Pain and Cigarettes|Dallas Winston|

Eighteen

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐬
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"I CAN'T BELIEVE Darry actually got him fired." Isla said to Margot, they were in Isla's room having a sleepover. "Well technically he's not fired yet, just under review or whatever, he's on temporary leave right now, so." Margot shrugged.

"Still, at least they believed him and you may never have to deal with that asshole ever again." Isla said and Margot nodded, "Yeah, thank god."

Isla's door swung open and one of her older brothers sauntered in, "Hello kids." He grinned. "What the hell are you doing? Get out!" Isla swung a pillow at him, which he caught with ease.

"Dad says to go set the table." He tossed the pillow back at her. "Why do I have to? There's six of you, one of you do it." Isla said.

"We're all busy doing stuff."

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"Random chores dad gave us." He answered. Isla let out a dramatic sigh, "Fine, I'll be down in a minute." She grumbled.

"Great, bye!"

"Tyler shut the door!" Isla shouted as he walked out of the room. He ignored her and kept walking. Isla let out a frustrated groan, "God I hate having brothers."

"I know how you feel."

"At least you only have three, I have three times that." Isla mumbled. Margot snickered, "Yeah, I feel bad for you, really."

"Whatever, come help me set the table." They both went downstairs and set the table up for dinner. The girls had known each other for so long and had been close for so many years they were practically sisters. They were always at each others houses, they always had sleepovers, they always hung out, they were inseparable.

Margot loved Isla's dad, he was a nice man and anyone could tell that he loved his kids. After their mom died when Isla was only seven he was left with seven kids to fend for. He struggled and he still does struggle but now they're doing better, financially.

Isla has two older brothers, one was away at college, somehow he got a full ride, which Margot still had no idea how he did it. His name is Michael and he's in his second year of college. Tyler is her second older brother, he's supposed to be in his first year of college but he decided that college wasn't for him and instead he works with his dad in construction.

Isla is the third oldest, she's two years younger than her older brothers, making her sixteen, Tyler eighteen, and Michael twenty, they were only a year apart.

She had four younger brothers, Xander, he's fifteen and a sophomore in high school, he's Pony's age so they get along well. Finn, he's fourteen and a freshman in high school, he's also friends with Pony but they don't hang out as often. Wesley, he's thirteen and still in Junior high, he was probably the smartest of the bunch, and more responsible than all of them combined.

And lastly, Connor, the youngest. He's twelve and very sensitive, he was the one everyone looked out for since he was the youngest. He's in seventh grade and not very bright, but Wesley helps him out a lot when he can.

Before Margot's parents died the families were very close, her parents would always invite Isla and her brothers, and her dad, to cookouts and birthday parties and even for Christmas and Fourth of July. Isla's older brothers were best friends with Sodapop and Darry.

Sodapop still hangs out with Tyler but since Michael left for college Darry doesn't see him anymore. Margot sometimes thinks that Darry envies Michael, since he got to leave for college and he didn't.

"Hey girls, thanks for setting the table, Connor got gum in his hair and I had to shave it off." Isla's dad sighed as he washed his hands at the sink. The two girls laughed, "How did he get gum in his hair?" Isla asked.

"I have no idea, you know how he is."

Connor ran into the kitchen and the girls cackled at the sight of him, "Hey look, it's baldy!" Isla laughed and rubbed his head as he walked past her. He swatted her hand away and gave her a dirty look, "It's not funny."

"It's kind of funny." Margot laughed.

"How would you like it if you were bald?" Connor asked her, "She wouldn't be stupid enough to get gum in her hair, dumbass." She playfully pushed him. "Isla don't call your brother a dumbass." Her dad scolded her.

"Yeah Isla." Connor stuck his tongue out at her. Isla stuck hers back at him and Margot smacked her arm, "Real mature."

"What?" Isla shrugged.

Margot smiled and shook her head at the two siblings. She loved Isla's family, they were all so close and they all loved each other so much. Sure she was close with her brothers, but ever since their parents died they kind of lost that closeness.

Pony stirred away from them and kept more to himself now, Darry and her always fought, and Soda didn't go to school anymore, he worked all the time, and he kind of just stood in the sidelines watching everyone fight.

She missed the family they used to be.

Isla's dad called everyone to dinner and all the boys ran in and took their spots at the table. They all ate and the girls went back to Isla's room after they finished cleaning up.

"Hey, guess what I did the other day." Margot flopped onto the bed. "What?" Isla asked as she searched her drawers for pajamas.

"I swung a bat at Dallas."

Isla's head shot towards Margot, "You did what?" She practically shouted. "Calm down, I didn't hit him or anything, although I wish I did, but that's besides the point." Margot said.

"Why'd you do that?"

"Because he's an asshole! He was smoking in my house, and he wouldn't leave, he gave me no choice." Margot defended. Isla gave the girl a look, "That's it? You know how Dallas is, he doesn't listen to people, that doesn't mean you had to swing a bat at his head." Isla said.

"Okay now who's side are you on?"

"Yours, but I'm just saying, why do you even hate him so much? What did he do to you?" Isla questioned. She tossed her some pajamas and Margot glanced down at them and sighed.

"He didn't do anything specifically to me, he's just...he's so aggravating, and you've heard what everyone says about him, he's a bad person, he shows no remorse for anyone, he has no sympathy, he doesn't care about anyone but himself, I have no reason to like him." Margot explained.

Isla sat down on the bed, "No one said you had to like him, I know he's not a good guy, but just try not to kill him because of it, yeah?

Margot gave her a small smile, "I can't promise anything."

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I'm trying to include Isla's family more into the story but I keep forgetting😭 So they won't be in it much but I just wanted to give you guys a brief look at how Isla's home life is like:)