✰𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝✰- 𝐃𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧

✰𝟏𝟒. 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧

✰𝐌𝐚𝐲

✰𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢'𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐯:✰

I followed Soda inside soon after, he wasn't anywhere to be seen from the front door. I assumed that he was in his room or something, especially since he was so angry from Dally's accusations. I don't really blame him, I'd be pretty exhausted too if one of my friends were accusing me of liking someone that I didn't.

Dally pulled me to him and introduced everyone before I told them all goodbye. He said the names Ponyboy, Steve, Two-Bit, and Johnny as he pointed at each boy. I told each one goodbye and shook hands with a couple of them. "Are you planning on walking home?" Dally asked me as I stood by the front door. "Yeah I was going to." I told him.

"No, I'll drive you home." Dally said, grabbing his car keys out of his pocket and walking to the door. It was clear that he didn't care what my answer was, he was going to drive me home regardless. "That's ok you don't have to. I like walking home." I said even though I did really want him to give me a ride home. I wanted him to put his hand on my thigh again and turn the radio on a low volume while the town passed behind us, but I didn't want to burden him and make him do something that he probably didn't want to do in the first place.

"It's not safe. You'll get jumped or worse. Just get in the car man." He said as he walked out of the door got in the drivers seat of the car. I realized that I wouldn't be winning this battle and got in the passenger seat. He started the car and put his hand on my thigh as he drove one handed, I had to look out the window at first to hide my smile.

"Would you drop me off a couple minutes before my house? My dad will kill me if he sees that someone dropped me off in a car, especially a guy." I asked him. "Yeah I will, but, I thought you had a car. I used to see it outside of Bucks place, it was real nice for a used car." He said as he looked over at me, only glancing at the road every couple seconds. I was looking at the road more than he was.

"Yeah I still have it. My dad doesn't want me driving it, there isn't any gas in the thing right now," I said. "I'll bring you some gas in a canister. Just say the word and I'll get it for you." He said and I could tell he was being serious. It wasn't one of those times when people suggest doing something for you but they really would never, it's just something that they wish they could do, but Dally was dead serious. You could tell by his eyes and his facial expression not once cracking that he would genuinely get me the gas, no matter what it took.

"I couldn't take any gas from you. I would get caught easy and I'd get burnt up or something." I said with a small laugh. I meant this literally and figuratively but I hoped that he wouldn't realize that. I hoped that he would take it as a joke and in the context that my dad would scold me, but the reality was that he would literally burn me up with glowing cigarettes. I hoped that he hadn't noticed the circular burn wounds on my arm already, it was clear what they were by taking a glance at them. My dad had burned me with his cigarettes as long as I can remember but he was usually decent enough to place the scars where they weren't visible in typical clothing, it was only recently that he took my arms as free real estate.

"Yeah, the guy seems strict. Burn you up with a lighter?" He said. I probably seemed nervous or some type of awkward but I was trying to keep composed. I didn't want to lie to him and say that he doesn't burn me, but I didn't want to be an attention seeker either. "He's pretty strict. He'd just burn me with his cigarettes, no big deal you know." I said with a hand over my arm where he had taken his anger out on me recently. I beat myself up in my head, I needed to learn when and how to keep my mouth shut.

Dally's hands tightened on the steering wheel, showing his anger. I assumed he was mad at me for some reason and decided to shut my mouth as to not make the situation any worse, I knew he was one to act out of anger. I used the remaining time in the car to think about what I could've said or done to get on his nerves. The only thing I could think of was mentioning my dad burning me. That had to be it. Dally doesn't like attention seeking girls, they make him angry I guess.

A few minutes later Dally parked the car at the end of my street, I had given him my address so he knew where to stop. I got out of the car and said, "Thank you for the ride. Will you be at Bucks tonight?" His hands were loosened on the steering wheel now. He said, "Yeah I will. I'll find you. You know, if you ever need anyone to take care of that guy, I'll handle it. Me and my gang, we'll handle it." I made a confused face, hoping that he would get the hint and say who the guy was. "Your old man doll." He said. I smiled and said, "Thank you, but I'll be ok."

"Well, the offer always stands." Then he motioned me to come closer to him with his finger. I leaned in to the car and he kissed me on the cheek. "See you tonight doll." He said before I waved him goodbye and shut the door to the car.

I walked the short distance to my beat up house. Usually I would be sad to enter the structure, remembering what or who is waiting for me inside, but today I was too over the moon about my interactions with Dally to be sad about what was to come.

The smile was quickly wiped off my face though when I walked in and smelled the cigarettes that weren't mine and the alcohol that wasn't mine either. My dad was sat on the couch, his head leaning onto the back, smoking a cigarette and drinking a beer that for sure wasn't his first. "Where the h**l have you been to? The second time in a row you don't want to come home and fork over the money?" He sat up fully on the couch and was already yelling.

"Shut your mouth. I didn't work last night because I guess I don't work on Saturdays or whatever day that was anymore, so don't ask me for my tips because I don't have any. I don't know what day of the week it is now. Last time we had a calendar in the house you rolled it up and beat me with it. I slept at my friends house because why would I want to come back here and see you, a lame excuse for a dad." My mouth ran faster than my mind had. I was saying whatever I thought of without a second guess, whenever I did that it ended badly.

"What friends? Didn't your friend f*****g die? Didn't you see her dead body? You still in denial about that? You don't have any living friends, you're going to have to accept that eventually. It's been a year, get over that s**t." I went to walk away after that spill but he grabbed my arm and shoved his cigarette on it. Then he beat me with his last empty beer can, he had crushed it so the aluminum scratched my arms up pretty badly.

After he was done with me I went to shower, I put some medication on the deeper cuts and did my hair and makeup after my shower. As I got ready I strongly considered having Dally beat the tar out of my dad. My dad could go to jail or away in general and I could keep myself afloat, it isn't like he helps me out with anything anyway. I pay the bills, I put the roof over his head, I put the food on the table. But I knew deep down I wasn't brave enough for something like that. I could say as many words as I wanted but I would never inflict harm on him unless it was completely necessary, I didn't want him to feel like he made me feel. It wasn't pleasant looking in the mirror at the slightly red scratches received from the man who was supposed to protect and love me.

✰𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐥!✰