Simply a Greaser

Chapter 16

Early chapter because of this story reaching 1k reads!! Thank you all so much for your support and reads, it really means a lot!! I hope you enjoy the new chapter and I hope that everyone had fun over the holidays!!

I woke up to someone tapping my shoulder. I slowly opened my eyes, feeling a headache that hit me like a freight train.

Two-Bit was holding ice-cold water and aspirin, looking rough himself, but he was still grinning. "You look nice, as always," he complimented, and I knew he was joking but I still felt heat rise on my face.

"Same to you." I took the pills with a quiet thanks and chugged the water, hoping it would make the dry feeling in my mouth dissipate. "Are we the first up?"

"Darry's at work, but other than him, yup."

"So, why'd you wake me up first?" I sat up and wiped some drool off my cheek, quickly realizing I should've done that as soon as I woke up.

"I just wanted to see your beautiful face, of course." He paused, scratched his neck, and added, "And I need advice."

"Wrong person, sorry. Ask Darry for that shit. He seems like he has it together."

Two-Bit laughed. "Nah, he can't help me with this- unless there's somethin' I don't know. It's Katie's birthday soon, and... well, I don't know what to get her, and you were a girl that age at one point, so I figured you could help me."

I nodded. "Yeah, I can help with that. How old is she turnin'? 7-ish?"

"7, yeah. Damn. She's already 7." I saw something flash in his eyes, but he quickly covered it with a laugh. "That means I'm already 18."

"At 7, I wanted, uh, like a nice doll that I could dress up and shit. You know the ones- and don't get her some shitty one, either. Those aren't fun." I remembered some cheap-ass doll that I found on the road that I'd taken back in New York. I had gotten made fun of for it because it was so dirty and old.

"I got some money saved for it. Hopefully, it'll cover it."

"If not, there's always theft," I reminded him quickly, winking.

He nodded and added, "How do I know what the right one is?"

"How 'bout this," I said quickly, standing up. "In repayment for gettin' me water and pills, I'll come with you to the store and help you choose."

"I think that's a fair enough trade."

We chose a nice doll for Katie. It was a doll that I would've done anything for at her age.

"This is my humble house," Two-Bit said as we entered his house that was messier than mine. "Let me put this in my super-secret hidin' spot real fast and we'll go." He left the room, leaving me to look around.

I saw a few nice, framed pictures. One was of Two-Bit and Katie a few years ago, one was of them and their mom, a few were of them and family members and the third was Two-Bit and I man I didn't recognize.

"That's of me and Dad." I nearly jumped out of my skin at his voice behind me. "I can't- never mind," he grumbled. "Let's go."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to snoop."

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he snapped, turning around. "If I woulda known you would fuckin' inspect every inch of my house, I woulda left you outside."

"I'm sorry," I said again quietly. I didn't know what happened to his dad, but from his reaction, I knew it was bad.

We walked in tense silence for a few minutes.

Suddenly, Two-Bit spoke up. "Dad left right after Katie was born. Said he couldn't take it anymore and he had to go. I don't know what he couldn't take, but it was bullshit. Katie don't get to know her dad 'cause of that fuckin' deadbeat."

"I'm sorry. I really am."

"I shouldn't have snapped- it's not like you knew. You don't need to worry 'bout my problems on top of yours, anyway."

We walked in silence again, but it wasn't tense anymore. Two-Bit hummed a familiar tune as we walked along.

We walked into the Curtis' house to find everyone awake and hungover, except Pony and Johnny. They hadn't drunk.

"Where've the love birds been?" Soda stuck his head out of the kitchen and made kissy noises.

Two-Bit and I both laughed, and I playfully flipped Soda off. I sat down next to Dallas on the couch who seemed to be in a terrible mood.

"You alright?" I asked, smiling at him.

He rolled his eyes, then said sarcastically, "Oh yes, I'm peachy." He scoffed and took a sip of the beer he already had for whatever reason. "Found our Sylvia is two-timin' me again. And she's fuckin' Buck, a guy I thought was my friend."

"Sorry, Dallas."

"Ain't your fault."

Steve ran out of the kitchen and screamed, obviously trying to lighten the mood, "Guess you ain't good enough in bed for her, Dal!"

"Shut up!" Dallas and I both yelled at Steve in sync.

Steve laughed. I wondered if he was still drunk, then figured out it was a definite yes when he almost fell over nothing.

"Apparently Two-Bit is good enough for your sister, though."

"Shut up," I repeated, this time embarrassed.

Steve grinned cheekily. "Where were you two when we all woke up?"

"Good question," Dallas said, and I could hear the anger in his voice. "I been wonderin' that myself."

"We were gettin' a birthday present for his sister!" I glared at both of them, then stood up. "I'm goin' outside so I don't slap one of you."

I went outside and looked around. The real reason I was out here was that I had seen a dog running around through the window and I wanted to make sure it was alright. It was a big old thing, with thick golden fur that was coated in dirt. I sat and petted it for a few minutes, then stood up to get some food and water for it.

I heard yelling as I opened the door and rolled my eyes.

But I didn't expect a beer bottle to go whizzing by my head and shatter on the wall behind me.

Suddenly my chest felt tight like I couldn't breathe and I was shaking like a leaf and tears welled up in my eyes as I thought of dad.

"I'm sorry!" My voice was thick with tears and fear, mingling to make me sound incredibly pathetic, which I was I was- I couldn't even clean up right, and that was why this was happening.

"Shut the fuck up!" A beer bottle whizzed by my side. "Just shut the fuck up!"

Dad got a belt out of the closet and I knew I was in trouble big-time, and I knew I would be in too much pain to cry soon, and-

"Ava? Ava! What the fuck?" Someone was gripping both my shoulders and shaking me.

I couldn't breathe. My chest was too tight and I didn't want to be touched because they might hurt me like dad always did when he was mad and I was crying so much I couldn't really see or talk to tell them to stop.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Dad, it won't happen again, please just don't hurt me!"