Silent

Chapter 27

Sodapop's POV

The gang went to the left to the car and I went to the right where Loren was parked. Her car was gone, though.

I walked around to the lot and I think I saw her.

Uh oh.

Loren's POV

I stormed out of the place and sped home in my car. I parked the car out front of Aunt Jenna's house. Her friends were over again so I figured I could sneak a few things in the back of my car. Just so I didn't have to go back in later.

I got three bottles of vodka and a case of beers. I took two beers and started to walk. I drank the first one down pretty quickly. I already regretted this. But fuck it.

I walked down the lot and smashed the empty bottle to the ground. I popped the top off of the second one and started to take sips of it.

I heard footsteps but at this point, if someone tried to kidnap me or murder me... oh well.

I started to take a sip of the beer and I felt a slap on my hand. The beer I was drinking fell to the floor and shattered.

"HEY! What the hell!" I yelled. I turned and Sodapop was there. He seemed shocked.

"Loren!" He finally yelled. "W-whag are you doing?" He asked.

"I told you I would be drinking my life away! What did you expect?" I asked.

"I was hoping you weren't belong serious..." He said trailing off.

I ignored him and started to walk away.

"No. Loren, you're not leaving. You're coming back to my house."

"Absolutely not!" I said pulling out of his grasp. "Just leave me alone!" I said trying to walk away.

"Loren, you just drank. We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

"Try and get me!" I yelled.

"Considering you aren't yourself right now, I think I'll be ok."

I was walking away and he came up behind me and picked me up by my legs and threw my over his shoulders.

"FUCK YOU!" I yelled.

"We're almost at my house. Shoulda cooperated." He said.

I groaned and tried to kick him but he wasn't budging. We got to the gate and he finally put me down. I shoved him and started to walk away but he grabbed my wrist and pushed me in the yard.

I groaned and walked inside knowing he wasn't gonna let me leave. I walked inside and everyone was in the living room and I was already uncomfortable.

"Loren..." Dallas said coming up to me. "I guess I'm kinda sorry." He said.

"Whatever." I said with an eye roll.

"I swear to God..." He mumbled. He stared me down and looked like he was about to punch me.

"Dal, knock it off." Darry said pulling him back. "You ok, Lor?" He asked coming between me and Dal.

"I was fine until your brother came and pulled me here." I said rudely.

"Well i wasn't gonna just let you go to wherever the hell you were going!" He yelled.

"Im a big girl. I cant handle myself!" I yelled back.

"Guys, knock it off." Darry said. "Nobody's getting hurt tonight." He said pushing us apart.

"How about y'all just leave me alone! None of you cared back in August so why care now? Fuck you all!" I yelled.

I started to walk out the door and storm off but I felt something in the back of my throat.

"Fuck..." I mumbled. I shoved Soda over and I ran to the bathroom.

I threw up whatever was left in my body. I guess I couldn't hold a drink as well as I thought I could. It's not as easy as it seems.

"Loren! You ok?" Ponyboy yelled.

"Picture perfect." I mumbled with an eye roll. I didn't think they could hear but it was intentional for them not to hear.

I wiped my mouth off and I felt a bit nauseous. Considering I did just throw up everything in my stomach, I was hungry too.

I walked out and went back into the living room. "Now I'm leaving." I said with an eye roll.

"No you're not." Sodapop said walking in front of me.

"Yes, I am."

"Sit down." He said pointing to the chair behind me.

"I'm not a dog!" I yelled.

"Sit down or things are gonna get more difficult." He said.

I rolled my eyes and gave up and just sat down. I crossed my arms and sat down. Soda sat on the floor next to me and we all started watching TV.

The phone rang.

"Loren or Soda, can one of you two get that?" Darry asked.

Soda went to grab it but I snatched it first and gave him a nasty look before I said anything. I hated myself for it though cause I got a bit dizzy. "Hello?" I asked.

"Hello, can I speak to Loren Areno?" The girl on the other end asked.

I sat up, concerned that they were looking for me. "Speaking..." I mumbled.

It caught everyone's attention and Johnny turned off the TV.

"I'm sorry to inform this to you over the phone, but you need to come to Colorado as soon as possible." She said.

I laughed. "What? I cant just pick up and come to Colorado." I stopped myself. "Wait, who is this?"

"Please just listen-" She said.

"Not until you tell me who the hell this is." I said leaning back and crossing my legs.

"I'm afraid if I tell you, you'll jump to conclusions."

"Just tell me!" I yelled.

"I'm a nurse. But you need to listen to me! Your dad is Mike Areno?"

I stopped. "Yes..." I mumbled.

"He left a note for you." She mumbled indicating she was gonna read it.

Loren...
If you're reading this, everything worked out how I planned it. Why didn't you tell me about the crash? How you were hit by a drunk driver. If I had known that, I wouldn't have wanted you to come with me. I couldn't have lived with myself. I can't now that I know. I talked with your aunt and she said that you didn't wanna see me anymore and that's really why you went back home. I'm sorry I let you down. I hope one day you can forgive me. But I just can't forgive myself.

I sat there dumbfounded. I never said I never wanted to see him again! I just didn't wanna be around all the drinking! I must have told my aunt all that when she was hungover or drunk.

"So... where is he...?" I asked nervously.

"Ms. Areno... he overdosed."