Abyssal Emotions (The Outsiders/Dallas Winston Fan-Fic)

Chapter Nineteen Dallas' POV

I leave the long driveway leading up to Sophie's large house. I park on the street and stare for a few moments. With the kind of money she has, even if we do meet again, she won't talk to me. It's beneath a soc to talk to a greaser unless it's to jump them, and Sophie doesn't seem the type.

I pull off and turn the radio up. I pull into the Curtis house and turn off the truck. I run inside with the keys.

"It's about time you showed up," Darry says, standing up from the couch.

"My bad, man. Had a little," I play it off with a chuckle, "altercation."

Darry shakes his head and rolls his sleeves up.

"Soda! Steve! Hurry up!" He calls and walks out the door.

I hear a loud bang and then Soda and Steve come running in from the kitchen with chocolate covered faces.

"I might meet you guys at the DX later, man," I say as the walk out the door.

"Sounds good," Soda yells and Steve shoves him out the door and down the stairs.

I sit on the couch and hear the engine start up and fade away. I think of the bleeding drunk I left on Buck's floor and rub my thumb over the jean material of my jacket. I smell the collar and memories flood back. It smells of ash, hair grease, and Johnny. Stupid kid, I think, stupid. I think of all our good times together. When we first met after I came back from New York, mad at the world for all I'd been caught up in, fresh out of jail. I was walking down the street and heard screaming from inside a home. A young dark skinned, brown haired boy stumbled out the door, an old slender, yet built, half-bald man slurring angry words following him. I ran up the walk as the man shoved the boy down the last few steps and onto the ground, raising his hand back to strike again.

"Hey, man!" I yelled and the man looked up.

He gave me a disgusted look and snarled, "What, punk?"

"Leave him alone, man," I said stepping between him and the
boy.

The man pulled his hand back again and I pulled out a heater. I'd been carrying one ever since I got out of jail just in case of some old "friends" decided on showing up. The man backed away, looked at me with disgust, spit on the ground, slimly missing the boy, and walked backwards up the stairs and into the house, never breaking eye contact.

The boy sat up and I gave  him my hand to help him stand.

"You alright, man?" I asked.

"Yea," he mumbled and looked down.

"Aye, you got a name, man?" I asked and stuck out my hand.

He hesitated and shook my
hand, "Johnny Cade."

I shake back, "Dallas Winston."

"We miss him too," says Two-Bit leaning against the wall holding a beer, making my flashback disappear.

I keep rubbing my jacket and stop to look up at him. I sigh and just shake my head, running my hand through my ungreased hair.

"I heard about what happened at Buck's today."

I chuckle, "Aye man, I guess news travels fast."

"You didn't have to do it you know," he says and looks at me. "He didn't realize what he did. He was just trying to get warm."

I shake my head again.

"Sometimes I just lose my temper, man. Same as usual," I try to laugh it off.

"Yea, but I think it was for a different reason this time. We all miss him, but we haven't completely shut down. You have to find something to live for again."

I haven't seen Two-Bit this serious in a while, so I don't snap at him like I would everyone else. I also can't seem to find any words.

He walks through the living room and stops at the door to turn around.

"See you at the DX later?"

"Maybe," I reply and he walks out the door, beer still in hand.