The Curtis Sister

A Date With Dallas Winston

         "Me? On a date?", I asked.
         "Yeah. You. On a date.", he responded.
          "Okay, but why?", I questioned again.
          "Y'know you ask a lot of questions.", he laughed.
          "Sorry it's just...don't you like...y'know...bad girls. Girls who are strong."
           "I like girls in general. What makes you think I couldn't go for a cute introverted one?".
            I put my hood up to hide the fact that I was blushing. Dally slightly laughed under his breath, which meant he probably knew I was blushing. I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him.
             "Aww did I make you embarrassed?", he laughed. Suddenly his face got close to mine. "You're crazy about me. And if you aren't now, you will be. That's a promise.", he smirked.
            "Where're you takin' me?"
            "Huh?", he asked.
            "On the date. Where're you takin' me?", I repeated more confidently.
            "Oh you think you're the intimidating one now?", he sneered.
            "You've put me up to a challenge. We are going to do everything couples would do: go on dates, hold hands, cuddle, everything. Who ever falls in love first loses.", I said standing tall.
             He laughed. "You really think you're gonna win? I don't love things, I can't love things. You'll lose, I'm sure of it.", he responded.
            "Do you want to answer my first question now?", I asked.
             "I'll do two dates in a day. First, I'm taking you out for ice cream. Then, later tonight you're going to a party at Bucks with me.", he answered.
              "Fine."
              He smirked and laced his hand with mine while walking off to the ice cream parlor. I smiled a little but stopped myself when he looked over at me. The side walk had gotten pretty empty the more we walked. Mainly people jogging or little kids riding their bikes. One boy hit a rock and fell down onto the ground.
              "Are you okay?!", I asked running over to help him.
               "My knee is bleeding.", he whined.
              I took a band-aid out of my pocket and put it on his knee.
                "Be careful okay."
               He smiled then picked up his bike and buzzed off. I walked back to Dally who was waiting with his eyebrows raised.
                "What?", I questioned.
              "Should've left him there."
                 "Why do you hate kids so much?"
              "They're annoying. All of em' are brats.", he answered.
              "They're not that bad."
              "No?"
             "No."
              "Check your pocket."
               I was confused but I checked my pocket. Five dollars missing.
              "What?", I mumbled to myself.
               "He took it out when you put the band-aid on him.", Dally laughed.
               "Why didn't you say anything?", I scolded.
               "Because I knew we'd be having this conversation."
              I groaned and, as usual, he laughed.
           __________
              We made it to the ice cream parlor at around 2pm.
              "Since you lost your pocket change-", he started taking out his wallet, then looked at my annoyed face,"I'll pay."
             I rolled my eyes but smiled.
            "Free food is my favorite.", I remarked.
            "Then I'll have to do it more often. What do you want?"
            "(Your favorite ice cream flavor).", I replied.
            He walked up to the window and ordered our ice cream. He came back with both of the cones in his hands and gave me mine.
            "How romantic."
            "What?", he asked.
           "Ordering and paying for your date. You're just full of surprises aren't you?", I teased.
            "Haha.", he sneered.
We sat down on the curb and started to eat our ice cream.
"You wanna try?", I questioned.
"Hmm?"
"Try. My ice cream."
I held it out to him and he tried some.
"Eww."
"What?!", I said surprised.
"That's disgusting."
"It's the best!"
"Try mine.", he suggested.
I leaned forward and tried some of his.
"So I see we have very different tastes.", I acknowledged.
We were silent for a moment before he lightly grabbed my arm, pulling my sleeve up and examining it. I knew he was looking at the slight burns.
"It's not as irritated. It'll be gone by tomorrow, or maybe Monday.", he said.
               "Okay.", I softly responded.
                I looked up and noticed he was staring at me.
                "Yes?"
               "You look cute with a bandage on your forehead."
               "Thanks.", I smirked.
              "Are you okay now?"
             "What do you mean?", I asked.
             "You were anxious about the holding cell thing."
              "Why do you care, Dallas Winston?"
            "I guess I don't."
            He took the last bite of his waffle cone and stood up, wiping his hands off on his jeans.  I got up, too and started walking down the sidewalk before him.
            "Where you goin'?", he called.
            "Home, wanna come?"
           "Sure."
           "Ponyboy's probably home from school by now, Two-Bit will most definitely be watching Mickey Mouse on our TV. Soda and Steve will be done work at in about 20 minutes.  Darry at 4. Johnny's probably doing something with Ponyboy , who knows with those two anymore."
           "Do you know everybody's schedule or somethin'?", he questioned.
           "Memorized in my head for 2 years, handsome."
           "How about mine.", he asked.
           "Out. Somewhere doing something.", I answered.
           "Is that really all you know about what I do?"
           "Like I said, you're Dallas Winston. You're full of surprises."
           "How bout' this. In the morning I go to your house, talk, have breakfast. Then, I go outside with Tim or someone else and start some trouble. Next, I go work out at the gym or in my room at Bucks. Then, I look up job offers if you've worked in the military instead of college. And last, I either head over to your house, go to one of Buck's parties, or go to sleep.", he explained.
             "Military?"
             "That all you got outta that long list?"
             "You wanna go to the military?", I repeated.
             "Yeah. I'm certainly not suited for college, I'll get kicked out the first day."
             "I guess so.", I looked at the ground. I honestly did like Dally. We'd been friends for awhile, he did a lot for the gang and a lot for me. I should've been supportive of him going to the military, but I was actually feeling the ground slip out from under me. My heart was in my stomach and my throat was heavy.

I stayed silent the whole walk home.