Dream On Fire (Dallas Winston)

Chapter 6

When Darry went to work I sat in my room and read. There wasn't much to do, it was Sunday and I was pretty hungover from the weekend bender. I didn't love to drink, but it was pretty much all there was to do. I hopped up when I heard the front door slam and muffled yelling from the living room. I threw my robe over my pajamas and ran out to see what was going on.

Dal stood with his arms crossed while soda stood across the room. I hid around the corner. "Soda it wasn't me. Why would I do that to you?" Dally lied. Soda laughed, "then who did Dal? You were supposed to be watching her."

"Hey man, I'm not your little sisters babysitter. I saw her once and she was occupied by someone I hadn't even seen there before. She was with Darcy and Ricky."

"Just next time you say you'll keep an eye on her, mean it. Alright? I worried sick about her all night." Soda said softly and apologized for yelling at him. "Where is she anyways?" Dal asked nonchalantly. "Around the corner."

"Fuck." I muttered stepping in sight.

"Darry doesn't want you here alone so you have to come with me." Soda said grabbing his comb . I looked down at my outfit and motioned to my hair. "I'm not going anywhere lookin like this."

"Get changed." He demanded not looking at me. Soda was still pissed and I wasn't sure why. Darry wasn't even as mad as Sodapop was. "Well uh," Dally stammered, "are you sure? I mean she's gonna take forever to get dressed."

"Sylvia can wait." Soda sat on the recliner and watched the tv. I stared at Dally with my mouth gaped. Sylvia? Dal shook his head slowly. Soda looked over at me, "get dressed."

"I'm not going." Watching dally and Sylvia was the last thing I wanted to do. I felt stupid, but I can't say it was surprising. Dally was Dally and well, he was the biggest dog in Tulsa. Pony was right, I was better off with a guy like Bob. But I didn't want Bob the way I wanted Dally. Bob couldn't make me come undone just by words or blush just by looking at me. His touch wasn't soft like Dals, my skin didn't tingle. I didn't realize how hard I was griping my fist. I released.

"You are. No choice, or you'll really be grounded." He turned his attention back to the tv. Dally didn't take his eyes off me, almost like he was trying to communicate with just his stare. "Fuck you" I mouthed before going to my room. I searched through my outfits. Thinking about Sylvia's beauty, it seemed like nothing I had compared. No matter what I wore, she was going to over shadow me. I took the curlers out of my hair and painted my lips red. It was all I was seeing. I was angry, no- furious with Dally. I grabbed my sunglasses, hoping that it could hide me from making eye contact with Dally. I wasn't sure where we were going, I wasn't sure if my leather skirt and tied shirt was appropriate.

I walked past the boys and out of the house and waited for them on the porch. I stared at the spot where Dally and I had our moment. I visioned it all over agin. I could feel his lips on mine.

I followed behind Soda and Dally, when they tried to wait for me, I slowed down even more. Soda didn't bother me. Dally tried getting my attention a few times but I ignored him. He finally gave up. When we got to Dairy Queen, Sylvia was waiting with crossed arms. If I clenched my teeth any harder I was sure they would've shattered.

"Dally baby" she whined. "I thought you were gonna make me wait forever." She kissed his and locked their fingers. A year ago, I would've wished to be Sylvia. Her beauty you can't deny, but I have no desire to be one of the girls with the ponytails and the constant need to be "the attention." I am thrilled to finally be allowed to be myself, even if it is still under certain confines.  For as long as I could remember, people have told me that i am pretty. This came from guys more than it came from girls. It came from my mom more than it came from guys. The short time I had with her, she made me feel like I was the most beautiful girl on the planet. I was her only girl. Every morning she started it off with daily affirmations, to remind me beauty wasn't outward, but what was inside. As she brushed my hair that resembled hers, she often said "the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." It was her favorite line in the book of Peter.