Heart Breaker

Chapter 16

5 days later . . .

Dally and I were on the rode to go and check on the boys. We had made it to the church and headed to the back.

When we walked in and Dally nudged Ponyboy with his toe. "Glory, he looks different with his hair like that." We both laughed.

Ponyboy sat up rubbing his eyes and yawning. "Hey, Dally! Hey y/n!"

"Hey Ponyboy!" I said grinning down at him. "Or should I say Sleeping Beauty?"

"How's Sodapop? Are the fuzz after us? Is Darry all right? Do you boys know where we are? What . . ." Pony asked.

"Hold on, kid," Dally broke in. "I can't answer everthing at once. You two want to go get something to eat first? We skipped breakfast and we're about starved."

"You're starved?" Johnny said.

"Is it safe to go out?" Ponyboy asked eagerly.

"Yep." I said as Dally searched his pocket for a cigarette.

Dally found none, so he turned to Johnny," Gotta cancer stick, Johnnycake?" Johnny tossed him a whole package.

"The fuzz won't be lookin' for you around here." I said as Dally lit his cigarette.

"They think you've lit out for Texas. I've got Buck's T-bird parked down the road a little way. Goshamighty, boys, ain't you been eatin' anything?" Dally said.

Johnny looked startled. "Yeah. Whatever gave you the idea we ain't?"

Dally shook his head. "You're both pale and you've lost weight. After this, get out in the sun more. You look like you've been through the mill."

"Hey, Ponyboy" --- Dally said fumbling with a piece in the back pocket--- "I gotta a letter for you."

"A letter? Who from?" Ponyboy asked.

"The President, of course, stupid. It's from Soda."

"Sodapop?" Pony asked bewildered. "But how did he know. . . ?"

I cut him off, "He came over to Buck's a couple of days ago for something and found that sweat shirt. Dally told him that we didn't know where you were, but he didn't believe us. He gave me and Dally this letter and half his pay check to give to you. Kid, you ought to see Darry. He's takin' this mighty hard . . ."

"How come you got hauled in?" Pony asked Dally.

"Shoot, kid" --- He grinned wolfishly--- "them boys at the station know me by now. I get hauled in for everything that happens in our turf. While I was there I kinda let it slip that y'a;; were headin' for Texas. So that's where they're lookin'."

"You sure can cuss good, Dally." Johnny said in admiration.

"Sure can," Dally agreed wholeheartly, proud of his vocabulary. "But don't you kids get to pickin' up my bad habits."

"You don't want to end like him though." I teased him.

He threw me over his shoulder and didn't let me go. "Put me down, now, DALLAS TUCKER WINSTON." I yelled.

"Or what?" Dallas said questioning me.

"Just put me down." I said with puppy eyes.

"Fine, just cause you know I love you." Dal whispered into my ear putting me down.

Dal rubbed Pony and the head. "Kid, I swear it don't look like you with your hair all cut off. It used to look tuff. You and Soda had the coolest lookin' hair in town."

"I know," Pony said sourly. "I look lousy, but don't rub it in."

"Do y'all want somethin' to eat or not?" I asked.

Johnny and Pony leaped up. "You'd better believe it."

"Gee." Johnny said wistfully. "It sure will be good to get into a car again."

"Well," Dally drawled, "I'll give you a ride for your money."

We all got into the car and drove to a Dairy Queen. Johnny and Pony gorged on barbecue sandwiches and banana splits.

"Glory," Dallas said, amazed watching them gulp the stuff down. "You don't need to make like every mouthful's your last. I got plenty of money. Take it easy, I don't want you gettin' sick on me. And I thought I was hungry!"

"Hey, their just hungry. Leave them be." I said. Johnny just ate faster.