People Don't Change (Dally Winston)

Chapter 24

2 weeks later

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So, Soda wanted to know if we'd be up for a double date this Saturday. Me and you along with him and Sandy," I said to Dallas.

"I don't know. I'm not really into double dates," he replied.

"Why? Are you embarrassed to be with me around your friends?" I asked, hoping he would say no.

"It's not that," he replied, trying to end the conversation.

"Well then, what is it?" I asked as I crossed my arms.

"It's just that...well...you know what? Just forget it," he nervously ran a hand through his hair.

"No. Tell me what you were gonna say," I commanded.

"Okay, fine," he began, "I don't like showing emotions in public."

"You've got to be kidding me." I said.

"I'm sorry. We can go if you really want to," he said.

"No. If you're so ashamed of showing people that you actually love someone, then I don't want to go."

"Tell Soda that we're coming," he said as I turned to walk away.

"Whatever."

~~~

"He just let you walk away?" Soda asked.

"Yeah." I answered.

"When was this?" Steve asked, wiping oil off his hands with a dirty rag.

"Yesterday afternoon when I was walking home from school," I sighed.

"Are you going to try and talk to him?" Soda questioned, leaning over the counter of the DX.

"I guess...I don't know when I should..." my sentence trailed off as a customer walked in. I quickly moved away from the counter, until they left. Their shoes squeaked as they walked across the tile floor.

"Well, you should try to talk before Saturday," Steve suggested, "It's Thursday."

"I know what day it is," I said, rolling my eyes at him.

"I'm just bein' helpful, geez," he mumbled.

I turned back to Soda, "This is really the only time we've gotten mad at each other since we got together, but, I don't know. Maybe all of the anger has just been building up. We used to fight on a weekly basis back in New York."

"Sometimes you just have to fight to maintain a healthy relationship," he said.

"Maybe. But I hate fighting with him. Even back then, I would get this sick feeling when we were mad at each other" I thought back to those days.

~~~flashback~~~

"I thought I told you to leave me alone!" Dally yelled, hiding his face from me.

"What's wrong?" I asked, sitting down next to him and putting an arm around his shoulders.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Why are you crying?"

"I'm not. Now leave me alone!" he started yelling again, "Just go away, Jenny!"

I stood up and ran off. That was the only time he had ever told me to leave. I never found out what he was upset about, but just thinking about him wanting me to go still hurts. I didn't talk to him or anyone else for a week after that.