𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐜 | 𝐃𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

Chapter 82 - Dairy Queen

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

"Is that Dallas's ring?" Pony questioned me with is mouth full, pointing down at my right index finger. "Sure is." I responded with pride. "So you guys are..." Pony trailed off as he pointed to me and Dallas. I giggled at his comment and nodded my head in response, covering my mouth as I chewed on my sandwich.

"Interesting." He said as he turned back to his sandwich, taking a large bite out of it. I playfully rolled my eyes at him then turned back to my sandwich, taking another large bite of it.

"Glory." I heard Dallas say between chewing. I looked up to him, my cheeks full like a chipmunks. "You don't need to make like every mouthful's your last. I got plenty of money. Take it easy, I don't want you gettin' sick on me. And I thought I was hungry!" He explained, looking at Johnny and Pony before he gulped down the last of his soda, washing down his food.

"Where'd you get that money, huh Dally?" I questioned him as I swallowed my food. "I ain't telling." He answered as he turned to look at me, placing his elbow on the back of his seat. I shrugged as I took another bite from my sandwich, finally finishing it off.

"I didn't tell y'all something." Dally looked at us, all of us stared intently at him, listening carefully for his explanation. "The socs and us are having an all out warfare all over the city..." His voice faded off as I escaped into my own thoughts.

~

I sat still at the bar, listening as Dallas ranted on about what he did that day while I stayed inside. I traced the rim of my beer bottle as my eyelids grew heavier with every passing minute. "Y/n." Dallas said as he got in my face, the stench of beer passing from his mouth and into my lungs.

My eyes opened as I snapped out of my tired trance. "Huh?" I merely responded. "Ya hear what I'm saying?" He asked as he backed away, gripping his beer bottle in his hand and lifting it from the counter as he prepared to take another swig. "Sorry." I apologized as I rubbed the tiredness out of my eyes. "Didn't sleep much last night." I stated as I looked up to him. He sighed. "Alright, we'll go to bed after I finish my beer. But listen to me alright." He stated. I nodded my head in response as I did my best to listen intently to him.

"Ever since Johnny killed that soc kid the socs have been getting worse. They keep jumping greasers more often than before. Hell they're even making the effort to come over here and beat on us." He explained. I looked at him with concern as I waited for him to continue.

"I need you to be careful alright. I don't want ya ending up in the hospital again." He continued as he took a swig of beer. I sighed as that night came to my mind. "Stay alert when you walk around and stuff. Got that doll?" He asked. I nodded my head in agreement. "Or take someone with you." He said, finishing off his beer. I once again nodded in agreement before we went upstairs to go to sleep.

~

My thoughts were interrupted by Pony's loud voice. "Dally!" He exclaimed. My eyes immediately darted over to Pony, then to Dallas. I examined him closely to see what Pony was complaining about, I looked to hands which held and fiddled with a gun, my eyes slightly widened at the sight. "You kill people with heaters!" Pony continued. "Ya kill 'em with switchblades, too, don't ya, kid?" Dally stated. Johnny gulped.

"Don't worry." Dally went on. "It ain't loaded. I ain't aimin' to get picked up for murder. But it sure does help a bluff." He quickly stopped talking as he whipped his head around to face the rear of the car. We all jerked our heads around along with him as we heard footsteps coming from behind. Dallas quickly fiddled with the gun then tried to hide it. He hurriedly put on his sunglasses before anyone could see him. My gaze followed a little girl who looked to be ten, her hair brown and thrown into two pigtails and her eyes dark.

"Hey mister?" She came to the side of the car. I looked to Pony and Johnny who were hiding their faces and I decided to do the same. "Do you have fifteen cents?" She asked. "Nah, I don't have any money man." Dally answered. "Are you sure?" She asked, inching more towards the vehicle. "Uhh could you please go away-" He was cut off. "Do you have a dime?" She persisted. "We're busy here." Dallas finished.

I began digging in my pockets for extra change so she would go away. I quickly pulled out a dime and a nickel and struggled to hold on to them as I reached over Pony. "Here." I said as I handed her the money. "Thanks." She said as she left. "Could be nicer Dal." I stated as I looked to him. "We could have got caught ya know." He stated. "Still." I mumbled.

Dally sighed before he continued on. "Tim Shepard's gang and our outfit are havin' it out with the socs tomorrow night at the lot." He explained. "We are?" I interjected as I sat forward, waiting anxiously for his response. "Yep. We got hold of the president of one of their social clubs and had a war council." He answered. "When did ya do all this?" I asked curiously. "While you were sitting inside and sulking." He replied playfully. I rolled my eyes at him as I fell back to the seat. "Gee." I muttered, quiet enough for no one to hear.

"Yeah..." Dallas trailed off with a sigh. "Just like the good old days. If they win, things go on as usual. If we do, they stay outta our territory for good." He finished. No one responded and we only looked to him with curiosity. "Ya know, Two-Bit got jumped a few days ago." He stated. "Really?" We all asked in unison. He nodded his head. "Damn. I missed a lot, didn't I?" I asked. Dallas looked to me and nodded in response. "Darry and me came along in time, but he wasn't havin' too much trouble. Two-Bit's a good fighter." He concluded. "He's alright though?" I asked. He nodded his head once again.

"Oh and I didn't tell ya." He said, remembering something. "We got ourselves a spy." He finished. "A spy?" Johnny and Pony asked simultaneously. Dally nodded his head. "Remember that uhh, Cherry girl?" He asked. "Valence?" I asked, propping my elbows upon my knees. "Yeah her. Said that the whole mess was her fault, which it was, and that she'd keep up with what was coming off with the socs in the rumble. She also said that she'd testify that those socs were drunk and looking for a fight and that you fought back in self defense." He finished.

"When she say that?" I asked. "Same night Two-Bit got jumped, drove up in her Sting Ray." He answered me. I sat back against the seat and sighed. "Man..." Dallas trailed off. "What do they do for kicks around here? Play checkers?" He finished with a chuckle as he started the ignition. I gave out a slight laugh as Dallas drove off.