Stay - Dallas Winston

19

Dallas Winston let the door slam loudly, as he entered the curtis house.

He wanted his presence known without him having to say anything.  

I didn’t look up at him, I just continued to stare at the TV in silence. 

Dallas walked in front of me, and sat on the opposite side out the couch. 

An empty cushion sat between us. 

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Dallas kick his feet up on the table in front of us. 

Don't look at him! Not even for a second.  Don't give him the satisfaction.  

I repeated that over and over and over again.  

The tension between Dallas and I was so thick, it made it hard to breathe. 

"Welll, I'm gonna go to... um... do..something?" Ponyboy spoke quickly,  before running off to his room. 

I guess Ponyboy could feel the awkwardness between Dallas and I. 

Twobit and Johnny watched Dallas and I stare blankly at the TV in front of us, not moving a single muscle for hours. 

By the time the sky started to turn dark, Darry and Soda had come home from work. 

Darry made supper once he got changed out of his work clothes.  

While Darry, Soda, Ponyboy, Johnny, and Twobit ate supper, Dallas and I continued to sit silently. 

"You two gonna come eat?" Darry asked, "otherwise I'm gonna put the food away."

I looked over at Darry. 

"I'm not hungry, but thank you." I forced myself to answer him.  

I really wasn't hungry.  

I was so upset that the thought of food made me feel sick to my stomach. 

And all I could really think about was,
How bad I needed a cigarette, and how fucking bad I needed to piss. 

"Dallas?" Darry asked him. 

Dallas looked up at Darry and shook his head 'no'.

"Well, you two know where the fridge is if you get hungry." Darry began putting the food away.  

Ponyboy went back to his room with Soda after supper to go to bed. 

Twobit and Johnny quickly did the dishes. 

"You sleeping on the couch tonight?" Darry asked me. 

"Yeah, unless Johnny was gonna." I replied. 

"No, I'm sleeping at Twobits tonight." Johnny spoke up. 

Twobit nodded in agreement. 

"Can I sleep in the chair?" Dallas asked Darry. 

"Yeah, but TV and lights off in 10 minutes.  We gotta big day tomorrow, Ponyboy needs his rest... and so do i." Darry smiled.  

"Yeah, we better start heading home too." Twobit chimed in. 

Twobit and Johnny put their shoes on, and left.  

"I'll get you a shirt to sleep in." Darry told me. 

He disappeared to his room, but returned quickly with one of his large t-shirts. 

I got up and took if from his hands, before making my way towards the bathroom. 

"Hey." Darry stopped me before I closed the door. 

"What?" I asked him softly. 

Darry looked both ways, to make sure there wasn't any unwanted listeners. 

"You gonna be alright if he sleeps here?" Darry asked me quietly. 

I swallowed hard. 

"I'll be alright.  Thank you for the shirt." I gave him a reassuring smile.

"Alright.  Remember, TV off in ten." Darry reiterated. 

"Goodnight." I said, and closed the bathroom door. 

I quick did my business, and changed into Darry's shirt. 

He was quite a bit larger than me, so it fit me like a dress. 

I only wore my panties underneath.

Once I was done, I threw my other clothes in the laundry room. 

I grabbed a cigarette off of the kitchen counter and went outside at a near run. 

I smoked that cigarette the fastest I've ever smoked, and I even smoked it down to the filter. 

When I went back into the living room, Dallas watched my every movement as I returned to the couch. 

I sat down quickly, and my eyes returned back to the TV. 

Dallas sighed loudly.

"I guess I'll shut the TV off." He spoke with attitude. 

Dallas stood up tall, and marched over to the TV. 

He shut it off, and shut every light off except one small lamp in the corner. 

While he was up, I kicked my feet up onto the couch where he was sitting. 

I laid there, staring at the ceiling. 

Dallas sighed loudly... again, as he lifted my feet up. 

He sat down where he was before, and placed my feet down on his lap. 

Dallas then moved a cushion closer. 

Now, my knees were resting on his lap. 

He placed his hands on my lower thighs, just above my knees. 

Dallas looked at me, blinking slowly as he thought of what to say. 

I continued to look away from him.  

"Will you at least look at me?" Dallas asked at almost a whisper. 

I could feel my breathing start to quicken. 

My heart started to beat rapidly, as I pushed myself into a sitting position. 

When my eyes met Dallas’s face, his eyes softened.  

Dallas looked directly into my eyes.  

"If you don't want to say anything to me, it's fine... I get it. But, can you just listen to what I gotta say, man?" Dallas begged. 

His hands began to slowly rub my knees.  

"Not if it's gonna turn into another screaming match." I replied. 

Dallas licked his lips slowly. 

"It's not going to, I promise."

"Alright.... then go ahead." I said. 

Dallas took a long, deep breath, and began to speak.