faraway - dallas winston

003

"good morning bob." i heard my mom say as i stepped down the stairs.

"good morning aunt ruth, good morning jolene." bob greets as i walked down the last steps.

"hi bob, i'll see you after school mom!" i call out lightly before following bob out to his mustang. i swing the car door open then seat myself in the back. "how was your weekend?" i ask as bob starts his car.

"it was alright, some greaser spray painted our house." he said, agitated.

"how do you know it was a greaser?"

"of course it's a greaser. no one else would do something like that."

"oh." i sat silently, not knowing what else to say.

we were almost to school, when i felt the urge to get bob to admit what he did. he never told me anything about that stuff, and i suddenly wanted to know.

"is there any reason why someone would want to do that?" i asked innocently, trying to act like i didn't already know what he had done.

"no, i don't think so." he replied casually.

he wasn't going to give it up that easy. i hoped he wasn't suspicious when i said, "well, isn't it kind of risky for a greaser to come over to the south side? i mean, if i were a greaser, i wouldn't go out of my way to vandalize something if there wasn't a reason. there's a big chance someone would see."

"eh, i might've messed with a member of their gang or something." bob said, keeping his cool.

at least i got something out of him. i didn't want to push it, so i kept quiet for the rest of the ride to school.

when i stepped out of the car, i saw the same greaser that bob had jumped waiting outside around the entrance. i hadn't even noticed he went to my school, i guess i was more aware of greasers after my encounter with them. it wasn't even that i purposely ignored the lower class kids, i really was just in bob's circle of friends all the time, just minding my business.

i decided to go walk up to him just to make sure he was alright. he looked pretty rough when i found him. i turned around to check if bob had gone inside with his friends, and when i didn't see them, i went off to the boy with the cut on his face.

"hi, i'm jolene. i just wanted to make sure you were okay. i saw you the day you got jumped." i introduced in a friendly tone.

"uh, hi jolene. i'm doing okay, thanks." he said, flustered and kind of startled.

"what's your name?"

"johnny."

"it's nice meeting you." i looked beside him and johnny's friends were awkwardly staring at me.

"well, i won't keep you any longer, have a nice day!" i said walking away. i never knew how to end conversations in a non-awkward way, it was always uncomfortable one way or another.

after school had ended, i waited outside for bob. he was supposed to drive me home, but i couldn't see him anywhere. i stood in front of the school for a few minutes before i saw one of bob's friends walk out the door.

"hey anthony, have you seen bob around?" i asked, a slight desperation in my voice. i just wanted to go home.

"i think he skipped during 4th period. i saw him him in 3rd, but not in 5th period." he answered.

"oh okay, thank you." he walked off and i groaned. how was i supposed to get home now?

i started walking, there wasn't much else i could do. all of my friends had been picked up or left already while i was waiting for bob, so i couldn't ask them for a ride.

i was walking with my head down, looking at my shoes with every step i took. they were a rich brown, one of my favorite pairs, but not so good to walk long distances in. i saw another pair of shoes walking towards me, but before i could move or look up, i crashed into a stranger.

"agh, i'm so sorry. i was looking down-" i stumbled, then looked up to find the boy who spray painted bob's house. "oh, i didn't think i'd run into you again."

he smirked. "we definitely would have crossed paths agin. you're bob sheldon's cousin."

"and? it's not like you two hang around each other."

"and yet your cousin is somehow always causing problems for me."

"oh." i felt inclined to ask him what problems, but i didn't want to be nosy.

"what's your name?" i asked.

"why do you want to know?" he smirked again, but this time in a flirtatious way.

"well if we're going to cross paths again, i think i deserve to know."

"dallas winston."

"jolene clemonte."

"damn you're so obviously a soc. you got a fancy ass name and shoes that probably cost more than anything i own."

i giggled at what he said.

"jeez dally, you said you were going to get us by the front of school. this is the sidewalk." someone said sassily. i looked behind me to see johnny and his friends from earlier. i recognized the voice to be ponyboy's, who was in my english class. he was a top student and was amazing at writing.

"hey guys." i said smiling.

"hi jolene." johnny greeted, a lot louder than the last time we spoke.

"are you guys walking home?"

"well, pony's home, but yeah."

"you want to join us, hot stuff?" the boy with long sideburns laughed, putting an arm around my shoulders.

"haha, i'm going to have to pass on that one, i have to get home too."

"okay suite yourself." he said, still smiling.

"bye guys!" i said walking one way while they headed the other.

"see ya doll." dallas called out as he walked off with the others.