Pain and Cigarettes|Dallas Winston|

Fifty one

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐬
»»————-　★　————-««

A WHOLE DAY went by and there was still no word of Ponyboy and Johnny. Margot hadn't gotten a wink a sleep since she saw their faces on the newspaper. She just couldn't believe this was happening.

They're just kids, they're probably so scared. Margot just couldn't stop thinking about them, were they okay? Where were they? Were they safe? Did they have food? Water? Her head was spinning with all the questions she had no answers to.

Soda had slept with her again, he kept saying it was so she wouldn't be alone and so he could comfort her but she knew it was because he missed Pony. Soda had slept with him every night since their parents died due to his nightmares, he just became accustomed to sleeping beside his little brother everyday.

It felt weird not waking up next to him.

Steve and Two-Bit had come over to see if they had any new news but no one did. Steve and Soda sat on the couch, Darry sat in his chair, Margot leaned against the wall biting her nails, and Two-Bit sat on the floor drinking a beer and eating chocolate cake.

Steve reached down to sneak a piece and Two-Bit swatted his hand away.

The door opened and Dallas strolled in. Margot stopped chewing her nails and met his eyes, he just stared back. Margot looked away and continued chewing her nails, if Isla were there she'd smack her hand away.

Dallas sat in between Soda and Steve, giving them each a handshake. "Hey Dal, heard the cops called you in this morning about Ponyboy and Johnny, what'd you say to them?" Two-Bit asked him.

"Nothing man, told them I didn't know nothing other than the fact that they ran off to Texas." Dallas said. All heads shot to him.

"Texas?" Margot asked.

"Yep."

"And how do you know this?" Darry asked. "Just heard a few whispers." Dallas shrugged. "Well if they're in Texas then that's where we're going." Two-Bit stood up and headed for the door.

"Sit down Two-Bit, we ain't doing nothing." Darry said. "Why not? That's your kid brother out there and you're just sitting here doing nothing?!" Two-Bit shouted.

Margot cocked a brow, she had never heard him shout before, not like right now. "I know that you idiot! You don't think I care? I care a whole lot! If we leave then the cops will follow and I will not let Pony go to jail, or Johnny." Darry said.

Two-Bit huffed and sat back down on the floor.

"I need a drink." Darry grumbled and stalked off to the kitchen. "Let's get to work bud." Steve gave Soda's shoulder a smack and stood up. Soda sighed and followed him out the door.

"I'm going for a walk." Two-Bit grumbled and stormed out of the house. The whole time Margot kept her eyes on Dallas, eyeing him suspiciously. She pushed herself off the wall and sat next to him.

"Texas, huh?"

"Yup."

"Bullshit."

"Excuse me?"

"Where are they, Dallas?" Margot asked him, now looking at him. "Didn't I just tell you?"

"I know they're not in Texas, so where the hell are they?" Margot demanded. "Texas. If you don't want to believe it then thats on you." Dallas shrugged. Margot scoffed and shook her head at him, "Thank god I no longer have to deal with your bullshit."

"Oh please, you miss me and you know it."

"Yeah right, like I'd ever miss you."

"How could you not?"

"Because you're a liar. I could never be with someone who lies." Margot stood up. "You can sleep with one but you can't be with one?" Dallas retorted. Margot froze and looked back at him, "Screw you." She spat.

"Been there done that, sweetheart."

Margot scowled at him before she stomped up the stairs and into her room. She leaned against her door and let out a shaky sigh. She couldn't do it anymore.

She didn't want to cry, she hated crying. But she needed to. She never cried. Not even when her parents died. She was so in shock that she never cried, she never even processed that they were gone, she still didn't.

But everything was just piling up. Darry, Tony, Dallas, and now Ponyboy and Johnny. She just couldn't do it anymore, it was too much. She needed her little brother, she couldn't lose him to.

She slid down the door and buried her face in her hands, finally letting the tears out. There was a light knock on her door and Margot looked up, "Go away." She said between sobs.

"Margs, it's me Darry, open up." Darry's muffled voice said from the other side. Margot sighed and she stood up and hesitantly opened the door. Darry's face dropped the second he saw the tears. He pulled her into a bear hug and Margot buried her face into his chest and cried into his shirt.

"I'm sorry." She heard him whisper.

"I'm sorry too." She said into his shirt and he only hugged her tighter. They pulled away and Margot rubbed the tears away. "I don't blame you, I'm sorry for putting it all on you, I know how hard you're trying." Margot sniffled.

"I'm sorry for being a pain in the ass, I'll try not to be so suffocating, as you put it." Darry said and Margot smiled. "You heard that, huh?"

"Every word."

Darry frowned, "I love you kids a lot, I just don't want y'all to end up like me." Margot looked down at her feet, "We love you too Darry, we're sorry that you had to give everything up for us, it wasn't fair, it still isn't fair. Maybe try being more of a big brother than a suffocating guardian." Margot said and Darry snickered.

"I'll try."

"We're going to find Pony and Johnny, they're going to be okay, I know it." Margot said.

Darry nodded, "I know it too, if they go to jail then we'll fight for them, I'm not letting them rot in there."

"Dallas still here?" Margot asked. "No, he left a few minutes ago." Darry shook his head. Margot bit the inside of her cheek, "Hm." She hummed.

"You think he knows something?" Darry asked. She looked at him and nodded.

"I know he does."

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
What do y'all think Margot will do when she finds out Dally knows🤔