𝙶𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝙶𝚒𝚛𝚕 & 𝙳𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚜 𝚆𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚗

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝟹𝟷

"Get lost, and leave Brooke alone or you'll have bigger problems than just her!" Darry threatened as the boys nervously walked off.

"Hey, where did Brookster go?" Soda questioned skimming the area with his eyes in search of her.

"I think she ran behind the Dingo, at least that's where Steve ran," Pony observed.

"Y'all head inside, I'll look for 'em," Soda walked off behind the diner.

He turned the corner to see Brooklyn hyperventilating in Steve's arms.

"Hey, Brooke!" Soda ran up to the pair.

"Hey, Soda. Did they leave?" Steve asked worriedly.

"Yeah, they did, Dare Bear scared them off."

Brooklyn released from Steve's hug and leaned against the dirty brick wall behind her, bringing her jean-covered knees up to her chin hiding from the two's worried glances.

Soda and Steve sat on either side of her, silence overtaking the trio's presence.

"Wanna head back to Soda's and we can just eat cake for lunch," Steve suggested, breaking the awkward silence. Brooklyn nodded saying nothing. "I'll go tell the gang." Steve got up and walked around the busy diner.

"Wanna start walking?" Soda sat up helping her up in the process.

She was shocked and emotionally weak so Soda wrapped a hand around her waist for support in a friendly gesture.

"Gang's gonna giver 'er time and head back in a little," Steve informed as they slowly walked back to the Curtis house. The two boys were on either side of her protectively.

The boys continued to strike up small conversations here and there but Brooklyn walked... well shuffled silently. Still trying to process everything Mack just said or has said in the past.

"Brooke? Yo Winston, buddy!" Steve waved a hand in her face which made her look up at him. Trauma in her sad eyes. "I ask ya a question!"

Brooklyn just looked down not in the mood to talk. "What?"

"Nevah mind."

They walked into the Curtis and Brooklyn shuffled over to a rough-looking dining chair. She slouched over with elbows resting on her knees and her head in her hands.

"Eh?" Steve held a piece of cake near her but she just shook her hands 'no'.

"Steve let's just give'r time." Soda held a hand on his back and led him away from the girl.

"I dunno what to do!" Steve harshly whispered.

"Let's wait for Dallas. He might know what to do."

———

The gang arrived back an hour later, and Brooklyn remained in the same spot as when she arrived.

"I'm gonna call Buck's. See if Dal's there." Darry had enough, none of the boys knew what to do... besides Dal.

This was like when Johnny got jumped and Darry had to carry him home. Never the same again.

"Hey uhh Brooklyn," Johnny approached her. "Can I uhh walk with you to the lot and back?"

She removed her hands from her face and looked up into his dark brown mesmerizing eye. She shrugged and got up. "Sure."

They began to walk to the lot, not a word spoken.

Silence.

Surprisingly this soothed Brooklyn. She felt safe just walking near Johnny, not having to explain herself.

"Dal told me you graduated high school last year. You gotta be super smart to have graduated early," Johnny inferred.

"Hmph." Brooklyn shrugged pushing the topic off.

"Hey look," Johnny stopped and turned to her, "I understand how you feel. Maybe not totally but I have abusive parents, I got jumped so bad I didn't talk for weeks, and I'm still scared. Look, if ya ever need to talk to someone that would understand you and listen I'm here for ya man. You've helped everyone in the gang, you don't deserve what those boys did to ya."

Brooklyn was shocked. Johnny never says that much in a day, even less to her.

It was very heartwarming for Brooklyn, so many tears filled her frantically blinking eyes. She ran up and hugged Johnny, her head reaching just at his ears. He hesitantly hugged back, feeling comfort. No one ever hugs him, just the occasional aggressive pat on the back.

"Gosh Johnny, you're making me soft." She laughed in the embrace.

"You've been through so much lately, man." Johnny tightened the hug careful not to hurt her. "It's been a while since I've gotten a genuine hug." He whispered before realizing what he said.

Brooklyn looked up, her brown eyes picking up on the cheery tint among his dark tan skin tone. That made her hug tighter and rest her head on his shoulder.

———

The two walked into the Curtis house to be met with a pacing Dallas. Brooklyn went back into her shell, as she was before she and Johnny left.

"My goodness, Brooke. I heard 'bout Mack. I'll kill 'em, man, I swear I'll kill 'em!" He cursed out words here and there.

Brooklyn just rolled her eyes and sat near Soda and Steve on the couch once more, releasing a tired sigh.

She slowly drifted off into her dreams, leaning her head on Steve's shoulder.

"I'll kill 'em!" That was the last thing she heard. She had no doubt he would.

After all, Dallas Winston always gets what he wants...