dallas winston, everybody knows you don't mess with dallas winston.
he's spent two years away from his home in new york city where he left his younger sister. up until late-november, 1964, no one was aware dallas had any siblings; until one night...
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MADELINE WINSTON
i sit on the couch in the living room, my foot tapping against the floor and my eyes zoned out as the boys get dressed for the rumble that will be happening in less than 20 minutes.
"hey, mad." darry looks over his shoulder at me, knocking me out of my thoughts. "you okay?"
"why can't i come along?" i ask, standing up from the couch and meeting him in the doorframe between the kitchen and living room.
everybody's current motions stop. pony looks at me from the kitchen where soda and steve pause their game of cards.
"girls don't come to rumbles." darry says, tucking his shirt into his pants.
my anxious, fumbling fingers find the cuff of my sweater, "but it's my brother and all of you who are gonna be in it."
"and we're gonna be okay, kid." darry nods, giving me a reassuring smile.
soda stands up from the kitchen table, leaving steve to converse with pony. his hands are tucked into his back jean pockets as he approaches me.
"you gonna be here when we get back?" he asks, voice just above a whisper.
"where else would i be?"
his head dips as he smiles, "you know, none of our girlfriend's ever care about us fightin', they're never here. not that you're dating one of us, but—" he stumbles over his words. "you wanna help ... just know you are."
i nod my head, eyes trailing back down to the floor. soda's presence slowly leaves mine, until i call out for him.
his head turns at the sound of me voicing his name.
"please don't get hurt." i blurt. "i'm just picturing you coming back home tonight all bruised up, and—"
he looks at me with sad eyes. his lips part, ready to answer me, but the front door swings open and grabs our attention instead.
"you guys almost ready?" dallas barges in.
"yeah!" darry calls out as he stands in front of the mirror.
soda grins, "yeah, once he's got his shirt perfect to show off his muscles he'll be ready."
"hey, i'm gonna show them off on you little buddy, you're gettin' mouthier." darry warns his younger brother.
"hey, kid." dallas makes his way over to soda and i. "i'll see you after, yeah?"
"you better." i say. "and if the fuzz show up, you gotta get out of there, dally. promise me."
"the cops got nothin' on me." he smirks, straightening his posture so his chest puffs out.
"and that's why you keep gettin' arrested?" i challenge. "promise me."
