𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒏'//𝑫𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒔 𝑾𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒏×𝑶𝑪

💥|THIRTEEN|💥

I SHUT MY locker, the heavy books in my hands weighing me down as I moved through the sea of people to get to my next class. I ignore the stares I get and the whispers that make me want to scream.

"Didn't her brother kill Bob?"

"Where has she been, was she helping him escape?

They didn't care to get the story straight. Didn't care to actually ask me. I was a greaser. Ponyboy and Johnny were greasers, and Bob was a soc. It would always be their fault, no matter what. Besides, a greaser killing a soc made for good gossip.

The books in my hands almost fall when I'm tackled into a hug. Skinny arms wrap around my body, squeezing me tightly. " Oh my goodness, you're okay!" Beatrice sighs into my shoulder. She pulls away, her bright blue eyes shining with relief. "I came to your house a few times, but Darry said you weren't seeing anyone. I've been so worried about you." The blonde rambles.

I give her the best smile I can muster, one that doesn't reach my eyes. I hoped she didn't see how bloodshot and droopy my eyes were. "I'm okay, really," I tell her, squeezing her hand in reassurance.

She smiled gently and I suddenly wondered if her mother knew she was talking to me. Probably not. "You talked to Darry?" I ask with an amused smile as we walk to English.

She rolls her eyes "I say this in the nicest way possible, your oldest brother has a stick so far up his ass I don't think it's possible to remove it." She tells me.

I can't help but laugh at her words. Darry and her have always been at each other's throats. It started as small glares here and there, then over time it turned into a full-blown feud. The funniest part? It all started because he said her cookies tasted like chalk. Bea wasn't the best at cooking, I'll admit that, but never, ever insult her about it. She gets very defensive with her cooking.

We walk to English, laughing and talking. I was internally grateful for my best friend. She always knew how to make me feel better even on my worst days.

A deep rumbling chuckle makes me stop laughing as we enter English class. I'd recognize that rough sound of delight anywhere. But he didn't go to school. I almost thought he would've dropped out. I pick up my eyes, my stomach tightening in a vicious knot.

I blinked fast to see if my eyes deceived me, but he still stood there. Blue jeans that hugged his strong legs, a plain black t-shirt topped with his signature brown leather jacket that always smelt of cheap liquor, cigarettes, and the special masculine smell that made up Dallas Winston.

Next to him, with her buttery laugh and strong watermelon-scented fragrance that made my head spin, stood none other than Kathy Freeman. She hung on his arm like a Christmas ornament no doubt showing every girl who fanned over Dally that he was taken.

It made no sense. Dally didn't go for girls like her. Girls like Kathy wanted to be swept off their feet and be showered with love and flowers and affection. Dally didn't do flowers. He didn't do love. He fucked. He claimed. And he did it all with only the reward of showing off or pissing people off.

So why, out of all the girls in this school did he choose Kathy fucking Freeman?

As if the universe was against me, they were stood right by my seat. God kill me now. "Hey, let's just sit over here today." Beatrice mutters to me. She nudges my arm and nods her head in the direction of the other side of the room close to where she sat.

"No, I've got this." I assure her letting go of her hand.

Beatrice gives Dally one last glare before squeezing my elbow reassuringly and walking off towards her seat in the second row by the window.

I inhale deeply before walking to Dally and his little armpiece, stopping to stand in front of them. Kathy acknowledges me first, her muddy eyes trained on me like a lion ready to pounce. "What do you want?" She asks in an annoyed voice. Like I was an inconvenience to her day.

At her words, Dally's dark brown eyes fixated on me, his signature small teasing grin making its way onto his face. The grin made his face more slapable in my opinion.

"Could you two move? You're in my way." I deadpan.

"I think we're good here." Dally shoots back. My jaw tenses and my lip almost curls into a sneer before I stop it. Kathy must've sensed my anger or maybe she just didn't want to get stuck in the middle of an argument between Dally and me. No one, not even the most gossip-hungry people wanted to get caught in between Dally and me in an argument.

"I've gotta get to P.E. anyway." The brown-headed girl states. She was backing down. Good.

"Okay, I'll catch you after," Dally mumbles to her pressing a kiss to her temple. He kept his eyes on me as he did.

Kathy lets out a buttery giggle and tries moving away only to be yanked back into Dally, her lips meeting his in a hungry, passionate kiss. One that weakens Kathy's knees and makes her flutter her eyes shut. One that makes her grab the front of Dally's shirt in a tight grip, a moan escaping her mouth as his hand cups her ass. What feels like an eternity, which is only a few seconds, Dally releases Kathy. A giant smile overtakes her face as she walks away, seeming to be in a haze.

Dally licks his lips, tasting what remained on his skin from Kathy, his eyes on me and darkened with an emotion I couldn't name. "Can you please move?" I ask through gritted teeth. My blood was well over boiling point and Kathy's lingering watermelon scent made me want to throw up.

"Of course." Dally smiles, pushing off my desk that he leaned on and moving to the one directly, behind me. I huff, ignoring his presence and sitting down. I couldn't help but feel smug. I mean anyone would because while Dally and Kathy practically made out, Dally's gaze always stayed the same. Right on me.

💥|TIME SKIP|💥

Sometimes I think the universe hates me. I mean, why else would Dally have every single class with me? I was ecstatic to lose him at lunch. Even there Bea and I couldn't sit with Two-Bit because of Dally. But also because something was missing. Two someones to be exact.

I wished things were back before Johnny and Ponyboy skipped town. Before I slept with Dally, when it was just our gang against the world.

Now it seemed to be Bea and I against the world. "Where do we sit?" The blonde mumbles to me, her eyes gazing over the courtyard trying to find an open bench or table.

The only table I could find that had open seats was where the dude who gave me a black eye sat. It was weird to find him alone and not surrounded by his friends. I wasn't complaining, he was less likely to tell us to leave if he was by himself. "There," I mumble to Bea, nudging her arm and nodding my head to the seat.

She huffs but follows me as I maneuver through chatting people. The second my bag of lunch that contained a PB&J and a Coke hits the wooden picnic table, the dude jumps up.

"Listen I-I don't want any trouble." He stammers out, his eyes wild and searching. I turn to Bea and she mirrors my confused expression.

I turn back to the guy and that's when I notice the bruises and cuts on his face. Most of his bruises were yellow, almost done healing. The cuts on his face were faded, but some were so deep that they were still very much visible. I wondered who did that to his face, whoever it was gave no mercy. "We're not lookin' for trouble, just need a place to eat." I assure him.

He shakes his head, his eyes finding whatever they were looking for. He freezes and drops his gaze, clearing his throat. "I-I'm sorry for jumping you. It'll never happen again." With that quick apology, he scurries away.

I turn to Beatrice, more confused than ever before, she shrugs and sits down. I sit beside her and she starts talking about her math test that she's sure she failed. I zone out, my jaw clenching when I meet Dally freaking Winston's gaze. I never seemed to escape his gaze. No matter how much I tried to avoid him, I always found him.