Stay - Dallas Winston

16

As the three of us entered Buck Merrill's place, the smell of cigarette smoke and cheep liquor filled our lungs.  

Shitty music thumped so loud we could feel it in our chests. 

People were all around, dancing, talking, and having a good time. 

"Here," I turned back to Dallas, throwing his jacket into his chest, "thanks."

Dallas caught the jacket against his body, while giving me a weak smile. 

"Let's get something to drink." Twobit smiled. 

I nodded in agreement, and the three of us walked up to Buck's bar he had in his kitchen.  

Buck, who was sitting on a stool talking to his bartender, stood up when he saw us. 

"Howdy, glad you could make it." Buck pulled me into a hug as we approached.  

"Yeah, me too." I replied as the bartender handed me my usual drink.

After a few seconds, I broke away from Buck's hug.

"Hey, you got a new cowboy hat!" I chuckled. 

"Yeah, I did." Buck took his hat off, and placed it on my head, "looks good on you, too."

"I don't think it's quite my style." I laughed, as I placed his hat back in his head. 

Buck smirked, as he looked in Dallas’s direction. 

"I thought you said you weren't bringing Dal?" Buck chuckled. 

"He followed us, like the stalker he is." I joked.  

Dallas forced a fake laugh. 

"Well, I guess I'll catch you kids later." Buck wrapped up our conversation, and walked away to go mingle with others.  

I quickly slammed my drink and had the bartender pour me another. 

"You trying to get drunk?" Twobit laughed. 

"If you ain't drinking to get drunk, you ain't doing it right." I smiled, taking another big gulp of my drink. 

...

Now, the three of us got super drunk... super quick.  An our or two passed, and we left the party to walk Twobit home, and to walk back to the curtis house. 

I wasn't planning on staying the night at Buck's, and I didn't want Darry to stay up all night worrying. 

...

Twobit and I linked arms on the walk to his place. 

We laughed and stumbled around as Dallas walked behind us. 

Dallas hardly said a word the whole party and the walk home. 

Which was weird, Dallas Winston always had something to say.

"Allll right. See ya tomorrow, pretty ladyyyy." Twobit slurred together, as he stumbled into his house. 

I giggled, as Dallas and I began our walk to the curtis house. 

Dallas walked besides me now, but kept his distance.  

He walked with his hands tucked into his jacket pockets, and his face pointed towards the ground.  

The only time his eyes left the ground, was to glance up and at me, but only for a second. 

The two of us walked in complete silence the whole way.

"Well, good night." I told Dallas as we stepped onto the front porch. 

Dallas stopped besides me and stared at me, before giving a little nod signaling that he heard me.