Stay - Dallas Winston

32

Ponyboy and I spent half of the day cleaning his and Soda's room. 

By the time we finished cleaning and doing the massive pile of dirty laundry they had stashed under their bed, it was about 2 in the afternoon. 

It was so God fucking hot out and in the house, Ponyboy and I found ourselves laying on the floor of the kitchen trying to cool off.

The front door creaked open, and slammed shut. 

"Dallas?" I called out. 

"No, Johnny.  Why you two laying on the floor?" Johnny walked over and stood at our feet. 

I sat up, and thought for a moment.  

Where was Dallas?

He said he had a few things to do, but I expected him back at the Curtis house hours ago. 

"It's hot." Ponyboy groaned. 

"I came to see if you guts wanted to get some ice cream or something." Johnny spoke quietly. 

"Yeah, I'll go," I pushed myself to my feet, "Pony?"

Ponyboy closed his eyes and shook his head. 

"No way, man.  It's too hot." Ponyboy responded. 

"Alright, let's go." I told Johnny, as I slipped my shoes on and followed him out the door. 

Johnny and I's walk was pretty quiet, as we shared a cigarette on the way. 

"So, you haven't seen Dallas?" I finally spoke up, as we approached the diner. 

"No, why?" Johnny asked. 

"I don't know," I tried to brush it off as if it wasn't bugging me as much as it really did, "he just said he was gonna meet me back at the Curtis house later.   I guess I just thought it would have been... sooner. "

"You guys been good, I take it?" Johnny gave me a little smile. 

"Yeah." I replied with a smile. 

I guess I had spoken a moment too soon. 

As those words left my lips, I looked into the window of the diner as we approached the front door.  

I froze in my tracks, at the sight of Dallas Winston sitting down at the counter. 

He wasn't alone. 

A woman my was sat in the seat next to him.  

"Is that Cherry? Cherry Valence?" I mumbled out to Johnny, "how does he know her?"

I mean she did go to our school, but I didn't expect her to know Dallas Winston... let alone talk to him. 

My stomach went cold, as I watched Dallas lean closer to her as they talked. 

His hand resting on the back of her shoulder. 

The way she smiled greatly at him in response. 

God, I felt like I was gonna puke. 

I looked at Johnny Cade, who stood there scared of what to say. 

"Don't you dare lie to me." I told him. 

Johnny seemed to sink into his shirt a bit. 

"After you ran off from the drive in that night, her and her friend came and sat in front of us." Johnny spoke sheepishly. 

He was hiding something. 

I could tell by the way his eyes bounced around in every direction trying to avoid looking directly at me. 

"What else?"

I could see Johnny trying to bite his tongue, before letting out a long shaking breath. 

"Dallas started flirting with her I guess.  It didn't go anywhere, so he left to go find you again." Johnny spit out.  

That was the night I fucked Dallas at Buck's party. 

That was the night Johnny had killed Bob. 

"How-" I cut myself off. 

I knew if I asked Johnny more questions, he would probably start crying. 

I hate putting him in a position where he's the middle man of Dallas and I's arguments.  

Plus, if I asked him anymore questions... I probably would have started crying too. 

I could feel the tears start to form, as I  stuck my hand into my jeans pocket to hand Johnny whatever change I had in my pocket.

"I'm- I'm gonna go for a walk.  Sorry, Johnny." I spoke quickly, as I turned around and walked away.  

I couldn't fucking believe this. 

I started crying, as I walked around the streets. 

I really think I was having a panic attack. 

I don't know how long I walked around for, or where I had all went. 

I think I sort of... spaced out for a while.  

I ended up at Twobits front door, I don't know why though. 

Maybe my thought process told me he would make me feel better?

Twobit always knew how to bring my spirits up. 

His mother answered the door when I knocked. 

"Is Two-" I stopped and corrected myself, "is Keith home?"

"No, dear.  He left about an hour ago, but he should be back any time now." His mother stopped for a moment, her face softened. 

She placed her hand on my shoulder. 

"Are you alright, honey?" She asked me. 

That did it. 

That made me start bawling immediately. 

Mrs. Matthew's pulled me into a tight hug. 

"Let's get you in the house, and sitting down." She pulled me into the house. 

She briskly walked me to the living room, and sat me down on the couch. 

She handed me a pillow, which I held tightly to my chest, as Mrs. Matthew's sat at my side with her arm around my shoulders. 

"Now, tell me what happened." She spoke kindly to me.  

"He told me we were going to work things out. Then, I saw him with that other girl and-" I couldn't even finish my sentence. 

The uncontrollable sobs had flooded out now.  

Though, I had only talked to Twobits mother a hand full of times, she held me as I sobbed. 

She had always been a kind natured woman. 

"It will be ok, dear." She reassured me.