Hartley Winston

Chapter 28

Hartley's POV

It was weird only seeing Kasey at school, even weirder to see her basically become a soc. She was living with Joe and his mom now. Joe is middle class, but definitely more soc. She hardly acknowledged us.

Steve was struggling hardcore. He was getting drunk almost every night. Sometimes, he wake up at our apartment, or the Curtis's. A few times he slept in his car.  Soda was pretty worried about him.  I think we all were.

I'm 32 weeks pregnant now.  I'm huge.  Two-Bit thinks it's hilarious and he says I waddle like a penguin.  Unfortunately, he ain't wrong.  The doctors hope I can at least make it three more weeks so they have me basically laying around, which totally sucks.

Quinn came over after school with Two-Bit.  He is totally into her, but I think she's completely oblivious.  She's pretty weary around men since the assualt, but who could blame her. Quinn put her hand on my stomach, "how's LG today?"

"Busy," I adjusted my position on the couch, "being pregnant sucks a hard one."'I muttered.

"Had ya sucked, ya wouldn't be in this mess," Two pointed out.

I glowered at him, "yeah...no shit Sherlock." I turned my attention to Quinn, "how's Steve?

She shrugged, "he's been stayin' with us. Darry said it's fine so long as he don't get too drunk, ya know?"

I fiddled with a thread on the couch, "yeah...you, uh, you seen Kasey around?"

She shook her head and I noticed that Two-Bit gently brushed his thumb against her arm, "she's playin' softball now. Don't even acknowledge us."

"Huh," I was disappointed. In really thought this wasn't gonna last this long, "I miss her."

"I tried to talk to Joe and he said something just don't seem right with her.  He said she's either constantly studying or shootin' hoops.  I guess she's been hanging around Jessica Monroe a lot lately," Quinn spoke quietly.

I rolled my eyes, "of course she's been."  I couldn't stand Jessica Monroe, she thought we were white trash, "man, I hate her."

Quinn's POV

I wanted to stay longer at Hartley's, but I promised Darry that I would go to this therapy group for teen girls.  I hadn't used anything harder than weed in about a week, but Darry thought it'd be good for me.

I wasn't surprised that all of the girls there were greasers.  I took a seat next to Lex Brumly and Angela Shepard, "Curtis," she nodded at me.

"Shepard, Lex," I greeted, "whaddya doin' here?"

Lex lit a cigarette, "court ordered, part of my probation."

"Same," Angela muttered as she tossed her jet black hair, "how about you?

"Darry's making me."

Angela snickered, "heard you got into the coke and heroin scene."

Lex laughed, "sucked off one my gang for a bag of coke..."

I glared at her, "so what if I did? You've sucked of Winston for less."

Lex looked like she wanted to kill me, "and your point?"

I shrugged, "you call me out, I'll call you out."  I faced Angela, "goes for you too."

"You're a bitch, Quinn, ya know that?"

I smirked, "so I've been told."

Soda, Steve, and I arrived home at the same time that evening.  Steve wasn't plowed yet so that was a good sign.  Soda threw his arm around me, "how was your thing today?"

"It was a total joke," I said as I started making dinner, "the gal that runs it is a total square.  Thinks she can 'save us all.'  I thought she was gonna keel over when Lex pulled outta flask."

"So ya gonna go back?"

"Probably, Lex and Angela have to go as part of their probation.  She's definitely a 'Mary'."

"Mary?" Pony asked innocently.

"Yeah, like the Virgin Mary," Steve chimed in, "never had her cherry popped."  Pony turned about 10 shades of red.

"Lay off the kid, Steve!" I swatted his arm.  We continued joking around until Darry came home.  We had supper, Soda and Pony cleaned up while Darry read the paper.  It was a typical night at the Curtis house.

3 weeks passed and we had all fallen into a routine until the phone rang right before supper.  I listened and slammed the phone down.  "WE GOTTA GO! NOW!"