Survive: A Darrel Curtis Love Story

Chapter 17

~ Chapter 17 ~

Blair Creed's Point of View

"I gotta go," Johnny says as the boys are getting ready to leave. 

"Like hell you do," I retort. "They're gonna target you, Johnny. You're not going." 

"I'm a wuss if I don't. Come on, I-"

"It's not a good idea, Johnny," Darry interrupts, coming into the room with his shirt in his hand. 

"The whole thing's happening because of me," Johnny argues.  

"It's only happening because they decided to jump you, that's not your fault. You're staying with Blair." 

"I'm going whether you come with me or not," Johnny says. "Once you're gone, Blair can't stop me. You're letting Pony go." 

"Ponyboy's going because he wouldn't get targetted like you and quite using Blair as an advantage." 

"Just let him go, I'll keep an eye on him," Dallas says. "We all will, Darry. We'd do that anyway. He'll stick with me." Darry looks at Johnny and raises an eyebrow. Johnny nods fast. 

If this was a Windrixville, I would be intervening. This is Tulsa and I don't know what fights are like here. Back home, there was rarely a fight without knives and chains, but Dallas says that this one is just skin, so how bad could it be? Depends on how strong everyone is and how many people show up. I'm still nervous for them.  

I know they can hold their own, clearly, but I have a bad feeling about this. Darry is strong, I know. Dallas can fight and Two-bit and Steve must be able to as well. Pony never described Soda as a real good fighter like the rest, but Darry clearly doesn't have a problem letting him go, don't must be okay. 

I remember them talking about how Johnny used to fight in rumbles. Ponyboy bragged about how good Johnny could fight, but I knew why he was so good…because I do the same thing when I fight. We don't know when to stop. Just by what I heard about his parents, I knew. When you feel enough pain, you forget when to ignore it and when to stop. 

"You look like you're thinking something," Pony says, looking at me. I shrug and nod. Pain shoots down my arms. "Whatcha thinking?" 

"Windrixville stuff," I answer. 

"Like what?" Johnny asks. 

"Windrixville fights, how different it is." 

"How is it different?" Darry asks, eyebrows furrowed. I shrug and shake my head. 

"Skin rumbles don't even exist up there, man. Knives at least. I got a scar from back to chest from a fight. I don't know how bad fights are here," i explain. 

"For someone who didn't want cops to find 'em, you sure seem like ya wanted to get caught," Sodapop laughs. I wink at him. 

"Doesn't help that my friend had parties every other day and 'needed backup.'" 

They shrug. 

"Fine, but you stick next to Dallas, alright. If not Dallas, one of us, alright," Darry says, clearly still hesitant. He turns to me.