Dally's Baby Sister//Ponyboy Curtis

Sixteen//Home

AMELIA

DALLAS AND I got up the next morning to look inside the new house. We're still not sure if we could get it, but Dallas was hopeful. We all were.

Since school was over and Ponyboy's last race was the next day, Dally and I made plans the next morning to check out the interior of the house. When we drove up, I saw it wasn't very large, but it's only the two of us. The exterior was painted green—a very dark green that almost looked white when my eyes first fell upon it. It looked rustic and old and it needed to be repainted. It had an open porch made of hard cement with a flowerbed right in front of it. The door was glass and then there was another door behind it made of solid wood. There was a giant window facing the front, which looked into a small living room. The house looked cozy and welcoming, and it wasn't too far from the Curtis house. I liked it. There was a walkway leading from the front of the house to the back, and on the side was a door that led into the kitchen. There was a nice icebox in the kitchen and a table was already there so we didn't have to buy one if Dally got insurance in time to get us the house. It was perfect. I fell in love with it in seconds.

"Amelia, if we end up with the house, your room is right by the bathroom. My room is right across from it, so if anything happens, I'll be able to get to you quickly," Dally said as he put his hand on my shoulder. I smiled up at my brother and hugged him from the side. He hugged me back and we left the house a few minutes later.

We went and got ice cream at The Dingo and then made our way back to the Curtis house. He was still staying at Buck's, and Dally actually told me that Buck asked about me when he came back home while we were driving.

"Really? I don't think he likes me very much. Never really though he would ask about me of all people," I admitted. Dally sighed.

"Nah, he likes you. He just doesn't show it. Wants to look tough, you savvy real good?" he said. I nodded and looked out the window. I realized we were in Buck's car. I've ridden in it so many times because Dally didn't have the money to buy one of his own, and I guess I've gotten used to the smell of cigarettes and beer that inhabited the vehicle.

"He actually said that he wished he saw you come around more often. Told me you're a sweet kid and you know what I said to him?" I looked at Dally, waiting for him to continue as he laughed. "I said, 'Well, it's a damn shame she's got a greasy boyfriend with a murder on his hands.'"

I had to stop myself from gasping at what Dallas let slip out of his mouth. I swallowed my anger and said calmly, "It wasn't their fault. They did it in self-defense."

Dally's laughing soon became more shallow and he soon stopped it altogether. The air in the car became heavy and my knee was bouncing up and down.

"Kiddo, I was just making a joke. I didn't mean anything by it," he said. I sighed and nodded, not really feeling the want to talk to him much longer anymore.

"I guess making a joke about it isn't helping much," he said, slowing down at a stoplight.

"No, it isn't," I said as calm as I could. My blood was starting to boil and I just wanted to go home to Ponyboy, Soda, and Darry.

"It's still a fresh wound, I understand."

"I hated seeing Johnny being buried. Nothing worse could come from that scenerio. I'd rather not talk about it at all. It hurts too much," I said. Dallas nodded and resumed driving once the light turned green. The drive to the Curtis' was silent from then on, the only sound being the engine running and Dally shifting from second to neutral and then to park. When I got out, none of us spoke. I just walked myself to the bedroom, got dressed in some comfortable clothes, and read a book until dinnertime.