𝐀𝐍𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 :: 𝘥𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯

Seventeen.

NOVEMBER 24, 1966

THE THANKSGIVING SEASON WAS IN TULSA but was the first Thanksgiving that Felicity didn't spend at home, in her own room. It was also exactly a week before Felicity's birthday, something she had not told Dallas.

Dallas had brought Felicity over to the Curtis' residence that hosted an annual Thanksgiving; Darry's chocolate cake as replacement for pumpkin pie as none of the guys liked pumpkin pie, Darry's stuffed turkey, and the famous mashed potatoes that were dearly loved by the gang. It was just regular Thanksgiving feast.

Felicity sat down with the gang in the living room with her plate containing a piece of the turkey and mashed potatoes that were topped off with the gravy that Darry hid from Two-bit, in case he decided to steal the whole thing for himself.

"Aw man, where'd you get the gravy?" Two-bit's stuffed mouth whined.

"Can't tell you." Felicity chuckled before digging into her plate.

Sodapop looked away from his plate and at Felicity, "What are you planning on doing for your birthday next week?"

"Birthday, your birthday's next week?" Dallas asked.

"Mhm."

"It's your own girlfriend and you don't even know her birthday?" Steve scoffed.

"Shut your trap." Dallas growled.

"Pretty much nothing, I got no home and Dean won't let me come to work on my birthday but would let me stop by for my present." She listed out.

The present was always a surprise but also simple. When Felicity turned 16, Dean gifted her a bracelet courtesy of Aubrey who was sick at the time. She never wore the bracelet but always kept it, she would wear it from time to time but she always feared of losing it.

Dallas nudged her, "When you're with me, doing nothing ain't an option."

"At least use protection." Two-bit muttered.

"Not that, idiot."

"Oh, Felicity," Ponyboy called, "I got this for you."

Ponyboy ran out of the room which got silent. When he returned, Sylvia Plath's Tulips was in his hand. Felicity was filled with content when the book was in her hands. She had been waiting for months to get the book but never got it as Dean doesn't get the latest books until way after its publishing.

"Jesus, I've been dying to get this." Felicity smiled. "Thank you, Pony, really."

"No problem, courtesy of me and Johnny." Ponyboy's thumb pointed next to him.

"We were trying to figure out what to get you and I remember how you once told me how you wanted to get your hands on that book." Johnny explained.

"Well thank you both."

Dallas' fist balled up, angered by how he didn't even know her birthday.

Felicity placed the book next to her and continued to eat her food, she couldn't help but read Dallas' emotions which clearly displayed jealousy towards the gangs. She gave Dallas a little shove as a joke.

"I don't care if you didn't know it was my birthday, you now know and I'm now happy." She gave him a quick smile.

"I guess." Dallas frowned.

"I guess." Two-bit mocked him.

Dallas lunges at Two-bit who nearly spills his beer, Felicity saves it and him by taking it away while Dallas puts Two-bit into a chokehold on the ground. They remained still on the floor excessively Two-bit was almost deprived from oxygen.

One thing about Two-bit was that he's resilient until he is proven victorious. Any rumble or small fight he's ever been in— he never stops until he sees that he's won. Dallas was nobody to one-up against but Two-bit chooses to ignore the wise ones, even if it meant that he was turning purple in the face.

Darry enters the living room with his food. Expecting a room with dirty chatters or people hanging around, he was greeted by a purple Two-bit by his feet.

"Hi Dar." Two-bit struggles to get out.

"Let him go, Dally." Darry ordered.

Dallas releases Two-bit from his arms and Darry sits himself down on his armchair.

"All you do is pick fights with people, what's the point?" Felicity questioned.

Dallas comes crawling back to her, "I get to see myself win."

"And if you don't?"

"Never had to." He chuckled.

"Ever thought about not fighting people and giving your fists a rest, they're tired too, Dally." Felicity's words sounded serious.

"Listen, I'll fight all I want and you do whatever you want." Dallas said.

"She's right, Dal." Darry chimed in.

"Mind your own business, man." Dallas turned to him.

"I hope you know that I hate it when you fight and drink, something I see you won't change." Felicity snapped.

Everyone in the room went silent, sensing Felicity's fury. The silence made her get up for a smoke, Dallas was quick to run after her. She sat down on the front porch with the stick dangling from her lips.

"There's so many things that I hate about you that I don't even know if I want to do this anymore." Felicity sighed.

"Felicity, I'll change, I will." Dallas held her free hand.

"How many of that will I hear but not see?"

"Zero," he promised, "I'll stop drinking and fighting just for you."

She looked away for a second before resuming eye contact.

"Do you mean that?"

"Every word." He grinned.

Felicity blows out a cloud of smoke before leaning in, pecking his lips.

"Now give me that." Dallas commanded, taking her cigarette. "Still don't see what you see in Camel Lights."

"Think of it as me seeing what you see in drinking and fighting."

Dallas purposely puts out the cigarette. This action of his led to the two play-fighting on the porch.

Felicity knew that there was going to be no change from Dallas but nothing could ever make her leave him and stop loving him.

𝐀𝐍𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