tires

twenty-seven

"okay dallas when are you gonna tell me where we're going? i'm getting antsy. actually no, i've been antsy for this entire day!!"

"sweetheart calm down, we've got two more hours left. if you'd stop worrying then the time would go by wayyy faster." dallas assured his girlfriend, squeezing her thigh as he focused his eyes on the road.

eden scoffed and sunk in her seat. she had no idea what was going on and surprises were probably one of her least favorite things on earth. she was confused as to why dallas would take her somewhere so far away while the gang has to fend for themselves all while grieving steve. nothing was getting better in tulsa and all she wanted was to know if johnny was alright. she knew her boys were tough, but of course she was still concerned. the socs were getting arrested more and more everyday.

but with bail money and good lawyers, would they really be in the cooler for that long?

eden also thought back to tim and the rest of her family. something switched in them, and as per usual eden found a way to blame herself. she honestly had a gut feeling about her family at home and it wasn't a good one. tim is as greasy and a damn greaser could come so couldn't he defend himself and his family?

eden didn't really have an answer for that. she was so tired, yet these thoughts and the churning of her stomach kept her up. dallas had made her leave bucks at around 5am. her belongings were already packed.

each and every single one of her belongings, that is.

she's just been staring out the window watching the scenery change from city to city. she hadn't traveled all too much in her life so she didn't know where dallas was taking her.

"wanna talk babe? i'm kinda bored and you're staring out that window too hard it's weird."

"oh sorry dallas, i'm just trying to stay awake since you've decided to kidnap me." eden smirked.

"uh oh, she used my first name." he put his hands up in defense as the car swerved, causing him to laugh.

"you're such a dope sometimes i swear babe. but i really don't feel like getting into a car crash before we get to our final destination!" eden smacked his arm as they reached a red light.

"come here doll." dallas said lowly, cupping eden's face and kissing her.

she didn't hesitate to admit that was the best way to shut her up when she was angry. his lips and hers were magnetic. she pulled away and but his ear before whispering, "eyes on the road now hun.".

dallas looked straight to the road in hopes of her not seeing his reddened face and stood silent.

i guess she knew how to shut him up too.

————————

it was now thirty minutes left to their destination when things started to look familiar to eden. from the bars with wooden doors, to the leather flair jackets and cowboy boots...

she knew she was in texas.

she gave in after being so moody the whole ride, giving dallas that satisfaction of knowing she was excited.

"we're in texas dal! why are we in texas oh my god. there's horses, those bars where they have guns fights in the movies we see at the drive in, just wow. it's so much prettier here."

"you'll see why i drove such a beautiful girl to such a beautiful place. the rest of this ride is straight land, it'll go by quickly."

"gosh you can be cheesy i wish the gang could hear you sometimes." eden joked, yet beaming on the inside at his soft words. he really was a sweet guy but only when it came to her. he felt no reason to cover up in front of her anymore.

oh, how times have changed.

"baby i'm gonna need you to close your eyes okay?" dallas asked his girlfriend.

she looked at him with a questionable face then closed her eyes and leaned back facing the ceiling of the car.

the road started to get bumpy, eden correctly assumed they were driving on pebbles hoping they were at their destination. soon enough, dallas put the car in park wiping the sweat off of his hands. he was anxious to say the least, continuously reassuring himself eden would be happy at his surprise.

"okay doll," dallas ran his warm hands through his hair "i'm gonna lead out of the car and then you can open your eyes okay?"

"alright, you got me kinda scared dal." she chucked, earning one back.

"don't be."

he got out of the car and walked over to the passenger door, helping eden up by her hands till she fully stood up. he closed the door and snaked a hand around her waist, leading her to the front of where she'd open her eyes.

"open." he said nervously.

eden stood there frozen for a second till she took everything in.

in front of the two stood a small brown ranch, and a lake of clear water in front of it with a deck eden just wanted to run into.

and that's exactly what she did.

she took dallas' hand and ran to the deck pulling him in as they jumped. he didn't even have a second to comprehend what was going on before he was soaked in cool water.

as they resurfaced, eden just started to laugh.

dallas looked at her like she had two heads. "you okay there ed?"

"i'm more than okay, look where you brought me dal. did ya rent this out for a few nights?"

dallas looked at her, a look she hadn't seen on his face. not once.

"i uh, i bought this for us and johnny. ya know for when we run away together. i don't break promises see?" he had a lopsided smile, still nervous for her reaction.

god why am i so scared? he thought.

she hugged him tightly and planted her face in the crook of his neck.

"i love you." she mumbled.

"what'd ya say doll i can't really hear you?"

eden pulled her head back and looked at him. "oh i said thank you. seriously dallas i didn't imagine this really happening and with as bad as everything is, you don't seem to be the problem anymore but kinda what solves it all. johnny would freak if he was here right now i swear."

the two were the happiest they had been in that moment. they knew to cherish it because it wouldn't last once they got back to tulsa. they spent for what felt like hours in the lake joking around and play fighting till dallas carried her out.

they grabbed their belongings one by one and unpacked in their new home. it had one bedroom but considering it was a ranch, there was also a basement.

"so i'm thinking we should probably set up a little room down here for johnny huh?" eden said leaning on the wall of the basement.

"yea, i was thinking we could go shopping tomorrow and set up some things for the house."

"that sounds great but dal, my money and yours could only last us for so long. we should job hunt as well."

"someone's thinking really ahead i guess." dallas commented.

"i have to, well we have to dal. i think our little running away fantasy is coming closer than we think and i know for a fact you agree."

"yea eden, i do. but for now i'm taking you out to eat so get dressed. i don't want you to be thinking your head off till we get back to tulsa okay." dallas kissed her lips as they went upstairs and got ready.

things were only okay when they were together but eden couldn't handle the thought of leaving the gang behind.

"hey dal, if we ever left to go here for good, would the gang have a place to go?"