Melanie Carson was a rule follower. She didn't drink, smoke or sneak around; her record was squeaky clean and her grades were impeccable. Unlike so many girls her age, she didn't feel like need to act like an adult, or look like one. Instead of spending hours trying to make her hair look a certain way, she let her chestnut brown waves cascade down to her elbows without a touch of product. When all of the other girls wasted precious time poking and prodding themselves to look good for somebody else, Melanie went on her day with a little mascara and a touch of lipgloss, but only if she felt like it. So many girls would skip meals to fit into certain showy outfits, but Melanie was fine with being not model thin and prancing around in provocative short skirts and busty tops. All of the adults who knew Melanie would rave on and on about how wonderful she was, and all of the kids in the halls would gripe about her apparent perfection. In short, Melanie was the ideal teenage girl, or she seemed to be.
That's why Melanie was so shocked that she was at a real party, nevertheless a party with drinks, smoking and foul language, not to mention couples going at it around every turn. The music was pounding so loud that Melanie could barely think, much less hold a conversation. Melanie could not believe she had let Clara drag her there, especially wearing the skimpy clothes she was dressed in.
Melanie's best friend Clara was a polar opposite of her; while Melanie was prim and proper, Clara was sarcastic and on occasion, rude. She enjoyed frying her tight blonde curls into frizzy straightness, and refused to leave the house unless her face was completely caked in makeup. Clara was stick thin, yet still managed to have curves in all of the right places. At the age of 15, she had done everything to do with various guys, yet Melanie had yet to even been kissed. Her dirty mouth sometimes made Melanie blush from the tips to her ears, while Clara was pretty sure Melanie had never cussed in her life. Her clothing collection was extensive, but Clara had lifted so many items Melanie lost count, the vast majority being so tight they were uncomfortable, or lacking so much fabric that Melanie was positive her parents would have a heart attack if she tried to leave the house wearing them. Clara was so outgoing, everybody loved her, or hated her but only because they wanted to be her. Melanie was sometimes jealous about how popular Clara was, she could just fit anywhere she wanted too. Melanie never had any trouble making friends, but she couldn't fit right in like Clara could, most of the time she felt like the outsider. They were both fiery passionate about things, and one thing Melanie was sure passionate about was that nobody would ever mess with her, ever. Maybe sometimes that scared people away from her, and she pretended not to care, but Melanie yearned to be accepted and loved by her peers, like Clara. The only people who had a problem with Clara were some of the high strung Socs; Clara was so well liked that a lot of the Socs didn't mind her. Clara was a Greaser through and through, from her self destructive behavior to her broken family. Melanie was neither a Greaser nor a Soc. While her family had a load of money, and she had the etiquette of some of the Socs, Melanie could never stand to be around those airheads who were so obsessed with material objects that they couldn't even think for themselves. So she had stuck with Clara, and so technically, she was part Greaser by association, although she would rather be reading a book than partaking in various illegalities.
How Clara had convinced her to come to this party in Clara's skimpy clothing was beyond Melanie. "Learn to live a little," Clara had said countless times to her before, but after a particularly uneventful day, Melanie threw away all her inhibitions and told herself that for today, she would be someone else, someone cool. Chances were so slim that she would see someone who knew her or her parents, and for that one night, she didn't have to be herself. So when Clara had offered to lend her some clothing to wear, Melanie happily obliged. She had picked out the most modest of Clara's clothing, but she knew she wouldn't be caught dead wearing it in front her parents. The short skirt covered Melanie's entire bottom which was more than she could say about Clara. The top, while long sleeved, left little of Melanie's curvy figure to the imagination. While Melanie let Clara dicate her outfit, in no way would Melanie let Clara touch her with any of her makeup; her face was her own and there would be no changing that.
Melanie knew she didn't look terrible, but standing in the doorway of the raging party, she suddenly felt terribly self conscious. What was she doing here, why did she think she could be here? As Melanie turned to leave, Clara swiftly grabbed her hand.
