Survive: A Darrel Curtis Love Story

Chapter 18

~ Chapter 18 ~

Blair Creed's Point of View

A few minutes later, as I put the last piece of tape on Darry's jaw, Johnny and Dallas step through the door. Johnny's got a slight black eye and his lip is split. Dallas has a cut next to his bruised eye and a bruised jaw. Other than that, Dally looks fine.

"Someone finally decided to come back," I grumble, looking at Johnny and raising my eyebrow. "You scared me." 

"Didn't mean to," Johnny shrugs. 

"I'm getting a drink and heading out, man. Didn't want Johnny walking alone," Dallas says, heading towards the kitchen. I sigh and turn to Johnny again. 

"Where's everyone else?" He asks. 

"Sleeping or out doing his knows what." I smile and open one of my arms, inviting him to sit next to me. He sits down and I lean against him. My lower back aches, but I don't pay it any mind. "You hurt bad?" 

"No," Johnny says quietly. "You cut bad, Darry?" I follow Johnny's gaze to where Darry's standing. Darry wipes his bloody hand on his jeans. He shakes his head. 

"I'm fine, Johnny. Lemme get ya a blanket." Darry walks off down the hall and I reach for my walker. Johnny tugs it closer to me and I offer a smile in thanks. I think I'm just gonna sleep in the chair. I'm so tired I could sleep anywhere. 

Darry comes back out with a pillow and blanket, throwing them on the couch before standing next to me. "Come on, you're sleeping in my room. I'll stay out here," he offers.

"Ooohhh," Dallas smirks from the threshold. He takes a swig of beer and I scoff, rolling my eyes. Darry makes the same face. 

"I'm fine out here, I'll just stay on the chair," I insist. This makes me think of the night I came and told them about Ponyboy and Johnny. "Don't worry about it, Darry. I'm fine." 

I feel my arms shaking from having to hold my weight. It must not be obvious to Darry because he doesn't try to help any more than he usually did. I shift my weight a little, but it doesn't help any. 

"No, there was supposed to be a room ready. Don't make me drag you," Darry warns. He must now pick up on my arms because he lifts most of my weight off of my legs and starts shifting me towards the bedroom at the end of the hall. 

"I'm fine, let me go." 

"No." I hear Dallas laughing and the front door open and close, so I can assume he left. Despite my protests, I wind up in Darry's room on his bed while he goes through his dresser to grab his pajamas--basically just sweatpants and an undershirt. 

"You wanna change?" Darry asks, turning to face me over his shoulder. I shrug and shake my head. It's just another inconvenient thing for him. "I'm gonna change, I'll be right back." 

I sit there for a second. I really don't like the idea of sleeping in his room while he sleeps in the living room. That just doesn't feel right. He's letting me into his house and what am I doing for him? I always hated being a burden, I always felt like I was Mickey's burden when I stayed at his house. I was always a burden to my dad.

I don't like that feeling. It makes my chest tighten and a bubble of air gets stuck in my throat. That's a big part of my staying in the church. Mickey wouldn't mind me staying with him, but I minded and I didn't like it.