Hartley Winston

Chapter 14

Soda's POV

Quinn hadn't come home yet.  Nobody knew where she was.  I was a wreck.  I paced around the house, smoked cigarette after cigarette.

Darry sat by the phone, "Soda, did you know Quinn was hanging out with Joe again?"

I stared at him as if he had grown 2 heads, "really? Quinn is gone and thats what you're worried about?  Yeah, they started hanging out again."

Ponyboy sat on the couch, chewing on his fingernails, "Pone, she's gonna be fine." Hart tried to comfort him. 

I hugged my little brother, "she'll be fine."

He glared at me, "this is your fault, ya know."

I started to reply, but the phone cut me off.  Ponyboy and Hartley jumped up.  I held my breath as Darry picked it up, "Hello?" he paused, I could hear a frantic male voice on the other end, "what happened? Is she alright?"  Color drained from Darry's face, "are you sure?" He paused again.  "Stay there, we're on our way?"

"Where is she?  Is she ok?  Who was that?" I fired questions at him.

"She's at the hospital.  Joe found her." 

I narrowed my eyes.  Darry wasn't telling the whole truth, "Darry? What happened?"

"She was raped." His eyes filled with tears.  "We have to go!  I didn't move, "Soda, we gotta go now!" He spoke with an urgency I hadn't heard before.

Hartley's POV

I started to follow, but Dally held me back, "Not right now."

"But Dally," I looked at Dal with so much pain in my eyes, "Quinn is my best friend."

"I know, but they need time." I stared at my brother skeptically, "and you need to rest."

"Who are you and what did you do with Dally?"  I tried to make a joke, but it didn't come out right.  My voice cracked and I felt a tear slide down my cheek.

"Hart," what Dally did next just about gave me a heart attack...he hugged me, like really hugged me and to my surprise, I hugged him back, "c'mon, lets go to the apartment."

Still in shock that we hugged, I picked up my duffle bag and followed after my big brother.

Quinn's POV

Much to my dismay, Joe took me straight to the hospital.  I begged him just to take me home, but he refused.  When we pulled into the parking lot, he took off his hoodie and gave it to me, "you gonna be cold?" I asked him in a deadpan tone.

"Really Quinn? after everything you just went through, you're worried bout me being cold?" 

I just shrugged.  I didn't feel like I was in my right mind.  I was shivering, but I wasn't cold.  My brain felt foggy, but I was wired, like I was on some kind of adrenaline high.  Joe led me to the entrance.  I must have looked like hell because a nurse rushed over to me and called for help.  Two other nurses came and took me back to a room, "call home!" I yelled at him before he was out of sight.

"Honey?" One of the nurses asked me, "what's your name, sweetheart?"

"Quinn Curtis."  I winced as she wiped the blood away froms my nose.

"Quinn, can you tell me what happened?"

"Me and Soda had a fight."

"What?" The nurse asked, confused.  If I had been in my right frame of mind, I would of explained it better.

"My boyfriend, well no ex boyfriend, was cheating on me with Sandy and when I told Soda he got real upset and we fought. Oh no! We never fight I bet he hates me what am I going to tell them what am I gonna say." I rambled on and on.

"Quinn, what happened?" The nurse in front of me grabbed my hands.

"I had a fight with Soda and I ran outta the house. I needed a break and I went for a run but I didn't know where I was until I ran into Chase and he started talking to me and I told him about the fight and then," I started to tremble, "and then," I couldn't bring myself to say it again.

"It's ok, honey," one of the nurses rubbed my arm gently.

"No no no, it's not ok!" I felt hysterical, "it will never be ok!  I said no!  I told him to stop!  I didn't...oh my god...what if I get pregnant like Hartley...." my breathing became fast and I felt lightheaded.

"Quinn, breathe..." a nurse rubbed my back, "slow your breathing down, you're going to hyperventilate."

"I want my mom!"  I cried out, "please, I want my mommy!"