"Come on, Melly, let's go have some fun!" Clara giggled when Melanie turned her nose at the childish nickname Clara gave her.
"Fine, but I need to be back before 12 for my curfew," Melanie let out an exasperated sigh before letting Clara pull her on her way. They passed people dancing obnoxiously to terrible music, and Melanie crinkled her nose at the lingering scent of liquor and cigarettes. As they arrived at the makeshift bar, Melanie listened to Clara flirt shamelessly with a guy while Melanie searched a cooler for a Pepsi. Popping the tab open, Melanie was about to take sip when Clara shoved a beer into her, giving Melanie no choice to grasp the foreign drink.
"Clar, what I am supposed to do with this?" Melanie said to Clara quietly so no one would overhear them. "You know I don't drink."
Clara just looked at her with dumbstruck look on her face. "Come on Mel, it's a party, everyone drinks."
But Melanie wasn't so sure, and opened her mouth to say so when Clara cut her off.
"Lighten up hon, nobody likes a downer at a party."
Reluctantly, Melanie raised the foul smelling liquid to her lips before taking a tender sip. Gagging, she forced herself to swallow, and gave Clara a giant forced smile.
"That's the spirit!" Clara gave Melanie a giant thumbs up, and then they were on their way around the party. First, Clara continuously introduced her to all of friends, just another reminder of how liked Clara was. Melanie gripped the full beer in her hand, and but only spoke when prompted to. Clara looked like she was having the time of her life, but all Melanie wanted was to curl up in her bed and read a good book. They wandered around aimlessly for a while, Clara looking for someone to finish her night with, and after about an hour of being at the party, Clara decided that they would play a game of pool against two guys they just met.
Leaning down so that only Melanie could hear her words, Clara started to talk about how hot one of the guys was, the one with the over greased hair and prominent muscles.
"Clara!" Melanie had whispered urgently back, "He looks like he's twenty-five!"
"So," Clara countered back, "What's gonna happen is that while I talk to the hot one, you're gonna talk to the other one, keep him, ummm, entertained."
Clara's break in words didn't go unnoticed by Melanie. "Are you sure you want me to do this?" Melanie questioned nervously, "I'm not exactly anyone's first choice for a wingwoman." Melanie chuckled dryly before waiting for Clara's response.
"What the hell, just go for it" Clara shrugged her shoulders confidently before walking back to the pool table, standing a little too close to be friendly with the more muscular one.
Naturally, Melanie sucked at pool, as she had never really had a party to play it at before. She pretty much missed every shot, while Clara giggled up with the muscular one, much to Melanie's dismay. She had honestly hoped that Clara would stay with her through the whole party, but knowing her best friend that would never happen. As Clara kept getting more and more close to the one guy, Melanie left obvious signals that she was not interested in whatever the second guy wanted.
"Hey baby, I'm Max," The sleaze had uttered when they first met, the smell of booze evident in his breath and a smoke in hand.
"Okay," Melanie nodded coolly, as that was all she could muster the courage to say, where she really wanted to tell the guy to leave her alone, as he must've been 25 whereas she was only 15.
The game continued on, but at one point, as Melanie went uncomfortably up to the table to take her shot, she felt slimy hands wrap around her waist and grab the pool stick.
"Sweetcheeks, this is how you do it," The creep started to pull the stick back, but not before she felt his lingering palm graze her breast. Panicking, she looked over to Clara for help, before realizing that she would have to deal with this on her own, as Clara and the muscular guy had started sucking face in the middle of the party. Melanie pushed Max off her, with more strength than she knew she had, but even so could only muster enough to passively say "Please leave me alone."
She knew that this action didn't suffice when he reached out to grasp her arm.
"Babycakes, don't be like that, I can show you a good time," His eyes raked up and down her body, inevitably taking in every curve and she tensed under his tight grip. She could feel his warm, discussing breath on her skin. Melanie was now angry; nobody had a right to treat anybody that way, and she sure wasn't gonna let him act like that.
