You Don't Stop Living Because You Lose Somebody

14. Replay

After Soda dropped me off at home, he quickly drove back to work, hopefully before he could get in any form of trouble. I slipped into leggings and a shirt of Darry's,the bottom reaching to my knees as I sat and watched Mickey Mouse, eating crackers. A couple of hours later Steve dropped in handing me my homework that he gathered from my teachers before dashing off to the DX to go find Soda.

I only got halfway through the load my teachers gave out when I hear a truck door slam from the street. I sigh as I quickly finished the worksheet not wanting to do it later. As I tucked the piece of paper in the folder, I hear feet on the front porch.

"What in the hell were you thinking?" Darry says stepping through the front door and slamming the door closed. "Getting into a fight at school? That's not like you Arella Jean! Can I not trust you to go to school anymore?" I rolled my eyes as the front door opened and three laughing boys walked through the front door. Steve, Soda, and Two-Bit all eyed the tall man standing in front of me with his eyes peering down at me with his baud arms crossed across his torso.

The three boys creep their way into the kitchen, rummaging for something to eat. I scooted from my spot on the floor and sat on the couch. "Are you going to say anything?" Darry barked making me jump. I rolled my eyes again and told him the same story I told Soda only mere hours before. He listened as the boys came into the living room, Two-Bit sitting beside me, Soda on my other side, Steve leaning against the wall. The door gets pushed open and Dally walks in.

"If you ever touch my kid sister like that again Two-Bit." Darry points to the guy sipping a beer beside me "I'll skin ya. Ya hear?" Two-Bit nods his head, Dally looks at Darry, as he registered the words that left my older brothers lips.

"You hit Arella?" Dall asked blinking at Two-Bit.

"Well slammed her into lockers." Steve laughed walking back into the kitchen. Dallas fumed as he glared at Two-Bit.

"If you lay another finger on her aga-"

"Oh shut it Dally." I barked. "It ain't any of your business what happened." He looks to Darry, who just shrugs his shoulders. With Anger in his chest he glares at Two-Bit before leaving. Darry turns to me pointing a finger.

"You're cooking dinner and doing dishes as a punishment for your behavior at school." I groan standing up making my way to the kitchen, Two-Bit following me.

"I want you to know that I'm not mad at you." He says so only I can hear him. "Just another bump in the road. That's all." I smile at him and he returned it, placing an arm around my shoulder he pulls me to his chest. "I'm sorry for today." He whispers as he presses a kiss to my temple. Just got to take a few steps back Arella. I think to myself as Two-Bit releases me from his grip.

______________

Three days went by and Dally hasn't dropped by, I told myself if he didn't drop by after my shift at the Dingo today then I'd head over to Bucks and look for him. Darry drove me to work on his way to work today, Steve, Two-Bit, and I never go to schools on Fridays because the classes are useless to attend to.

Walking into the Dingo I see only a few tables occupied by couples and groups of people. Smiling to Mandy as I pass her, walking into the office to clock in, seeing Karen and George making out I roll my eyes, quickly punching my card. The two break apart at the noise, and Karen's face drops at the sight of me. I walk out avoiding eye contact, seeing Shelby waiting on a table where greasers sat giving their orders. I quickly walk up behind the bar and put my white apron that tied around my waist on, and making sure I had a notepad and pen.

"Hey Ella." Karen's voice sounded from beside me.

"Hello." I say with a smile on my face, her lips formed into a pout as she stared at the floor.

"About what you saw, I ju-"

"It's cool. I won't tell. Although it would of been nice to see you helping Shelby and Mandy, rather than sticking your tongue down our boss' throat. Fuck the boss when you're not supposed to be working." She looks down to the floor as I walked out from behind the counter. The door ringing signaled that it was opened, lifting my head I see Dally tucking a pack of cancer sticks into his blue jean jacket-Ponyboy still had his leather jacket. He smiles when our eyes meet, quickly striding he sits at the bar stool.

"Hey Arella." I nod my head at him, no, matter how much I love Dally, I still want him to know that I was mad at him for telling Two-Bit things that never concerned him. "Can you say something man? I feel like I did something wrong man." I shake my head in disbelief.

"You did do somethin' Dallas Winston! Now if you had a head on your shoulders, you'd be tryin' to figure it out!" I snap. "You told Two-Bit I used him as a rebound, Dally." I walk back behind the counter, fighting the anger from rising up my thoat.

"Listen 'Ella, I didn-"

"Don't you dare Dallas tell me you 'didn't mean it.' You and I both know damn well that that statement isn't true. Tell me how did you even know that Two-Bit was a rebound? Do you even know to who?" Part of me wanted him to know, it wanted him to know that I was madly in love with the bad boy of the hood. But the other part of me doesn't want him to know, because that could ruin our friendship. I was ready for Dallas not to love me, But I wasn't ready for Dallas to leave me.

"I know you better than you know yourself." He says, avoiding the main subject. I could tell he was getting upset over my coldness, this was new. I was never able to stay mad at him, or keep firm with him. I was in love with him, he kept me weak at my knees, giving into submission at his every will. He kept me like putty in his calloused hands.

"What's it any of your business any how." I snap at him again.

"What is it of my business?" He shakes his head before leaping over the counter to stand in front of me, my eyes immediately avoid his as I look to our feet. I feel his hot breath fan over me as he brings his hand up and lift my face by my chin. Moving it to rest on my jaw as he brought his face closer. "It's my business because I know everything about you. I know everything you've ever felt and for who. It's my business because I'm in L-"

"Excuse me, you're not supposed to be back here!" I hear George shout cutting Dally of from something i had no idea of. Dally sighs removing his touch from my face, backing up from me and walking in front of the counter. I stood there shocked, and he shook his head making his way to the exit.

"Wait! Dally! You're in what?" I shout as Dally put his hand on the exit door, ignoring the looks of all the people glaring at us. Dally Stops in his tracks, turning looking all the people with a smile on his face. He smiles wider his eyes meeting mine, as he opens the door walking out.

"That bastard." I whisper with a smile on my face. Yes, still putty.