East West Sunset - A Darry Curtis Fanfiction

Chapter Thirty

This was a predicament and a serious one at that. If Arnie thought that I was really a Soc, what would he do to the Greasers who had taken me in? I remembered Soda warning me to keep quiet about the fact that I was staying on the East side since Socs wouldn't like a "girl like me" hanging around them. I wondered if that was to protect me or to protect the gang. Either way, I had to warn Darry about Arnie, otherwise, something bad could happen. I already had a sickening sense of foreboding crawling up my throat; Arnie was going to do something big.

"Are you going to tell Darry?" I asked Steve worriedly.

He nodded. "The next guy is gonna be here for his shift in fifteen minutes, and then I get off. We can both go and talk to Darry after that,"  he suggested.

I nodded and began to pace around the station. I tried to keep still, but there was too much nervous energy bubbling through my legs, and I had to keep moving or risk it spreading throughout my whole body. If I stopped, then the fear and worry would envelop me.

There was no way around it, though- I was the reason for the current danger the gang was in. I should've been more careful with such sensitive information. I berated myself continuously for my carelessness, blaming myself for being so foolish and careless. I had broadcasted me and my mother's personal conversation to all of the people in the DX without even a second thought, and now that information was in the wrong hands. For a moment, I wondered what exactly Arnie would attempt to do to punish the gang and me, but I tried not to dwell on it. I remembered my father, gunned down in cold blood by Socs after begging for help from my grandparents. I remembered how my mother was afraid that Soda, just a baby but somehow also guilty, had met that same fate. My knees felt weak; I had to sit down at last. The gang was in terrible danger, and it was all my fault.

"Steve," I said weakly. "What's going to happen?"

He saw the set of my mouth and the look of fear on my face and gave me a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Diana, it won't be anything we can't handle," he told me bracingly, giving my arm a pat. 

I tried to smile back, but I couldn't stop picturing my father. I couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was going to happen just because I didn't belong.

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The next guy came late for his shift, so it was a little over a half an hour before we left the DX and headed back to the Curtis's place. Steve had called Two-Bit and Bryon from the DX's payphone and told them to meet us over there so we could all discuss the situation together. They had both assured us they would be right over. Steve's pace was brisk, and I had to jog to keep up with his long strides. For all of his outward confidence that the gang could handle anything, I could tell he was a little worried.

We arrived at the Curtis house less than ten minutes later. Two-Bit's rusty car was parked haphazardly at the curb, and I could see an old bike thrown against the side of the house that I assumed was Bryon's. Steve and I burst through the door; I barely managed to catch it before it crashed against the side of the house.

In the kitchen, Bryon was talking to Ponyboy in a low voice as Soda, Darry, and Two-Bit sat at the table in stony silence. Darry glared up at Steve as we walked in.

"What is going on, Steve? These two come galloping in here and tell me we've got a situation," he growled, tossing his head at Two-Bit and Bryon.

Steve took a moment to catch his breath and then said, "We're gonna rumble tonight."

Darry's eyes slid to mine for a split second, but they didn't linger for longer than necessary. My heart clenched painfully. "What do you mean? Did a Soc come by the DX and say something to you?"