Silent

Chapter 5

Loren's POV

We all got in the car and I was the first one there. I was just glad to be out of the house. I just had this gut feeling something bad was gonna happen. I know it's stupid to listen to a dream, but it just felt so real. I mean, I know it would never happen but with everything going on, I wouldn't doubt if it would happen. 

I was looking out the window and everyone was engaged in their own conversation. Ponyboy, Sodapop, and Darry were all talking about the cake and making fun of Soda, Mr. and Mrs. Curtis were talking about the funeral, and I was just zoned out. 

I didn't even want to imagine the funeral. They were trying to whisper so I didn't hear but they weren't very good at it. I think they thought I was fully zoned out too. 

I almost was until a car came speeding by us. They were going twice the speed they were supposed to be going. It startled me because it looked like the car in my dream. But then I realized, that was dads car. 

"Woah, be careful honey." Mrs. Curtis said to Mr. Curtis. 

"That's dads car!" I yelled. 

Mr and Mrs. Curtis looked at each other and they followed him. But he was getting way ahead. We were almost to a red light and it was still red so he could stop and we could see if he was ok.

But he didn't stop...

He went right through the light. There was this small black car going through and he hit the side of it and the car went flying. I screamed and rolled down the window. I looked through the window and wanted to make sure dad was ok. 

"Honey, get in." Mrs. Curtis said to me. "Pull over." She said pointing to the side. We pulled into a parking lot and I got out of the car. 

Mrs. Curtis followed behind me to make sure I didn't go into the road. Within minutes, the police were there. There were red flashing lights and tons of traffic. It was definitely dads car. 

Medics and police officers went up to the two cars and they pulled dad out of his first. I was definitely crying but I couldn't make a noise. He had blood dripping down his face and a bag in his hand with a bottle in it. He dropped it as more police officers came over. 

Then the girl was pulled out of her car...

My heart dropped. 

It was the girl in my dream...

Her blonde hair was drenched in blood... a gash on her head... arms splattered with glass sticking out of it. 

All of it was the same. 

"Can I help you guys?" A police officer said coming up to us.

I snapped out of my gaze and hugged Mrs. Curtis. "Honey, can you take the kids home while I explain a few things to the officer?" She asked. 

"No! Don't leave me alone!" I yelled holding her tighter. 

Mr. Curtis made Pony, Soda, and Darry get in the car and he came over to me and Mrs. Curtis. Mrs. Curtis bent down and looked me in the eye. "I'll be home later. I'm gonna make sure your dad's ok. Alright?" 

Mr. Curtis grabbed my hand and walked me back to the car. Mrs. Curtis stood up and made sure we drove off before they started talking. 

It was a silent drive back home but as soon as I walked in the door, I was ready to go to bed. I put on pajamas and I had no trouble falling asleep that night. 

Well...

Until 1:43 AM. I woke up by the door opening. I was a little freaked out because it was so early in the morning. I went up to my door and pressed my ear against it. 

"Honey, it's so late. What happened?" Mr. Curtis asked. Was Mrs. Curtis just getting home now? 

"A lot. Oh goodness, where do I start. I don't know how I'm supposed to tell Loren this. Her dad was drinking and driving. Like, major intoxication. He was lucky he got out of that car the way he did. He could have died. And he hit a girl named Lizzie Meer. She was only 16. She's in the emergency room right now. Her head got pretty severely injured. Not sure if she'll even make it out alive." 

She took a breath and I heard her cry a bit. I felt horrible. This was my fault. Mr. Curtis comforted her and I almost started crying. For making her go through this. 

"What are we supposed to do with Loren?" She asked. "Her dads going to jail for a long time, without a doubt. Her mom is dead. She has an aunt in rehab but that's it. What now?" She asked continuing to cry.

"I dunno, hun. We're all she's got right now. We can go to court and get a guardianship for however long her dad will be in jail. Otherwise she's gonna go to foster care or a girls home." 

"We have the room! We have to at least try. The poor girl just lost her entire family. I promised her everything would be ok! How am I supposed to keep that promise?" 

"We can but there's not even a guarantee it will work out well in our favor. We obtain guardianship until she's 18 or until her dad gets out of jail." 

I decided I heard enough. I didn't wanna hear about how the Curtis parents don't want me. Or how my dads messed up and doesn't care enough about his daughter to get help. Or how mama is dead. I didn't wanna hear any of it. 

I sat back on the bed trying not to make any noise so the Curtis' didn't hear me. I curled up in a ball and I wanted to just die there. I didn't want to be alive anymore. 

I wanted to be wherever mama is.