Under The Willow Tree

Chapter 9

(Last chapter (for right now) of colab with Gg aka PonyboiCurtisFan)

Callie's POV

My first day back to high school went well. As I expected, mild teasing and snark comments from Socs and a few from just general students. Eating lunch alone in the courtyard, and boring classes that seemed to drag on for decades. By the time I finally walked back to the Curtis house it was as if I’d been hit by a truck of exhaustion. 

I had forgotten how hard and stressful school was. Not to mention all the excused missing work I had to do. The only reason I didn’t get into trouble with the court for missing school was because of my ‘extenuating family circumstances’ aka this kid is having some major issues at home. 

I opened the door to the Curtis house, sliding my backpack off my shoulder and tossing it next to the couch before flopping over the edge and onto the cushions. 

I heard footsteps in one of the back bedrooms and my eyebrows knitted together. Ponyboy was doing homework with Johnny, and Darry forever had jobs to do. plus, I thought Soda was at the DX?

Soda's POV

I was at the DX with Steve, who was supposed to be working. But neither of us were. Steve and I were trying to plan something special. And by that I mean we were trying to think of ways to help me ask out the girl of my dreams, Callie.

“So. What exactly are you even planning to do? She seems kinda… I don’t know. Easily surprised to me.” Steve shrugs, trying to put his feelings lightly. I mean I could tell he liked Callie, heck we all did, but he was right she was kinda fragile. Like a super tough piece of glass that had gotten so many cracks in it if you dropped it at the perfect angle, it would shatter.

"Well, I don't really know. I don't want to seem too....cheesy-?" I said, nervously chuckling. I knew I could be pretty cheesy but I can't be cheesy now. I want this to be romantic and sweet. Just like she is.

“You don’t sound cheesy.” Steve shrugged. We ran through dozens of ideas. Then he glanced at the clock and said. “Isn’t your girlfriend going to be home along right now? school’s out.”

I pretended to ignore the girlfriend part. 

“Oh, crap! Dal’s killing me!” I ran to grab my jacket so I could get home.

Callie’s POV

The clock in the kitchen was ticking in time with my breaths. And it only drove the anxious part of my brain to come out. 

Tick. One thought. 

Tock. Another thought 

Tick. 

Footsteps. I glanced down the hallway that led to the bedroom. “Pony?” I call out, thinking he might have just come home early from doing homework with Johnny. 

I heard more footsteps, narrowed my eyes, and grabbed a blunt object off the table. A binder or a textbook, I wasn’t thinking straight enough to tell. I edged my way toward the hallway. 

“You can’t escape me bitch.” My dad snapped, one hand clamping onto my mouth so tight I couldn’t even make a sound before he grabbed me. 

That’s when I heard the front door slam shut and Soda call, “Callie?”

I heard Soda's voice and I immediately started trying to make as much noise and sound as possible.

*Cmon Soda!* I thought and started kicking my feet around when my father grabbed me and pulled me over his shoulder. I tried punching his back but it was like he didn't even notice it.

I bit my dad’s palm, tasting a bit of blood, and he flinched, moving his hand away. 

“SODA!” I managed to scream louder than I ever had. Half the neighborhood could probably hear me. 

I could hear him yell my name back to me and he started running all around the house, trying to find me. 

My dad slapped me hard after I yelled and I swear I could've passed out. My head got fuzzy, and the lights seemed to buzz, but I was trying to be strong. The hit was rough and I became very very weak.

My body felt limp and I slumped against the wall, trying my best to get away from him without passing out. 

It was loud. God so so loud. It was so loud it sounded like silence, words blurring together into a same-tone song. 

I looked up and blinked when I saw Soda. I was too disoriented to even move or say anything.

"......lie........on.......k??" was all I could hear from Soda. The figure of him moved closer and when I felt a pair of hands gently get placed under my chin and my cheek.

Then, I blacked out.

Word count: 805