This Might Hurt A Little-A Dallas Winston Fanfiction

With You I'm Born Again

It is so hard to leave-until you leave. And then it's the easiest goddamned thing in the world.-John Green, Paper Towns

Dallas and I both stared at each other, not moving. Tim was the one who moved first, giving Dallas a quick hug and pat on the back. Dallas didn't react to the touch of Tim. He just kept staring at me.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He finally spoke, his voice was rough. It sounded like he hadn't talked in days.

"We came to find you, man!" Tim shouted, shaking Dallas by his shoulders.

He glanced at Tim and then back at me, "No, I mean what are YOU doing here?" He couldn't meet my eyes.

I tried to open my mouth to talk but no words could come out. They felt all trapped in my throat, with no way to get out. I was running forward before I even knew what I was doing. I know that sounds cliche, but I swear that's what happened. Dallas wrapped his arms around me the instant my body hit his. We were both crying by that point and I reckon Tim was feeling awfully uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry." Dallas whispered in my ear over and over again. "I'm so sorry."

"I forgive you." I managed to get out.

I made sure not to tell him it was okay. It wasn't okay and I wasn't going to sugarcoat that. Still, I forgave him. If there's one thing I learned in life, it is to give people second chances and forgive. I had lost all my energy. It took energy to hold resentment against Dallas when almost all of me just wanted to run back into his arms.

"Don't you dare ever leave like that again, okay?" I was nearly hysterical by that point.

"I promise I won't. I'm so sorry baby."

When we kissed then, it wasn't like the other times. The other times we had kissed one of us was always holding back. But that time, it was raw and neither one of us was holding back. We didn't stop until Tim physically pulled us apart.

"Come on, lovebirds." He growled, walking back to Cherry's car.

She had been waiting further down the road and when we reached her she smiled at me. It wasn't a jealous smile like the other girls gave me when they saw me with Dallas. It was a smile of understanding.

"You better not be angry with me, Dally." She winked at him in the rear view mirror.

He raised his eyebrows at her, "I'll give you this warning."

She threw her head back laughing, her long red hair tumbling in waves across the head rest on her seat as she floored the gas pedal.

I looked at Dallas who was no longer smiling, "Are you sure you want to go back?"

"Yeah." He didn't bother in trying to hide his lie.

It was then I knew he couldn't go back to Tulsa. We couldn't go back to Tulsa and survive. Tulsa had become red, drenched in blood. If we went back there it wouldn't have been long before Dallas took off again. We both knew that.

Cherry heard our conversation and looked at us in the mirror, "Don't go back then."

"What?" Dallas and I both said at the same time.

"You heard me. You can take my car. Just keep driving."

The way she smiled when she said it was the only convincing Dallas and I both needed to agree. When we got back to Tulsa we dropped Cherry off at her house and Tim at The Dingo. I couldn't believe what we were about to do.

"I'll miss you, babe." Dallas smirked after he gave Cherry a goodbye hug.

"Promise you'll visit me?" She looked at both of us.

"Doll, you and I both know I ain't the visiting type."

She smiled, despite it all, "Promise anyways."

Dallas cracked a smile and hopped back in her car. He wasn't going to agree to anything. I turned to get in the car as well but she grabbed my arm, "You be careful out there, okay? Don't let Dallas walk all over you. And make him come back and visit me, even if he doesn't want to."

I hugged her, it was the only thing I could think to do. 

Dallas and I drove to the Curtis's next and for one of the first times, not a soul was home. We were going to wait around for them but, I could tell Dallas was itching to hit the road.

We settled on leaving a note.

Dear anyone who reads this,

Dallas and I are awfully sorry to be skipping town without telling you guys but I hope you'll understand. We've just got to. We'll send you a letter as soon as we find out where we're going to live. We know it's crazy. I love all of you so much, and Dallas does too, even though he won't admit it. Hopefully you'll be hearing from us soon. 
Love, 

Scarlett and Dallas.

It was simple but, that was how it needed to be. I knew they were going to be fuming that we left without saying goodbye. Ponyboy could have talked me out of leaving if he had been there. It was easier to make a clean break.

We ran into Mark on the way out of Tulsa. He was walking down the side of the road and waved to us when we passed. We pulled over to stop and tell him what our plan was.

"God, ya'll are crazy." Mark shook his head, and stared straight through me with his golden eyes. "I hope you find what you're looking for."

I threw my arms around him and planted a kiss on his cheek, having a small flashback to the night at Buck Merrill's when he did the same to me. "I'll miss you, Mark."

"I'll miss you too, sweetheart." He gave Dallas a grin, "Can't say the same about you."

Dallas laughed and then grew serious, "You'll be careful, okay? You ain't as secretive as you think you are. You're gonna get caught."

Mark shrugged and turned to walk, "I'll cross that bridge when I get to it."

Dallas and I both knew he was going to get caught then but we couldn't stop him. We just kept driving. Soon enough, we flew past the sign that read, "Now leaving Tulsa. Come back soon!"

We weren't going back. We didn't know where we were going but, it didn't matter. The only thing that mattered to us is that we we're free. And I knew that was the only thing Dallas could ever stand to be.