| 𝐎𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐒 | 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 | 𝐃𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

Chapter 16 - The Drunken Truth

I gripped the bottle, brought it up from the table and to my mouth. I quickly tipped it up and allowed it to flow into my mouth, the tingling sensation of beer flowing down my throat in a waterfall. Two-Bit and Soda both cheered as I slammed the empty beer bottle down against the wood. It was my tenth bottle, a milestone in the competition. Dallas, still working on his ninth bottle, looked to me with a smile as I had finished.

"Beat that, Winston." I slurred, for I had been drunk to the point of no end. He only chucked. "Will do." He finished his ninth bottle quickly, eager to move onto the next. With no hesitation, he took his tenth bottle, popping off the cap quickly and tipping it to his mouth. I watched as he easily downed the entire thing, promptly slamming it against the table the same way I had. A roar of shouting and applause came from his end of the table, along with a pat on the back from Steve.

I looked to him irritable as I sat slumped over the table top. My vision was blurry but I could still see that distinct look on his face, a look of pride, a look of overall dominance as he sat pristinely. A winning smile spread across his face, cheek to cheek. His eyes only stared to me, a piercing stare that demonstrated his determination and lack of humility. My brows only furrowed with anger, practically fusing together as I watched him.

I already knew I had lost, I pushed myself past the breaking point and I was done. While he sat confident and comfortable, I sat groggy and slouched. My eyelids were heavy and slowly began to close, my last sights at the time being the cheering Steve, Ponyboy, and Johnny along with a boastful Dallas.

third person pov~

He watched closely as her eyes slowly closed, and almost immediately as they completely shut her head fell to the wooden surface of the table. He won and the loud sound of a final ovation of joy filled the house. The boys behind Dallas immediately dashed to collect their winning cash, about fifty dollars in total to split three ways. Ponyboy quickly figured out the math and handed out a fair amount to both of them, a remaining two dollars for him to keep for himself.

Dallas couldn't help but smile as he had defeated y/n in the game, yet he felt slightly bad for her as he stared to her, her upper body sprawled across the table top. Both Two-Bit and Soda came to her aid as they picked her limp body up from the table. "I'll help." Dallas stood, almost falling to the floor as he stood up. He kept his stance steady as he walked to their side.

"Aren't you a little to drunk for that Dal?" Two-Bit chuckled a bit. "I'm fine." Dallas persisted as he came closer. "If you say so." Soda spoke as he struggled to lift y/n from her chair, giving out a small grunt in the process. Soda then proceeded to hand her and a bottle of water to Dallas. "I'm fine." She protested as she woke up. "No you're not." Dallas grunted as he dragged y/n out of the dining room and into the living room. "I don't need help Dallas." She murmured. "Yes you do." He continued to drag her across the living room.

"Is she ok?" Darry looked up from his newspaper as he watched Dallas drag her upon the carpet. "She's fine." Dallas continued. "I thought you said I wasn't!" She broke in with a yell. "Shhh." Dallas laughed. "She'll be fine." He whispered back to Darry. Darry hesitated but merely nodded as he looked to the paper, once again skimming over each and every page he flipped through.

"Soda can I use your bedroom?!" Dallas shouted across the house. "Yeah!" Soda replied, his hands cupped around his mouth to allow a louder sound. Dallas nodded and looked to y/n with a smile while trying his best to lift her from the floor. "Come on." He groaned as he finally brought her from the ground, throwing her limp body over his shoulder. "You're not gonna kill me, are ya?" She questioned wearily, causing a chuckle to escape Dallas's mouth as he opened the door to Sodas small room. "You'll have to see." He joked, hurriedly closing the door behind him.

"Where are we?" She looked aimlessly around the room as Dallas gently set her to the bed that sat in the middle of the space. "My hiding spot where I take all my victims." He was sarcastic as he crouched down to her level. "We're in Sodas room stupid." He grinned as he watched her face go from worried to relieved. "You're an ass." She rolled her eyes. "I know." He smirked. "I thought you'd be nicer when you're drunk, more funny." He stood. "Clearly you don't know me then." She scoffed as he continued to sit next to her on the bed, the mattress sinking in.

"Here." He handed her the bottle of water. She took it shortly, the sound of the plastic crunching at her grasp. "You don't have to help me." She unscrewed the lid and took a gulp of water. "I want to kid." He chuckled as he adored her sass. "Aren't you drunk too?" She continued before taking another drink. "I'm sober enough to stand." He sighed happily as he shifted to face her direction.

"Wise ass." She muttered as she closed the water bottle. "What was that? I couldn't quite hear." He rounded his hand around his ear in a joking manner as he furrowed his eyebrows. "Wise. Ass." She pronounced loudly in his ear, causing an outburst of laughter from him as he backed away. "Thanks for that. I'm going deaf ya know." He spoke mockingly as he cracked a wide smile. She chuckled, causing him to beam, for her laugh was like a drug to him, addictive, a cause for utter bliss.

"Ya wanna know something?" She leaned towards him, putting most of her weight on her right side. "Sure." He laughed as he looked to her with awe and wonder. "I missed you." She leaned back to her original position, staring right into his eyes, him doing the same. "I can't say the same." He replied with a grin. She rolled her eyes as she stuck her tongue out at him jeeringly. "Oh come on! You had to miss me a little bit." She giggled as she squinted her eyes and moved her forefinger and thumb closer together, representing a small amount.

He hesitated for a moment but then finally spoke, "Maybe a little." She beamed as she heard his words, glad that she was right. "I knew it, you missed me a ton." She crossed her arms with dignity. "Hey! I only said a little!" He shouted with joy as he laughed, his gut sore. "You missed me a ton!" She exclaimed as she laughed loudly along with him. "Admit it." She demanded aloud as she pointed her finger in his face. "A little, a little, a little!" He repeated with crossed arms. "You missed me a ton." She sighed as she sat back with confidence. "That's not what I said!" He protested as he got in her face, but she merely ignored him. He scoffed as he gave up.