"I said leave me alone, what do you not understand about that!" Even though she had yelled loudly, very little people's heads turned under the loudness of the music. Even Clara could not leave her boy toy of the night to see if her best friend was okay. Ripping the man's hand off of her as hard as she could, she quickly made her way over to the couch, where she sat expressionlessly. Why did she come here? Melanie thought to herself, she could never be liked as much as Clara. She just wanted to go home and lie in her bed and forget this ever happened.
Dallas Winston was bored out of his mind. Against his will, Sodapop Curtis and Two-Bit Matthews had dragged him to this stupid B-rate high school party. Rolling a cigarette between his fingers, he took a drag before puffing it out in perfect rings. Sighing exasperatedly, he had turned to Soda before grumbling something about there being no good booze here.
"Come on Dal, this is like the party of the year at good ol' Will Rogers High here," Two-Bit took a sip of his lukewarm beer before continuing on. "And what kind of party would it be if I didn't show up," Two-Bit cackled before taking another sip of his beer, which was definitely not his first one of the night.
"Okay," Dally grunted. "That explains why you're here," he gestured to Two-Bit. "But why do you gotta be here Soda, and most importantly, why the hell am I missing on a perfectly good party at Buck's for this shithole. Ain't nothing going on 'round here." Grumbling, he took another match from his jean pocket and struck it on his necklace, before touching it to a cigarette.
"Come on Dal," Soda said lightheartedly, "Have some fun or something' like that,"
Dally rolled his eyes before continuing on complaining. "No good broads to pick up here either. Geeze, Two-Bit, I thought you said this was the party of the year or somethin' stupid like that." Two-Bit nodded before Soda opened his mouth to reply.
"Life ain't always about finding another broad to use Dally." Soda said strongly, hoping he would get through to his friend so he would stop his gripping, so that they could have some fun.
"Says the boy who still cries 'because his girlfriend was knocked up by another man," Dally retorted coldly. Soda's face grew red around his ears, and Two-Bit grew visibly pale. Dally knew this was a low blow, even counting some of the asshole things he's said to people.
"Fuck this. I'm outta here," Dally turned around and stormed out, not even waiting for his friends' reactions before leaving. As he was about to walk out the door, a girl sitting alone on the couch caught his eye.
Melanie wanted to go home. She had been sitting there for over an hour waiting for Clara to get done messing around so that Clara could take her home. Glimpsing down at her watch, she saw the time was only 10:44, and that she had over an hour before Clara had to take her home. Groaning, she sat back on the couch before she felt someone sit down next to her.
"What's a pretty little broad like you doing sittin' all alone at a party," the guy who sat down next to her said. It took Melanie a few moments to realize that he was talking to her. When she turned to face the speaker, her big brown eyes caught on his icy blue ones for just a moment. He had pale blonde hair and and an elvish shaped face, not to mention the intense blue eyes. He looked almost dangerous, his pale blue eyes glinting with amusement.
"Don't call me a broad," Melanie snapped back at. "I ain't no stupid toy,"
"My, feisty are we," He replied with a smirk on his lips. "Cutie, what should I call you?" His hand brushed down her jaw bone, in some attempt to flirt with her. It took all the strength Melanie had not to slap him, but even Melanie could tell he didn't have the same intentions as the creep before had, he was doing nothing but failing at flirting with her.
"Melanie," She whispered strongly, not wanting anyone else to hear, even though she had no interest in playing this guy's games.
"Melanie," He smirked back at her. "My name's Dallas, but my friends call me Dally."
"Okay, nice meeting you Dallas," While it was obvious this guy was doing nothing but flirting with her, Melanie felt really uncomfortable. She was out of her element, the most adventurous she ever got was in a book. She shouldn't have even came to the party, who was she kidding. Sweet, innocent Melanie wouldn't ever come to a boozed up party, much less be talking to a hood like this one.
"Why not Dally?" He shrugged his shoulders before taking a drag of his cigarette. "Ain't we friends now?" Dally smirked and put his arm around Melanie, much to her dismay. Now she was angry, nobody was going to touch her without her permission.
