Forever - Johnny Cade

Chapter 37:

I wake up in my bed covered in blankets.

The deep chill in my bones was gone, although I could still feel my body shaking ever so slightly, but it wasn't because of the temperature.

I sat up and looked around my room, my vision blurry from all the crying and my voice soar from all the yelling and screaming.

The lights were shut off, but light poured in from the window. Not bright light on a sunny day, but cloudy light from a stormy one.

I don't move, I just sit there, looking around my room waiting for my vision to return to normal, focusing on keeping my breathing steady, I was still shaky so I didn't want to risk another panic attack.

It was silent, both inside my room and out.

There was no wind howling, making the house creak, there was no rain drops splattering against the roof, or dripping off the window, there was no voices coming from outside my room. Everything was quiet, calm, and it helped to calm me down.

After a few minutes of sitting, I realized I was still in my old clothes, so I got up and got changed into some comfy sleeping shorts, and threw on one of Johnny's plain white shirts he left here on night.

I looked in the mirror on my dresser.

My hair was a mess, my eyes were puffy, my lips were raw, my nose was all red, and there was a big red puffy hand mark on my left cheek from where I was slapped.

I winced when I touched it, the stinging pain staying for a second before leaving.

I brushed the knots out of my hair, it was greasy, and my body felt grimy.

I wanted a shower.

I wanted to wash everything that happened last night, I wanted to wash away there hands and feet, I could still feel them kicking me and touching me.

I shivered, and desperately fought away the flashbacks, I couldn't think about that right now.

I walk out of my room, and walked into the living room, surprised to see the entire gang sitting there silently.

Darry was in his reclining chair as always, Two, Steve, and Soda were sitting on the couch, Johnny and Pony were sitting in front of the couch, and Dally was sitting on a chair he brought from the kitchen, his front facing the back end of it.

They didn't jump up to make sure I was okay, they didn't start asking questions, and I appreciated it, that would have freaked me out, they seemed to know it.

"Hey" I greet, my voice raspy, my throat stinging. They all greet me back with calm voices.

It almost didn't feel real.

Steve moved from his spot on the couch, gesturing me to sit, I did, thanking him as I sat in between Soda and Two, there warm bodies comforting me.

I was safe now.

Steve went to lean against the doorway to the living room, crossing his arms as he looked over to Dally who set his beer down.

"We were talking about how you need to be able to protect yourself, so after we found out you were okay, we went out and got you one" Dally says, reaching in his jean jacket, and revealing a switchblade.

It had a plain black handle with silver lining the outside of it to make it simple yet chic.

"You can customize it however you want" Soda says.

Dally stands up and hands me the switch, I reach out and take it.

It was heavier than I thought it would be, and it felt odd.