Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders; they all belong to S.E. Hinton. I do own Samantha.
"When you find this and are old enough, hop onto the box car train heading to Tulsa, when you get there head to this address," his voice still told me over the phone a couple years ago. Why would he want me to go to Tulsa? My life is here, doesn't he know that.
Well at the age of sixteen I was packing a few things to head to the train station. After I had a bag packed with the main things I would need I went to the station late that night. I hoped onto the 231 train heading to Tulsa from New York.
I got my notebook out that had the address written in it that he gave me. I was confused on why he gave me this address of 731 North Saint Louis. I looked further into the notebook and found the note I wrote him before he left. I never got the chance to give it to him, but hopefully when we re-meet up answers will be found to the questions I have.
The train stopped and I heard a voice say, "fifteen miles until Tulsa, why are you going there?"
"Family," another voice said as two heads poked into the car I was in. Thankfully neither saw me. The voices moved on and I felt the train jerk as it started to move again.
I must have fallen asleep because out of the blue I heard, "Tulsa is finally here," from a voice. I grabbed my bag, shoved my notebook in it, zipped it and jumped after the people were gone.
I headed towards what looked like the main part of town and found a place called The Dingo. I walked in and saw a lady standing by the cash register. I was hungry but on a mission.
"What can I get you?" the lady asked kindly with a soft smile.
"Um, directions please, I need to find this place," I showed her the address.
"Go out those doors and keep walking east, you'll go past a place called the DX, turn left at the first cross roads, you'll come across an empty lot, the street to the right of it is the street you want, it'll be down that way, won't be hard to miss, there's about four old cars in the yard and probably loud music coming from inside," she told me.
"Thank you," I told her and followed the directions I wrote as she told me. I finally made my way to the street and took in a deep breath, scared to know if he'll be there or not.
As I walked the street I found the address, and the girl was right about the cars and the loud music. I chuckled as I slowly made my way up the front yard to the front door.
I nervously knocked on the door and a muscular guy answered the door, "can I help you?" he asked kindly.
"Yes, um, I'm looking for Dallas Winston, I was told he'd be here," I softly told him and the guy nodded and ushered me inside.
"Dallas, you have company," the guy called as he pounded on a door.
"Be right out," I heard someone grumble from the other side. Truthfully it didn't sound like the Dallas I once knew.
"Have a seat miss," the guy told me who let me in.
"It's Samantha, or Sam," I introduced.
"Nice to meet you Sam, I'm Darrel," the guy told me with a smile.
"Nice to meet you also Darrel," I replied and the bathroom door opened.
"Sammy?" I heard. The only person who calls me that is Dallas. I glanced up and smiled when I saw those piercing blue eyes looking at me in shock.
"I re-found your note," was all I told him as I was pulled off the couch and into a hug.
"God, I missed you so much Sammy," Dally told me and I knew he was upset that he left but excited I was there after all these years.
"I missed you too, but, please put me down Dally, I hurt." He slowly put me down and looked me over.
"Damn, you've changed a lot darling," Dally told me and I just smiled, "except that, that smile right there is the way I know it's you."
"You've changed also, your eyes mainly, they've gotten colder and harder, maybe with a little luck they'll go back to the way they were once before," I told him in my cute Irish accent.
"You're Irish?" Darrel asked me with a smile.
"Yes, well, part, the accent only comes out around Dally here or if I'm mad," I told him as Dally and I sat on the couch. Like normal Dally put his arm around my shoulders and held me close.
"How old are you?" Darrel kindly asked me. I guess just to get to know me better.
"Just turned sixteen yesterday," I replied and Dally sighed, "Don't worry, you can make it up to me later."
"Okay, by the way happy late birthday sweetie," he told me.
"Thanks, you're the only one that's said that, even on my birthday no one told me," I replied with a sad look. Dally pulled me into a hug and kissed the side of my head.
"I'm sorry to hear that," Darrel told me as I wiped a tear off my cheek.
"Thanks," I softly replied.
"You're welcome Sam," he said then got up and went to the kitchen.
Dally and I sat there, I wasn't sure what to say and the look in his eyes made him seem worried about something.
"Dally, you okay?" I asked him with a slight smile.
"Yeah, everything's fine," Dally told me. I glanced up and knew something was wrong. I didn't bother him with what was wrong anymore.
"Okay," I told him with a sigh. He chuckled at me a little as he squeezed my shoulder. I lightly elbowed him in the ribs and saw him jerk. I slowly lifted his shirt and saw bruises on his ribs.
"I'm fine," he told me in a demanding type voice.
"Okay," was all I could think of to say; He's still hard I noticed, not wanting to talk about his bruises or anything. "Dally, we, we kinda need to talk."
"About?" he asked. I glanced at him and sighed.
"Stuff, but it can wait until we're alone, it'll be better if we were alone to talk," I told him. He nodded with a smirk on his face, "and no, it's not about what you're thinking of Dallas." He smirked and shook his head at me.
"I ain't thinking a thing doll face," he told me and I chuckled.
"Sure handsome, whatever you say," I joked with him he gave me a weird look and I just smiled, "What?"
"Nothin' doll, just, it's been to long since we last saw each other." He just had to say that didn't he?
"Whose fault is that now?" I sternly told him in full Irish. He glared at me and I cocked an eye brow at him. He shook his head and left the house. "Dallas?" I asked following him out the door.
"What?" he asked in reply
"I'm sorry okay, I meant that it was your mom's fault for shipping you here, not your fault," I told him sweetly and leaned against him, placing my head on his shoulder.
"I know, I just, I just hate the fact I left like I did Sammy," he replied slipping his arm around my back.
"I know, I cried when you left." he gave me a smile and just held me tight as he lit a smoke. He offered me one and I shook my head no. He just shrugged and we stood there in silence as he smoked.
"Sam, come in please, you too Dallas," Darry told us, Dallas put out his smoke and we followed him inside. There on the coffee table was a chocolate cake with the number sixteen written in white frosting on it.
"What's this?" I asked confused.
"Happy Birthday," everyone who was there said. There were five other guys there, besides Dallas.
"Um, thanks," I told them as I slowly sat down on the couch next to a guy that had a lot of grease on his shirt.
"Guys this is Samantha, Samantha they are Soda, Pony, Johnny, Steve and you already know Darry," Dallas introduced and I smacked him upside the head, "Damn girl."
"Never call me Samantha there Dallas," I told him with a glare.
"Yup," was all he said; I rolled my eyes and just sat there, "Cake?"
"Um, a small piece," I told him and he cut a bigger piece. I coked an eye brow at him and he just grinned when he grabbed two forks and leaned back. The two of us ate the cake, him the most, I'm not a huge fan of chocolate cake.