angel~dallas winston

Aftermath

Dally's version of things will be different due to the fact that Mackenzie was drunk

Dallas

Nobody breaks my heart.

Nobody has the power to hurt me other than me.

I told myself that since the moment I left New York. I've upheld my reputation of being an asshole because if I don't, I'll only get hurt. Nothing good comes out of caring about people. I think I might've believed that forever if it weren't for Mackenzie. Johnny too.

Mackenzie Sheldon, who woulda thought a soc would change my life.

Her scent was still everywhere in the room. Her hair was on the bathroom floor. The jacket she stole from me had her lip balm in the pocket. Everywhere I turned, was a reminder that she left me. I didn't have anybody to blame but myself. I pushed her away, on her fucking birthday of all
days.

"Dallas, you gotta get up man," Johnny said. "I'm up," I said, opening the door to my room. "I'm fine Johnny," I said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

We walked downstairs and Buck stared at me. "What's wrong with you?" He asked. "What are you talking about?" I asked. "Your eyes are all red and puffy, you been cryin' or smokin' pot?" He asked. "Fuck off Buck," I spat. "Dallas," Johnny said. "What happened last night?" He asked.

"I don't wanna talk about it Johnny," I said. "Where's Mackenzie this morning?" Buck asked. I sighed and sat down at the bar.

"There we go," Buck said. "Start talkin," He said.

flashback (Mackenzie leaving for the bathroom)

Mackenzie walked away and I walked over to the bar. "Can I get a beer?" I asked Buck. "Yeah, you got a phone call too," He replied. He handed me the beer and I grabbed the phone from him. "Hello?" I said. "Dallas, that you?" A New York accent almost identical to mine.

"What do you want?" I asked. "I got into a little bit of a problem," My old man's voice drove me crazy. "What'd you do?" I asked. "I got into some trouble and need you to come down to the station and bail me out," He said. "How much?" I asked. "600 dollars," He said. "Pay your sentence," I said and hung up the phone.

I grabbed the beer and walked away. I stood by myself in the corner and a group of girls walked over. "Hey have you guys seen the birthday girl?" I asked.

"No," A brunette said. "But we'd love for you to stayed,"

"No I should really go find my girl," I said. "No really, I'm sure she'll come find you," A blonde said. I rolled my eyes. I sat in the group ignoring everything they said, waiting to see if Mackenzie would come looking for me.

She never came, so I went looking for her. I found Sodapop. "Where's Kenz?" I asked. "I'm not sure she was looking for you," He said.

I asked Buck if he'd seen her and he said to look outside. I went out and she was standing with a bottle of tequila.

She looked at me before heading towards the door. "Wait," I said, reaching for her arm. "I've been looking all over for you, where were you?" I
asked. "Yeah you were looking really hard," She said, her speech was slurred and she looked like a drunken mess. She walked down the steps, tripping and falling. "Ouchie," She said and I ran down to help her up.

She hit my hand away and I tried my best not to show the hurt on my face. "I'm capable of helping myself up thanks," She said.

"What's wrong?" I asked, watching as she stood up. "What makes you think something's wrong?" She asked. "You're drunk, holding a bottle of tequila, and you won't let me help you," I said. "Just go away Dallas," She said. My heart sunk and I sighed. "Kenz give me the bottle,
you're drunk enough,"

She backed away from me with a look in her eye that made my chest tighten, like all the air was leaving the world. "Don't," She said. "Can you just think for a second, just one second, why I could be mad at you?" She asked.

"So you are mad?" I asked. "Yes Dallas I'm ducking mad!" She said. Fuck fuck fuck. What did I do? "Why?" I asked. Oh I don't know, I'm gone for not even five minutes, I come back and you're surrounded by a bunch of chicks," She said. Fuck no. I don't want them I want you Mackenzie.

"It's honestly just pathetic of me," She said. "What's pathetic of you baby?" I asked. "That I trust people I know are bad for me!" She said.

No, I'm losing her too. Damn it why can't I just be smart for once in my fucking life.

"I wasn't around the girls to cheat on you," I said. "Then why were you?" She asked. "I was just standing by myself, they all came over to me," I said. I had to stay calm. Losing my temper would only make things worse.

"And you just didn't think it would bother me if I walked down and saw?" She asked. "Honestly I didn't care if they were flirting with me," I said. "I don't want them,"

"So you just let them?" She asked. "I can't be with somebody without knowing whether or not they're going to be loyal to me," She said. "I am," I said quickly. "You just sat and flirted with a group of girls on your girlfriends birthday," She said. "I didn't think it mattered, I'd never cheat on ya doll," I said, reaching for her hand but she jerked it away.

She's drunk. It'll all blow over tomorrow Dallas.

I tried to convince myself this wasn't happening. She didn't think this about me. But drunk actions are sober thoughts. "It does matter," She said. "Because I love you and I don't want to have to share you or worry about your old reputation coming true!"

She loves me? I'm loveable?

"You- you what?" I asked. "Ugh," She groaned, dropping to the ground. "I have to be logical Dally," She said. "What are you talking about?" I asked, sitting down next to her.

"I can't be with a person I don't know how to trust," She said. "No don't say that, you can trust me, I know my reputation ain't great, but I'd never do anything to hurt ya on purpose or cheat on you or do anything that would make you not want to be with me," I said. "Dally we've fought everyday for the passed three days," She said.

"I was a dumb ass Mackenzie, and tonight I was too. I wasn't flirting back with them I can promise you that," I said.

"Don't do this Kenz, you're drunk and you aren't thinking straight," I said. She wiped her tears away and looked at me. "My entire life, I've been second best," She said. "I've never come first to anyone, not even Liv, I've always had to put myself first because nobody would do it for me,"

"You always come first to me," I said. "I swear Kenz, you always have since I met you, You're all I think about,"

I put a hand on her cheek and wiped away the tears spilling from her eyes. "I wanna be with you Kenz," I said. "I wanna be with you Dallas," She said. A glimpse of hope shot through my body. "But I can't," She said. Shot down. That broke me in a way I never thought I could break. She started to cry harder and that just made it hurt even worse.

"I don't want to hurt you Dallas but I can't trust you," She said, grabbing my hand and pulling it away from her face. "No, you can," I said quietly. She shook her head. "I ruined your only birthday wish and that was to have a good one," I said.

"I'm sorry Kenz," I said, looking down at my feet. "It's ok," She said. "I'm sorry, I'm gonna go get my things and take them to Livs,"

She kissed my cheek before standing up. "I'm sorry Dally, but it's better to end it now before we fall in even deeper,"

I stood up as she reached for the door. "No please, I-I love you," I said. But it was too late. She was gone.

Present time

I wiped my eyes and stood up. "I'm outta here," I said, storming out of the bar.