When I woke up, Dani was still asleep. I slid out of bed trying not to wake her. She needs rest and if I were her, I wouldn't want to face the world right now.
Opal was in the kitchen eating a bowl of cereal when I walked in. "The boys all still asleep?" I whispered. Johnny was asleep in the chair and Dally on the couch.
"Yeah." She whispered back. "You hear her last night?" She asked referring to Dani.
"She woke me up crying a couple times." I answered grabbing a banana and cutting it into bite sized ringlets. I put a couple scoops of peanut butter on my plate. That was my favorite breakfast.
"She wasn't even awake, Caffeine. She was crying in her sleep. There's no telling what kind of nightmares she was having." She was so concerned, like the rest of us. I guess our whispered weren't quiet enough cause Johnny woke up shortly after our conversation.
"She okay?" He asked and we both nodded. He grabbed a piece of bread and put it in the toaster.
"How is she?" Dal asked from the couch barely awake. I walked over and sat in front of him.
"She's alright. Thanks for being so great last night." I kissed him on the head and he grinned at me. He took a piece of my banana and sat up.
"I better get goin', tell Dani if she needs anything she knows where to find me. I'll see you later baby." He kissed me briefly and was out the door.
I sat on the couch and Johnny sat next to me. I laid my head in his lap and looked at him noticing he had a new cut on his cheek.
"Soc or parent?" I asked vaguely. He knew what I meant. Sadly, this was a regular conversation between us.
"Dad." He replied shortly. I sat up and wrapped my arms around him. Johnny was my best friend. Before Dallas and I got together I was probably closes to him. He and I knew each other like the back of our hand.
"Stay here. Your parents said that you can leave whenever. Why don't you stay here? Please." I begged. I hated seeing him like this. If I had things my way, Johnny, Dani, and Dallas would all live here.
"I can't do that to you and your brothers." He responded. "Look Caffeine, I'm alright." He wrapped his arms around me and I laid my head on his chest. "Really, I'm alright." He reassured me. But I cried anyways. I cried because Johnny was being abused. I cried because Dani was raped and beaten. I cried because this life wasn't fair. And I cried because there was nothing I could do about it.
Dani didn't end up waking up until 2:00 pm. "Where's Opal? Where's Pony? Where's-"
"Shhh hey it's okay. They're all at school or at work. It's just us two kiddo." I stroked her hair back. Her dark makeup was stuffed under her eyes and all the way down to her jaw.
"Look, why don't you go take a shower and I'll fix you something to eat." She nodded in agreement and walked to the bathroom.
I got some of my clothes and folded them up and put them on the counter for her. I started making her favorite breakfast. She had strange tastebuds. She loved waffles with peanut butter spread over the top. Then drenched in maple syrup and shreds of coconut softly sprinkled on the top. I made her some chocolate milk as well.
When she got out of the shower and found her way to the kitchen, I couldn't help but think how pretty she was. Without the makeup hiding it, Dani was beautiful.
"Dani," I started, sliding her breakfast to her. "This lifestyle of yours has to stop." I stated bluntly. She knew as well as I did she needed and deserved a better life.
"Caffeine, I don't have any money. I don't have a job. I don't have a place to live. I don't haven anything man." Although the makeup took away her cold appearance, her tone was still as cold as ever.
"You can stay here. All the free food you need. You have a place to sleep. Please Dani Jane stay here. We can find you a job. I think they're hiring at the diner." I pleaded with desperate eyes. She tried to deny but I stopped her. "Dani. Please, for us. You saw the way those boys cried for you. The way Opal couldn't breath for you. The way Ponyboy wouldn't leave your side. We all want you here."
She didn't respond for awhile. She just took another bite of her waffle. She took a deep breath and sighed.
"Only until I get enough money to get my own place." She negotiated. I smiled widely and she chuckled at me.
"What?"
"You look like your damn brother when you smile like that." She informed making me scoff and roll my eyes.
"I'm gettin real sick of people saying that." I laughed.
She shrugged and finished her waffle. We watched tv for a little while until Pony, Johnny, and Two-bit came home from school.
Pony sat and talked to Dani, I was glad they were home because I was really missing Dallas.
"Hey I'm gonna go see Dal, Dani are you okay here for now?" She rolled her eyes and told me to get lost. I laughed and then made my way to see Dally.
I walked up the stairs to his bedroom and opened it to find him not there. "Buck, Where's Dally?" I asked and Buck just shrugged his shoulders.
I figured he must be stealing something so I walked to the nearest gas station. Right when I did, Dallas walked out holding a pack of cigarettes.
"I figured you'd be stealing something." I laughed and motioned to the pack of sticks in his hand.
"Bought em." He said slinging his arm around my shoulders.
"You what?"
"I bought these." He repeated himself.
"Since when did you buy stuff?" I asked confused. Dally never bought anything that he could steal.
"Since I started dating this beautiful girl. The thought of getting thrown in jail and not being with her ain't worth it." I smiled at him. And he grinned at me. I was crazy about Dallas Winston. And in that moment, I realized he was crazy about me too.
