Trouble x3

Hero

Dalia's POV

I spent two weeks in the hospital and I was finally able to leave. I read the paper on me and the guys.

I was some mysterious hero!

And Dallas was a hero, too!

Jesus, if you were to tell someone back in New York any of this information, they'd think you're crazy.

Hell, I barely even believe it.

"Alright, darlin', let's help ya out of this bed." The nurse said. I'm surprised she still hasn't asked my name yet. She probably knows but doesn't want me to know I know.

"Is Dallas here?" I asked.

"I'm afraid not." I frowned at the information. I didn't wanna see him, but now that he's finally given up made me sad. "He's pulled into custody for the whole Johnny Cade and Robert Sheldon case." She said.

Oh... so he didn't willingly leave. I guess that made me feel a bit better.

"Alright. I got ya some new clothes so you don't have to put on your old, ashy, burned up clothes." She handed me a new pair of leggings and a t-shirt that looked like my old outfit. "I'll give you some privacy to put that on." She walked outside for a few minutes while I put the clothes on.

I finished putting it on and she came back in. "You dressed?" She asked before opening her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah I am." I mumbled.

"Alright. So remember the rules." She said handing me a box of things and putting crutches by my bedside.

"Yep. Wear the bandage, wrap thing around my leg for six weeks at least 22 hours a day and attend physical therapy starting in two weeks from today and keep the bandage over my rib." I said repeating it back to her so she knows I was paying attention.

She grinned. "Good job. Do you have a way to get to where you need to be?" She asked.

"Yep. Thank you." I said with a smile.

"Alright. Have a good day. Good luck!" She said with a smile.

I grinned and walked out of the hospital.

I was free!

The sun never felt so good.

I looked out onto the street.

Well... I guess this is downtown Windrixville.

I figured I'd catch a train to Tulsa and then head back up to New York. I had no desire to find Dally anymore.

I was content with my life.

Well... maybe not content, but I accepted it.

I caught a bus to the train station so I didn't have to walk. I didn't mind walking but the crutches were already killing me.

As I got on the bus, a kid pointed to me and the mom smiled at me. I smiled back and tried to shrug it off like it was nothing.

"Look, mama, it's the hero!" A little girl said.

I wondered who she was talking about. I looked at the front of the bus but there was nobody special.

"Hello, excuse me." Someone said. I turned to my left and there was a mom and a little boy standing next to her.

"Oh... hi..." I mumbled, nervously.

"I just wanted to give you a big thank you. You saved my little boy from that burning church. I'm so glad you're ok. Please let me repay you." She said with a huge grin.

"Oh!" I said in shock. I was the hero! "There's no need to repay me. I'm just glad everyone's ok." I said with a smile.

"You saved 12 people! That's a big deal!"

"12? I thought there were only ten kids, though." I said with a tint of confusion.

"Those two boys, uhh... Ponyboy and Johnny. Ponyboy said he wouldn't have made it out of if weren't for you and Johnny said he would have been crushed by the ceiling if you hadn't have pushed him outta the way."

I smiled. "Really?"

She nodded. "I wanted to come by and thank you at the hospital but they said that nobody was allowed to see ya. I'm glad I got to say something to you." She said. "What's your name?" She asked.

I sighed. I didn't want anyone to know my name, really. But what the hell. "Dalia." I said, smiling.

"Well, Dalia, thank you. Thank you a hundred times."

"Of course." I said with a smile.

The bus ride took about fifteen minutes to get to the train station. I got off the bus and I walked up the counter.

"Hello. How can I help ya?" The girl asked.

"I'm just wondering when the next train to Tulsa is."

"We've got one leaving in two minutes. You might wanna hurry." She said, happily.

"I'll take it." I said grabbing the money out of my pocket.

I quickly took the ticket and limped over as fast as I could to the train. "Wait! I've got a ticket!" I yelled to the guy helping people board the train.

"Hold on!" He shouted. "Here, let me help you." He said.

He let me walk slower and helped me up on the stairs to the actual car.

"Hey, you're that girl in the paper!" He said in a surprised tone. "That was real brave of ya for what you did."

"Oh, it was no big deal." I said, getting red.

"My niece was in that church. It's a huge deal to us. Thanks a bunch! Have a great day, ma'am!" He said.

I smiled and took one of the only empty seats.

The train ride was peaceful but I was worried I wasn't gonna be able to go back to New York anytime soon.

I wish I was as popular up north as I am down south.

Hell, in Windrixville it seemed like everyone was related to one of those kids or knew one of them.

Part of me wishes I could just... start all over. Start a new life somewhere else. Somewhere I didn't know anybody and nobody knew me. Reinvent myself.

I guess that's what Dallas was trying to do.

Maybe I'm more like him that I thought.