Stay - Dallas Winston

11

When I finally woke up, I was curled up against Dallas’s side. 

His arm was wrapped around me. 

I woke up very confused. 

It was dark out, but everyone was yelling and jumping around. 

Twobit was drinking beer on the floor. 

Steve and soda were arm wrestling in the kitchen.

Ponyboy was looking at himself in the mirror, while Darryl was running around trying to find a shirt. 

Johnny sat in the couch on the other side of me. 

"What time is it? What's going on?" I sat up, rubbing my eyes. 

"It's about 8:30." Johnny said. 

"In the morning?" I questioned. 

"No, at night, dumb ass." Dallas scuffed. 

"Fuck off, asshole." I glared at Dallas. 

How can he be such a dick sometimes?

"Why is everyone yelling?" I turned to Johnny. 

"They're getting ready for the rumble." Johnny sighed.  

I quickly jumped to my feet. 

"Rumble? What rumble? How come no one told me?" I asked loudly. 

"Calm down," Darry walked over to me, and placed his hands on my shoulders, "Well... I don't think you should fight in this one.

"Why not? I like to fight, I'm good at it."

"Well, I know.  It's just... you're not lookin too good.  You haven't hardly eaten anything the last couple days, and you've already got a head injury..." Darry reasoned. 

"I'll be alright, I'll grab hold of a little one." I tried to convince Darry. 

"No way, Johnny ain't fighting either." Twobit chimed in. 

"That's right.  I've got court in a couple days, and can't risk getting in trouble.  I'm sitting this one out." Johnny sighed. 

I looked at Darry, then back at Johnny, and back at Darry again. 

I exhaled loudly, and flopped back down on the couch.  

"It's not like I have a choice." I groaned. 

Darry patted me on the shoulder. 

"I'll let you come to the next one." Darry smiled. 

"I'm smoking in the house when you leave." I crossed my arms over my chest. 

"Only one." Darry chuckled. 

"Let's go!" Steve hollered. 

The six of them yelled and cheered, as they ran out the door. 

There sat Johnny and I. 

I quickly lit a cigarette, and put it to my lips. 

"What was that all about?" Johnny quickly asked, taking the cigarette from my finger tips. 

"What do you mean?"

"You and Dallas..." Johnny trailed off. 

"I just fell asleep." I rolled my eyes. 

"Yeah, you happened to fall asleep on him." Johnny took a long drag from the cigarette, and handed it back. 

"You can think what you want, it meant nothing." I replied harshly. 

Did it mean nothing? Or was I just trying to convince myself that it did?

Johnny shook his head. 

"Whatever, I'm going home." I scuffed. 

"For what?" Johnny nervously asked. 

I stood up, and turned back to him. 

"To shower, and change my clothes. I'll be fine, it's not that far." I replied. 

Johnny stood up, and faced me. 

"It's not about the distance, it's about him. What if he's there?! He's gonna kill you one of these times!" Johnny yelled. 

He looked almost as if he could cry. 

"I'll be fine, Johnny.  If I'm not back in an hour, then worry." I reassured him. 

...

Well, when I got to my house, my father was there. 

I don't remember much, but being knocked around a lot. 

I remember him hitting me, and kicking me. 

I remember him choking me, until I passed out. 

I truly was too tired, and sick to put up a good fight. 

I woke up on the floor, about a half our later.  

I stumbled to the bathroom to look at myself in the mirror. 

I had a new black eye forming, and my nose was bleeding and crooked. 

Dried blood covered my face and clothes.

I had bruises in the shape of hand prints wrapping around my neck. 

Holy fuck, I was in pain. 

1,000 times worse than I was earlier in the day. 

The old bastard really kicked the shit out of me. 

My father was no where to be seen. 

I stumbled back to the kitchen, and grabbed one of his liquor bottles from the cabinet.  

I slowly hobbled back to the curtis house, drinking the liquor till I couldn't feel any pain. 

My vision was blurred, and it hurt to breathe. 

I managed to pull myself up the porch steps, and into the front door. 

"We won!.... what happened to you?" Steve said, as I flopped down on the couch next to Johnny. 

Darry, who was examining his busted knuckles, looked up at me. 

He quickly rushed over, and knelt dumb beside me.

Darry slowly took the nearly empty bottle from my hand. 

"What happened?" Darry asked softly. 

I looked around the room, everyone was all bloody and bruised from the rumble.  

I looked back at Darry, who had a worried look on his face. 

"I fell, down the stairs. I drank a little toooooo much." I forced a laugh out. 

Johnny stood up, and took me by the arm.

"Let's go get you cleaned up." Johnny softly pulled me to to my feet. 

As we walked to the bathroom, I locked eyes with Dallas. 

His stone cold look seemed to soften, as he looked me up and down. 

Dallas Winston seemed worried for the first time in his life.