ANNALISE | Dallas Winston

twenty-one

—

i feel my heart ache as he says that. i don't know how to respond. he doesn't know dallas the way i do, he thinks he's just a no good hood.

"cause..i think i love him, devin" i whisper, looking down at my feet.

suddenly, he becomes angry. "how can you love someone like him?" he begins shouting "god, do you not remember yesterday?" he starts swinging his hands around as he speaks.

"i do, devin! and i'm sorry, genuinely! i hate hurting you, i really do like you, but-"

"if you felt the same way about me as i feel about you, you wouldn't have chosen him. you've wasted my time enough, get out" he spits and points to the door.

i give him an apologetic look and leave, just as he asks. i get back in the car slowly, taking a deep breath.

i rub my eyes trying to stop myself from crying. i must've made him feel how dallas made me feel at the beach.

dallas doesn't say anything, he just puts out his cigarette and starts the car again, heading back to the school. the bell rings in a few minutes.

we pull up to the front and i gather myself quickly before grabbing my bag from the back and hopping out.

i walk around the car to the side dallas is on and give him a kiss, thanking him. we say goodbye and i stand outside, waiting for the bell to ring.

it does within no time, and the students begin flooding out. pony walks out and smiles with a wave at me.

"how was your first day back?" he asks as we walk out to the parking lot to wait for sodapop.

"good, really good" i say, thinking of dallas.

i smile down at pony who's focused on my new necklace. he looks up at me with raised eyebrows.

"can it, kiddo" i say as i put the necklace under my shirt. sodapop pulls up in front of us and i give pony a glare as we get in the car.

"how was it?" soda asks as we try to leave the school, caught in the traffic of other students leaving.

"annalise had a great time" pony says with a smirk. i look at him with wide eyes.

"yeah.." i butt in "it was nice being back. how bout you, pone?"

he laughs "it wasn't bad. not very eventful."

"what made yours so good?" soda asks as we finally get out of the parking lot.

i fold one leg over the other, bouncing them. "dunno, it was just nice" i say.

"you check up on devin lately?" pony asks, trying to get me to break. annoyed, i sigh loudly.

"he's fine."

"dal got him pretty good, huh? wonder how dallas is..you seen him around?" pony continues.

i roll my eyes "christ, ponyboy, shut up."

soda looks over at me as we pull into our driveway "hey, cut it, you two. don't put darry in a bad mood."

the areas pretty small, everything is real close. we get places quickly.

we all get out of the car. "hey!" darry says as we walk in "how was it?"

i ignore him and stomp into my room, throwing my bag down. i quickly take off the necklace and try to hide it, but then sodapop barges in. i panic and put it under my pillow quickly.

"i said watch your attitude, annalise. why are you always having to cause problems?" he says, resting his weight on my doorknob. he narrows his eyes at me.

"what's that?" he asks, cocking his head up.

"what's what?"

he crosses his arms and comes in, shutting the door. he walks over to me, pushing me lightly to the side, shoving his arm under my pillow.

i fidget with my hands, knowing i can't stop him. i watch as he pulls out dally's chain.

his eyes widen and his face turns red as he meets my gaze. he clenches it in his hand "christ, annie didn't i tell ya not to go for him? didn't we all?" he whisper-shouts.

i don't reply. none of them know dallas like i do, they've never tried to get to know him like i do. they wouldn't understand.

"when did you get this? during school? that why pony was being so odd?" he asks, snapping to get my attention.

"yes, soda" i answer annoyed. "he picked me up during lunch to talk about what had happened" i say, sitting on the bed.

i snatch the necklace from him and place it back under my pillow. "you know what darry would do if he found out, right?"

"yes," i start "that's why you won't be telling him. i'm already grounded, i don't need anything else."

he sighs "and devin?"

"i broke it off with him..i mean, i wasn't his girl or anything-"

"doesn't matter, annalise. he really liked you, that was obvious. i hope you were kind to the kid" he says as he leaves my room.

i turn to my stomach, lying my face on a pillow. i groan loudly into it, trying to get rid of the feeling of weight on my chest.

i just wanna be in dallas' arms. it's comforting and cozy, but i'm stuck with my pestering family.

i get up and walk over to my shelf that has my record player. i scan through my vinyls and smile at myself when i see the one dallas had gotten for me.

i take it off the shelf and put it in the player. i lie back on my bed, facing the ceiling with my hands on my stomach, listening peacefully.

—

my eyes flutter open, i must've drifted off to sleep. i was awoken by laughter outside my door.

i look over to my clock and see that an hour had passed. the gang must be here.

i get up and rub my head, trying to wake myself up. i pat down my clothes that had gotten a bit wrinkled from lying down.

i open my door and walk out to the living room "hey, guys!" i say. i scan the room and see dallas near the front door, his eyes on me.

darry comes out from the kitchen "back to your room, annalise. you're grounded."

"what? they're in the house that i live in.." i argue, trying to make sense. why would i have to go back to my room?

"they're here all the time. this is the consequences of your actions. go to your room until everyone's gone. i'll bring you dinner."

i look back at dallas one more time before turning and walking back into my room.