Okay thank you all for your support when I was going threw such a horrible time. Here is an extra long (long for me at least) Chapter. Which I hope you all enjoy. Let me know if you all are still reading and enjoying. I know it's been a while. But I'm back, I just need to know you all are too…..
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Shock had taken me over after Sylvia left. I barely remember sitting myself down so I didn't collapse. I just couldn't understand how no one, not even the Curtises, my new family, had told me that Dally had a girlfriend.
…Did they all think I was too weak to handle it?
Was this why Soda hated the idea of us dating? Because he was looking out for me, because he knew Dally already had a girlfriend?
I wasn't sure what to do. I could wait until Darry or Soda got home to ask them. Ponyboy was probably going over to Johnny's again, so I couldn't ask him.
Or I could wait until Dally came for dinner tonight.
But how was I supposed to know if they were telling me the truth? They had obviously, for one reason or another, forgotten to mention her to me in the first place.
I was tired of all this drama, tired of doing nothing and taking everyone's word for the truth. I wanted to find out for myself what was really going on, and not wait around for someone to tell me their idea of the truth.
Getting up from the couch, I headed toward my room. I could do this. I could be the strong one. I could find the truth out for myself. I rummaged through my closet, looking for all the clothes that the Curtis's had given me, the ones that were tight and revealing like a greaser girl should wear.
I was going to find out the truth.
I had to find out who was lying to me, and who I could trust.
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The outfit I picked out, tight jeans and a shirt that showed my shoulders off, almost made me lose my courage. But I knew I could and would do this. The world my Grandmother raised me in had one rule that was never, ever broken. Family doesn't lie to you.
I had to find out if the Curtises knew Dally had a girlfriend.
I pulled my hair back in at tight pony tail and actually used a lot of makeup. I mirrored my image after Sylvia, but I couldn't bear to make everything the same. My shirt wasn't as revealing, pants not as tight and my make up not as heavy.
Leaving the bathroom after the last check and pep talk, I headed out the front door and just started walking. I wasn't quite sure how I was going to find the truth. I figured it would come to me after some walking.
I didn't know how long I'd been walking, but my attention was pulled to a group of guys standing around a car in a driveway. For some reason, the car looked really familiar.
That's when it clicked.
It was Tim's car.
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I don't know why I didn't think of Tim to begin with. He'd never lied to me. In fact, he'd been totally straight with me from the start. I stopped walking and searched the group of guys and the mixture of girls for Tim.
I found him with a girl on his lap, going place I'd only dreamed of going with Dally.
I really didn't want to interrupt that. It was going to be so embarrassing for both of us, but I had to. I was on a mission.
Taking a deep breath, I started walking across the lawn towards the porch where Tim was seated. Both he and the girl were fully clothed, but they didn't look like they'd be that way for long, and they seemed to be connected at the mouth.
How did they do that and breathe?
Before I could make it to them, one of the guys stepped in front of me, stopping my progress to Tim.
"Whatcha doin' here, doll?" he asked, tuff and strong, but not totally disrespectful.
"I need to talk to Tim," I said, without a quiver of fear in my voice.
"Eh…he's kinda busy," he chuckled, nodding at Tim and his entertainment.
"I know. I can see that. But I need to talk to him. Now," I said, terse and firm.
"What's your name doll face? I'll see if he wants to see you," the greaser said with a smirk. I got the feeling a lot of girls came looking for Tim.
"My name's Rachel. I'm Da—" I stopped suddenly. I didn't even know if I was Dally's girl anymore. "Just tell him Rachel Curtis needs to talk to him." I noticed my voice wasn't as convincing when I didn't have Dally's name to drop.
"Curtis, eh?" he asked, looking me up and down.
I nodded but didn't speak.
"Okay doll, I'll go ask him," he complied before jogging over to Tim and whispering in his ear.
Thankfully, Tim remembered me and wasn't too upset. He stood quickly, dumping the girl on the ground. She got up and slapped him, and was then led away by the guy who had questioned me.
Then Tim made his way over to me.
"Almost didn't recognize you all dressed up," Tim drawled with a smirk.
"Hi Tim," I said, giving him a friendly wave.
"What's goin' on, Rachel? I didn't think you were one for leaving the house alone," he murmured seriously, ducking down to search my eyes with his.
"I need to talk to you alone. If you have the time," I said quietly, looking down.
"Sure, sure. Of course," Tim answered, before grabbing me by the back of the neck and leading me into the house. I saw him make a quick motion to someone, but I didn't understand what it meant.
"What was that?" I asked curiously.
"The guy who stopped you he's like…my right hand man. I told to him to leave us alone." Tim said quickly.
I looked around the house. It was a little messy, but nothing like the Curtis' house had been when I first moved in.
"So, what's doin?" Tim asked, pouring two glasses of lemonade and bringing them over.
"Thank you," I said quietly, accepting the glass.
"No problem. Go ahead and make yourself comfortable," he invited, and so I sat down on the couch, watching as Tim did the same.
