Infatuation

Chapter 38

"Monroe! Come on!" Johnny whispers harshly. I turn around. He points to the window. Ponyboy is already outside. He is beckoning for me to come. I get to the window as pounding hits the door.

"Give me the box!" Ponyboy yells. I hand him the box and stick my leg out of the window. Ponyboy holds his hand out to me once I get my torso out of the window. I grab it and he helps me down.

"Come on, Johnny!" I hiss.

"Soda, go!" Johnny orders. There is no point in whispering anymore.

The pounding on the door gets louder.

I turn to Ponyboy. "Get in the car," I tell him.

"Not yet," he tells me.

Johnny sticks a leg out of the window. He grabs it by the frame and falls out. Ponyboy grabs him just before Johnny can hit the ground.

The door burts open. A man comes into the room. I assume he is Johnny's dad. He isn't a whole lot bigger than Johnny. The women isn't with him. Sodapop turns to the window but not before Johnny's dad grabs him by the jacket. A small scream escapes my lips.

Sodapop pulls himself out of the man's grasp. He tries to get to the window again, but the man stops him. Sodapop spins and hits him square in the jaw.

Johnny's dad falls to the ground. Sodapop takes a running start and jumps out of the window. He does a flip in the air, causing him to land on his feet. I am momentarily impressed.

Someones arm wraps around my neck. They are cutting off my oxygen. I let out a struggled scream. All of the boys turn to looks at me.

I fight to get away, but the hold on me is strong. I scratch at the arm, but it doesn't do much good because my nails are short.

"Let go of her." Sodapop says sternly.

"Where do you think you're going Johnny? If you leave I think I'll keep this beauty. She could be of use." The woman says.

This must be Johnny's Mom. I turn my head enough to where I can bite her. Sodapop rushes forward as I clamp my teeth down. Blood fills my mouth.

As a reflex she pulls her arm away. I don't have time to release her arm from my mouth and when she pulls on her arm she leaves a chunk of it in my mouth. She screams and falls backwards. Sodapop rushes to me as I wipe her blood from my mouth.

He pulls me along with him to the car. I grab a box from the floor. Johnny's Dad rushes outside. He looks angry. A bruise is swelling on his jaw.

"You little shit!" He yells as he runs at Johnny.

"Get away from him!" Sodapop yells. Johnny's Dad turns to look at us. Behind us I can hear his wife get up.

"Look what the bitch did to me!" She shouts. Johnny's Dad turns to me. I spit the rest of the blood out. Sodapop pushes me behind him.

"You did that to her?" He asks.

"Maybe," I reply from behind Soda's back. Soda reaches into his pocket and pulls out the car keys. He throws them to Ponyboy. He catches them and starts to run. He is a lot faster than I thought he was.

The man steps closer to me. Sodapop takes a step back.

"Why are you protecting her? Seems like the little whore can take care of herself." He spits.

"Don't you talk to her that way." Soda snaps.

I hear the truck start. Tires whine against the pavement as Johnny's Dad takes another step closer.

Ponyboy drives the truck in between us and Johnny's Dad. Soda picks me up and gently drops me into the back of the truck. He jumps over the side and sits next to me. Johnny runs and slides into the front. His Mom runs after us but we are already driving.

Ponyboy takes a sharp turn and I slide into Soda. God, I hate driving with these boys. I'm already staring to get a little sick.

Soda reaches his hand above my head and opens the back window. "Slow it down, Ponyboy."

The car slows down and I instantly feel a little better. My headache doesn't seem to be disappearing.

"Are you okay?" Soda asks me.

"Yes. I'm fine. Are you okay?" I question.

"I am perfect." He smiles.

"Hey, I didn't know you could do flips like that," I say.

"We all can. Darry taught us after he took a class at some school." He explains.

"That sounds fun!"

"It is. Are you sure you're okay? She got you pretty good." He says.

"Huh?" I ask.

"You're bleeding a little. From your lip." He raises his hand and wipes some blood away. He holds it up so I can see.

"Are you sure that's not her blood?" I ask.

"Yep. Its yours."

"Oh. How bad is it?" I ask.

"Nothing too bad. It should heal on its own. It might leave a scar, though." He says.

I bring my hand up to my lip and press down where the bleeding is. It doesn't hurt too bad. I remember that she was wearing a bracelet. It must have clipped my lip when she ripped her arm from my mouth.

I wasn't expecting Johnny's parents to get home. It feels like I've lived two days in the last two hours. I snuggle up next to Soda. He twists his fingers in my hair. I let out a happy sigh. God, he makes me so happy.