Opposites attract - Dally Winston

Chapter 19:

I woke in a bed that wasn't mine and that wasn't the couch of the Curtis house. I looked around and wiped the sleep from my eyes to get a better glimpse of where I was.

When the blurriness from my eyes finally faded I realized that I was still in Buck's/Dally's room. It was probably around noon so I decided I would just head back to my house.

When I was walking out of Buck's house I saw the wooden door frame chipped from where the bullet hit. I got chills down my body thinking about how if that bullet was just a few centimeters over it could have killed me.

I walked all the way back to my house without being bothered which I was surprised about. Normally I can't walk for fifteen minutes without being chased, yelled at, or almost jumped.

I walked into my quiet house and tried to sneak into my room. I wasn't successful and I was caught by my grandpa.

"Where were you last night?" he asked in a harsh tone "at a friends" I said turning my back to him "Gracie!" he yells anger slipping through his voice.

"What?" I ask annoyed "you can't just go where ever you want whenever you want" he says harshly. In a way he sounded like Darry, a less scary Darry.

"I can go wherever I want! I'm sixteen almost seventeen! Besides this isn't even my real home!" I yell getting annoyed "watch your tone! This may not be your real home young lady, but this is the best you've got" he says pointing a finger at me.

"The best I've got?" The best I've got is a dead grandma, a dead mom, an alcoholic of a dad, and an annoying grandpa," I shoot out. He was about to speak, but I cut him off "maybe if you weren't so harsh towards your daughter than she wouldn't have married a dead beat." I spit out.

His face angry face went into disbelief and sadness, "and maybe you wouldn't have to take care of me" I say going turning back around to head into my room. 

"Get out" I hear as almost a whisper from behind me. I stop dead in my tracks and turn around slowly "what?" I ask, "get out!" he now yells out, his face going red. My heart drops, "but-" "this isn't your real home, I want you to leave... now" he says staring me dead in the eye.

"Pack your bags, and go stay with those friends you've been out with every night. It shouldn't matter anyways you practically live there anyways," my eyes begin to tear up as I slowly turn back around and head into my room that was no longer my room.

I sat down on the end of my bed putting my head in my hands. All I could think of was where I would go? I wasn't in the place to ask Darry to stay at his place, Dally's place isn't even really his, Johnny's home isn't the best choice, Steve bounces around from place to place, and Two. I could stay at Two's... hopefully.

As I begin to pack my bags I feel pang of guilt. I shouldn't have done this to myself, I shouldn't have done this to my friends... my family. 

***

My bags were packed. I didn't have much stuff anyways, so it wasn't that hard to carry. I didn't see my grandpa anywhere as I walked out of that house which I truly thought of as my 'real home'.

I quickly walked away not wanting to get more emotional than I already was. I walked down the road and was in sight of the Curtis house. I saw everyone through the windows laughing and shoving each other around. 

I saw Two there, he was drinking his beer, he looked tired, tired, but happy.

I then realized I couldn't stay at Two'. I couldn't do this to anyone. I begin to cry as I look through the window of the Curtis house staring at my family that I was throwing away.