| 𝐎𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐒 | 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 | 𝐃𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

Chapter 28 - Echoes in the Night

Sorry I've been so bad with updating. I'm trying loves. Anyways, thanks for all the reads, comments, and votes. Enjoy this chapter!

I watched as everyone scurried around the house, excited as they got ready for this "rumble". I laughed at the sight, it was exhilarating to say the least. The boys all fought over the hair grease that sat in the bathroom like children fighting over a piece of candy. Yet I merely sat on the couch, staring at every move they would make.

"You guys are insane." I laughed as Two-Bit sat next to me after fiddling with his mess of now fully greased hair. He only rolled his eyes at me, a playful smile lifting his cheeks. "You're the one who agreed to watching this." He chuckled. "Touché." I looked back to the pile of roughhousing boys.

"You already got some Soda! Give it to me!" Pony hung over Sodas shoulder as he reached for the hair grease before gravity took him to the ground. I once again laughed, Two-Bit joining with my amusement as he watched them with me. A giant smile had been plastered on my face as each and every boy finished with their bickering after getting their apparently needed hair grease.

"Alright," Darry began speaking sternly as he threw a black shirt over his torso, "are you guys ready?" He began smiling with great anticipation. In a response to Darrys question everyone began yelling and hollering, almost like wild animals. "Let's go Darry!" Sodapop yelped as he rushed past him, ruffling up his hair in the process before everyone began following him out the front door.

"Ya ready darlin?" Dallas offered me a hand as I looked to him from the couch. I quickly got up without his hand, slapping it away in the process. "No need to be mean kid." He started walking towards the door with a click of his tongue. "You really shouldn't be one to talk Dallas." I followed him as I stuffed my hands in the pockets of my bomber jacket, a small chuckle escaping my mouth as he opened the door to the howling boys outside.

"You guys really get crazy for this thing, huh?" I smiled as we walked down the concrete steps, our strides only slightly audible over the hollering that echoed through the night. "Yeah..." Dallas made it to the twisted metal gate, opening it confidently as he let me go through first. I strutted through as it squeaked open, coming to the dirt road where the rest of the boys ran, Dallas hurriedly approaching my side after closing the gate.

We walked a few feet behind the rest of the gang, both of us watching them with a grin. In the few weeks that I had known the group I hadn't seen any of them this happy, at least when they were sober. It was nice, almost comforting even. It seemed that they hadn't cared that they were probably waking the whole neighborhood up with their hoots and hollers.

Like that feeling when the whole world disappears around you, when nothing matters but being happy and skipping along the road joyfully. It was soothing to know that we were all kind of the same in that way, that even though all of us lived hectic and unhappy lives we could all find comfort in the ones we loved. It was partly sad though, knowing I didn't want to grow that connection with any of them. Knowing that if I did I'd probably get hurt in the end.

I looked to the ground after staring for a few moments, instinctively kicking a pebble in front of me and watching as it bounced quickly upon the rocky road. "You okay?" Dallas cut into the silence between us as I felt him stare down to me. "Hmm?" I looked to him. "Are you alright? You seem... out of it." He shrugged, his cigarette free hand stuffed deep in his pocket. "I'm fine." I gave a small, reassuring nod and smile, still looking to him.

"I guess I'm  just... happy right now." I sighed softly, looking ahead to the gang as they laughed and raced along the road. He chuckled, taking the blunt that he lit only a few moments ago to his mouth, the glowing orange end of it lighting the tips of his perfect features. "You're weird kid." He wrapped his arm around my shoulder after blowing out a long line of smoke, the easing smell of tobacco flowing through the air like a rolling cloud.

His touch was agonizingly intoxicating, but I hadn't thought to push him off in that moment, for I was too content to ruin the happy moment. "And why's that Winston?" I looked to him again, a prideful smirk crossing my face. "You just are kid." He smiled down to me, ruffling my hair as his arm wrapped around my head. "Thanks Dallas." I said with sarcasm, playfully rolling my eyes at him in the process.

"We're here!" Two-Bit yelled as we approached the same empty lot where I had been hanging around frequently with Pony and Johnny. I grinned as I pushed Dallas away, happily running to the others at the edge of the plot of land. Dallas merely laughed as he slowly made his way over to my side, standing triumphantly as he looked to the other greasers that lined the area. "You're all insane." I muttered as I looked around at the group of boys, still beaming like a small child. I was now fairly excited for this "rumble."