Summer Love

05 || ...On a Date

I open my eyes to see Sodapop on the ground with a blade in his stomach gasping for air and a gun wound on his side. My eyes tear up and I run over to him as tears slip from my eyes, "no. No. No. No. No. No. No. No." With every no my voice breaks more.

I can see the pain behind the movement as he slowly pushes my hair out of my eyes, "shhh, don't talk."

I shake my eyes, "don't you close your eyes Sodapop! No! Sodapop!"

His eyes close slightly and the sky opens up letting my vision get blurred. "Little buddy?" I hear Darry. "C'mon Sodapop."

"I-is he gonna be okay Darry?" Ponyboy asks as tears form in his eyes.

Darry shrugs, "lets just take him to the hospital."

I look over to see Bob passed out. I turn to the gang, "I'm sorry I've made such a mess of things."

"La-" Jilly starts.

I shake my head, "I should go back to Beth. Bye guys. I won't be a bother anymore."
***
I walk into my house still crying and run into my room where I find Beth watching T.V. she looks over to me, "looks like your in the dog house."

I shrug as I wipe away the tears, "can we just..."

"Can we just what? Ditch our friends? Huh Lacey?" She screams. "Why am I even here?"

"I don't know," I sigh as I lay down in bed.

"Stop being a bitch Lace!" she commands.

I sit up in my bed holding back tears, "don't you dare call me that! You know who called me that! My name isn't Lace! It's Lacey! You know that! Why would you call me that?"

She snickers, "you'll never be over that."

I shake my head, "I'm over it! God dammit! Okay?"

"Then why does the nickname Lace still effect you so much?" She asks.

"It was our thing. Mine and Holly's? Okay? get over it now," I roll my eyes.

"Where do you get the nerve to talk to me like that?" She asks annoyed.

I shrug, "the same place you do."

She gives the dirtiest look ever before speaking, "I just speak the truth and you just can't handle it."

"Last time I check I'm not the prettiest, but I'm also not butt ugly. Okay?" I scream at her. "And don't you dare pretend you don't tell me you never said that because you did! I remember it!"

"Well maybe you need to just look at yourself. Goodnight," she speaks before turning off the light.

"Whatever," I mumble.
***

I wake up to Two-bit sitting at the foot of my bed, "hey Lace. What's up?"

I shrug, "who cares?"

"I do," he smiles. "Are you okay?"

"Perfect," I lie. "Just tired."

He chuckles, "wanna go to the hospital?"

"Why would I wanna go there?" I mumble into my pillow.

"Because Sodapop is there," he speaks softly.

"Do you really think anybody in that gang wants to see me?" I ask him on the verge of tears. "I've only fucked stuff up since I've been here...like always! I'm not even good enough for my own dad......I'm sorry Two-bit, I didn't mean that."

"I think you did," he sighs. "Just not the way it came out."

I shake my head, "not the way it came out. I'm just hurt."