Hello Young Lover

Intensify

      "Hey Sodapop," Y/N smiled. The air was  thick and tense, an uncomfortable cloud hanging over them. Dallas shuffled slightly, his usually proud aura, now history.

      "Hey," he replied softly. "I didn't know you guys hung out."

      Dally coughed. "Yeah, there was a new movie at the drive in, and we decided to check it out."

      "Yeah, you know, Y/N you should've told me you wanted to go, I would've taken you."

      "Yeah, well you seemed pretty busy, and it's not like you offered her anything," Dallas butted in, gritting his teeth. Soda smiled in a thin line, his eyes falling on Dallys jacket, resting on Y/Ns shoulders.

       "Nice coat."

       "Thanks," she muttered, staring at the floor, and fidgeting awkwardly with the zipper.

      "Get home safe," Sodapop smiled before turning on his heel and waking down the empty sidewalk. Her mouth was dry, and she felt empty, a horrible guilty feeling in her stomach.

"That went well," Dallas suddenly said, putting a cigarette in his mouth. She looked at him. He had a bitter look etched into his face, the kind boy from earlier that night gone. She hated that. Hated the way he could turn off his emotions so deeply, hated, but also envied him for it. He probably never felt guilty, or sad. He had learned early on it was him against the world, and he had a sense of self preservation and coldness that she deeply envied.

"Yeah, amazing," she spoke back harshly.

"What's your problem?"

Y/N couldn't believe him. "What's my problem?" She scoffed, "you don't even care about what just happened! I though Soda was your friend."

"He is. Am I his babysitter, am I supposed to walk on glass near him? He had his chance to ask you out, and he blew it." They walked in silence the rest of the night, before they finally reached Two-Bits house. She had the feeling she had seen the curtain move as they approached, and was confident he was waiting for her behind the door. The pair turned to face each other once more. Dallas had a small smile, but his eyes were still bitter. He pushed his hair back, blowing his smoke out so that it covered his eyes like curtains. "See you tommorow," he said simply. He leaned in for a second, before looking towards the house, hesitated, and turned, leaving a confused Y/N standing in the driveway. She swayed for a moment, before turning and opening the door, to a sitting Two-Bit.

"How was it?" He asked.

"The movie was good."

"I mean with Dallas. Are you guys a thing now?"

Y/N felt herself burning. "No!" she blew up, "I'm not with Dallas, I've never been with Dallas, I'm not with Christopher, and now I'm definitely not with Soda! Can you just leave me the hell alone?!" Tears pricked at her eyes, as she whipped around furiously, and stomped to her room, slamming the door shut in anger. She threw herself on the bed, wiping a tear away annoyed, and buried herself in her pillow. A couple minutes later, she heard Two open her door, and stand for a while, before leaving and shutting the door, letting her drift into a deep and troubled sleep.

-

"I can't believe him!" Soda complained to Pony, who sat on his bed reading. "He knew I liked Y/N, he doesn't care about her, he's just using her!"

"Hey, if she doesn't like you, she doesn't like you, let her be with Dal if she wants," Ponyboy answered, not taking his eyes off the page. He was selfishly pleased, that Y/N seemed to have taken her eyes of his brother. Dallas wouldn't stick around, and maybe then he'd have a chance with her. He didn't see what she saw in Dally. They were complete opposites.

"You know, I was just about to ask her out today, then Dally interrupted!"

Pony looked up, irritated. "You were huh?"

"Yeah, I was, but he came in."

Pony was annoyed. He didn't want to give himself away, but he also didn't want to egg his brother on. He slammed his book shut, and looked at Soda angrily.

      "You know, you took my comb today."

      "What?"

       "You heard me. My comb."

       "The hell are you talking about Ponyboy?" Soda laughed.

       "You took my comb with you to work today, and I didn't have one."

       "I don't remember taking your comb."

       "Well you did."

       "Well...couldn't you have just used Darrys? Or mine? I probably took it by accident?"

        "Well, yeah...but that's not the point! You always pull something like this, you don't think about anyone but yourself. You're selfish!"

        "You're crazy," Soda called walking out of the room.

         "You're selfish!"

        "Hey, hey hey, what're you guys doin up? Soda we've got work tommorow, Ponyboy, you've got school!" Darry asked, sticking his head down the hall.

       "Ponyboys crazy. I have no idea what he's talking about!"

        "Ponyboy, what're you talking about?"

       "He took my comb!" They all stared at the younger cousin blankly. "He took my comb, and I didn't have nothing to brush my hair with this morning!"

        Darry sighed deeply. "Ponyboy, what's this about, and don't tell me it's about some comb!"

"What else would it be about," the youngest brother grumbled.

"I think I know," Soda jeered. Pony shot him a look before turning over on his side and pulling the blue covers over his head.

"Whatever, I've got class tommorow."

-

The music was loud in the bar below the floor of the dingy motel room Dallas was in. For a weekday, Bucks was doing pretty well. Drunks and partygoers didn't usually live by a schedule, especially in a place where all there was to do was get high, drunk, and dance. He laid on his back, bringing a cigarette to his lips, blowing a smoke ring over him, watching it expand into nothingness. He thought about Y/N. He thought about himself. He thought about Soda. The night had gone well, except for that last half hour. He'd never been able to relate to anyone like her.

Not knowing her that well made it easier. Everyone knew each other here, who was going with who...Y/N was new. He wasn't influenced by anyone's opinions of her. He realized the reputation she had built up for herself so far. Tough New York girl. Having half of Tulsa's boys in her back pocket without even knowing it. He laughed not meaning to. The girl, who giggles trying to stay serious, the girl who doesn't smoke, or drink, and lights up when she sees a Jukebox. Y/N, the boy punching heart throb. It was ridiculous.

Soda flashed through his mind, and he cringed. His friend looked pissed today. He'd never seen Soda look like that, in fact, Sodapop usually had a tendency to just look happy and dim. Lately, he always had this thoughtful look on his face, and he looked especially grounded around Y/N.

Did she even have feeling for the boy? For Soda? For him? For anyone? She was confusing, but he felt he was starting to understand her.