Tough Love, Johnny Cade (Jally)

Eleven: Tough Love

I didn't want to sleep at the Curtis' that night. With everything going on, I decided to spend some time away and sleep at the lot. That way I could clear my head, look at the stars.

But of course, it just couldn't happen that way. Because Dallas Winston was sitting on the curb when I approached, smoking a cigarette. I stopped, ready to turn around walk away before he saw me, but my shoe scraped the pavement as I stopped. Dally looked up at me. I sighed, knowing I couldn't back down now. I came over and sat next to Dallas, ignoring my heart pounding in my chest.

"Hey, Johnny." Dally said, normal as ever. I suddenly felt frustrated with him.

"'Hey Johnny?'"I turned my upper body to look at him. "'Hey Johnny?!' I thought you were passed out in some ally somewhere, bleeding from the head, and you wanna act all dandy and say 'hey' to me?"

"Jesus Johnny!" Dally said, looking at me in surprise. "I'm fine, now stop freaking out, you ain't ever acted like that."

I sighed. "I know I'm sorry." I realized I was shaking. "Just with you dropping in the kitchen earlier, then running out..." I trailed off, taking a heavy breath.

"What about it?" Dally said nonchalantly.

It felt wrong for me to answer. "Well I mean, I was worried about ya'."

"Well I'm alright," Dally was trying to reassure me, but his voice was still firm. He offered me his cigarette. "Here."

I took the cigarette from him. The back of my fingers brushed against the underside of his. His hands were cold. I studied the cigarette a moment. I put it between my lips and took a hit. I looked up at Dally. He was watching me. His eyes glossed in their usual emptiness, and his lips cracked. His lips were attractive though, despite that. I realized his lips had been on the cigarette. It was something I'd never thought much about before, but in that moment I passed the cigarette back.

"These dreams- or whatever you can even call them at this point. They're getting out of hand." Dally was looking at the sky. He was talking to me, but I knew he couldn't bring himself to talk about this and look at me. I'd been there many times.

"They keep getting worse and worse, you know?" Dally's voice cracked for a second, but he was still keeping his composure. "And then I'm the kitchen, I pass out, and have another one. It's like I can't get away from it."

Dally went quiet, looking up at the sky with that empty expression. I studied his face for a moment. I wished I could help him. I wished I could take away his visions. I'd only had one, but I knew how it affected you. I wanted to be able to lend him a hand, to reach out... I felt my hand move a little.

"I'm sorry Dally." I said quietly. "I wish I knew what it was." I took a deep breath. "Ya' know... I'll be there, man. I'm here for you, Dal."

"Thanks." Dal flicked his cigarette in the road with his left hand and grinned it beneath his boot. "But you don't gotta do that, man. You can move your hand."

"Huh?" I looked down, and then yanked my hand off his. I hadn't even noticed I put it there.

"Jesus, Johnny, you're so odd sometimes." Dally slung his arm around my neck and pulled me in, attempting to ruffle my hair with his free hand. Of course, that wasn't so easy with the grease.

"C'mon, Dal, cut it out!" I laughed, trying to escape. My whole body was pumping with adrenaline, and my stomach jumped.

"You little freak!" Dally playfully tossed my head away, then quit messing with my hair. His arm was still around me. He chuckled. "You don't stop being a freak, okay? I couldn't stand you normal."