A Thief in the Night

Chapter 14:

Both Dally and I stand still, wide eyed.

"Congratulations" I finally manage to say after the shock has settled down.

But was it appropriate to congratulate them? There must be something bigger going on if they're getting married at sixteen, almost seventeen years old.

The smile on their faces showed me that they're happy, but knowing Darry, he would never let Soda marry at this age... unless.

The thought escaped my mind at the thought of Darry.

He's here, and I gave him the finger last night.

I quickly walk out of the house to spare any awkward tension between Darry and I, and decided it would be best if I head back when no one's around to sort things out.

I didn't realize Dally was walking beside me till he spoke, "do you think she's... you know" he asks.

"Jesus, Dally, I didn't know you were here" I told him, "I don't know, Darry would never let Soda marry at this age, so it's a possibility" I tell him, still confused on the matter.

"Yeah... anyways, we have a rumble tonight" Dally says causing me to stop walking.

"That's tonight?" I ask, and he nods his head.

"Whose all going?" I ask.

"All the gang, besides Johnny, Tim Shepard and his gang, Paul with his soc friends, and some more soc's" Dally says taking a cancer stick from his pocket and lighting it.

***

The sun is starting to set and the air is starting to become more cool.

The rumble is approaching.

I'm slowly walking towards the Curtis house trying to stall as much as I can, too afraid to see Darry.

But when I finally got to the front gate of their house the over thinking had built up and I was more worried now then when I first was.

The light coming from the window casted shadows of figures moving around; the gang getting ready.

I took a deep breath before opening the gate and walking up the few steps to the porch.

I didn't stop to think when I got to the door, I just opened it knowing that if I thought for to long, I would turn around.

I wanted to be here for the guys both before and after the rumble.

I needed to be.

When I walked in through the door, the sound of laughter and howling instantly got louder, my mood instantly lifting with it.

I look around to see that everyone was here, including Johnny and Sandy.

Darry didn't seem to notice his front door opening with all the ruckus going on and continued to take off his shirt.

Holy hot damn.

Muscles.

I tried not to stare as he reaches down to pick up another shirt, but no matter how hard I tried to look away, my eyes were glued onto the piece of art in front of me.

When he looks up I immediately look away, pretending to still be mad, but when I peeked behind my shoulder I saw Darry staring at me, not bothering to hide his stare.

I turn around and walk over to a now covered Darry.

Although I wasn't complaining about his half naked state either.

"I'm sorry" I apologize, being the bigger man.

Darry begins to roll up his sleeves to show off more of his arm muscles, "yeah, me too, listen umm, we don't have much time to talk right now, so we'll talk when I come back okay?" he says.