You Don't Stop Living Because You Lose Somebody

12. End Up Here

"Two-Bit! Stop!" I speed past Steve and jog up to Two-Bit. "Two! Can you just hold up a minute?" He stops walking and I stop with relief. Only for a second till Two Slammed me into the lockers with his hand against my shoulder. A groan flew past my lips, as he fumed at me.

"No. Don't. Don't act like you care." His voice barked at me, and I stood there shocked. The hallway got dead quiet as people watched us, Steve down the hallway shocked. "You said that you loved me, but that's fucking bullshit. Isn't it? That's why I'm you're rebound right?" My mouth dropped. "Oh yeah. I know about that."

"W-who told you?" My voice was shaky, as tears began to brim my eyes.

"No. You don't get to cry Arella. Not anymore. Now, why don't you run off to Dallas. I'm sure he'd like to fuck you again." He spit the last few words out, before turning and walking off into the hallway. The whispers began to start as I stood there with my back still pressed against the locker. Steve jogs up to me and begins to pull me down the hallway, away from all the whispers. The bell rings as soon as Steve pulls me out of the front doors.

"Are you okay?" Steve asked as we made it to the side of the building. I shook my head and slide down the building, my hand tangling themselves in my straight brown hair.

"D-do you have a smoke?" He nod reaching into his pocket, pulling out his pack, handing me one of the cigarettes. He leans down and strikes a match on the building and lights the cigarette. Inhaling the smoke, I pull the cigarette off my lips with shaky hands as I exhaled the dark smoke. "Who fucking told him he was a rebound?" I asked taking another drag from the ciggerette.

"I don't know Ella. Did you tell anyone that he was?" I nod my head taking another drag..

"Just yesterday I told Soda and Darry after they came in and talked to me. I told them." He scrunches his eyebrows as he slides down beside me lighting himself a cigarette.

"Soda didn't say a word to nobody. Darry wouldn't dare. Did you tell anyone else at all?"

"No, I told my brothers and I told you. No one else." I finish smoking my cigarette and flick the butt off to somewhere.

"I'll ask Two-Bit where he heard it from. I'm sure he'll tell me." I nod my head ad I lean it back against the wall of the school. "Are you ready to back in? Everyone should be in class." I nod my head and he stands up, holding his hand out, taking it he pulls me to my feet. I readjust my hair as he opened the front doors for me. I smile as I see the empty hallway and we quickly make our way to the homeroom class all of us shared, Steve, Two-Bit and myself.

Opening the door to our classroom, all the voices stopped as they stared at Steve and I walking in. Girls began to giggle as I rolled my eyes.

"Ms. Curtis, Mr. Randle. You're late."

"Obviously." I mutter Rolling my eyes. Gasps fill the room at my sudden spite. That's when I noticed Two-Bits head jump up, seeing him in the front row instead of the back waiting for me and Steve made my heart sink.

"Ms. Curtis! I will take no such disrespect from you! Take a seat now! I don't want to hear another word from you!" I roll my ees as I walk past all the desks, girls continuing to giggle at me. Steve didn't follow me back to the seats instead sat next to Two-Bit and started talking to him.

"I bet she's late because she was sleeping with Steve Randle, just like she did Dallas Winston and Two-Bit Matthews." I stop dead in my tracks looking at the Soc with long blonde hair ties up in a high pony tail, her legs crossed under her pink poodle skirt.

"Excuse me?" I say, cocking my head at her.

"You're excused Greaser. Now go sit and keep your legs closed." The room grew silent again, watching the two of us closely.

"Honey, I'd watch it because I don't think daddy can afford another nose job." I spit at her and the clad 'oooohed'. She stood up from her seat and got face to face with me, I give her a small smile not backing down. She got more angry and shoved her hands into my shoulders, making me stumble a few inches. As I was about to punch her in her nose, someone lift me over their shoulder. Trying to see who it was I see a red letter man jacket, groaning I try to break out of his hold.

"Hey!" I hear Two-Bit yell as he ran over and dropped me off the shoulder of the Soc, and I landed on the floor with a thud as Two-Bit punched the man in the face.

"Mr. Matthews! Mr. Woods! Break it apart." The teacher tries to break apart the two boys as Steve came over and lifted me off the floor. He dragged me out of the door why the time more teachers ran in to break apart the two boys that broke out into a full fight.

"Are you okay Ella? That was quite a fall." Groaning I finally push Steve's hands off of me.

"I'm fine. I'm just so sick of people. Soc's want to get into peoples business and expect there to be no problems. They got a problem I'll show them myself!" I fumed with anger as I paced back in forth.

"Hey calm down. It's over okay? By the way Dallas told Two bit that he was a rebound." MY jaw dropped as I stared in shock at Steve.

"I never told Dally that I used Two as a rebound." I say. In that moment A teacher pushes Two-Bit out of the door, Two looking into my eyes with a glint of pride the teacher shoving him as he walked past us.