𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐜 | 𝐃𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

Chapter 71 - Love

"Dallas..." I muttered quietly to myself, silent enough that he couldn't hear me. He stared into my eyes for a slight second before he sat down next to me beneath the tree. He stayed silent as I looked to him, his features being illuminated by both the moonlight and the close street lamp.

I shuffled around in my spot and looked ahead, staring at the Curtis house that had only been a few feet from the edge of the lot. Tears began welling up in my eyes as I sat next to Dallas, I wiped them away impatiently as I sniffled.

"Here." Dallas spoke, breaking the awkward silence we had been sitting in for minutes. I looked over to him as he held his hand out to me. My eyes darted to his open palm, his metal ring sitting in the middle. I looked down to it with confusion, then up to Dallas. His eyes went from me to the ring, gesturing for me to take it. I reached my hand out and took it hesitantly.

I looked at it intently, examining every dent and detail. "Put it on." He stated, gesturing towards the ring. I looked up to him then back down at the ring, putting it on. It slid right on my right ring finger, it was large and hadn't fit very well. "Why'd you give me your ring?" I asked quietly as I looked up from my hand and to his dark eyes.

"You're my girl." He answered with a small smile. I looked to him with confusion and then to the ring. "The ring." He mentioned, gesturing to my hand. "It means you're my girl." He continued with laughter in his voice. My eyes lit up with excitement and I couldn't help but smile widely. "Really?" I asked hurriedly as I looked up to him. He nodded his head as his smile grew. I looked back down to the ring with admiration as I spun it around my finger. I heard him chuckle as I focused my eyes on his ring. God I loved Dallas.

"Now everyone will know about us." He mentioned. I looked up to him with a big grin adorning my features and couldn't help but pull him into a gentle kiss. We closed our eyes as we passionately kissed. "Thanks Dal." I whispered as we pulled away, my hand cupping his cheek and my face still close to his. A small laugh escaped from his mouth as he stared into my eyes. "You didn't have to-" I was cut off by him as he pressed his finger to my lips. "I wanted to." He said, pulling his finger away. I smiled to myself as I looked down at the ring again. God I loved Dallas.

I admired the ring for an eternity, looking closely at the details. I looked up to Dallas who was smiling. A small chuckle came out of my mouth. I couldn't believe I was officially Dallas's girl, and everyone would know. Instead of me having to struggle to keep it a secret, I could shout it out to the whole world. God I loved Dallas.

"Sorry about earlier." I said as I looked up to him. He only shrugged. I smiled. "Can I ask you a question?" I asked. "What is it?" He asked curiously. "Why did you wanna keep us a secret for so long?" I asked, looking at him intently. He seemed stuck in thought for a few minutes before he sighed and began speaking up.

"I was scared." He answered. I chuckled at his response. "What?" He asked, laughing along with me. "Scared?" I asked. "Dallas Winston? Scared? Who would've thought." I joked. He laughed to himself as he looked to the ground then back at me. "Yeah..." He trailed off. "Scared..." He continued. My smile faded as I looked to him with curiosity and focus. He sighed as his smile faded along with mine.

"I was afraid of-" He gulped as he began to muster up the courage to tell me. "I was afraid of having a relationship." He continued. I felt the need to stay quiet as I listened closely. "A real one." He stated. "I feel like once you start telling everyone that your dating, it becomes real." He said looking to me. "I guess I was just scared of ending up in a shitty relationship. Like my last one." He mentioned.

I remember Dallas telling me of the horrors he faced in the relationship he had with Sylvia.

~

The room was dark, silent, cold. Me and Dallas had been tucked under the thin blanket that had been draped over our body's. Our faces nearly disappeared in the dark abyss that the blanket had created. I turned to my side to face Dallas, who was looking to the ceiling, one hand under his head and his other stroking my torso.

I let out a groan as I got comfortable. "I like you doll." Dallas muttered out of the blue. I chuckled. "I like you too Dal." I stated quietly as I wrapped my arms around him. A small sigh escaped his mouth. "You never dated anyone before me huh?" He asked. I opened my eyes and remembered how lonely I used to be before I'm met Dallas and the gang. Before I dated him too. Wandering the school halls, my head pulled down by gravity, lonely.

"No." I answered with sarcastic laughter in my voice. I looked up to him and only saw his silhouette, but could still see a small bit of his whitish teeth peeping through his lips. He sighed as he looked back to the ceiling. "I'm guessing you dated before me?" I asked. He laughed through a breath. "Yeah..." He groaned loudly. "A couple broads here and there." He stated. I was looking closely at him. "Mostly just messin' around." He continued.

He sighed before he spoke up again. "My last one..." He trailed off. "My last one was shitty." He stated, bitterness in his voice. I listened closely. "Sylvia. Man was she a bitch." He laughed. "Always cheating on me when I was in the cooler." He continued, his voice becoming shaky with anger. I felt his grip tighten on my torso as he grew angrier. His breath quickened. I sighed.

"I didn't even like it when I was hanging out with her." He mentioned through clenched teeth. I stroked his sides as he continued. "I don't know why I kept accepting her back into my life." He said. "Every single time, she kept crawling back to me, and I'd give in almost immediately." He stated, annunciating every word.

I looked up to him with eyes of concern, his jaw clenched and his eyes watery. "I just wish every girl was more like you y/n." He said, looking from the ceiling and down to me. That had been the first time he said my real name instead of "doll". Butterflies came rushing to my stomach and I felt my face burn as it turned red. I smiled in response. "You're sweeter than you say you are Dal." I stated. He smiled as he let out a chuckle. He kissed me on the forehead before we both fell asleep in his small bed.

~

"I don't think you have to much to worry about Dal." I said. He looked to me with curiosity. "I love you Dal." I said. A wide smile grew on his face. "I think I love you to y/n." He stated. "You think?" I asked jokingly. He laughed as I hit him in the shoulder. "Ok ok." He said. "I love you alright." He continued. I chuckled as I laid my head on his shoulder. "But don't think I'm all sweet now alright?" He demanded as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I giggled. "I love you just the way you are." I said, looking to his eyes. "Good." He responded. I smiled as I closed my eyes.