Around and Back {The Outsiders}

Chapter 7

"Doll wake up come on." I heard a strained voice say. I opened my eyes and looked around.

I was still at the park. One of the socs, The one that attacked me, was on the ground with a few bruises on him.

Soda was holding. Me. "What happened?" I felt the taste of metal in my mouth. Blood.

        "She's up.....let me see her." Steve came running over and took me from Soda and at that moment I completely forgot about what had happened in the lot. "Are you okay?"

         "Beside my head hurting I'm fine." I said. I moved my hair off my face and Steve's eyes widened.

       "What?" I asked, confused. "DAR GET OVER HERE!" Steve yelled and Darry came running over. "Huggie what's wrong." I asked him as he took me from Steve and walked me over to the truck.

             "Look at this." He pulled down the mirror in the passenger seat and I looked at the side of my face. It was nearly covered in a deep purple bruise.

      "I'll kill em'. I'll kill em' all." Steve walked over grumbling with Two, Soda, and Dally following.

      We all got in the truck and drove home. The drive was quiet and I just sat there shaking. It was a mixture of my adrenaline catching up and being cold.

        We got home and I walked in the door, going over to the couch and sitting down.

        Darry came in with the first aid kit and bandaged my face. Everyone sat down and Steve walked in and seeing there was no where to sit walked over and picked me up, sitting down, and putting me in his lap.

    I had apparently fell asleep because I woke up to the TV still on, Two in the recliner, Dally on the small Sofa, and Steve lay snuggled up to me on the big sofa.

       I softly slid out of Steve's arms and covered the three boys with two blankets each. I kissed Steve's cheek "Night Stevie." I whispered before going into my room and crawling into bed.

     *dream* "Come on Daddy." I watched a little 5 year old girl drag her father along to the playground.

     I sat there and felt the tears start to spill. I was 9 and my parents had just died. I was jealous of the little girl.

     'How come she gets to keep her family.' I thought angrily but I remembered something. 'I still have Huggie, Bubby, BB, Jumps, Mickey, Stevie, and Johnny' I got up and begin to walk up the hill.

       "Oh my little Flutter Shy." I looked up to see my mom standing there. "M-M-Mommy....D-D-Daddy." Next to her was my dad. They were here in front of me yet I knew they were gone.

     The tears flowed faster now. "I miss you guys sooo much." My mom smiled. "We miss you too sweetie." My dad told me but I heard something behind me.

    "Munchkin Come one its time to go home." It was my oldest brother Darry. "Ok Huggie. Bye Mommy, Bye Daddy." I waved goodbye and Darry looked down sadly at me before picking me up and carrying me home *dream end*

I sat up in a cold sweat and felt the tears start falling. I looked at my alarm clock. 5:45 no one would be up yet so I walked out into the kitchen and sat at the table with only the lamp in the cupboard to light the room.

I sat there silently as the tears rolled down my face. "Shybaby." It was a voice I hadn't heard in 4 years.

I looked up and saw my dad, my mom, and Johnny. "W-what are you guys doin here?" I blubbered.

My mom smiled. "We never left sweetie. You've been so very brave and we are so proud of you. We've always been here...even if you can't see us we are here, Through every thing." I hadn't realized that I had flicked out my switchblade.  I knew they were gone and that this was just some cruel trick of my mind.

"Mommy......Daddy......Johnny." I whispered and just as I made a small slit it my wrist Dally walked in and grabbed my switchblade from me.

I started crying hard now. They were gone, they had disappeared.

Dally grabbed me and called for Steve, waking everyone in the house.

Steve came running in and saw my bloody wrist and my teary face and took me from Dally sitting down and just holding me whispering "it's all gonna be alright Tiny, I promise.."

Darry came in and grabbed gauze and athletic tape, indigo this time, before sitting down.

We all made small talk before going back into the living room
And bedrooms, Steve with me this time, and went to sleep.

       I woke up and rolled over before realizing Steve wasn't there anymore.

        "So How was she when you go up Steve?" I heard Soda asked, "she was still sleepin." I got out of bed.

       It was November and it was chilly so I grabbed a heavy sweatshirt and some fuzzy PJ pants.

       "Mornin." I mumbled as I walked over to the covered to get my contacts. I opened the cupboard and grabbed the box. It was empty.

       "Huggie I need more contacts." I said grabbing my glasses out of their case and slipping them on.

       "So how are you feelin'?" Pony asked as he grabbed the milk jug out of the icebox.

           "I'm fine.....can we please forget about this morning." I asked walking into the living room so the conversation wouldn't continue.

       I sat down on the couch and Steve came in. "Tiny are you sure you're fine?" He asked sliding me into his lap.

        I shook my head and felt the tears began to fall. I then remembered why I wasn't happy. Tomorrow we went to court.

          "They can't take me away Stevie.....They just can't this is my home." I buried me head in his chest.

      He started humming a song. I listened. It was country roads by Willie Nelson. It was one of my favorites.

      "West Virginia....Mountain mama.....country roads...take me home." I sang as he hummed.

       "I'm scared Stevie." I told him. "We all are Tiny....We all are."