Stay By Me

Chapter 28

Diana stumbled out of the hospital, tugging on her clothes as she moved. They'd been in her hospital room, and although they were burned and smoky, anything was better than the stupid hospital gown.

Her leather jacket had been returned to her, per Johnny's request. As she tugged it around her shoulders, she felt a little better. If it could protect Johnny from being burned, it could protect her too. It was almost an item of pride, she felt like it reflected battles they'd won.

She contemplated where to go next, but she settled on Buck's. She needed to change clothes and get her bearings together. It was also dumb for her to be walking around when she could be driving, the keys to the mustang should still be in the room she shared with Dally.

She walked there as fast as she could, and once she got there she stormed up the stairs. She quickly stripped and threw on clothes she felt were right, a T-shirt that was just a little too tight, jeans that also highlighted any curves she had. After a while in the hospital, she'd lost weight and color in her face, but as far as being a greaser girl went she still looked pretty good. Along with the jacket, she was dressed for trouble.

She lit a much-needed cigarette. She took a few deep breaths, looking around. She could see that Dally had been there, it seemed like he'd grabbed a change of clothes as well.

She went to the bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror. She was paler than usual, and her face had lost its roundness. She looked cold and mean, hardened. She looked... like a female Dally.

She went ahead and did her makeup. If she accidentally got arrested tonight she didn't want her mug shot to look bad. She also saw it as her war paint, it distinctly said that she identified with the greasers.

She quickly found the keys to her mustang, and then left the room. She went and found Buck, who was leaning at the bar.

"Hey, I need a favor," she snapped at him. The thing about Buck was you needed to be outright and leave no room for negotiation.

"And why should I help you?" He slurred.

"Because otherwise I'll switch from talking with words to talking with fists, and you'll be hearing from Dally. Now, I need a knife, a switchblade'll do, right now."

That was enough to get the cowboy into action, and he came back a few minutes later with a black handled switchblade.

"Don't lose that," he grunted.

She rolled his eyes. He wasn't going to ask for it back, he'd never know if she lost it or not.

She left the bar and headed to her car. Her first instinct would be to go the the Curtis,' but the were probably getting ready for the rumble. Besides, they'd probably force her to go back to the fucking hospital, especially Darry.

So she instead headed to a gas station, she didn't have anything to do for around an hour. She grabbed two more packs of cigarettes, goodness knows she'd need them. She also grabbed some chips and soda. As she sat in her car, eating the snacks and smoking a cigarette, she flashed back to that night not so long ago. Her life had changed so rapidly in such a short amount of time. Whoever she was then wouldn't in a million years expected her to be where she was now, let alone alive.

When there was about half an hour before the rumble started, she parked a bit away from the lot and scaled a nearby tree. She winced as doing so pulled the taunt skin on the back of her hands and the bark scraped the skin on her palms, but she pushed past the pain. She was used to pain.

She pulled herself behind a large cluster of leaves, to where no one would spot her if they weren't specifically looking for her. There she waited until gangs of greasers showed up, and then the socs.

She shivered. She watched as Darry stepped forward. He wasn't someone to mess with, and he especially looked so tonight. She couldn't see Dally, but she knew he'd be there any second.

She looked over to the socs. Among them was her ex-boyfriend, standing near the back of the group of socs. She knew he was there just so he could say he was, he would be the first to run no matter who won.

Suddenly, as the first punches were being thrown, Dally ran up. Everyone looked shocked to see him, but punches were already being thrown. The rumble was on. She watched the fighting for a moment. Even with his hurt arm, Dally was not only holding his own, he was watching out for Ponyboy too. Her ex-boyfriend on the other hand, was still standing at the back, looking nervous. She narrowed her eyes. This was her chance.

No one batted an eye as she shimmied down the tree. No one noticed as she made her way over to the back of where the socs were. No one noticed, as she lunged at one particular soc and started whaling punches down at his head.

He took long enough to register what was happening that Diana had gotten in multiple good punches.

"Hi!" She said, in a cute, high pitched voice. "Imagine seeing you around. Doubt you'll be here much longer."

His eyes lit up in scared recognition. "D-Diana?" He stammered, as he struggled to block her punches.

"That's my name, don't wear it out!" She said brightly as she broke his nose with a loud crack.

She left him there, blood streaming down his face as he he stared at her in horror. Soon after that, the rumble came to an end as all of the socs started running.

"They're running! Look at the dirty- run!" She heard a joyful yell. Two-Bit, maybe? She didn't stick around to figure it out, she saw Dally and Ponyboy tearing out of the lot in Buck's T-bird.

She raced back to her car and followed them, heart sinking as she realized their destination. The hospital. Johnny.

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