They Are There For Me (book 3 of Running Towards Home series)

CHAPTER 4

KIRA'S POV:

The gang is super nice. Everyone just automatically made me part of the group. I'm glad Dally introduced me to them. He seems all tough, but I think he's actually a giant softy deep, deep, deep down. We decide to stay for dinner, and I eat with the gang. The boys eat so much so fast, they must be part vacuum cleaner. Arlene, Sam and I all eat like normal people, shooting each other glances of disgust at the boy's eating habits.

When it's almost ten, I decide to head home. Dally says he'll come with me. We're walking back when a mustang pulls up. A bunch of rich looking kids pop out. I figure they must be socs. They whistle at me and start catcalling. Dally starts to head toward the car, ready to start a fight. I hold him back. "I've got it." I whisper. I walk over, and lean down to the car window.

"I almost feel bad for you. You're so ugly you only come out to look for girls at night." I sneer at him. His face turns red. "Stupid bitch!" He yells at me, then he drives off. Dally is laughing. "That was great." He tells me. I smile at him. "Told ya I could handle myself."

"I was thinking, I have some money saved up. I can get a job and rent a hotel room so I can get out of your way." I tell him. I have a good amount of money, and a hotel might be easier for the both of us. Dally shakes his head no. "You're staying with me at Buck's." I shoot him a glance. He's really hard to read. "You didn't want me there at first. What changed?" I ask him, genuinely curious. He was against me staying this morning, but now he wants me to stay with him. It's odd.

"Look, I don't have any family but the gang. I didn't think I had any family left at all, then you showed up. I'm not losing my family again." he says. "Tell anyone I said any of that, and I will kill you." He says, back to his old self. "Got it, Dal." I say, and he puts an arm around my shoulder. It's nice to feel wanted.

DARRY'S POV:

I don't know what happened to Dally. Kira showed up, and he became... more like an adult. He seems to actually care about her. I don't think I've ever seen this side of Dally before. He lets his guard down a bit around her. You can tell they're related. They both have the blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Plus, only someone related to Dally would talk to him like Kira does. Anyone else talked like that, they would get a nice punch to the face.

Dally is already really protective over the gang, especially Sam and Arlene. I don't even want to think about how protective he'll be over Kira. I'd be surprised if he ever lets her go out with anyone. The only person who would ask her out would be someone brave. No one else would risk the might of Dallas Winston.

I hope he takes good care of her. I hope he knows I would be willing to help him. I've been watching over the gang for years. But I swear, if he gets a nice girl like Kira involved in one of his schemes, I will make sure he never gets to cause trouble again.