My Knight in Shining Armor

Chapter XXX

Adrenaline coursed through my veins, but panic stiffened my body—there was no getting away. My breathing became heavy and labored, and tears began to fall, but they were just blown off my face. At least, with my memory loss, I wouldn't mourn for everyone I'd leave behind when I died. I had nothing to look forward to.

Still, the situation caused me to shake violently, and I thought my muscles would give in, just from that, before anything else could happen. I could feel blood dripping into my mouth—I was biting my lips in anxiety so hard that they had started to bleed.

Me, Dallas, Steve, Sodapop, Wendy, and Wanda all sat in a corner booth at the Dingo, trying to decide what to order. I squinted at the wrinkled menu. "I guess I'll just have a cheeseburger and fries, like usual. And a Coke."

"Same," the other girls said in unison.

The boys stood up with mock confidence. "We shall report your orders and return with the food." The girls and I laughed as the boys walked away.

It seemed like everything went still and silent. The winds could no longer reach me where I was, and the sounds of the storm were muffled by my mind. I couldn't figure out what was going on...

Someone put their hands over my eyes. "Guess who."

My heart leapt and I smiled. I knew it was Dallas, and I knew he wanted me to exclaim his name and declare our love, but I decided to play along for a bit. "Hmm... I have absolutely no idea who it could be... you should give me a hint."

"What!?"

"I'm afraid I don't know you, stranger," I grinned.

"It's your blue-eyed blonde-haired knight in shining armor."

Darry took out the chocolate cake he'd been saving—no one had any for breakfast, and I had wondered why—and cut it into slices. The boys stampeded into the kitchen for the cake, and I thought I was about to be trampled, so I moved out of the way.

Suddenly, cake started soaring through the air, and I immediately knew it was being fought over. I moved back a little more, trying not to become the target of the cake-war, but it was definitely entertaining to watch. Watching the gang fight over chocolate cake was way better than any of the movies that had come out over the summer.

Dally pushed his way through and pulled up a chair beside me. He handed me a slice of whole, untouched cake. "Looks like you'll be the first to eat one," he laughed.

I couldn't help but grin. "it sure is chaotic over there." Soon enough, I was laughing right along with him.

As the Socs approached me, my arm was yanked hard, and someone lifted me up onto a horse in the middle of a stride. "Hold on," a gruff voice said with a faint New York accent.

I gripped the stranger and tried to slow my heartbeat. I'd been saved from one danger, but had I put myself into another? He rode back to the stables and jumped off the horse first, so he could help me down. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm alright. Thank you."

"No problem."

I took a good look at him. He had shaggy blonde hair that was so light it was almost white. He looked tough, like he never showed feelings, but I saw a flicker of humanity behind his icy blue eyes. It finally occurred to me that he was the guy that had lost his hat during the race.

"Oh, uh, sir... you lost your hat," I stuttered, shoving it toward him. There was a feeling in my stomach that I couldn't quite place—like butterflies, or when you go upside down on a roller coaster—but I'd never felt it like this before.

The young man smiled. "Thanks. You wanna Coke? It's on me."

I shrugged, concealing a smile. "Sure. Why not."

The wind and the noise and the fright came rushing back all at once, and it seemed that time caught up. But, as quickly as the storm had started, it died down, and the air was still. Whatever had hung in the air settled to the ground, and all was nearly silent.

But I had been remembering things... and time seemed to stop for those memories... and...

It finally occurred to me—my life had flashed before my eyes. In what I had thought were my last moments, I had seen my life play out, out of order. I suddenly remembered who I was and who I cared about—I guess it took near death for it to happen. I remembered my parents, and my brothers, and my friends, and my fiancée, and my job, and... my loss.

Adrenaline still coursed through my veins, giving me the strength I didn't have. Finally remembering everything—in such a traumatic way—made my knees weak and my pulse fast, but the adrenaline helped me stand. Golly, what a story I'd have to tell the boys—my life flashed before my eyes, and when all seemed lost, all was found.

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Author's note
This chapter hit some pretty big milestones for me. In this chapter, chapter 30, I achieved 30,000 words and 70 pages in Word (where I originally write it)! 🎉🎉🎉
This gives a little bit of a happy ending (not and ending, I'm definitely not done, but you know what I mean) I think. I'm not sure what's coming up in the next chapters, so buckle up I guess.

Your friendly neighborhood greaser, signing off...
Stay gold y'all ⭐️