am. Is that fair?" Steve looked down to see that Sara had tucked herself into the crock of his armpit and side. Sara didn't really agree with the advice that he just gave her so she hadn't said anything. "Sara? Is that fair enough?" Sara looked up at Steve and shook her head in agreement. "Friday night then?"
"Ok." Sara said in a mild tone. Steve let go of Sara, but Sara didn't move off of Steve's side. The two sat there for a few minute watching Tweetie Bird out smart Sylvester the cat. When a commercial came on Steve looked back over at Sara again to see what she was doing.
"Hey, what would Soda do if he was here right now instead of me?" Sara looked up with widen eyes.
"Huh?" Sara asked a little confused at his question, for he had just told her 15 minutes earlier that he wasn't Sodapop.
"Sodapop? What would he be doing right now if he was here with you?" Steve tried to clarify the question for her.
"I don't know. He would probably sit here and watch tv with me." Sara just looked confused.
"And?" Steve pressed for more information.
"And let me use his lap as a pillow and hold me close so that I would feel better." She confessed.
"Ok, then I'll try, but remember I'm no Sodapop." Steve opened his arms a little to invite Sara over. Sara was very hesitant at first. "Well, are you gonna come over or not?" Sara slowly laid her head down on Steve's lap. Steve had seen Sodapop and Sara do this a million times, so he thought it couldn't be that hard. He could feel that Sara's body was quite tensed at first. As they laid there for a minute or so, Steve didn't know what to do with his arms or hands. He tried to remember watching Sodapop and he started slowly rubbing Sara's arm. After a few minutes he thought he could hear light snoring coming from her. He bent down and noticed that she was sound asleep. "Poor kid." He said out loud. Steve sat there with Sara in his lap for another 20 minutes, until he heard the sounds of Two-Bit's car coming to a stop outside the Curtis' house. He could hear laughter coming from both Two-Bit and Sodapop. It sounded like they were teasing Ponyboy about a girl or something. When Sodapop got to the screen he pulled open the door and froze in his footsteps. "Shhhh!" Steve said holding his finger up to his mouth. Sodapop was shocked at what he was witnessing on the couch. He actually wished he had a camera to capture this moment that he would swear his life on would never happen again. As Soda started to come closer to the couch that special moment between Sara and Steve had abruptly came to an end as the sounds of Pony and Two-Bit had awoken Sara and she was now sitting up rubbing at her tired eyes.
"I see that things weren't all that bad, huh?" Sodapop came over to place his hand on Sara's forehead.
"Not to bad. I've gotta jet." Steve started getting up from the couch but paused looking down at Sara. "Remember Sara our deal, Friday night." Steve and Sara locked eyes but said nothing more. "See ya later, Sodapop. I'm meeting up with Evie. I'll talk with you later."
"Ok, Man. Thanks again for getting Sara." Steve waved to Soda and nodded to Pony and Two-Bit who were having a smoke out on the porch.
"Leaving so soon?" Two-Bit hollered out to Steve.
"I've got things to do, places to be, people to see. I've got no time hanging out with hoods like you." Steve smile while getting into his car.
"I won't take that personally. See ya around." Two-Bit waved as Steve was pealing out. As Steve drove down the road his thoughts were still on what Sara had told him. He sure wasn't Sodapop, but Sara had told him something that he didn't think he would be able to keep from Sodapop. He was going to hold her to Friday night, and if she hadn't told them, then he was. He could promise that.