Deciding to go to the Curtis house after work was a bad idea. It's just, you didn't know it yet.
Things had been tight with money over there. Your boyfriend, Darry, had been under a lot of stress. You wanted to surprise him. You knew the whole gang was probably over- they always were- but you didn't mind it. They were like your family now.
You gently shut the door on your way in. Ponyboy hated the door to be slammed. But when you got inside, the only people you saw were Ponyboy and Darry. Darry was standing by the couch with his arms crossed, glowering down at Ponyboy who was sitting in his chair.
At first you assumed Darry was just being funny- pretending to be annoyed because Pony was in his chair. But Pony looked tired and fed up. Like he hadn't slept in days.
Darry didn't seem to notice that you were even there at all.
"I can't believe this. I mean you always do so well, but now? A D-! You're never going to get into college like this Pony! you need to get your head out of the clouds!" Darry was pacing back and forth in front of him.
"What if I don't want to!" Pony Said. "That's your fucking dream, not mine! Stop trying to live through me, because it's not going to work. Look, I'm sorry mom and dad are dead but there's nothing we can do now Darry! It's your head that's in the clouds!"
Darry looked shocked. "Watch your mouth!" He snapped. "And this isn't about mom and dad, it's about you. You're SLACKING." He Yelled. You'd never heard him get as loud as he was right now.
Darry turned for a second and spotted you, wide eyed by the door.
"Y/n..." he said quietly.
"I gotta go.." you squeaked suddenly worried that he was going to start in on you.
"Ponyboy get outta here.." you heard Darry say quietly. You heard Ponyboy's heavy footsteps going up the stairs as you ran for the door.
Darry grabbed your hand that wasn't on the door handle.
"Y/n.." he repeated. "I didn't mean to... I wasn't going to..." he sighed at a loss for words.
You turned and looked at him with tears threatening to pool over in your eyes.
"Just lemme go Dar." His grip only tightened as he pleaded with you to stay.
"Y/n I'm so sorry. I'll quit hollering at him I promise, please just stay and let me make this right." He begged you. But you weren't paying any attention to his pleads. You were more concerned with the grip he had on you.
"Darry please! I'll stay, just let go! You're hurting me!" You cried. He let go instantly and watched the blood flow come back to your hand. There were red marks where his fingers had wrapped around.
His facial expression said enough. He couldn't live with himself if he hurt you. He'd always been protecting you from bad people. And now he was one of them.
"Please..." you said softly. "I'll stay.."
"No... no." He said. "You don't have to. You should go- I don't want to hurt you." His voice was void of any emotion.
"Darry I'm alright. Just let me stay. Like you said- we'll work it out." You didn't know why you had the sudden change of heart- maybe it was the look on his face once he realized what he'd done to you. But you felt bad for him. After all- he didn't mean to hurt you.
He just sighed and sat on the edge of the couch. He put his head in his hands and just sat like that for a while. You watched the red on your wrist fade to a blue- brown color.
"I'm sorry." You said quietly.
He looked up quickly. "What are you sorry for?" He said in surprise. "You didn't do a thing wrong honey."
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't judge the way you raise your brothers. I know it's hard." He sighed and got up from the couch. He took your hands in his- gently this time.
"It is hard. But that's why I love you. You're here to keep my in check. Make sure I don't do things like this." He said kissing your forehead.
"I'm sorry I hurt your wrist sweetheart.."
"I forgive you Dar. I love you." You said grinning. "Now.. lets go get Ponyboy."
***
Epilogue: Darry and Pony ended up working things out. Darry was really sorry for hurting you and you had to constantly re assure him that you forgave him. But he still treated you like glass for the next month.
