No Angel - Dallas Winston

18

Over the next few weeks, Dallas kept calling the house phone. 

When Soda or Johnny would pick up, he would ask them if I was there and wanted to talk. 

I would always decline, and go outside. 

I didn't want to talk to him. 

We weren't on good terms, and I didn't want it to get worse. 

One day when Dallas called, Johnny made me talk to him. 

Earlier that day, Johnny and I got jumped by some socs. 

We got jumped bad.  

It all happened so fast, all of a sudden there were 4 guys pounding on us two. 

One of the guys wore a big, heavy ring.

It spit Johnny's cheek open, and my eyebrow open.  

We were both pretty banged up other than that too, all covered in dried blood and large bruises.  

"Here." Johnny extended the phone out to me, as I walked by. 

"I don't want to talk to him, you know that." I stopped, and sort of scolded him. 

"He said he's gonna keep calling till he talks to you." Johnny handed the phone over, before he walked away. 

I was too tired and in too much pain to put up a fight. 

I leaned against the wall, and put the phone up to my ear. 

"What do you want? And why you calling so late?" I spoke into the phone. 

Even though it was late and a school night, I doubt Darry was gonna make me go to school tomorrow only because my face was all busted up. 

"I'm just calling to see if you're all right, Jesus Christ." Dallas huffed on the other end of the line. 

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I asked. 

"Johnny told me what happened today.  He said you two got jumped, man." Dallas spoke in a much softer tone now. 

Why did Johnny have to tell him I got jumped too?

Why's he always gotta tell Dallas everything?

"Yeah, I'm fine.  Just a little banged up, that's all.  They split my face a bit, but I'm all right." I sort of lied. 

I was really scared. 

I was scared to walk down the street, so was Johnny.  

The two of us constantly looked over our shoulders now, and nearly jumped at our own shadows. 

But, we tried our best not to show it.  

We tried our best to look tough, like it didn't bother us. 

But, Johnny and I were both the same in a lot of ways.

We were both sensitive, and that's not a good way to be when you're a greaser. 

"Johnny says your face is all cut up. He said one of those soc's had a ring on his finger.  Once I'm out, I'll get a hold of him, you hear?" Dallas seemed to talk louder and louder, as his tone grew more threatening. 

"Dal, I'm fine.  I put up a good fight against those bastards.  You should see how the other guys looked when I was done with them." I sort of chuckled at the end. 

Which was true, I swung back. 

I hit whoever, and whatever I could. 

I think I busted one of those soc's noses. 

Dallas let out a light hearted laugh. 

"Atta girl." He congratulated me. 

Oh myyyyy. 

I don't know if it was the way he said it, or what....

But I got fucking butterflies all over my body. 

"Right." I smiled. 

"Well, I'm glad you finally decided to talk on the phone with me, instead of ducking my calls. You been avoidingme, or what?" Dallas spoke softly into the phone. 

Don't fall for it, he's got a girl... REMEMBER. 

I let my demeanor change, as I stood up tall. 

I had to put my foot down, and set a boundary. 

With Dallas being with Sylvia, I couldn't let him back in. 

I couldn't do that to her, even if I did hate her. 

I just wasn't the person to get in the middle of relationships. 

I didn't want to be in the middle of that mess. 

And besides,, the way Dallas treated me right before he got locked up wasn't good.....

I wasn't get let him live that down so easily. 

"Why do you keep calling here asking for me? Why don't you call Sylvia?" I told him. 

Dallas went quiet for a moment. 

I could hear his breathing get quicker, and heavier. 

"Well, you could just be happy I'm calling you. Maybe, you should be more grateful that I even considered to call you." Dallas nearly spat at me. 

What a fucking asshole. 

As if he wasn't calling here just about every fucking day trying to talk to me. 

He was practically begging Soda and Johnny to give the phone over to me, just to talk to me... even if it was only for a second. 

It seemed like an obsession to him, that was only growing and growing the more it went on. 

"Shut up, dick head." I said into the phone, before I slammed the phone down, hanging up on him. 

"You be careful with that.   I don't want you snapping the phone in half." Darry said, as he went around turning off the TV and all the lights. 

"Sorry." I told him quietly, as I looked over at Johnny.  

"You sure you two are gonna be OK? I could take you two to get checked out by the doctor." Darry asked us. 

He did truly seem concerned about my and Johnny. 

To be fair, Johnny and I both looked pretty bad. 

"Were alright, Darry." I reassured him, "besides, it's late and you got work in the morning.  You can't miss work over that, we can't afford it."

"Well, I do think that cut on your face needs stitches... but either way, it will heal.  Now, if you two start not feeling right, you guys wake me up right away." Darry told us sternly. 

Johnny and I gave him slow nods. 

"Goodnight." Darry told us, before he walked away into his room. 

Johnny and I went to my room, and we both laid down on my bed. 

"What Dallas have to say?" Johnny suddenly asked. 

"Why you asking, like you don't already know?" I said back.