Inconsquential Love ((Part Two))

Part 6

The next night I had the place to myself. I had slept in, needing to recuperate from yesterday which was pretty much just me and Pony and Johnny catching up and playing Yahtzee. Pony was a little too happy to see me come back late (or early) from Soda's and I wasn't sure why. He had never seemed all that interested about it when we were younger - I'm pretty sure Soda could have been dating anyone and it wouldn't have mattered one way or the other to him, so why did he suddenly care?

I was writing in my journal, trying to keep my head straight when a loud knock came to the door. I knew it couldn't have been Johnny or Pony because Johnny wasn't going to be home til eleven and Pony was spending the night at his girl's place. I stood quickly, answering it hesitantly to see Dally standing there with the weight of Soda under his arms. 

He falters upon seeing me for a bit but then pushes past me, slugging him in and down on the couch like it's nothing. I follow in behind him, confused and suddenly anxious, scared.  "Pony or Johnny here?" He asks gruffly. I shake my head as I look at the unconscious Soda and Dally must notice my confusion because he exhales loudly. "He always does this shit. I usually bring him here to stop Darry from hounding him."

"He does this a lot?" I ask, rubbing the back of my neck. Dally doesn't answer. I pick up a blanket off the armrest and lean down, draping it over him and turning his head on the side a little. Didn't want him to choke on his own sick.

My necklace slips out from beneath my shirt and dangles for a moment.  I stand back up quickly upon realizing but it's too late, I see Dallys eyes on it and I reach for it quickly, forgetting I had it on. 

"Dally come on I'm tired just-" I hear a female voice break-in as she suddenly appears in the front door. Dally spins around quick like he's doing something wrong and when Slyvia see's me her expression turns into a scowl. "Oh. It's you." She says. "I heard you were back, didn't know you were shacked up with Johnny." I don't respond because I don't feel like I owe her an explanation, so I just cross my arms and wait for her to leave. Honestly if I get into it with her now I know things aren't going to end well and I don't feel like destroying Johnnys apartment over someone clearly not worth it. "This why you made me stay in the car, Dal?" She laughs. "So you can flirt with your little ex-girlfriend?" Her voice is joking, insulting and rude. I want to slug her and pull out those tacky fake extensions from her skull - but I push it down and try to ignore this.

"No." He says sounding bored. "Just wanted to get this over with. Besides, I didn't even know she was here." He says as he walks over to Slyvia and puts his arm around her. He looks over to me and down to my necklace so I quickly brush my hair to the front to hide it - hoping if anything she didn't see it. I'm sure that would be a field day. "Make sure you get some water and food in him - got it?" He says, seeming so controlling and cold to me so I just nod, bite my lip. I wanted him to get the hell out of here and away from me. The both of them.

Once he finally leaves I lock the door and look toward Soda on the couch. 

Please tell me he was just acting this way because he lost his friend, please don't let this be a regular thing with him now. 

I sigh, realizing I have nowhere to sleep now. I look toward Ponys room which is empty. Sometimes he'd come home late or not at all - opting to spend the night at his girlfriends which he was suppose to do tonight.

Reluctantly, I climb into his sheets which smell oddly enough like vanilla and cashmere. I leave the door so I can hear Soda if he starts puking or if Pony comes home.

_________

"Well, well, well, my own brother." I hear Soda say. I peek my eyes open to see him standing in the doorway, arms folded and a playful smile on his lips. He doesn't look anything like he did last night - kid can surely bounce back fast.