DANGEROUS [Dallas Winston]

08

Gemma's POV

I shut the bathroom door behind him, my cheeks hot, a million thoughts running through my head. Mainly, I was wondering what the hell had just happened.

I knew I had to leave soon. I needed to go and find Elouise. I needed a drink too. So, with this in mind, I splashed water from the cold tap onto my face, and hurriedly left the bathroom. Walking through the house, the air was thick with cigarette smoke and laughter could be heard in each room I passed. I found the kitchen soon enough, and there was Elouise, standing at the kitchen island with some girls from our grade. She had a cigarette in her right hand, and was making elaborate gestures with the other. She was in her element, chatting and laughing with the group of girls. She hadn't been drinking, cause she was driving tonight, but she had an air of confidence and good energy around her anyway.

I grabbed a bottle of beer from the kitchen island and popped off the lid. It didn't taste great, but I drank it anyway. I needed some liquid confidence.

Walking up behind Elouise, I tapped her on the shoulder and spoke in her ear, "hey, you okay?"

She turned, a smile on her face. "Yeah, I'm great. Where've you been?"

I shrugged and took a sip of my beer. Elouise's eyes narrowed and she tilted her head slightly, trying to read me. "Alright, we'll discuss this later", she said to me with a grin, and then, turning to address the rest of the group, said, "Gemma, we were just talking about that young chemistry teacher, Mr Abbott. We all think he's totally cute."

"But" spoke one if the other girls, Allison, "apparently he was caught in the supplies room with a senior at last years prom."

The night continued on this was for a while, each girl exchanging bits of gossip about something or other, or just telling general stories. Some of them smoked cigarettes while they talked, blowing the occasional puff of smoke into my face. After a few hours, and a few too many beers, I spotted my brother walking through the kitchen, his jacked draped over his arm. His friend Paul walking close behind. It was then that I realised how late it had gotten, and I asked El if she was ready to go. She said something about having a great story about her ex, so I told her I'd wait for her outside. I needed some fresh air anyways.

It seemed the party had only gotten busier as the night went on, but there were a few others leaving. I sat on the porch swing, watching people wander around the front garden area, smoking and socialising. I thought I might have recognised some of them, but it was getting too dark to tell. I saw my brothers friends car speed off down the street. I rubbed my arms, which were spotted with goosebumps. It was early May, and I hadn't worn a coat. The night chill had set in, and now I wished I had a one

Somebody must have read my mind, because a voice spoke beside me, "you cold?"

I turned it my right, and to no surprise, saw Dallas Winston. His hands were sat in the pockets of his brown leather jacket. He stared down at me with hard set eyes. "I guess you should have worn a coat."

I stopped rubbing my arms, and instead crossed them over my chest. "No actually, I'm fine."

He shrugged and sat in the swing next to me. "Suit yourself. I would've offered you mine."

"I wouldn't take it if there was a thousand bucks in the pocket."

He laughed a little at that. "What are you doing out here?" He asked, "your friends get sick of talking to you?"

I scoffed. "I could ask you the same thing."

He didn't reply, just took out a cigarette and lit it. The light of the fire illuminated his face for just a moment, until he clicked it out and put it back into his pocket. He took a long drag, and exhaled from his nose. I noticed that he turned his head away from me as he did so.

I did something strange then. Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was the false confidence that I gained from being around Dally, but something possessed me nonetheless. I put out my hand, gesturing that I wanted to take a puff of his cigarette.

He raised his eyebrows. "You sure you can handle it? I thought you didn't like the smell." He spoke with a sarcastic tone.

I took it from his hand and raised it to my lips. "I can be full of surprises", I said lightheartedly, taking a drag from the cigarette.

Dally's POV

I raised my eyebrows. "You sure you can handle it?" I asked with a hint of sarcasm, holding out the cigarette towards her. "I thought you didn't like the smell."

She snatched it from my hand, a sly smile on her face. "I can be full of surprises", she said with a grin, and took a drag. She didn't cough or make a face, which surprised me, just as she had said. She handed the cigarette back to me, and my finger brushed hers.

After a few moments of silence, she spoke. "God, that was awful."

I suppressed a laugh, taking another drag.

"How do you smoke those all day?" She asked, leaning in slightly towards me, intent on hearing the answer to her question.

I shrugged. "I guess it's just habit." I had never thought about it before." All the guys smoke", I said, "It's just what we do."

Her brows drew together in confusion. "Do you like it?"

Again, I shrugged. "Yeah I guess..." I trailed off, not sure how to answer. I looked over at her and spoke, "no one's ever asked me that before."

She blinked, her eyes wide, a little smile on her face. She was a little drunk. Maybe I was too, because something in me was screaming, telling me to brush the stray hairs off her face, to touch her cheek, to take her hand.

I didn't do any of that. I couldn't. I remembered who she was, what she stood for. I knew she could only mean trouble.

Just then someone walked out into the porch. It was a girl with brown hair, one I knew. It was Gemma's friend from earlier. She looked over at us and her eyes narrowed.

"Gemma", she said, "you ready to go?"

Gemma drew her eyes away from mine and looked at her friend. She nodded. "Yeah El." She said with a smile. She got to her feet, and met my eyes again. She said nothing, and I didn't say anything either. The streetlights shone behind her, casting her in a golden glow. I hated how beautiful she looked.

She turned away from me and left with her friend. I watched as she walked down the garden path, watched a she rubbed her arms, trying to beat the cold.