𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 , 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬

ten.

MADELINE WINSTON

tim walks out of the DX and straight to dally's car.

soda, pony, and i watch from the windows as dally steps out with a smile and goes to shake tim's hand. but the only thing he's met with is tim's fist going straight for his cheek.

"no, don't." pony puts his hand on my arm the second i reach for the door to run outside.

"what, why!" my eyes are glued to tim as he beats up my brother only a few feet away from us.

"it's a fair fight between dally and tim. we don't have any part in it." soda says in too calm of a voice.

i look at him and then to pony, they're way less nervous than i am. "so you're just gonna let it happen? aren't you guys a gang or something? don't you help each other?"

pony shakes his head, "it's just what you do, mad. getting involved would make it worse."

my heart is pounding as i watch dallas fail to get any good punches in since tim has knocked the strength out of him. this is the first time in years that i've seen my brother get into a fight. the last one i witnessed was before he got arrested back in new york, he was ten and i was eight.

the fuzz quickly pulls into the parking lot out of no where and i feel a wave of relief wash over my body knowing the fighting will be over.

"you wanna help around here maybe?" soda asks, walking around to the registers again, "i can drop you off down at the station once my shift ends in a little. maybe you can catch dally before they release him."

"yeah, sure." i mumble, before heading to the back to get some boxes and restock the shelves.

•

SODAPOP CURTIS

"you gonna stick around, pony?" i ask once mad disappears into the back room.

pony leans his elbows on the counter of the registers, "yeah i guess so."

i already put in the money from tim to fix up his tires, but i can't really count up if it's all there. i feel the redness flush on my cheeks as i get confused with the numbers in my head.

"here." pony places his hand on mine.
i look up at him, a sweet smile is plastered on his face. i hand him the cash so he can count it out for me instead.

"thanks, ponyboy." i say quietly.

he nods, "so what do you think about madeline?"

i shrug, "i like her, she's real sweet."

"she's kinda pretty also, don't you think?" pony asks, but doesn't look up from the money.

i smile, "yeah, she is pretty."

he has a smug look on his face as he hands me the money back, "31.53."

i furrow my eyebrows at him, "don't you get any ideas, kid. you know little sisters are off limits."

"that's only two-bit's sister! but we can't even get to know her because he doesn't want her turning out like us." he mumbles as he plays with a pen. "but mad's different, soda. i really think she is. she's a greaser like us but she's not obnoxious and ... dirty like the rest of 'em."

"okay, but she's dally's little sister. if you wanna get involved i can't guarantee you'll make it very far."

"make it far in what?" our attention flies over to madeline as she carries two boxes out of the door.

"heading home." pony blurts out. "i—i uh, i was gonna head on home, but soda said i wouldn't make it very far if i went alone."

madeline stares at him with a confused look written across her face.

"you know, because of the socs ... and stuff." pony mumbles.

she nods her head, walking over to the chips to restock what's in the boxes, "you are a terrible liar."

"no i'm not! that's what we were talking about, really." pony gets defensive.

"okay ponyboy."

pony looks at me and i can tell he feels awkward and embarrassed. i suppress a laugh as best as i can.

mad looks over at us and i quickly say, "all right, shift's over. let's go see dally."

•

MADELINE WINSTON

the three of us sit impatiently in the police station as we wait for them to release dally.

i'm slouched in my chair, head propped up in my hand, foot tapping against the floor. i just want to make sure he's okay and then i want to yell at him for doing such a stupid thing.

soda taps my shoulder and i quickly look over at him. he points so i follow his finger. tim is walking out and a few feet behind him is dally. he's walking carelessly with a grin on his face.

"dallas!" i quickly stand up.

he looks over at me and shakes his head with a quick roll of the eyes before walking out the door.

i'm quick to follow him outside.

he's leans against the outside of the brick building, lighting a cigarette with his necklace.

"what're you doin' here, mad?" he mumbles.

"soda brought us." i say as i stand in front of him with my hands behind my back, awkwardly fumbling with my fingers.

dally squints as he takes a puff, focusing on the parking lot behind me.

"did you slash his tires?"

"yeah." he admits so easily.

"the last time i saw you fight was back in new york. i don't like seeing you fight, it's scary."

dallas sighs, "mad, i'm okay. really, i am. that was eight years ago. i'm tougher now, i know what i'm doin'."

i glance over at the door of the police station as pony and soda walk out. they keep their distance from dally and i, but i know they're waiting for me.

"just don't go slashin' tires when they don't oughta be slashed."

"yeah yeah" he groans.

"dallas, i mean it." my voice is stern and it causes him to look me in the eyes.

"you wanna ride to buck's?" he asks, flicking ash off the end of his cig.

"no thanks. i'm going back to the curtis'." i quickly say before walking over to meet pony and soda.

___

if anyone reads any of my other books, you all know that i've recently become allergic to writing in past tense.

this book has always been written in past tense but i'm switching it up ! i doubt anyone would even notice but i'm just putting it out there lmao