Dream On Fire (Dallas Winston)

Chapter 15

His gentle touch sent shivers down my spine as his fingers danced across my skin. I had fallen asleep quickly, his warmth enveloping me like a comforting blanket. My heart pounded with fear as the unexpected knock on the door shattered our perfect moment. Dally and I scrambled to our feet, a sense of panic overtaking us both. With no time to waste, I shoved him into the closet, my hands shaking with nervousness.

"Come in," I called out, my voice betraying my nerves. Soda stood at the door with a grin of no good, "Yes?"

As Soda stepped into the room, a sly grin on his face.
" Well..." he trailed off, his voice dripping with mischief. "When I was at work yesterday, Fritz came by." My heart sank as I realized what was happening. I stole a quick glance at the closet, where Dally was hiding, and then back at Soda.

"Had me thinkin'... I like him, you like him-"

"He's just a friend," I protested weakly, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Right..." Soda nodded knowingly. "Anyways, he's comin' today to hang with all of us." My heart sank. I shook my head, angry at him for always trying to get in my business.

"You sure that's a good idea? Him and Dal-"

I tried to reassure Dally, my voice soft and gentle. "You know, Dal, he'll get over it, he I said, my eyes darting nervously towards the closet. I could feel the tension building inside of him, almost like steam seeping through the cracks.

"But besides, Fritz is a good guy," he continued, "You never know... he might put a rock on your hand one day." I quickly shook my head. "No, no, no, Soda. Friends. Just friends, okay?" I pleaded with him, my eyes pleading with him to understand— shut the hell up.

Soda just laughed, his voice tinged with amusement. "Whatever you say... but he got to askin' 'bout you," he teased, "Don't be rude, okay? I think he might have a crush on you." My heart raced at the thought, but I tried to push it away.

As soon as Soda left the room, Dally quietly exploded in a fit of rage. He stormed out of the closet, his face twisted with irritation and anger. "What the hell's he doing trying to set you up with him?" he demanded, his arms crossed in front of him.

I felt a pang of confusion. I wasn't sure myself what Soda was thinking. He never liked the idea of me dating, so his sudden desire for me to hang around Fritz was surprising to say the least. I shrugged.

Dally let out a frustrated sigh and ran his fingers through his hair."I don't like it," he said finally, his voice low and serious. "I don't like it one bit."

Dally didn't waste any time when he left out the window. He was back within an hour, not wanting to miss Fritz's arrival. I sat in the living room with the gang, trying to stay close to Dally and ease his mood, but it was clear that his anger and jealousy were consuming him. He didn't crack a smile once, his fists clenched tightly as if he was ready to start swinging as soon as Fritz walked in the door.

I knew Dally wasn't going to make the day easy, but all I could do was try to keep my emotions in check and be kind to Fritz. After all, he was a kind soul who had done nothing wrong.

When someone knocked on the door, Dally was the first one up. He answered with a cold stare, his jealousy and anger bubbling just below the surface. "Brought me flowers, huh?" he sneered, a bitter laugh escaping his lips.

Fritz ignored his words and pushed passed him into the house, greeting the gang warmly. When his eyes landed on me, he smiled and reached over to hand me a beautiful bouquet of daisies. My face burned with embarrassment as I took them in my hands, acutely aware of Dally's cold stare. The tension in the room was palpable, and I couldn't help but wonder if this was going to end badly.