"No we ain't friends, I just met you for cryin' out loud, name one thing about me" Melanie spit back in his face, letting out all of her pent up frustrations about the party on him.
"You're goddamn sexy, but I guess anyone can see that," The blonde haired teen smirked, but it was not answer Melanie wanted to hear.
Pulling his arm off from around her, she yelled the only thing strong enough that came to mind. "Fuck off hood!" Melanie shouted before walking away from him, not realizing that this was the first time she's ever sworn. Dally just leaned into the couch with a cocky smirk on his face, when he saw her look back at him, and his icy blue eyes met her sweet brown ones. Now he wasn't so interested in leaving this party.
Melanie sat on a stool at the makeshift bar, nursing a Pepsi, while waiting for Clara to bring her home. This was such a mistake, she was nothing like this, she was never a party girl. Glancing down at her watch, the time read 12:04.
"Dang it!" She said out loud, knowing that she needed to be home four minutes ago. Melanie was not a rule breaker, and she wondered what was gonna happen when she came home late. Melanie had never even been close to breaking curfew before, and here she was, sitting here stuck at the world's worst party without a ride. Knotting her wavy hair back into a ponytail, Melanie slowly slipped off of the chair before trudging to the door. She was trying to give Clara as much time to get her butt down there, so she wouldn't have to walk the 20 minutes home. But as she reached the door, she knew her stalling was pointless. She was gonna have to walk home to avoid getting into more trouble than she was already in. Oh goddess, her parents would be so angry with her. Melanie's parents loved her alot, but Melanie and them never saw eye to eye on anything. Melanie always felt like they were looking for a reason to bring her down, or get her in trouble. She knew it wasn't true, but her feelings had validation. Melanie was the perfect daughter, and they still treated her like a delinquent. She didn't even think they realized how good she was in comparison to other 15-year-olds, such as Clara herself. Melanie would guarantee her parents would enjoy the opportunity to discipline her, while her younger siblings sat in amusement. Although they had never been physical with her, sometimes words said from anger hurt more than they think. Melanie was definitely not excited to arrive home, and especially not explain to her parents where she had been all this time.
As she stepped out onto the rundown street, Melanie realized how cold it truly was. Shivering, she wrapped her arms around herself before taking a good long look at where she was. Surrounded by rundown houses and beat up fences, she could hear a distant car alarm over the voices from the raging party behind. Melanie had no clue where she was, only that she was on the East side of town. Knowing she had a fifty-fifty chance of picking the way back to her larger, West side house, she debated about it for a little while before finally deciding to turn to the left. Placing one foot in front of the other, Melanie thought about all of the implications this one, stupid decision to come to this party would have on her life, not even bothering to realize that she was not only walking alone, but into the wrong direction.
"Fuck!" Dally cursed under his breath, realizing the time. He hadn't lasted much longer at that lame party they dragged him to after he lost sight of that one broad, and so he had decided to go over to Buck's for some real fun. It was only now, 12:09, that he realized that he was Soda and Two-Bit's ride. Nodding goodbye to Buck and the girls they had been talking to, Dally turned away to leave when Buck called his name.
"Dal, why you not staying' for the after party?" Buck was so intoxicated that he was barely coherent, but luckily Dally was able discern most of what he was saying.
"Nothin' much, just gotta go give a ride, I'll be back before it's over," Dally offered nothing more before snatching his keys out from his pocket and continuing down the front steps. While Dally had had more than a few drinks that night, he could hold his alcohol and knew he wasn't completely buzzed. Darry Curtis would kill him for chauffeuring around Sodapop half assed. Walking only a couple feet to find his car, which had been parked right near the entrance, Dally lit another match on his necklace and held it up to his cigarette. Dally took a quick drag of the smoke before huffing out of frustration. It wasn't fair that everyone else got to go have fun while he was stuck playing babysitter to the two boys, although that was better than the alternative of them walking home alone; two lone Greasers would get jumped faster than the speed of light. Plugging his keys into the ignition, Dally waited a couple seconds before the engine roared to life, and the moment that happened, he tore down the street to arrive back at the lame party.
