Locked doors

Part 9

TIME SKIP CHRISTMAS EVE EVE;)

I was in my room listening to Season 2 episode 3 by glass animals on my dads old record player.

When Soda knocked. I quickly got up and opened it slowly. He came in fast and hugging me.
"I'm so excited! Your finally getting outta here tomorrow!" He said sounding really exited.
"Soda calm down where is everyone?" I asked
"Work and Christmas shopping and Pony is at the movies" he explained.
"When you say Christmas shopping you mean Christmas stealing?" I chuckled.
"Yeah, nothing has about them has changed, personality wise"
"What has changed?"
"You'll find out, what time are you coming down?"
"Knowing them they still don't go to bed till, 1-2 right?" I asked and he just nodded "Darry to right? Since he has to make sure Two doesn't look for The presents?"
"Yeah. You'll come down at midnight?!" He yelled sounding really happy.
"Why not!" I replied in the same happy tone and he hugged my tight. I'm starting to get nervous... what if they're mad at me for locking myself away...
"You don't think they'll be mad at me for doing what I did? Like hiding?" I asked pulling out of his hug.
"No! They'll just be really happy to see you!" He replied. But I don't think I believe him... Dally often holds a grudge I don't think we'll ever be the same as we were...
"Jax?" Soda said trying to get my attention.
"Oh sorry I spaced" I chuckled.
"So how are you gonna come down?" He asked.
"Well at midnight exactly I'll come to the top of the stairs so no one can see me but I can here everyone and I want you to ask 'can I give you guys the present now?' And then I'll come down" I explained.
"Sound good to me!"
"Shouldn't you be at work!" I said realizing it was noon.
"No I have a different schedule now, I work from 3-7:30 and so does Steve" he told me.
"I'm exited to see Steve! We used to be close the 3 of us! Maybe we can work on a car in the back yard! No one can see me back there!"
"I don't see why not, if we could fit the ford back there" after my brother said that we heard the door open down stairs. Soda said bye and left my room smiling. 'Don't give it away you idiot' I thought.

TIME SKIP A FEW HOURS TO MIDNIGHT:

I was looking at my clock 11:50 almost time. I'm so nervous, I know they are like my family and some of them are. So I have to, I got caught up in my thoughts that it was 11:59. I made my was to the stairs and waited to hear Soda's voice.
"Hey Dar! Can I give y'all the present now!?" He yelled excitedly.
"Can't it wait another day?" Darry asked earning several 'boo's' from the gang and Darry have in and said 'ok' I took a deep breath and went down stairs. I stood in the kitchen door way looking a lot all of them before Soda gestured his hands towards me with the biggest smile on his face.
It was quite.
After the long silence Two-bit said "well I'll be damned" after he said that everyone smiled and came up to hug me.
"Welcome back to the world kid!" Two-bit yelled ruffling my hair.
"Yeah Jax we all missed ya!" Darry said rubbing my back. When everyone said there welcomes I saw Steve in the door way looking salty.
"You Good there Steve?" I asked, he didn't say anything but walk up to me and hug me the tightest out of everyone. His arms around my neck and mine around his waist with my head in the crook of his neck. And he kept whispering over and over "don't leave that long again" for a second I thought he was crying but since it was Steve I knew he wasn't but when I pulled away I saw that there were tears in his eyes, but none on his face. Like he was on the Verge of tears, and so was I but I don't like to cry in front of people. I just blink them away and it usually works. In this case it did. I wasn't sure what to do when I saw that, I just hugged him again. He hugged me too, but I think that made it worse for him but I don't know how to Comfort people.
"Merry Christmas people!" I yelled when he finally let go "what were y'all doin before I came down?"
"Well we were just drinking and Two-bit, Soda and Dally were trying to guess what everyone got them" Darry explained and I just sat down nodding.
"I'm sure you guys will get great presents" I said looking at my brother and he smiled.
"Can't wait to see your reaction to what I got you!" Soda yelled.
"I didn't think you guys got me anything" I replied.
"What do ya mean! We got you stuff last year and you didn't come down!" Darry explained, I just looked at him confused "no you didn't" I chuckled. "Yeah I told Two-bit to hive them to you" He said looking at Two evilly and he laughed nervously.
"Well they're probably in the basement or attic" Darry said getting up "Soda can you check the attic I'll get the basement"
After a few minutes Soda came back with and pillow case full of presents.
"Woah! I'll open them tomorrow in Christmas" I told them.
"No open them now since they are from last year!" Steve said and I just shrugged grabbing the bag. The first one I grabbed was a paper back not even wrapped, no card or something written of who it's from. Nothing. When I opened it was a small black box and I opened that it was necklace with a coke bottle charm. It made me laugh, it was either Steve or Soda who got me this cause I would drink so much coke at the DX.
"I don't expect you guys to remember who got me what but I'm gonna guess it was"
"I got it!" Steve cut me off.
"I was gonna say you or Soda"I chuckled "thanks"
The next one was nicely wrapped so it was probably Darry's or Pony's. When I opened it, it was a book.
"Thanks Pony" I said putting it down with the necklace. When I was done I got a total of 5 presents. Two-bit And Dally said that they couldn't afford anything and that every places security was higher and that they didn't want to get jailed for Christmas. And that they didn't get anything for anyone else either, or for this year. I got that necklace from Steve the book from Pony, a new switch from someone, a carton of cigarettes, and a lighter. Last year would of been really funny if I had came down...
"I'm gonna guess that Soda got the lighter Johnny got the cigs and Darry got the blade?" I said and they just shrugged. By then it was 1am, not that late for me to be honest.
"Alright well it's nice to have you back Jax but I'm goin to bed, night guys" Darry said going upstairs. And Pony said good night and followed him.
"Hey since it's late you think you wanna head out?" Dally asked when we heard Darry's door close. I just nervously looked at Soda and asked "don't the Christmas parties end at like 3 or 4?"
And Dally shrugged "yeah but there ain't gonna be any soc"
I sighed in defeat and said 'ok' they all cheered and ran out.
"You don't have to..." Soda said since we were the last ones out.
"I want to..." I wasn't lying I kinda wanted to... but I was still scared...
Two pulled a beer from out of nowhere. Dally and Johnny lit up cigarettes and I bummed one.
"Didn't know you still smoked" Dal said as he passed me one and I just shrugged. Soda and I smoked the same, to look tuff, and when stressed. Right now, I was super stressed. Only Soda and Steve knew that but I'm not sure if they remembered. I guess Soda did cause he suggested to go back but I declined saying I was fine. I was not. I don't think Steve saw since he was walking in the front with Dally.