Faltering Smiles.

Night Two.

Sodapop's POV

I watch as Dallas walks away with that guy again and my gut wrenches. I just have a bad feeling about whatever they're doing. Dal looks really pale every time that guy comes around. He must be bad news. His friends crowd around my table and knock down my house of cards while laughing carelessly. I don't react or move at all. I don't care either. I sit blank faced with my back straight as I wait for Dally to come back. I stare at the garden shed even though I know I can't see him, at least I know that's where he is. The guys friends try to talk to me, they tell me I'm cute and ask why I'm hanging out with Dallas. I don't talk to them no matter what they say. They make me uncomfortable. They make me scared. But that's not something you show in a place like this. Nearly the entire yard time passes by before I see Dallas heading towards me. Hes got a bad limp and his lips are pursed tightly together. 'Sarge' is walking just fine looking pretty happy with himself. He looks tough and intimidating, making Dallas look like a hound dog beside him. When they get closer I noticed a few drops of blood along the inner lining of Dal's jumpsuit.

"Are you okay?"

I don't think before I speak and he gives me a cold uneasy glare. The men laugh and the group slowly leaves. I'm left alone with Dallas, watching him shift uncomfortably while working up some words for me. They come like fire.

"Fuck off, Soda. I already told you to mind you own buisness."

He storms off and leaves me alone. Alone and confused and biting my lip like a lost child. Bells ring and it's time to head inside and get dinner. I'm hungry and cold so I rush in. As I'm walking through the hallways towards the cafeteria, someone grabs me and pulls me into the B-dorm bathrooms. It's a guy about my age with lots of tattoos and a mean looking face. Hes a hood, definitely not from around here, and he terrifies me.

"What's a pretty thing like you doing in a place like this..?"

I'm scared. Scared fucking out of my mind. I don't know how to talk. I don't even know how to think. Can I form words? Not in this state. My chest rises and falls and I'm panicked and he narrows his eyes at me. I'm showing my fear and he can probably smell it by now.

"Aren't you a sensitive thing?"

He reaches forward and pushes his fingers back through my hair making my stomach flop. No one is going to notice that I'm gone. No one is going to care that I'm not in the cafeteria. This guy has total control over me and even if someone were to come...whats the chances of them helping me instead of joining in?

"I just wanna know what you did to get sent here...it's that simple.. Or maybe you're just excited?"

He smirked and it sends chills down my spine as I gulped. He cups his hand over my groin and rubs against it and I swear to god I will never disobey the law again. I swear when I get out of here I'll behave. I swear I won't even speed, I'll go to church, I'll work really hard, and clean my ro-

"What the fuck do you think you're doing punk?"

Dallas. His voice is deep and menacing and I don't see him throw any punches but somehow we're walking out of the bathroom and the punk is KOed on the dirty piss stained floor. He drags me for a bit towards the cafeteria but then he stops. The hallway is empty and he slams a fist beside my head glaring angrily.

Dallas' POV

"Sodapop, what in the hell are you doing? You can't just wander off like that!"

"I didn't wander off, you left me! Not only that but all I did was walk towards the dining hall- I didn't think..."

"You never think! I thought you were behind me. I thought you knew to follow me. Youre so beetle brained! You could have gotten really hurt-"

"Like you did?"

My fist flies so fast that when it hits Soda's soft delicate cheek, he doesn't have any time to react. I punch him hard and he falls back against the cement wall. A welt starts to form on his cheek and I know he knows that he got it right. I know he's catching on to what's happening here. I don't want him to know.

"You can't keep avoiding it."

"Mind your damn buisness."

"Let me help."

"You can't help."

I start walking towards our cell, I don't care about dinner anymore. I just storm forward and away from Soda. I avoid the kids eyes and his talking and his concerns. I avoid his existence. I don't want his pity. When we get to our cell, I lay down and close my eyes. He sits on the edge of my bunk and glares at me with a pouty stare that might work on his brothers, but not me.

"Dallas... If someones hurting you, we can talk about it..."

"No, Soda."

"Why not Dallas?"

"Because I said so. There's nothing to talk about. Drop it."

"I don't want to drop it. Dally..."

I don't know why but when Soda calls me that it hits a spot in me. I'm not sure what spot exactly, but it hits something. I open my eyes and I look up at him. He's shivering a little. It's pretty cold in here, the walls are made of cement. It's damp too. He lays beside me when I look at him and he blinks slowly, making his big blue eyes fade in and out of my vision.

"Sodapop... It doesn't matter."

"It does. Let me help..."

Before I can tell him not to worry about it or close my eyes again or even move, he kisses me. It's one of those fast but gentle kisses and he's got my face cupped in his hands. His lips are soft as roses and for the time being, him being a guy hasn't phased me yet. The kiss is a sweet one and although I don't kiss back, I enjoy it. He pulls away and stares at me not sure how I'm going to react.

"It's gonna be okay, alright Dally?"

He sounds uncertain and a little scared and his cheeks are red. His cheeks are so red. I stare at him. I like to stare at him. I like to watch his eyes shift and hear his heart thud. The more dominant part of me overrides my voice of reason and I roughly pull Soda closer to me. Hes shivering.

"You want to help...? Let's see what you got."

I throw the blankets over us and without another word I unzip the front of his jumper and slide my hands inside.

Hes still shivering.