The new outsider

Chapter 7: Big Day Tomorrow

Once they got back they spent the rest of the evening cleaning up. They weren't beat up to bad, Pony and Jessica were the worst. Jessica's neck was bruised pretty bad and she had a hefty bruise on her cheek. Pony had a black eye and a split lip. Even though their injuries were minor, Darry still made a fuss over it.
"What's it with you and Chris?" Jessica asked Dally as the gang sat around and watched Tv.

"We have been at each others throats for the last while." Dally said coldly "We have just never really gotten along. I beat up one of his friends last weekend."

"Why'd you do that?" Jessica asked.

"My girl was two-timing me with hims buddy. He knew she was my girl but did it anyway." Dally said, staring blindly at the Tv.

"Oh, sorry." Jessica said, sorry she had brought up the subject.

"Don't be." Dally said shrugging.

The guys left soon after that. The next morning when Jessica woke up she hurt all over but she didn't complain because she knew that Pony felt just as bad and he didn't say a word. Jessica took it easy that day because the rodeo was tomorrow and she wanted to be rested up.

That day Dally and Steve hung out with her around the house (Steve wasn't working that day). Dally told her all about the rodeos.

"They take place a little ways out of town since it is kinda illegal, we don't want the fuzz coming and ruining out fun." Dally said smiling. "Buck is the one who mostly organizes it. I am not sure where he gets the horses from, he won't tell me but boy are they wild. They are as bad as steers so when you hit the ground you better get ready to run. If one of those broncs charges you, your dead."

"How comforting." Jessica commented.

"You will be riding with the first group of 15+. They are the ones who have only been to the rodeos a few times or they just really suck." Dally explained.

"When will you be riding?" Jessica asked.

"The second group. If the crowd likes you and you do good they will move you up to the second group." Dally said. "That's the trick, the crowd needs to love you. If they don't then you won't go no where."

"Ima guess the crowd likes you then?" Jessica asked.

"You kiddin'!" Steve exclaimed "They go wild over Dallas Winston. He is always the one pushing the bar and taking the chances."

Dally shoved Steve off the couch who landing with a thud but was still laughing too hard to care.

"How much are the winnings?" Jessica asked, she needed money and she was hoping the rodeo would be enough.

"20 bucks for first place but they will pay more if you are a regular. Like I said if the crowd likes you then they will come when they know you are riding. The more people come, the more money Buck gets the more he will pay you because he wants you to come back" Dally said shrugging.

"Are there any other girl's that ride?" Jessica asked, curious.

"Nope, you are the first and the only. There aren't any rules saying you can't or nothing its just that is a rough game. Most girl's prefere to cheer from the sidelines." Dally said.

"I prefere to join the game, thank you very much." Jessica said jokingly.

They didn't do much for the rest of the day. They mostly just sat around, watched Tv and played poker while they waited for the rest of the gang to get home.

That night, before Dally he talking to Jessica again.

"The rodeo starts right after supper, around 6 o'clock. It finishes around 11 cause Buck wants to get back to his house for the party." Dally said, Jessica gave him a hopeful look. "Like I said, Darry will never let you go there. I will pick you up at 5, its takes about half an hour to get there and we will be there early so we can take a look at what you will be riding."

Jessica waved good bye and watched as Dally zoomed down the street, running a stop sign and turned up his music up until all you could hear was the bass. He may be from New York but he was a cowboy at heart.