BLACK SHEEP | DW

016.

"you and i knew strange corners of life"
- f. scott fitzgerald

she watched the man package up the alcohol while time creeps along as though it's got all day. venus's dull hangover of waiting in anticipation had been evident to the store clerk.

"don't you want to check my i.d., sir," she asks contemplatively. the man continued to place the bottles in large brown bags.

he glances to her with curiosity, and behind his eyes venus can see a bit of humor. "why? i've already seen it," he chuckles. "you come in here every four days for a package of newport's, why would this be any different?"

the girl giggled nervously, taking the money out of her coin purse. knowing all too well that venus was underage, the clerk still sold her the alcohol against his better judgement. after all he had been a teenager once too.

"i come in here so often," venus said casually. "but i've never caught your name."

the older gentlemen smiles at the girl, accepting the money, before stating, "it's ralph."

when venus tries to introduce herself, the man cuts her off, continuing. "and i know you, venus," he said with certainty. "you're family has caused quite the commotion in this conservative town."

giving a nervous look, she grabs the bag from the bottom, hoisting it up in her arms. the bottles clang together before she lets out a concerned, "so i've heard."

the man smiles at her, perhaps in an attempt to let her know he does not pass judgement. "how are you liking tulsa, miss?"

"more than i expected," she said honestly. "i made some good friends. the kind of friends that don't mind where or who i come from," she sneered condescendingly. "we're having a party tomorrow."

closing the register, the clerk reaches under the counter and pulls out a pack of newport's, placing them on the counter. "that's great to hear, hope you aren't getting into too much trouble," he said jokingly, before pointing to the pack. "these are for you."

"oh sir," venus said concerned. "i haven't got money for those."

he shakes his head, still pushing them towards the girl. "don't you worry about it, it's on me," he stated stubbornly. "for your troubles," he referred to the obvious gossip that had spread like wildfire about the girl.

venus hadn't liked people pitying her, but free cigs were free cigs, so she accepted them before heading out.

it took a lot of effort for the girl to balance the heavy bags in her arms and walk at the same time. she could hardly see over the top, but if she held them further down they were bound to slip.

unlucky for her, she couldn't borrow neither her dad nor bill's car, so walking was alas her only option.

as her shoes scuffed against the concrete, beaten down by so many people walking about it on their daily business, it was like a scene straight out of a movie, a t-bird had pulled up next to the girl. glancing over to the car, venus had seen Dallas Winston. his left hand hung out of the window holding a lit cigarette between his pointer and middle finger.

he pulled down his sunglasses on the bridge of his nose, and looked at her before laughing in a mocking way. "get in," he almost demanded, but venus hadn't minded, she was if anything grateful for the ride.

she slipped into the passenger's seat and placed the bag by her feet. as the glass clattered together and made much noise, Dally had leaned over to see what was in the bag.

"christ, this all for you?" he almost laughed at her, while surveying the bottles.

venus rolled her eyes. "no, obviously not," she scoffed, crossing her arms. "i'm having a party."

"a party?" he recoiled in surprise. "i didn't get invited to no party. it ain't one if i'm not there."

flicking her hair over her shoulder, she surveyed the boy. "well then, i guess you could come," venus raised her eyebrows. "by the way, those glasses look ridiculous," she commented, letting her arm hang out of the opened window, mimicking the boy.

Dally shook his head, fixing the sun glasses on his face before replying. "fortunately," he started in a sour tone, "i can change glasses, but you, murph, cannot change faces."

venus turned her nose up at him, biting her tongue at his comment. she had only been joking with him, he didn't need to take it as far as he had.

the girl wasn't sure why she felt like she required his validation. after all, he was just some hood, someone that didn't mean much to her at all. but yet, she felt a pit in her stomach grow wider as she continued to replay his insult in her head like a broken cassette.

Dally noticed how venus failed to meet his gaze, and something in him, like realization or regret, told him he should take it back. but Dally wasn't soft, and he certainly wouldn't try to cradle the girls ego, so he just stepped on the gas, pulling recklessly onto the road.

"i'm on east king's street," venus commented after her moment of silence. "the white house on the end," she clarified as Dally took a left turn.

he hadn't given her any gesture to assure venus that he had heard her, but she didn't want to make herself look like a fool by repeating it.

they sat in silence for a while, the only sound being the grinding of the breaks that desperately needed repair and the whooshing of the air as the boy had sped down the beaten path.

out of seemingly nowhere, Dally had asked a question. "you got any other family besides your dad?" he flicked his cigarette, and watched as the ashes fell to the moving ground.

venus wasn't sure why he was asking questions about her, as if he were actually interested in her life at all. from what venus knew, which consisted of mostly things angela had told her, Dallas didn't care much for anyone. he certainly wasn't one to ask questions about other people, never mind act like he actually wanted to know.

"yeah, i guess," she said quietly, unsure how to respond. "my mom and my brother."

"you have a brother?" he asked, cocking his eyebrow in confusion. when venus nodded the boy pressed on further. "what's he do?"

"he's an asshole," she replied bitterly, biting the inside of her cheek at the thought. "just like my mom," she continued.

"sounds like our family's should get together and go bowlin' sometime," Dally joked, as he pulled in front of venus's house. he put the t-bird in park after breaking, and the girl unbuckled her seatbelt.

"thanks for the ride," venus said shortly. "tuff car by the way, is it yours?"

"what do you know about cars," he retaliates rhetorically, moving his hand from the shift gear to the wheel. "no it ain't mine, it's buck's."

venus's nose scrunched at the mention of his name but alas decided against saying anything, seeing as those two seemed like friends.

opening the door, and grabbing the brown bag, venus spoke after the bottles stopped clattering. "well, thanks again," she said monotonously.

"don't mention it," Dally waved his hand like he were shooing her away. "i mean ever."

the girl chuckled dryly, making her way up the path to her house. venus hadn't cared much about people who didn't like her. she didn't really think about those socs since the night they tried to jump her, and she never bothered to ask about gossip that might pertain to her, but something in her wanted desperately for Dally to like her.

she wondered for a moment, if what he said in the car was how he actually felt, or maybe that was just him having an attitude. either way, venus was sure of one thing: she liked Dally.