𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒏'//𝑫𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒔 𝑾𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒏×𝑶𝑪

💥|FIVE|💥

IT DIDN'T TAKE long for me to get home and when I did I took a long, hot shower. It made me feel a lot better, which I was happy about. Now I sat at my desk, staring down at the math homework in front of me.

The numbers and symbols started blending into one ink blob. I rub my tired eyes with my knuckle, hard enough for my eyes to ache. Frustration creeps into me and I let out a low curse before dropping my pencil and setting my elbows on the desk. I let my face fall in my palms and exhale slowly.

"Get it together, Angela," I grumble to myself. It was useless to just sit here and keep telling myself that I would finish the assignment, I knew I wouldn't. Not right now at least.

My eyes travel to the pack of cigarettes beside my elbow, my lighter laid on top of it. I tried not to smoke too much, but I needed a cigarette right now or my head might just pop off.

I grab my cigarettes and light and push away from my desk, getting to my feet. Since I was getting ready for bed, my clothing consisted of an old, worn-out T-shirt that looked more like a dress on me than a shirt and a pair of lace underwear. Since I was only going on the porch I decided against putting on pants.

My footsteps are light and quiet as I make my way through the dark house. I could hear the faint snore which I guessed was Johnny. He usually slept here since his folks were assholes.

I slipped out the front door to make as little noise as possible and onto the front porch. The cool wood of the porch sends goosebumps up to my arms as I lean against the old railing of the house. I light a cigarette and settle it between my lips, inhaling slowly and exhaling the same way.

I could feel the small buzz already creeping through my brain. A sigh of satisfaction leaves my mouth. "You're up late."

I jump at the voice quickly turning around. On the porch swing, I could see the outline of a man's build, and when I squinted I could tell that it was none other than Dallas Winston.

"Jesus fuck, Dallas." I sigh, taking another drag from the cigarette to calm my shaking hands. "What are you doing here?"

"Got nowhere else to sleep." He shrugs as he stands from the porch swing, staggering over to me. My eyebrows twisted in confusion as he staggered over. He trips and grabs the handrail for support a chuckle leaving him. That's when I realized he was drunk.

"You gotta cancer stick?" He questions. I pull a cigarette out from my pack and give it to him. He puts it between his lips grunting in thanks and leaning towards me so I could light it. I flick the lighter to life my eyes flicker to Dally's face. He had a forming black eye and a bruise on his cheekbone.

I light the cigarette and lay my light back on top of my pack of cigarettes. We both stay silent as we smoke. I break the silence by asking "What happened to your face?"

Dally chuckles "Quite the conversation starter you are, Darlin'." He says as he shifts on his feet.

"Just curious," I tell him with a shrug, waiting for him to explain.

He takes a drag from his cigarette,  blowing the smoke out into the night air. "Sylvia cheated on me when I was locked up." He tells me, twisting a ring on his finger. I recognize it as the ring he gave to her before he went to jail. "With a Soc." He sounded disgusted as if the word "Soc" was bitter on his tongue. "A soc, of all people." He grumbles.

"And what did you do?" I ask, though I already know the answer. Dallas Winston wasn't one to let go of something. Especially if it involved cheating.

"I went to his house, beat him a good one, and stole one of their finest bottles of booze." He grins holding up a half-empty bottle.