Inconsequential Love // Sodapop / Dallas Winston / Love Triangle

Part 15

Darry didn't need to do much explaining to me. When he said Dally needed to go to the hospital I didn't argue. I'd rather have him locked up in the cooler than dead on those bed sheets. I didn't care what they had to do - as long as they saved him.

Darry carried Dally's limp body back out of the room. I don't know what happened. Was he unconscious, or just unable to keep his eyes open anymore? He looked dead. He looked like it was too late. 

Everything was such a blur. My heart kept hammering out of my chest. Darry said I couldn't come with them, that we all had to stay home and he'd call when he could. I remember Soda not wanting to leave me but Darry needing him to help. I remember Soda pressing his hands gently on my face and telling me it was going to be okay. I remember him kissing my forehead and lingering for a bit before rushing out of the door after Darry. 

Pony and Johnny were passed out.  I just stood there, lost. Not sure what to do as I waited for any source of news I could have.

______________

"Hey, girlie, you good?" Two-bit snapped his fingers in front of my face, finally breaking me out of my trance. "She's good." He says, looking over to Pony and Johnny.  I rubbed my head, feeling sick. 

"Anything?" I ask, even though I already know the answer. I exhale, playing nervously with my hair between my fingers. "I can't just sit here." I say weakly, more to myself than to them. It had been hours. The sun was going down. It had just been coming up when we first came here and now the day was almost over. 

"You need to eat something." Pony tells me.

"You haven't eaten anything? Christ, girl. You were just throwing up yesterday. You need to stay hydrated, we're gonna be takin' you to the hospital next." Two says, agitated as he goes into the kitchen and fills a glass with tap water, handing it to me. I sip it numbly, not caring. 

The front door bangs open and Soda enters, looking straight to me. "Soda!" I exclaim, trying to read his face for any type of news "What's going on, what-"

"He's stable." He says quickly. "Darry's watching him. Come on, I came back to get ya." He says, holding out his hand. I get up quickly, as does Johnny. 

"I want to come, too." He says. 

Soda nods. "Okay, but that's it. We can't have all of Tulsa in the waiting room. Two, you stay here with Pony."

Pony looks like he wants to object but bites his tongue, sitting back down. I head out the door with Johnny, the three of us packed together in Darry's truck. I start biting my nails and Soda takes my hand, stopping me. "He's gunna be okay." He says gently. "They patched him up real good, you'll see."

I want to say I'll believe it when I see it for myself but feel too weak to even say anything. Two-bit was right, I really needed to drink. I felt limp, the emotional impact of the day and also yesterday still weighing heavy on me. Johnny doesn't say anything the entire time we walk in. He doesn't say anything as we walk down endless blank white corridors. He doesn't even say anything when we finally reach Dally's room.

I stop in my tracks as I look at him, hooked up to wires and machines. There's beeping, noises, the smell of 409 stiff in the air. Johnny rushes in first, right at his bedside. Darry takes a step back, making room for us but I still can't bring myself to enter. I can't stand to see him like this. I want to leave. I want to press restart. "Vee..." Soda says, hand on my shoulder. 

I take a step in. He's still not awake. He doesn't look like he's here, either. He looks so far away.

"He lost a lot of blood." Darry says, like we didn't already know. "But they think he's going to make a full recovery. They think he's going to be okay." He says, making sure I register this. "They asked a lot of questions about what happened, but hell if I even fully know." He says, shaking his head, hand on the back of his neck.