The Outsiders Imagines

Dallas Winston (Part Two)

I heard the man exhale sharply in annoyance. "Dammit" he said, moving his hands to his head. "Where is he?"

I listened to him talk to himself for a couple more seconds before I could speak up. "I can handle myself" I said. I know my pride shouldn't be what I was worried about but hey, if i was going to die, I'd rather die with pride.

"Didn't look like it to me. What are you? Suicidal?" he rolled his eyes and reached his hand out. I took it and attempted to stand up.

I ignored him and tried to walk. "You'd better watch yourself. You're brave but you're gonna get yourself killed in a town like this" he said.

I continued walking in no particular direction, focused on not letting my knees buckle. I heard him exhale again. "I need a drink" he sighed and started in another direction.

"That makes two of us" I squeaked.

I heard his feet stop. "Well the bar's the other way. I gotta find someone first. Y'know you oughta get some help, man. You can barely walk and if you turn up dead somewhere, I'm sure those preppy boys are blamin' me for it."

I sighed and continued walking in the same direction i was before. "I'm a survivor. I'll be fine."

"That's on you of some more socs get ahold of ya. I'm just sayin' if you come into contact with some greasers, keep your mouth shut and don't make eye contact. Some won't be as generous as me" he warned and continued on his path.

I looked back at him and changed my route to get to a bar. After walking for ages, I finally came up to a tall building with loud music pouring out of the neon lighted windows. The second I walked in a bartender instantly fixed a shot of vodka and pushed it towards me. "Looks like you need this pretty bad" he chuckled.

"Oh you have no idea. You got a bathroom?"

"Yeah, go down that hall. Should be the first door on the left" he directed. I swallowed the shot and followed his directions to clean up a bit. I got into the bathroom and used the sink to clean up the cuts and dirt and everything. Then I heard someone outside my door.

"Yeah Dar'. It's just a couple drinks and I'll be right back. Dally should be meeting me here anyway. I passed him and Johnny on my way here. He said he was gonna swing by Buck's for a couple drinks. Darry, my boss said I could take off tomorrow. Have a little trust willya? Okay, I'll be home in a while. Bye" a voice argued from a phone by the hallway.

I walked out a minute later. "Hey, you done on there?" I asked him.

"Yeah sure, go 'head" he smiled, moving from the phone. I half smiled back and stared at the numbers. 'Do I really want to call home? They'll probably just send me right back to the institution' I mentally debated.

"Um, do you remember the number?" the guy from before asked.

"Wha-huh? Oh, yeah. Why are you still here?"

"Right. Sorry" he laughed and walked back to the bar. I furrowed my eyebrows but returned my focus to the numbers. Eventually, I put the phone away and joined the phone guy at the bar. "Long day?"

"You guessed it." The door to the building opened, revealing a familiar figure. I glanced at it and back at the phone guy. "And it keeps getting longer." He too looked towards the door.

"Hey Dally! I was wonderin' when you'd show up. Hey Johnny. I heard you went M.I.A. for a while" he chuckled. I furrowed my eyebrows. Small town I'm guessing.

"Found him in the lot with your little brother. Darry wasn't worried?" the guy who i figured was 'Dally' asked.

"He figured they was together so he wasn't too freaked out. I just got off the phone with 'em. He said Pony just came home."

"Man do I need this" Dally said, practically running towards the bar. Then, we made eye contact. "Well lookie here. You didn't get yourself killed on the way here" he smirked.

I raised my eyebrows and picked up my glass. "You two met?" the phone guy asked.

"Yeah, I caught a few socs on our side of town beatin' on her. I thought she was Johnny or Pony or somethin' but I guess not. She was right by the lot so I wasn't too far off anyway."

"Well I'm Sodapop Curtis, that's Johnny Cade, and you already met Dallas Winston" the phone guy smiled and shook my hand. "You are..." he asked.

"Jenna." I replied bluntly, not intending for them to take it as an attitude.

"Next round's on me" Sodapop smiled, raising his shot glass.