Melanie's watch now read 12:25. Shouldn't she have been home by now, or at least passed the train tracks separating East from West. Melanie mentally smacked herself in the head, she knew that meant only one thing; she picked the wrong direction. Now, not only is she going to be late, she is going to be very late. Letting out a whimper from the cold, she turned around to start hiking the other way on her sore feet.
Melanie definitely noticed when a beat up old car pulled up alongside her. Not even using her head, she made her way to the driver's before rapping twice on the window, letting the driver know to roll it down. Suppressing all of her fear, she opened her mouth to ask them for directions before suddenly realizing that it was the attractive blonde that she had so rudely talked to earlier that night on the couch. She felt the blush from the anger she felt towards him rise on her cheeks, before promptly shutting her mouth and turning to walk away, staring right into his alluring blue eyes.
"Awe Melanie, come on. I ain't that ugly am I?" Dally quipped, a smirk playing at the edges of his lips.
Melanie felt the blush flush her entire face, party because she was shocked he remembered her name, but also because he was quite attractive. Trying to come up with something smart to say, she just stood there silent for a moment before he spoke again.
"Where you even tryin' to go? Nothing over here for a Soc like you," Dally said again, keeping the same teasing tone.
"I'm no Soc," Melanie shyly interjected.
"Well, you sure act don't act like a Greasy girl," Dally smirk, knowing he was correct in his guess that she was a Soc, even though she was a Soc in Greaser clothing. Melanie just huffed and kept walking. She didn't have to deal with this guy who didn't know when to quit, no matter how intriguing he seemed to be.
"Actually Soc, what are you doin' 'round here? Little far from the West side," Dally shouted out from his window, before pulling his car up alongside her again.
"I'm walking home. I'm fine, just leave me alone Dallas," Melanie said annoyed before turning her head. She actually had to get home. Suddenly, she tripped over a crack in the pavement and nearly went tumbling to the ground. Luckily she caught herself before she hit the ground, but she still blushed bright red when she heard Dally laughing from his car.
"Just fine my ass," Dally said still laughing while nursing a cigarette, and Melanie somehow blushed more. Dally just had this way of getting under her skin.
"No seriously, broad. This late at night you're bound to get jumped by somebody, Grease or Soc," Dally said in as somber of a tone as he could muster.
Melanie grew pale at the thought of getting jumped and her teeth started to chatter. "Well, nothing I can do now, besides get going towards home." Melanie started to feel sick at the things they would do to her, and even more than ever wished she was home in her own bed. Suddenly, talking to Dally didn't seem so bad compared to interacting with them.
"Get in, I'll drive you," Dally said while unlocking the passenger door, even surprising himself. The only time Dallas Winston would chauffeur a broad around was to take her back to his place.
"No," Melanie uttered through chattering teeth. "I ain't going nowhere with you."
"I'll take you home, just get in before you freeze or some shit," Dally reiterated his offer to her. Something about this girl captivated him, he just didn't know what about her.
Melanie knew he was right on all accounts, and that she was about an, and that she should accept his ride, but she didn't want to because it would mean he would win. Melanie hated losing, and she was definitely not about to lose to Dally Winston.
"Fine," She said through clenched teeth, urging them not chatter. She tenderly opened the passenger door before tentatively sitting in the seat, She had barely even shut the before Dally sped off with a bang, startling her.
"At least let me buckle in!" Melanie yelled over the sound of the loud car. Dallas just shrugged his shoulders before taking a sharp turn. Melanie could smell the rubber burning as the car screeched around the corner.
"Do you even have your license! You're gonna get us both killed!" Melanie shouted, but she couldn't keep the grin of her face. It was exhilarating to ride like this, she felt free, forgetting about Clara, the creep at the party and the fact that she was she was out beyond curfew. All she could think about was Dallas Winston, and how amazing she was feeling at the moment.
"Nobody needs one of those!" Dallas shouted back. Melanie surprised herself by laughing. Here she was, at 30 minutes past midnight, riding illegally with some juvenile delinquent who drove worse than a bat out of hell, and she was loving every minute.
