Just Another Winston

Troubles and Trials

Anna's p.o.v
    It's been a week since the supper Nadine and I had made and we were currently sitting in the living room playing cards with Darry, Pony, and my brother as we wait for Twobit, Soda, and Steve to return home from a party they went to. I lay down yet again another perfect hand and laugh cockily as I gather the pile of loose cigarettes and pocket change that we had in the middle of the table. "Another win for me, who wants to go again?" I ask while beginning to shuffle the deck of cards, "I'm good sis, I don't feel like losing any more money to your little gambling self" Dallas laughs and the rest of the group agrees. We settle onto the couch and begin to watch tv as I sit curled up into my older brother's side with Roscoe mirroring my actions in my lap as he sleeps. "The boys should be getting back soon but just be expecting Twobit to be rip roaring drunk when they get home. I know how uncomfortable you get so stick by me" Dal whispers to me and I nod in simple agreement glad he remembered the anxiety drunk people caused me to have. About an hour later, Dallas, Ponyboy, and I are still on the couch watching a random show after Darry and Nadine have both retreated to their rooms to sleep before we hear a car stop out front followed by slamming doors and harsh whispers with Twobit's laughter following. The screen door slams open and in come Steve and Soda struggling to carry a very drunk Twobit Matthews in which causes me to rise to my feet and immediately shield myself with Dally's body. I grip onto my brother's jacket as they lay Twobit on the couch where he tries to get up while Soda guides him back down and speaks softly as Steve goes to the kitchen to get some water.I peek out from behind my brother and inspect Twobit in which I notice lipstick stains all over his shirt and chest and neck and I gasp softly as I hold back a sob which catches my brother's attention. Before I am able to understand what's going on, Dally rips away from me and lunges at Twobit, " DALLAS NO ! " I scream out which is ignored as Dally advances at Two. He slams him against the wall so hard it feels like the whole house shakes before throwing punches and dragging him outside to continue after ignoring my pleas for him to stop. The anxiety in my body becomes so great that I then do the only thing I can think of which is to run, a habit that shows up when I'm stressed, I run out of the house and past the fighting pair and down the road while ignoring the shouts from Steve and Soda to stop. I run my little heart out before finally stopping on the far side of greaser territory and tiredly rest against an old building with the now noticeable cold air whipping around my body harshly. I sink to the ground and gladly close my eyes eagerly welcoming the dark tiredness that was consuming my body and soon fall asleep.

Dally's p.o.v
    We finally find Annabelle on the other side of town and immediately carry her shaking blue figure to the hospital where she is diagnosed with pneumonia as well as hypothermia . I sit in the chair next to her bed tensely as I hold her hand with a scowl on my face, daring the gang to say anything about the events that unfolded the night before with Twobit. Steve told me that even though he was drunk he cheated on my baby girl with a soc named Marsha that he had met at the drive in a couple months back. Everyone was at the hospital with us other than Twobit who was at home probably recovering from both a hangover and the damages I caused him last night which I didn't give a hang about. My sweet sister sleeps peacefully yet stirs slightly as I place another blanket on her body which hasn't stopped trembling even though she already has six other blankets on her. "Dallas you did what you had to do to protect her.It was instinct and you were so mad you didn't even notice her run past you, it's understandable" Darry speaks , pulling me out of my thoughts, as he rests a hand my shoulder and I lift my eyebrow in acknowledgment. Ever since Pony had found Anna , cold, alone, and unconscious, I had been beating myself up for not noticing she had ran off. Annabelle has always had a problem with her anxiety ever since she was young and I've always blamed it on our upbringing with parents who were unpredictable and unkind. I decline an offer from Soda to get me something to drink with the simple wave of my hand as he walks out with Nadine to go get stuff for the rest of the gang with my main focus being on my sister. After they leave, I watch Pony walk out the door as well before hearing him arguing quietly with somebody outside of the room which catches my attention quickly. I walk out the door and see Twobit and before slamming him against the wall with no hesitation, my face hot with anger, as I get in his face while my grip tightens." I told you not to hurt her Keith and the minute she trusts you to go out without her you decide to cheat on her with some Soc, you're the reason she's here, you're the reason she's sick, and I won't forgive you" I growl. I slam him against the wall repeatedly before I feel a small cold hand delicately lay on my shoulder and I turn quickly to face no one other than my green eyed baby sister.

Anna's p.o.v
I hear people arguing outside as I wake up slowly and see the gang before I hear something being tossed against a wall repeatedly along with Dally practically hollering which causes me to sit up. I quickly get out of bed and nearly collapse from being so weak which causes Sodapop to rush forward and loop an arm around my waist while helpfully  and carefully guiding me out to the hallway. I step shakily into the hallway before feeling my eyes fill with tears as I see Dally slamming Twobit into a wall before feeling my heart clench as I remember  what Twobit has done to me. I pull away from Sodapop and use the wall to support myself as I take shaky slow steps towards my brother before placing a hand gently on his shoulder. Dallas tenses quickly under my touch before he whirls around with a scowl on his face that instantly disappears when he sees me and pulls me into a tight hug. "Dally I need to talk to him,alone please, just for a second" I whisper in my brother's ear as he hesitates yet agrees with a simple nod and returns to my room after sending a glare Twobit's way. I lean tiredly against the wall as my body shakes before turning my attention towards Twobit. "Baby I swear I never meant to do this to you, I was drunk to the point I didn't know what was going on. The last thing I remember is being at the party and  then we were home and Dallas was beating the devil out of me, please believe me" Twobit begs as I stare at the floor with tears falling down my cheeks."I want to believe you Two, but with what I saw on top of what your actions caused me to do and me being sick I don't think I can" I whisper as I slowly begin to pull my ring off my finger. "I think for the time being you should take this back and it would be best if you just went home Keith" I say as Twobit shakes his head in disagreement while I place the ring in his hand while holding back a sob. I close my eyes to try and prevent any more tears from falling  and my heart breaks completely as I feel Twobit press what could be a final kiss to my forehead and hug me before pulling away. By the time I let my eyes open he's already down the hall  with his jacket in his hand and his head hanging sadly before he turns to give me one last look and steps into the waiting elevator. I stay in the hall long after he's gone,trembling as sobs slip out of my mouth, before turning to return back to my hospital room only to run into Darry. I quickly bury my face in his chest and sob hard as he wraps his arms around me tightly in return and stroke my hair comfortingly. "It's not fair Dar! Why would he do this to me?" I ask in between sobs and he shakes his head, " I don't know Belle but you got to calm down, it's gonna be alright" he whispers softly in return. I pull away from him shortly after and apologize  for the soaking wet mess that I've caused from my tears against his shirt which he brushes before I turn and head back to the room. Once inside I ignore everyone's stares and questions as I silently slip back under the many covers knowing things would never as they once were again and slip back into a dreamless sleep.