Dream On Fire (Dallas Winston)

Chapter 14

It was very quiet. The lights muted. Comfortable and warm, in the bed, I opened my eyes, and for a moment, I'm tranquil and serene, I found myself confused about how I had made it home. The previous night was a complete blur. When I felt someone's weight keeping me down, I swiftly sat up, but when I saw Darcy, I relaxed. I gently shook her, her eyes straining at the sunlight streaming through the slats. "what time is it ?" She yawned. I peered at the clock, "one." I couldn't help but giggle as Darcy immediately stood up, her hair matted in the back. "I need to get home," she groaned, but I couldn't help to frown at the thought of the trouble she was going to be in when she got home.

"I'll see you later maybe.." she threw her tshirt over her revealing top. I walked her out of the house and watched her quickly make her way down the street.

"Long night?" Darry eyed my outfit that I hadn't changed out of. I nodded and yawned. "I'm not even sure how we got back here.." I answered truthfully.

"Fritz walked you guys home. Ricky and I carried Dally" Soda spoke up from the couch, I didn't even realize him and Dal sprawled out on he couches, Dally still asleep. Darry raised his brow, "Fritz Jones?"

Soda nodded with a proud smile, Darry looked at me surprised. "Stella's date." Soda added. I shifted uncomfortably. Darry gave me a look of approval. I shook my head, "we're friends."

Darry pointed to Dally, "he alive?"

Soda shrugged, "I'd be surprised if he was. He was pretty torn up last night." Darry cocked his head.

"I think he ran into Sylvia or somethin I don't know." He whispered, "he cried the whole way home. I guess she told him she was done."

My heart tightened, Darry looked suprised, "Dally cried?"

Soda nodded as surprised as Darry, "I know...he kept sayin somethin about how she was mad another girl slept over or somethin I don't know." He shook his head in confusion. 

"He'll get over it."

"When he wakes,  his prides gonna  hurt." Soda let out a quiet laugh.

Dally had spent the majority of the day sleeping. When Pony and I returned from getting milkshakes, he was still fast asleep. I was in my room reading when Darry came to tell me goodbye before he left for work.

"Is Dally still sleeping?" Darry nodded with a frown, "Soda tried wakin him, but he threatened to fight him." I let out a sigh

"His heart must be hurting. I didn't think he had one." Darry attempted to lighten the mood with a joke, but I couldn't force a laugh.

"Sodapop isn't home right now, so if Dally wakes up, tell 'em to drink some water." Darry said before leaving.

"I'm not his mama," I protested, but Darry had already left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

The sun was slowly setting, casting an orange glow over the room. Sosa was still nowhere to be seen, and I had hoped to slip out unnoticed before Dally woke.

There he was, sitting on the couch with his head buried in his hands.

I could see the pain on his face, and my heart broke for him. As he slowly lifted his head to look at me, I couldn't help but freeze in my tracks. His eyes held a sadness I had never seen before, and I didn't know what to say.

He didn't speak either, and the silence between us was deafening. "Darry said to tell you to drink some water," I finally mustered up the courage to speak, my voice barely above a whisper.

Dally nodded slowly, his eyes still downcast. I shifted nervously between my feet, feeling like a stranger in my own skin. It was as if the man I had fallen for so quickly had suddenly become a stranger before my eyes.