The Outsiders: Summer as a Greaser

Just Friends

Hey guys, just a heads up, I'm going to be writing shorter chapters so I can update more often. Thanks for reading, and remember to vote and comment!! :)))

ALEX'S P.O.V.

I woke up to the sound of the front door open and slam shut. When I tried to sit up, I hit my ankle on the arm of the couch, making me wince a little, though it was feeling a whole lot better than last night. "Easy there tough guy." Dally chuckled as he plopped down on the armchair in front of the front window.

He had in his arms a brown paper bag. "How's your ankle feelin'?"

"Better. A lot better, actually."

He smiled and flipped his boots off. He stretched and put his hands behind his head with a smug smirk. "Doctor Dally strikes again." He laughed.

I smiled and slowly propped myself up. "What's in the bag?"

His eyes glanced at the bag. "Breakfast." Opening the bag, he emptied the contents onto his lap. There was a pack of mini donuts, two small cartons of chocolate milk, and two apples. "Breakfast of champions." He threw me an apple and carton of milk.

"Did you steal all that?"

He furrowed his eyebrows with an offended face. "No, I bought it."

"Good." I nodded, taking a bite of my apple.

"Some of it..." He mumbled.

"Dallas!" I laughed, pushing myself to a sitting up position, as he broke out in a smile.

"I'm kidding!" He lifted the milk to his lips.

We sat in silent content for a few moments as the sun shown in the sun-stained yellow curtains. "So... What are we gonna do today?" I asked, sipping my milk.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean what are going to do today?"

"I think I should take you home. Your ankle." He looked down at my foot.

"My foot's fine! Look!" I sat up and pushed myself off the couch. My foot hurt a little with the pressure, but not a whole lot. "It was probably just twisted a little."

"Didn't seem like it last night, girly."

"I'm fine Dal. 'Sides, Two-Bit and the rest of the gang have shown me the town, but they haven't shown me the town."

"I dunno..."

"C'mon, what do y'all do 'round here for kicks?"

"There's not much to do here."

"Damn! You're such a liar." I laughed. He smirked, but I could tell he wasn't giving. "If I don't do something 'sides going to the drive-in and playing board games with Soda this Summer, I'm going to blow my brains out."

"Alright, kid, I got something we can do, but you have to wait until tonight."

"Does it involve running away to the city and drinking until you get hauled in by the cops?" I smiled.

"Not this time, doll."

"All these nicknames are gonna get real old, real fast."

Dally stood up and wiped his mouth on the side of his arm. "Well, your cousin is coming to pick you up in a few minutes, so you don't gotta put up with it for a whole lot longer.

"What time?"

"Hm?"

"What time are you coming to pick me up tonight?"

"Midnight."

I furrowed my eyebrows. The last time I went out late with Dally was when we went into the city. And that didn't end up too swell. "I can't sneak out anymore. Two-Bit and my aunt would send me home before I could even say sorry.

"Just tell him the truth, then." He shrugged, walking out of the room.

I stood and followed him, still limping a little. "He would never let me go."

"You're the one who wanted to do something. I'm fine with staying in tonight, or going over to Buck's and picking up a broad."

"Dallas, sometimes I hate you." I clenched my jaw and sucked in my cheeks as he put some dishes in the kitchen away.

"I'm a bittersweet person to love." He put his hands on the counter as he leaned up against it facing me.

I shook my head and was about to say something else before I heard a knock at the door. I turned to look in the direction of the knock, then glanced back at Dally.

"Better get going, doll."

"Alex." I corrected him.

"See you at midnight....Alex."

I smiled slightly as I turned and walked to the front door where Two-Bit waited.

******************************************************

When we got back to the house, Aunt Laney took a look at my ankle. Turns out she used to be a candy striper and knew a thing or two about injuries. "Dally knew my mom was a candy striper." Said Two-Bit.

"Then why'd he say she didn't know anything about my ankle and take me back to his place?" I asked as Laney squeezed and poked at my foot.

She giggled. "I always though Dallas was a nice kid." She nodded.

"You obviously don't know anything about him." Two-Bit glared.

"He was always polite whenever he came over." She smiled and looked up at me. "Sounds to me like he likes you, Alexis."

I had given up trying to get her to call me Alex. Sometimes she would and sometimes she wouldn't. But I wasn't concerned about that right now. Right now I needed to get that delusion out of her head.

"Dallas doesn't like people, mom." Two-Bit sat down next to me. "He's a one-night-stander. Doesn't go steady for longer than a few months at most."

"People can change when the right person comes along." She smiled sweetly at me. "Don't listen to Keith, he's just jealous because the right person hasn't some along for him yet."

"No!" I threw my hands up. "Dallas does not like me, and I do not like Dallas. We're just friends. Strictly. Just. Friends. That's the end of it. There's nothing more."

"Why are you friends with that guy in the first place?" Two-Bit commented. "You shouldn't be friends with him. He's nothing but bad news, Alex." 

"All I'm saying sweetie is not to let someone's reputation get in the way of having feelings for them. People can, and do change."

Two-Bit scoffed. "Not Dallas. If anyone, not Dallas."

I sat for a few moments, coming to the practical conclusion that asking her and Two-Bit to go out with Dally tonight would not only give them the wrong message about the two of us, but that Two-Bit wouldn't let me over his dead body. "Can I go over to a friend's house tonight?" I blurted.

"Who?" Two-Bit and Laney both asked at the same time.

"Just this girl I met in town."

"Sure." She shrugged.

"I'll be out a little late, though." She looked at me with a hint of suspicion. "She has a Summer job and can't hang out until later in the night," I added.

"Sounds fine to me, just get back at a somewhat reasonable hour." I smiled and nodded. "Well, your ankle seems fine. It's a little bruised so it might be sore, but nothing you couldn't walk on."

"Thanks."

"No problem hun, just not too much running tonight." 

I giggled. "I'll try."