awe sugar | johnny cade

chapter 10

CHARLOTTE BLARAKO

july 17th, 1963
tulsa oklahoma

i looked in the mirror and physically gagged.

my eyes were red and puffy from the night before.

my eye bags were huge.

i lost at least 6 pounds.

heavy bruises laced my features.

whoopty doo.

i sat down next to the sleeping johnny and something on his nightstand caught my eye. the note i wrote him. yikes. maybe he forgot about it.

i knew i would have to face the gang today, whether i liked it or not. they've been there for me since the beginning and they deserved to know i'm okay. i sat in silence with myself until johnny woke up. i wanted to go back to sleep, but my mind wouldn't allow me to.

"good morning char." johnny rubbed his eyes.

"hi johnny. i'm assuming you read the note?" i said, not turning to meet his stare.

————
JOHNNY CADE

"hi johnny. i'm assuming you read the note?" she spoke up for the first time since we found her, and i just realized how much i love her voice.

"i did. can i tell you something?" i asked, hoping to get her attention. she turned her beautiful grey eyes to meet mine and i blushed a bit.

"i love you too, charlotte. and i'm sorry i didn't tell you that before and you had to be the one to tell me, but it's true and i," she cut off my rambling by grabbing my hand.

"it's okay johnnycakes. let's go to the curtis house."

"are you sure?" i nodded.

————

the gang greeted me with sympathetic looks and i rolled my eyes and sat down on the couch.

i was still holding johnny's hand tightly and i was in his clothes. i looked like a mess.

"we already know what happened, you don't have to tell us again." darry said. i nodded and leaned my head against johnny's shoulder and squeezed my eyes shut to stop the tears. i didn't need to cry in front of the gang. i quickly shot up and thoughts entered my brain. where was i gonna live? was i gonna he sent away?

i opened my eyes and i was on the floor with dallas above me.

i waved up at him slightly before being lifted up into johnny's arms again.

"how long was i gone?" i whispered to johnny.

"a week." he sighed.

"char, did he feed you when he locked you in there? you look like you lost 10 pounds and you seem kind of dizzy." soda asked.

"the last time i ate was when i was with johnny, when he was ate my house." i finally spoke up and their eyes widened.

"you need to eat something," darry went to go to the kitchen.

"darry, i'll be fine," i started, but cut myself
off with a sigh when the whole gang shot dirty looks at me.

i tried to hold in the tears but i just couldn't. i tried not to make an scene by just letting the tears roll down my cheek, but it didn't go unnoticed.

"i hate seeing you cry, char." dal sighed and sat next to me on the couch. that just made me cry more.

eventually darry brought out my food and i thanked him and ate slowly, finally sitting up from johnny's grasp. my hand shook with each bite, and it was getting really frustrating.

"dal, is buck having a party tonight?" i asked.

"he does every night. i didn't take you as the party type." he raised his eyebrows and i smirked dangerously.

"are you gonna go?" johnny looked at me, concerned. i nodded and stood up.

"i'll see ya at bucks later, okay dal?" i smiled. once again, a fake smile.

"you take care of her, dal. or i'll skin you." darry pointed at him, taking my plate away.

i hugged johnny tightly and he kissed the top of my head.

"cmon, they've got to be a thing already." two whined. i just smiled and left.

————

charlottes dress

i put on my dress and did my makeup, letting my hair down in loose curls. the dress wasn't one i usually wore, my grandma left me a few out of my comfort zone for "special occasions."

walking through the house was like hell. though the mess was gone, the memories were there. i avoided the bathroom and got ready.

i knocked on bucks door and surprisingly somebody answered over the loud music, dallas.

"hey char, i didn't think you were actually gonna come. you look nice." he stated, looking me up and down quickly.

"thanks, now can i have a beer or something?"

"whatever man, come on."

————

10 games of beer pong later and i was wasted.

"cmon doll, i'm bringing you back to the curtis house." dal picked me up and carried me out.

"i can walk, stupid head." i let my head hang loose and he chuckled. he let me down once we got there and i ran into someone as soon as i opened the door.

"watch out, buckaroo!" i giggled and fell onto the ground. laughter from the gang erupted around me and somebody pulled me up.

"you ran into me, char." johnny stared down at me, raising his eyebrows.

"drunk charlotte is fun." two-bit laughed. she escaped from johnny's grasp and stumbled over to him, grabbing his drink and chugging it before johnny ran over to her and took it away.

"no more drinks for you!" he smiled. she whined and tried to squirm out of his grasp once again, but was pulled onto his lap on the couch. she huffed and crossed her arms.

"this is why i like dallas better." i slurred, laughing.

he pushed her off his lap and stared at her for a moment.

"fine, then go to dallas." johnny snapped.

he slammed the door and she looked over to two-bit. he handed her the beer and she chugged it.

"drinking isn't gonna help your feelings, char. it's gonna make it worse." pony said, before going to find johnny. i just shrugged and drank more until i blacked out.