Hoodlum Tragedies (Old Version)

F L O W

"Mm. Your face is healing nice." Connie commented as she sipped slowly on her milkshake.

Curly lightly sucked at his bottom lip and leaned against the back booth with his arms crossed. He didn't exactly enjoy when people commented on his face or the fact that he was jumped. It was embarrassing and it made him feel ashamed to even call himself a Shepard. It had only been a week and half since the day Curly had been jumped. He noticed that his face was healing quite well but his body once again had some sort of permanent damage. The pain in his ribs would flare randomly throughout the day, damn near knocking the wind out of him. His face sported a new scar, opposite to where Tim's was but if they hadn't looked alike before they damn sure looked alike now. His Tio had lost his mind once he saw Curly's face, wanting to get in the car immediately to track them down but Curly wanted to wait, he needed to wait to get his head in the right mindset.

"Yeah.. Only a few bruises, I managed to slap some ice on it." Curly replied as he recalled that night once again.

Lately, it was all he could think about. The anger would pulse through his veins, cloud his mind as he analyzed everything that went wrong. Analyzed the whole situation. And the one with the screwdriver. Curly couldn't wait until they crossed paths because, boy, did he have plans for him. He just hoped he could get to them before Tim did or else all his thinking and planning would be for nothing. Through all the humiliation, pain, and vulnerability, Daisy had been there for him whether he asked or not. She offered everything she could for him and he knew that their bond had increased that night and he felt more in sync with her than he ever did with anyone. He wondered if it was possible, if Tim ever felt like that.

"You've been thinking about how you're gonna get back at 'em?"

Curly shrugged and blew out a sigh. "Naw. Not yet."

He had been more on edge with his trust with Connie. Now that they weren't personally involved, he enjoyed her company as a friend. But trusting a Winston often left both Shepards dry and in the dust. He couldn't completely trust her, there was a chance she'd maybe slip up, let out his secrets, or perhaps she had been working for someone else, a connect even. He stood up from the table and excused himself to go smoke his cigarette outside of the diner. The air was getting colder by the hours by strangely enough, Curly enjoyed the breeze. He had a strange feeling that he hadn't had in weeks. He wanted to see Tim. He hadn't really thought about it until a few days ago but he would find himself thinking back on old jokes between the two, memories, trips they took together and his famous sarcastic side comments. It hadn't crossed his mind to actually apologize, no, he couldn't cave in, he just missed their relationship. His missed his brother.

"Curly?"

A faint voice in the distance intruded on Curly's thoughts of reminiscing, he turned to see the black hair, it was Jimmy who was approaching him. He looked the same, almost, but he changed his hair around and he looked like he was approaching a wild animal. Curly had spent most of his time attempting to avoid all of the Shepard Gang, facing them would be too overwhelming for Curly, too problematic, and it would be better for everyone if he just kept a safe distance.

"Hey." Curly said coldly.

"I uh.. I heard what happened." Jimmy said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "We all did."

"Well it ain't every day a Shepard brother gets jumped." Curly said sourly, it was obvious the whole town would hear it. He could hear those stupid brats now, boasting about how they stomped Curly Shepard cold. How they had him in their hands, how they could've killed him, just like that.

"What the hell were you doing in their turf? Tryna kill yourself?"

Curly stays quiet. He didn't like the fact that Jimmy, just like everyone else was speaking to him like a child, like they weren't best friends and used to make bets on who'd kiss Mary Lou behind the tree first. (Curly in fact, did, kiss Mary Lou first). Jimmy had the audacity to interrogate him, as if he owed him any sort of explanation.