ʜᴇʀᴏ

princess

later that night i woke up in another cold sweat, sobbing uncontrollably.

this nightmare just wouldn't go away.

Darry sat up and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to his chest.

Right after the accident, this was the only way Darry could calm me down... just holding me.

I wrapped my arms around him and just cried.

It felt good. To just cry and let out the emotions that i've been holding in for months.

He rubbed my back and kissed the top of my head, just trying to comfort me.
"it's okay, princess..."
he said softly.

princess... he hadn't called my that in forever.

I guess my crying had woken up Sodapop because he came stumbling into Darry's room.
"whats going on?"
he asked, rubbing his eyes and in a confused, tired voice.

Darry shook his head as I was still sobbing.
"nothin. go back to sleep, kid."

he kept rubbing my back and sodapop walked further into the room. i heard the floorboards creek and knew he was at the edge of the bed.

"Fizz? what's wrong?"
he asked, realizing what was going on.

"i said go back to sleep, soda. please..."
Darry said, annoyance traced in his voice

"I want to know what's wrong..."
Soda said, taking one step closer.

"please go."
I sobbed, holding onto Darry tighter.

Soda nodded then walked out without another word.

———————————

The next morning at breakfast it was clear that I had gotten no sleep.

I was still in my pajamas and I looked like a mess.

Ponyboy sat down, ready for school, and looked at me.

He laughed at the sight of me.
"jesus you look like hell..."

I didn't respond which made him mad. I usually fed into his insults but i was too tired.

"what? did you have another nightmare last night or something? I thought i heard crying... just figured it was our neighbors kid."

Sodapop looked over at him
"hey!"

pony laughed
"oh come on, we all know it. she's a cry baby. always crying about something."

Darry quickly walked in and pointed at Ponyboy
"watch your mouth kid! you don't talk to your sister like that."

Ponyboy nodded.
"I have to get to school early... track tryouts..."
and with that ponyboy left.

Soda looked around then at me,
"alright... why don't you get ready so i can walk you to school?"

Darry looked at him,
"she's actually gonna stay home today...Dally's gonna watch her..."

Darry had no idea about my crush on Dally...which comes in handy sometimes.

Soda looked at me then Darry.
"alright..."

A few minutes later, Dally walked through our front door.
"hey, how's it going?"
he asked.

"good."
Darry said.
"and thanks for doing this on such short notice."

"yeah no problem...you know i'd do anything for this knucklehead"
he laughed slightly, putting his hands on my shoulders and squeezing.

I was too tired to fangirl over the fact that he was touching me.

"alright let's head out soda!"
Darry yelled and they left.

I just sat at the table, my body did not want to move.

"alright kid, let's get you on the couch..."

I nodded.
It still hurts for him to call me kid...cause i know that's all he'll ever see me as.

It took us a minute but I eventually got to the couch.

"so...are you sick or something?"
he asked, sitting down in the love seat next to the couch.

I nodded,
"i guess you could say that..."

i fell asleep not long after that.

but i was woken up by a knock at the front door and Dally's low new york accent asking

"what the hell do you want?"

—————-
AN: don't attack me for making ponyboy mean lol. i just needed an annoying brother, ya dig?