AngelsXAmongXUs, won't be the Victim, Purple Soap, EdwardCullenIsLove,
Caitly, NELENAforeverIHATEMILEYCYRUS
--THANK YOU ALL!! WHAT KIND OF COOKIE WOULD YOU LIKE lol? IF YOU ALL REVIEW THIS CHAPTER I'LL GIVE YOU Another COOKIE AND a BROWNIE!! OMG
OMG
OMG
REVIEW!! Thanks AGAIN to my amazing beta!!
Sorry about the repost of chapter 9 but my beta just mentioned that I posted the unedited one….ekk, so heres the final version. Sorry.
The next chapter should be up Sunday night or Monday morning….
Lions Den Lions Den Lions Den Lions Den Lions Den Lions Den Lions Den Lions Den Lions Den Lions Den Lions Den Lions Den Lions Den+
--
--
--
--
--
--
The next thing I remember was waking up in my bed, still fully clothed. I don't know what happened with Dally and Tim or how I got into bed. Dally's jacket was nowhere to be seen, and I felt like I'd lost my security blanket.
I still can picture the rage in Dally's eyes as he was coming towards Tim and I, the shocked looks on all the boys' faces as they stood like stone in the doorway.
I shivered, replaying Dally's words—"I'm going to kill you, you stupid son of a bitch,"
and "I'll gut you like the spineless bitch that you are."
I'd never witnessed anyone as angry as Dally was. I had to stop thinking about it, my head was already pounding and I didn't want to cry and hurt even more.
The sun was shining brightly into my room, which meant it was probably well into the next day. I really needed to buy curtains to act as a buffer so the sunlight wasn't as bright on the days I slept in.
I couldn't find the courage to move and see if anyone was home. I didn't want to face anything about yesterday—I didn't even understand what was so bad about me changing Tim's bandages! The guys' reactions made no sense.
I decided to wait for a while before leaving my room. I wasn't sure if anyone was home, but if they were, I was afraid that what ever conversation we were going to have wasn't going to be a pleasant one. So I lay back down and closed my eyes.
I wasn't sure if I drifted off or if it was just seconds after I closed my eyes, but I was startled by a knock on the door. I swallowed nervously and sat up, pulling the covers to my chest.
"Come in," I said in a quiet voice. I wasn't feelling very confident today.
Soda poked his head in. "Good! You're awake," he said with a goofy grin.
I nodded, and Soda came into my room, plopping himself on my bed like the times we'd talk at my grandmother's.
"How ya feeling?" he asked with a smile, though his tone was serious.
I shrugged not sure what kind of answer he was looking for.
He nodded and for the first time in our friendship, an awkward silence filled the room. Soda began tracing the pattern of my bedspread. I watched him, not sure what to say or why this felt so awkward.
"Darry's gonna be home in a little bit and he wants to talk to you," Soda said in a rush, glancing at me briefly.
"Oh. Okay," I said slowly, though my mind was racing, trying to figure out what Darry would want to talk to me about and why Soda was being so serious.
"Pony's over at Johnny's and won't be back till dinner, Darry's gonna pick something up so none of us have to cook," Soda recited, finishing with an uncomfortable smile.
I didn't like this—everything was so different and I couldn't understand why. Soda and I had always had an easy going friendship, but suddenly it had changed and I didn't know what I did.
"Well I'm gonna go do some wash. Call me if you need anything." Soda scrambled out the door. I knew that was an excuse to leave my presence. Soda never did his own wash. Darry had to threaten him with bodily harm before I came to live with them and now I did everyone's wash.
Tears began to trickle down my cheeks. I didn't want to lose Soda; he was my best friend, my only real friend. I didn't understand what was happening.
I must have drifted off from crying, because when I came to again, the sun was no longer shining in my window. Instead, the glow of the moon filled my room. My head ached even worse than before and my throat felt like someone had made me swallow a brillow pad.
It reminded me of that night when Dally was staring out my window. A warm feeling filled me until I remembered the look in Dally's eyes last time I'd seen him and the lack of his jacket. I felt tears begin to fill my eyes again.
Suddenly a gently knock sounded at my door. I sat up, wiping my eyes. I pulled the blanket up to my chest and uttered a quiet, "Come in."
The door opened, revealing Darry.
I gave a weak smile, my heart not in it. I was in too much distress.
"Hey Rachel," he greeted and pulled a chair in with him, sitting down beside my bed.
I nodded at his greeting.
"Rach, we gotta talk," he said with a grimace.
I nodded again, waiting for him to continue.
"About yesterday…" Darry started, but he stopped and began to rub the back of his neck tiredly, releasing a long sigh.
"You know what, I'm hungry how about you? I'll go make you a plate," Darry offered, standing up too quickly and exiting my room before I could utter a protest.
I got up quickly, intending to follow him and ask him what was going on. I left my room and started towards the living area, but stopped when I heard voices.
"Did you talk to her?" a voice sounding like Pony asked.
"No! I couldn't do it, I don't even know what to say," Darry admitted.
"Well I couldn't do it, and if you couldn't, who are we gonna send? Pony? Steve? Two- Bit?" Soda asked. I noted the person he left out of the lineup with a grimace.
"Hey, there's nothing wrong with me!" a voice I knew instantly to be Two-Bit's chimed in.
I carefully turned and walked back into my room. I didn't understand, and I didn't want to stay here. They were supposed to be family, but they couldn't even talk with me honestly. No one wanted to talk to me. No one wanted me here. I need to know what I had done. I needed answers. I didn't want them to hate me, or unable to stay in the same room with me.
An idea popped in my head, one that I knew I shouldn't act on. But the way I was feeling didn't leave me with much rationale. I pulled out a pair of clothes quickly, but then I stopped and reached up to grab the pair of jeans that Darry and Soda had given me. The ones I had never wore because they were so form fitting. I sighed quickly and put them on, dressed, and applied more make up then I'd ever done before. I glanced quickly in the mirror, not recognizing the girl starring back.
Her hair was down, washed in dark makeup and dressed tight jeans and a fitted shirt. I almost lost my courage. But I had to find out what was going on. I wouldn't loose my only family over whatever was happening.
I opened my window and glanced down, not sure how Soda had done this so many times. I said a quick prayer to my grandmother to watch over me and climbed out the window.
I lost my footing and fell flat on my butt. Soda always made it look so easy, I felt myself getting red in the face. I couldn't even sneak out without messing up. No wonder they couldn't talk to me.
I sighed, looking around in the night, gathering all my courage. I headed towards the heart town, thankful I remembered the way Two-bit and I had gone that fateful day.
Now to find Dally