Silent

Chapter 7

Loren's POV

"Thank you!" I shouted. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I continued, hugging them.

"You're welcome." Mrs. Curtis said with a laugh and hugging me back.

"Ready to go home, kiddo?" Mr. Curtis asked.

I smiled and nodded. It was already 6:00 at night. We only had one break and I was tired from today. Mrs. Curtis said she had to get home before Darry, Soda, and Pony burned the house down.

We were starting to walk out and dad was put in handcuffs and being forced to go to the door on the other side of the room. "LOREN!" He shouted. I turned around and he was forcing himself against the officers. "I'm so sorry!" He shouted. "I'm sorry!" He continued.

I frowned and turned away. His eyes were all red and his hair was greasy and he looked like he smelled really bad. I never wanted to see him again. How could he do this to me? How could he do this to himself!

He was the only close family I had left and he threw away whatever we had. We never had a bad relationship until mama got really sick. This is his fault. I shouldn't blame myself for what he did.

And y'know what? I hate him for what he's done.

*February 1, 1965*

"I WIN!" I yelled at Sodapop.

"Did not! I want a rematch!" He retaliated.

I laughed and grabbed the whipped cream canister from the fridge. "Fine. Only cause I'm down to win again." He grabbed the other whipped cream canister and shook out his nerves like we were in a wrestling match. I laughed and held it up. "Ready?" I asked.

"3, 2, 1." He said quickly.

We both put them over our heads and poured whipped cream into our mouths. I was laughing so hard it was almost impossible to keep it in my mouth.

Soda choked and it spilled all down his face. I laughed so hard it got all down the side of my cheek.

"YOU LOST! AGAIN!" I yelled with a laugh.

He looked angry but in a funny way. "Whatever." He said putting it back in the fridge.

"Oh, you two." Mrs. Curtis said coming around the corner. We both laughed. She looked at Sodapop. "Your dad and I are going to a picnic. We'll be home around 6. You all still going to the drag race?" She asked.

"Yeah, I gotta go change my shirt now." Soda said glaring at me. I laughed.

"You going, Loren?" Mrs. Curtis asked.

"Nah, I'm gonna stay here." I said closing the fridge.

"You sure?" Darry asked coming around the corner. "We've got another ticket."

"No, but thank you. You guys have fun." I said with a grin. I sat on the couch and turned on the TV. "I'll watch for burglers." I said with a grin.

"Like you'll be able to do anything from the couch with all that whipped cream." Ponyboy said with a grin.

I rolled my eyes plafully. "Whatever. I'll see y'all later." I said with a smile.

"Be careful, boys. I expect all of you to come home like you're leaving now. Nobody gets hurt." Mrs. Curtis said.

"We'll be careful." Sodapop said shoving them out the door. "See ya!" He said.

Pony and Darry both said goodbye as they walked out the door. They ran down the road and Mrs. Curtis grinned. "You sure you gonna be ok by yourself? It's four hours nobody's gonna be home." She said.

"Yeah, I'll be ok. Don't worry. Have fun." I said with a smile.

"Alright. See ya later, Loren." Mr. Curtis said.

They walked out the door to the car and I was alone for the next four hours. Mr. and Mrs. Curtis would probably come home a bit earlier than they say, though. Maybe 3:30? Darry, Pony, and Soda probably wouldn't be home till way later, though. Whenever they go to a drag race, they normally find the rest of their friends, go out to eat, and all the other crap they do. I'm guessing maybe 10?

Nice and silent.

It was weird for it to be silent around here. But there were those few times where nobody was home and it was quiet. Rare, but sometimes.

I turned on the TV but sometime between Mickey Mouse and the Flintstones, I fell asleep. I woke up and it was dark out. I looked around and the house was silent except for the TV playing in the background.

I got up and looked around. "Hello?" I asked. I looked at the clock and it was 9:12. "Hello?" I asked again. "Mr. Curtis?" Nothing. "Mrs. Curtis?" Nothing. "Darry? Soda? Pony?" Nobody was here.

I looked at the clock again to make sure I wasn't going crazy. It really was 9:12. I was up all night last night cause I have a huge project due for history on Monday. I finished it last night so I have all weekend to do whatever I want.

"Is anyone home?" I asked again. Nothing.

I went back into the living room and turned off the TV. I was a little freaked out. It's been nine hours and nobody's home. I mean, I expected Pony, Soda, and Darry to be out this late but not Mr and Mrs. Curtis. They're always back before they say they will be.

I sighed. I needed to relax. I'm sure they're fine. I grabbed one of Ponyboy's books off the table next to the couch and started reading it. I always loved reading but I haven't been doing much of it recently.

I got a few pages into it and the phone rang. If I'm being honest, I jumped a little. I was a little unsettled by nobody being home at it being this late at night.

I got up and picked up the phone. "Hello?" I asked.

"Hello, this is the state of Oklahoma calling. May I speak to Darrel Curtis, Sodapop Curtis, or Ponboy Curtis?"

The state of Oklahoma? "Umm... they aren't home right now. Can I take a message?"

"Does this happen to be Loren Areno who I am speaking to?" The man on the other end asked.

"Yes, this is her." I said skeptically.

"Can you please write down the number I am about to tell you?" The man asked.

"Yes, let me just get a pen and paper." I said. I quickly looked around and grabbed a pencil and a notecard. "Alright, go ahead."

He read me a number and sighed. "Are you aware that Mr. Darrel Curtis and Mrs. Lynn Curtis have custody of you until August 10, 1966. So in about a year and a half, that would end?"

"Yes, I am aware." I said nervously. Oh no. What if dads getting out early? What if they want me to live with my Aunt Jenna who just got out of rehab? Dad hasn't bothered to reach out once. I haven't bothered either. I still am a little upset from what he did.

"I am very sorry to tell you this over the phone, Ms. Areno. There's no easy way of saying this. But I need you to tell Darrel, Sodapop, and Ponyboy immediately after you see them. But Lynn and Darrel Curtis have both passed away after their car was hit by a train."

Out of all the things I expected to hear, it was not that...