"Hey look, no hands!" Dally laughed as the car swerved dangerously towards the other lane, but luckily no cars were coming towards them. Melanie giggled, she actually giggled, before cheering as loudly as she could.
"You like that? Watch this!" Dally gunned the gas as hard as he could, and the car shot forward, Melanie gripping the armrests as hard as she could, but not closing her eyes, not wanting to miss a minute of it. For a brief moment, his hand brushed hers, and Melanie felt tingles all throughout her body, but pulled her hand away before they made real contact.
"Where you live?" Dally asked later, when they reached the West Side of Tulsa.
"Fifth and Miller Street," She replied back, a huge grin on her face.
"Damn, that's one Socy neighborhood. Sure you ain't a Soc?"
"Positive," Melanie replied back happily before Dally continued to tear down the road.
Pretty soon, they arrived at the entrance to Melanie's neighborhood.
"Drive more quietly, I don't want anyone one to see me," She whispered seriously.
Dally's smirky grin suddenly turned to a frown.
"Or rather you don't wanna be seen with the Greaser trash," Dally corrected her with a sneer on his face. Melanie was beyond confused. He had been acting so nice and fun earlier, what happened?
. "Dallas Winston, JD extraordinaire fucking the perfect kid Soc? Unheard of!" Dally said with mock shock in his voice.
"Dallas!" Melanie said, appalled at the thought of her doing anything with anyone. "We didn't do nothing, quit pretending we did!"
"I bet they'd love to hear about how I made you moan my name," Dally retorted with a cruel smirk on his face, striking a match on his necklace and lighting a smoke. Melanie looked visibly uncomfortable, and Dally knew he succeeded in his goal.
"Quit being so mean to me," Melanie said as an afterthought, confused on what happened to make him talk so dirty.
"Suck it up sweetheart, I ain't ever nice to nobody, besides, why would I fuck a girl like you when I could have my pick of the litter" He took a long drag of his cigarette, not noticing the hurt expression on Melanie's face.
They sat in a total silence, Dally working on his smoke, until they pulled up to her giant mansion.
"This sure looks like a fucking Soc's house," Dally uttered under his breath, annoyed.
"Thanks for the ride," Melanie retorted sarcastically, trying to keep her voice from cracking. "And like I said before, I ain't no Soc, my name's Melanie." She abruptly stood up in his car, got out of the passenger seat onto the concrete sidewalk that lined her neighborhood and slammed the car door behind her as hard as she could. She marched angrily up her front steps, wondering how she ever thought she would have a good time with freaking Dallas Winston, who just wanted to mess with her. Why did she get into the car with him, she should've just waited for Clara or walked on her own. As she turned to unlock the front door, she heard Dally yell something behind her, and whipped her head around, hoping for an apology
"Don't stay up too late thinking' 'about me," Dally shouted from the car, a callous smirk playing again at the corner of his lips, only this time Melanie didn't find it so hot.
"Go to hell Dallas Winston!" She shouted, her face falling before slamming her house door behind her. Good God, she hated him. She hated how he captivated her, even while managing to be the most vile human being she had ever talked to.
Little to Melanie's knowledge, her parents had heard the whole exchange. Melanie sure had a lot of explaining to do.
After Melanie shut the door, Dally gunned the gas and took off towards Buck's. All he wanted was to get totally hammered so he would forget that stupid Socy broad, Melanie. She wasn't even anything special, she must've been what, fifteen, and from the way she blushed when he was around, had no experience with guys of any type, much less ones who spent their days in the cooler like he did.
"Goddammit," He muttered, because all he could picture was how she smiled through her cheeks and the way her eyes lit up when they were driving, her brown waves messed around her head and that fact she didn't care, the way her lips looked so plump and kissable. He needed to forget her, because he wasn't the dating type. He would bed girls than leave them, nothing more, no attachments. Besides, there was no way the Soc was willing to just jump into bed with him. He was tough, rude and mean and planned on staying that way.