Darling

everything is going to hell

⚠️Harassment, cat-calling⚠️

She walked down the unfamiliar street, knowing that if she could at least get to the park, then she'd know where to go from there. She thought about the events of that night. Thought about how everything can go to hell so quickly. In the blink of an eye. The past week had been okay. Until now. Poor Mary had been spiked and now Darry would be pissed about Darlene being home so late. It had to have been almost 2 in the morning at this point.

She continued to walk, remembering the direction she went with Mary on their night-walk. She was shivering and her heels were blistering from the borrowed shoes. She couldn't wait to take them off. As she was walking, she felt another presence, but couldn't see anyone or anything. She kept going, but looked around, paranoid.

Then, as if on queue, headlights from the small back-road she was crossing turned on, illuminating her face. A blue Mustang.

"Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t." She began walking faster, but the car followed her. There was whistling and shouting from the car. They cat-called and were overall being digusting.

"Hey pretty lady!"

Bob.

"Come on! You really gonna ignore us, sweetheart? What's a pretty girl like you doing on this side of town?"

The car was slightly swerving. Bob sounded drunk, and she assumed Randy was also in there, equally as drunk.

I wish I were home.

The car stopped and the boys got out of the car, catching up with the girl.

"You need a ride, hot-stuff?" Bob asked.

She looked over at them, "Don't you have a girlfriend, asshole!" She snapped.

"Well, well. If it isn't the Curtis girl." Bob and Randy laughed, along with the other two boys who she recognized from the drive-in argument.

"Leave me alone. I'm not looking for a ride, or sex, or a fight. I'm just trying to get the hell home, okay?" She said, almost begging.

"Aw come on. We can show you a good time!" Randy slurred, stepping closer. Darlene wasn't having it.

"Get in your d*mn Mustang, and leave. Me. Alone. I have nothing to give." She walked off, not wanting to give them any more of her attention, but she was still paranoid. She didn't want them to follow her. She was near the park, so she kept her legs moving.

She knew they were following. She heard the engine of the blue Mustang. But she did her best to ignore it.

"Just leave me alone." She whispered to herself. As soon as she walked up to her house, they sped away. They knew not to be seen by Darry. He'd f*ck them up BAD.

D*mn South side socs.

She opened the creaky gate, then shut it gently. As she walked up to the door she heard shouting.

Not again. More shouting.

She was about to open the door, but instead, it slung open, Ponyboy running straight into her. She grabbed his shoulders.

"Pony, what is goin' on!" She asked. He was hysterical.

"Darry hit me!" He cried. Darlene looked inside to see Darry and a concerned Sodapop.

Ponyboy ran off.

"Ponyboy, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!" Darry yelled, running to the door.

"Darlene, where the hell were you!?" He yelled again, noticing his kid sister.

"I was at Mary's house and I fell asleep."

"That's the same exact godd*mn excuse Pony gave me! Fell asleep at the d*mn lot! It's 2 o'clock in the morning! And I can't even call the cops because you guys would be sent to a home so fast it'll make your head spin!"

"I'm sorry, sh*t happens!" She yelled back.

"Watch your language!"

"Darry, I understand you were worried, and I'm sorry, but I'm fine! And you HIT Ponyboy!?"

"I didn't mean it, it was an accident!"

"An accident!?"

Yeah right.

Darlene didn't want to deal with Darry. She knew she couldn't let Pony be alone outside, especially with Bob and his guys roaming around here. She turned on her heel and ran.

"Darlene! Come on!" Sodapop shouted.

She ran back towards the park. When she finally got there she found Pony and Johnny walking together. She caught up to them, slightly scaring them in the process.

"Jeez, Darling, you scared me. You and Darry fightin' too?" Johnny said, a hand over his heart.

"Sorry Johnny Cakes. Yeah, Darry is real mad. I don't think I've ever seen him this mad. He hit Ponyboy." She explained, slightly out of breath.

"I know." Johnny said.

"We got along fine until mom and dad died." Pony sighed.

Darlene nodded, "Now he can't stand us."

"I think I like it better when the old man's hitting me. At least he knows I'm there." Johnny said.

"Let's walk for a bit. Maybe we'll cool off enough to go home." Darlene said, and hugged herself for warmth.

"Ain't you two about to freeze to death? Darlene, what are you even wearing?" Johnny raised a brow.

"Mary let me borrow it. Don't worry about it." She shook her head and chuckled.

Then, the headlights. That tuff blue Mustang.

"Look what's coming." Pony said.

"This is our territory." Johnny said.

Darlene nodded. "I bet they're looking for us. Wanna split?"

"Stay cool." Her younger brother said.

Even drunker than before, the same four boys walked up. They'd probably been drinking all night.

"What do you know?" Bob slurred.

"They're drunk." Darlene said, leaning closer to her brother and friend.

"It's that the guy with the rings!" Pony said.

"Aren't these the greasers who...tried to pick up our women? And the fiesty one." Bob said with a smirk.

"You're out of your territory." Pony said.

"Better watch it!" Johnny threatened his jaw tight.

"No, you better watch it!"

There was a moment of quiet.

"You know what greasers are? White trash with long, greasy hair." Bob said with a disgusted look on his face.

"You know what a soc is?" Pony boy started.

"What?"

Bad idea. Bad idea. Bad idea.

"White trash with Mustangs and madras." He sneered.

"Get him!" Bob shouted. And in the blink of and eye, the three teenagers were being chased towards the fountain. Randy threw Johnny to the ground.

"Stay down, pal!"

Darlene was thrown right next to Johnny, as the socs were all after Pony.

"Son of a bi*ch, grab his arms!" She heard from the fountain. They were drowning him.

"F*ck!" Darlene yelled, and ran to the fountain. She tried to grab Bob, but he turned and threw a hard punch, hitting her straight in the face. She fell to the ground. Her eyelids felt heavy. She wanted to get up and help her brother, but she couldn't get up. The sound of yelling and splashing slowly faded, and her eyes closed.

---
🥀🥀🥀
"Everything I like is going to hell
And everyone I like is living in hell
I've got no use for friends, only connections
Give me what I want and leave me alone"