Rough Edges | The Outsiders

Chapter 10

It had been a week since Monika left, Dallas finally bought a cheap second hand couch. It was a white faux leather couch and really suited the white bean bag. I bought a few plants and lamps to brighten up the room. It was starting to come together. I got the job at the coffee shop down the road, there was a mix of Socs and Greasers that went there -- usually Soc girls and Greaser guys come and look at their asses--

Because of my job, I got a bigger bed --Well, Dallas helped pay for it-- I had a bed frame that had sparkly cream drapes dangling down from it and pretty beige curtains on the window, I was feeling at home now, I like it here.

"Halloween is coming up"

"Sure is, Dal"

"What are you going as?"

"Ain't Halloween for kids?"

"Sexy costumes"

"I ain't gonna buy one for you to stare at my ass"

"I won't stare at your ass!"

"I believe you" I said sarcastically

"Ok, well maybe"

"There's the truth," I laughed. Dallas wrapped his hands around me, we swayed back and forth, from one foot to the other in the dim light of the moon.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Giving you a hug"

"It's the first time you've touched me since I was drunk with Monika"

"It's the first time I've had a hug since I lived with my parents" I smiled and turned towards Dally, giving him a real hug. He wouldn't stop smiling, I have never seen him this happy before.

I continued putting up stringed pumpkin lights along the walls. Dallas turned on whatever was on the Tv, he flipped through channels and couldn't find a channel to watch for the life of him, instead he grabbed the newspaper that sat on the table from this morning.

He read out a few things in the paper like the crimes, the dingo's daily shenanigans, Socs passing out in the streets, new stores, money, government issues. He started reading out a little article about someone who had robbed a jewelry store.

"Says here that the jewelry store on main street was robbed, witnesses say it was a man, tall and broad shouldered, masked face, wore a leather jacket and blue jeans. Police have suspected it to be..."

"Well, who Dallas? Who?"

"No one" We sat in silence for a bit as he flipped through the pages.

"Dallas! Why did you do that!" I turned around and stared at him.

"I saw a necklace that reminded me of you"

"You could've bought it!"

"It was expensive! Plus I didn't even take it, cops came before I could snatch it. I just ran"

"Dallas, please don't get caught. You should really stop stealing and just taunt people"

"Sorry"

"I'm sure you are"

"Laura! I'm sorry" Dallas said, I nodded along, he wasn't sorry, I knew he wasn't.

He walked out onto the deck and I followed him, we bought a little bench and table out there. He leaned against the railing, so did I. Dallas pulled out two cigarettes, lighting both of them, then passing one to me. I hesitated while holding it.

Come on Laura. Just take it, you can do it. But I've never smoked before. Well you should've thought about that before moving in with Dallas, you'll be ok. I don't want to. Do it. No. Yes. What's the point? Dallas won't think you're a wimp, he'll be more interested in you. But I won't get lung cancer. That's a lie, it's all a lie, smoke the damn cigarette.