𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐜 | 𝐃𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

Chapter 80 - Church

Several days had passed and I still hadn't seen anyone other than Dallas. I only came out of Dallas's room to go downstairs and get a drink or two in order to cure me of my everlasting sadness, yet it still hadn't done the trick.

All I had on my mind was Matilda, her gleaming smile, her crystal blue eyes, her kind and soft voice, her shining brunette hair, and her reassuring words. I couldn't help but weep every time her voice popped into my mind.

I now sat on Dallas's bedside early in the morning, his pillow drenched in tears from when I had previously cried. The room was quiet with only the slight sound of the clock ticking, each minute feeling like an hour. I spaced out as I watched small dust particles that had been apparent in the shining light of day as they flew around like snow.

I looked to the old chestnut dresser that had sat in the corner of the room. On the top I had displayed the roses that Dallas gave me in a green tinted vase, along with the teddy bear that sat beside it. I faintly smiled as I remembered receiving them only a few days before.

Then I looked to my hand which had been holding a cigarette, all of my fingers trembling. I sighed as I took a drag from my cigarette, the relief of smoke flowing down my throat. I closed my eyes as I fell to the bed, my body sinking slowly into the mattress, my whole body feeling tranquil as I went limp.

I nearly fell asleep in that same position until I heard someone burst through the door. I shut up from the bed with wide eyes, looking to the door to see who it was. "Sorry. Did I scare ya doll?" Dallas, who was standing with a casual presence in the doorway, spoke. I sighed of relief at the sight of him. "What do you think Dallas?" I asked with slight annoyance as I watched him walk up to me.

"Sorry." He replied as he came to my front. "Come on." He gestured me over to him. "Where are we going?" I asked with crossed arms. "Just come on." He said as he grabbed my wrist, lifting me off the bed. I pulled back, making him turn around to face me. "Where are we going?" I asked more sternly. He sighed. "Just... getting you outta the house." He answered. I groaned as he dragged me out the door.

"I'm fine Dallas." I stated demandingly as he opened the passenger side door to Bucks red thunderbird. I hadn't known where we were going or why we needed a car to get there. "You need to get out darlin'." He said as he got in the drivers seat of the car, quickly turning on the ignition. I looked to him as he put on his sunglasses. "Did Buck give you permission to take his car?" I tried to make an excuse. "Eh, yes?" He answered as if it were a question. I rolled my eyes at him as I looked ahead, the pavement as if a stream as we drove quickly on it.

Dallas's reckless driving had made my stomach feel sick and my head hurt, I longed for the eternal car ride to be over. The road we were on felt never ending and there was nothing to see other than patchy yellow fields and the bright blue sky, no clouds to be seen. I merely set my head to the headrest of the leather seat, closing my eyes as I grew tired.

~

"Doll." I heard Dallas's voice. My eyes fluttered open to Dallas shaking me vigorously. "I'm awake!" I yelled with wide eyes. "Thought you were dead or something." He said as he grabbed my hand and led me out of the car.

I looked around curiously, trying to figure out where we were. The sky was still clear and the sun was bright, I shaded my eyes with my hand, trying to block out the rays of light. I looked to a hill, an old church stood high casting a large shadow upon us as we walked up.

"This place looks like it could fall over any minute." I mumbled as I ran my hand across the rough, spindly boards of the wall. "Shhhh." Dallas shushed me with a smile upon his face he grabbed my hand. We crept through bushes and weeds that had poked my bare calves, annoying me half to death.

"What are we doing here?!" I whisper yelled to Dallas who was dragging me behind him. "Shhhh." He shushed me once again. I rolled my eyes at his response. "You're a real dick sometimes Dallas." I stated quietly. "Dragging me up to some shitty old building..." I trailed off as he began to climb into a window frame.

"Dallas!" I whisper yelled as I put my hands to the widow sill, watching his feet hit the floor as he jumped into the building. "What the hell are you doing?!" I asked with confusion as he turned around. "Come on." He grabbed my hand, lifting me off the ground and through the window. "Dallas!" I pleaded.

"Come on doll." He grabbed my hand. I sighed as I walked to his side, our hands intertwined. We crept quietly through the Church. I was still clueless about why we were in an old church, but quickly realized why when I saw Pony and Johnny curled up on the old bench's of the building, sleeping peacefully. Pony's hair was blond and Johnny's had been cut short which at the time was unusual, but I brushed it off. Dallas slowly walked over them as I stood still watching his every move.

He began tugging at Pony's blonde, fluffy hair, I almost let out a giggle at his way of waking him up. "Dally?" Pony asked as he sat up, rubbing the tiredness out of his eyes. "Hey sleeping beauty." Dallas jokingly greeted him. Pony rolled his eyes at him as he shuffled to the end of the bench, putting his elbows to his knees.

Dallas then walked over to Johnny who was still asleep. With a kick to the bench, Johnny quickly shot up from his position. "Hey Dal." He said as he scratched his short, fluffy hair. "Hey kid." He greeted him as he ruffled his hair. Johnny quickly ran his hand through his hair in an attempt to fix it, but hadn't done much due to the fact that it had already been messy.

Some of this was written by S.E Hinton, not me.

"Y'all wanna go out and get something to eat? I skipped breakfast and I'm starving." Dallas stated. "You're starving?" Johnny asked loudly. "Try eating only bologna for four days straight." He mumbled.

"Is it safe to come out?" Pony piped up as Dallas walked over to the corner, leaning against the rickety wall of the church. "Yep." He answered, searching himself for something. "Johnnycake ya got cancer stick?" Dally proceeded to ask. Johnny nodded his head and quickly took out a pack of cigarettes, picking one out and tossing it to Dallas. He immediately lit it on his necklace and took a long drag from it, a sense of relief becoming evident on his face.

"Oh uhh, Ponyboy." Dallas said loudly. "Yeah?" Pony asked as he intently watched Dallas digging in his back pocket. "Here." He threw him a piece of folded up paper. "Who's this from?" Pony asked as he began to unfold it. Dallas rolled his eyes. "The president of course. No stupid it's from your brother, Soda." He said, taking in another puff of smoke. "Sodapop?" He asked bewildered. "But how did he know-" He was then cut off by Dallas. "Came to Bucks for something and saw that sweatshirt of yours..."

I had remembered Soda coming by and handing Dallas that letter.