I forgot to say that I don't own what hurts the most by Rascal Flatts
in the last chapter of To Shadow a Greaser, so I don't. I don't
own the Outsiders either.
Ken taught me how to drive the first thing when we got to
New York. He said it was needed to make quick get aways. I was
fourteen then, and really shaky with the wheel. But now at fifteen, I could
ride smoother than half the guys on the block. So it didn't take me
long to speed off in the T-Bird.
My hands where gripping the steering wheel hard, and my
knuckles started to turn white. The clock read five a.m. I kept on
driving; only stopping once to sleep in a crummy inn and a couple of times
to eat.
The sky was pitch black as my headlights flashed on a
sign that said "Welcome to Tulsa!" I smiled to myself and let out a
breath of relief. I checked the time, and it was two a.m. Where could I
go and just walk in and plop down? I shook the idea of the Curtis house
out of my mind. I wasn't ready for that. Who was someone who would
accept my presence no matter what? A smile crept up my face as I thought
about my brother's best buddy.
"What the hell do you want?" I gruff voice yelled at
me behind the door.
"Let me in, jackass!" I yelled back at Tim Shepard
through the wood. I herd a click and a loud whoosh as he swung the door
open. Tim looked at me hard for a moment, as if he didn't recognize
me. I did change some what over the year. I cut my hair as soon as I got
to New York, so now it was hanging at my shoulders, while before it
curled around my back. Also, I started to develop in places that I always
covered up with loose clothes. But now my curves where clearly visible.
"Dusty? What the hell…?" I smiled dangerously.
"Miss me?" Tim shook his head and stepped aside.
"You know, you have your own house. You can crash
there." I turned to stare at him dangerously, but he only ended up
laughing. "Sorry, kid. You just don't pull it off like Dallas." I put my
hands on my hips.
"Who you calling kid?" His eyes raced up and down my
body, and I realized how tight my shirt was.
"Your right. You aren't a kid. That's pretty
obvious."
"Your sick." I turned on my heel and started opening
the door to his and Curly's room.
"I wouldn't do that…" Too late. I jumped on top
of the sleeping lump and pinned both of Curly's arms down.
"Guess whose back? Your worst nightmare!" I spat the
words into his face as he thrashed.
"Winston!" He hissed. "I still owe you a beating,
you bitch." He pushed me off and landed on top of me.
"Curly, lay off. Get off of her before…" I flipped Curly on his back before Tim could finish his sentence. I twisted his arm back until Curly let out a yelp.
"You're going to regret that, Winston. Remember, this isn't over." I rolled my eyes at Curly, then turned to Tim.
"So can I really stay here?" Tim looked at me with all seeing eyes.
"No." Curly muttered. Tim whirled around and almost smacked him, but Curly was quick, and was out the door in a moment. Tim closed the door, which wasn't a good sign.
"Dusty, don't you have friends to sleep with?" Tim held his stare.
"Uh…yeah, I guess. If you don't want me here…" I casually tried to get past him, but Tim was quick.
"I meant why aren't you at the Curtis'?" I bit my lip and shrugged.
"I don't know. Maybe I didn't want to deal with the sappy reunion bull shit." Tim still had me in a dead lock, and he leaned in, so our faces where inches apart.
"I saw you and Curtis at the funeral." He hissed in my ear. I felt me face get red and I let out a small groan. Then Tim dropped my arm, and started to walk out. He turned his heel at the last moment.
"Why the hell did you come back anyway?" He glared at me with suspicion.
"I…I had a dream." Tim looked at me with surprised eyes.
"A dream?" He said sarcastically. I let out a self-conscious chuckle and ran my hands through the tangled mess on my head.
"I know. Stupid right?" I looked around, s if searching for something. I didn't realize that Tim was still there.
"What kind of dream? It must have been pretty big to drag your sorry ass back to redneckville." His voice actually hinted curiosity.
"Oh, you know. Seeing dead people." I shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal, but Tim gave a little jump.
"What did he say?"
"I never took you to liking the supernatural." I mumbled. I felt Tim tense up.
"Just wanted to know." I heaved a sigh.
"Dallas told me to go back to Tulsa." Tim looked off, and had his thinking face on.
"Is that it?"
"Yeah." I tried to not think about what Johnny had said.
"What else was there?"
"I don't think you want to know." I crossed my hands over my chest and turned to close the door, but of course Tim caught it.
"I think I do. If it has something to do with Curtis, then hell yeah." I glared at him uneasily.
"What does Pony boy have to do anything?"
"Let's just say a certain girl has taken a fancy to him." I felt my mouth go dry, and I gave a little flinch. I didn't have to guess who the girl was. Angela Shepard.
"Dally wasn't the only person I saw." I said quietly.
"Who?" Tim searched my face. "Cade?" I nodded slowly.
"He said, 'You're loosing him, Dusty.'" I paused a moment to get myself together. " 'go back to Tulsa or loose him forever.'" I shuddered at Johnny's words. Tim was still quiet. "And now I probably am! Christ, Angel!" I turned for a moment, but then picked up an empty beer bottle on the floor. "She knows that he promised!" I slammed the bottle against the wall, and Tim held up his hands.
"Hey, don't go and get bitchy with me. Just to let you know, if you and Angel get into a bitch fight about this, I'm staying neutral."
"You think Curly will go the same way?" Tim shook his head and climbed back in his bed, while I climbed into Curly's.
"Hey! Where I'm going to sleep?" With out opening our eyes, both me and Tim threw the closest object at Curly.
"Thanks, Tim."
"No problem, Winston." I shuddered at the last time we said that to each other. This whole trip was a mistake. Angela would get Pony, and the gang in New York is probably over me by now.
?"
"No. Didn't I teach you anything, stupid? Fight her! Fight it! God, do I have to do everything for you?"
Dally's voice echoed through my mind, and I knew he was right. I was going to hold on to Ponyboy. I wasn't going to let the gang in New York forget me. And I was definitely not going to let little Miss. Angela Shepard steal my flame.