"Okay. So what's going on?" he pressed again.
I thought for a moment how to answer him. "Tim…you've never lied to me before, right?" I asked, looking him straight in the eye. Hopefully I would be able to catch a lie, but I wasn't sure.
"Nope," he replied crisply, "So tell me what's going on."
"Today while I was cleaning, a girl named Sylvia came to the door and said she was Dally's girlfriend. I need to know if she was telling the truth," I admitted timidly.
Unexpectedly Tim started laughing loudly. I began to blush, thinking he was laughing at my question. "Hell no she wasn't," he finally said when the laughing stopped, making me feel better.
"So I'm not the other woman?" I asked. Things were starting to look up.
"Nah, you're not. Let me explain," Tim sighed. "Dally and Sylvia used to date way back. But it was more of a hate than a love thing. They fought all the time, then they'd break up, and then get back together. It was a huge mess for everyone involved," Tim said with a laugh. "The last time they broke up, Sylvia moved with her grandmother three towns over because Dally said he was done with her and never wanted to see her again," he grinned.
"Why did they break up?" I couldn't help but ask.
"Sylvia decided to sleep with everyone she could behind Dally's back and make him look like a fool," Tim said with a ghost of a grin. "I mean, don't get me wrong. When they would fight, Dally would flirt and sleep with his share of girls. But it's one thing for him to do it, and another for her to. Guys started picking fights with him because he couldn't keep his girl in line," he chuckled.
"So Dally's slept with a lot of girls?" I asked, getting a little red.
"Um. Maybe you should talk to Dally about that," Tim said faintly, trailing off and looking away.
"But you just said…" I started.
"Yeah, I did just said. But I didn't mean to. You need to talk to Dally about it, because I don't need him angry with me because I said some stupid things to you," he explained shortly.
"I won't mention you, but I'll talk to Dally…eventually" I said shyly. "So I don't have to worry about Sylvia?" I perked up at the thought, feeling all my worries dissolve.
"I didn't say that, Rachel. One of the reasons Dally and Sylvia always got back together was because she didn't stop until she had him back," Tim said somberly.
"So…what does that mean?" I asked, biting my lip.
"That means that when she finds out that you're with Dally, she's not gonna stop trying to get back with him until you put your foot down, fight her, and win," he sighed.
"Fight her? Are you sure?" I asked suddenly worried and scared beyond belief. I didn't know how to fight! …Could girls even do that?
"She's tuff, Rach. She was raised on the streets just like the rest of us. She won't stop until she either has Dally back, or you make her stop," Time said, softly and with regret.
"Oh…" I said quietly, looking down.
"Rachel? Look at me," Tim said and I focused on him. "It comes down to this. Do you want to give up Dally and let him and Sylvia get back together? Or are you willing fight for what you and Dally have?" Tim asked me seriously.
"I don't wanna give Dally up," I said, without even having to think about it.
"Good. Then I know who can help you," Tim grinned, standing up and heading to the staircase behind the sofa we'd been sitting on.
"Angelina! Get down here!" Tim shouted up the stairs.
"What do you want? I'm grounded, here! You're ruining my life!" Angelina announced, storming down the stairs.
"Angelina, meet Rachel. Rachel, meet Angelina. My darling little sister," Tim said with a smile.
"Wait. Rachel as in Dally's girl?" Angelina asked, a sweet smile spreading over her face.
"Yup, Angie, she's Dally's girl" Tim grinned.
"Not to be rude. But why am I here?" Angie questioned.
"I have a deal for you," Tim said, and I just sat back and watched without the faintest idea of what was going on. "Angie, Sylvia's back," he said grimly.
"God! I hate that whore!" Angie instantly, said causing me to blush at her choice of words.
"Sorry about her, Rach," Tim apologized with a tired smile.
I nodded. There was nothing I could really do about it, what there?
"So, the bitch queen is back. What's that to do with me?" Angie asked her brother, crossing her arms and cocking a hip.
"The deal is, you teach Rachel to fight so she can beat Sylvia, and you won't be grounded anymore," Tim answered simply.
"Hmm," Angie said looking me over. I got the distinct feeling she wasn't impressed with what she saw.
"Well?" asked Tim, glancing at me.
"Okay," Angie answered with a shrug.
"Great," Tim grinned.
"Let me go change, and we'll get started," Angie said, running up the stairs, presumably to her room.
"See? Everything's gonna be fine," Tim said to me with a calm smile.
"How long was she grounded for?" I couldn't help but ask.
"Six months," Tim replied offhandedly, but with a distinctly sly grin.
"Oh." Suddenly, I doubted everything about this situation. I'd do anything to get out of a half-year grounding, even if I knew it wouldn't work out in the end.
"Rachel, you can still back out is you want. But if you do, you may not have Dally in the end. Is it worth it for you? Do you still want to be with Dally?" Tim questioned me seriously.
Yes, I thought, I wanted Dally and all that came with him. With all my heart. I nodded yes. I could do this.
I would do this.
Because I didn't want to lose Dally. Ever.