The Poison

All American Rejects

Oh! Personal note here, thanks Taylor519 for reviewing! (Plus I loveee your writing!)

Dally Winstons POV

The trail going down to Lake Amity came into my view, I banked down the dirt road, Aria by my side, the wind running through her hazelnut hair.

"Dall, where?" she choked out breathlessly.

"Lake,"

Once we got down to the lake we would be home free, nothing to stop us.

We tumbled down the trail feet kicking up all the dust and dirt, my heart was still ticking like crazy, fear, that distinct thing kept creeping into me, my mind kept entertaining the thought about what would happen if we got caught, if she tripped, if I tripped.

"WINSTON! FIELDS!" someone screamed, the voice was far away, and quickly was carried away into the breeze

Veering down into a grove of trees and lush grass, we began to weave around the bushes and stumps, the thorny branches scratching my legs.

We slowed to a jog, then to a stop, Aria was breathing hard, face flushed.

"I...Think...We...Lost...Them..." she said choppily.

It was like I couldn't get enough air in, every single time I inhaled, I needed more.

As our hearts slowed and the silence of the grove began to become peaceful, Aria laughed a little, bitter and sweet.

"Just like back in New York, huh Dall," she said, a big ass smile spread across her face.

"Yeah," I said, smiling back.

Aria flopped down onto grass, the pale moon lighting up her face. I laid down next to her, looking towards the little stars, blinking at us. Turning onto her side, she faced me, dark hair like black vines sprawled across the grass.

Before I knew it our faces were close, her eyes on mine, soft breath brushing my cheeks. Her lips were soft and tasted sweet, unlike the Aria I knew she pulled away, the surprise was cold. Until I looked back to her face, those eyes were over my shoulder.

"Dall," she breathed, I turned to look where she was, and my heart skipped a couple beats, the shock slamming into my gut.

"Get up," Jace growled, the heater (gun) in his hand threatening, my mind weaved through every possible way to get out of this one, but I really didn't have an idea.

Aria stood up automatically, giving up easy. I felt her hand wind around mine, trying to pull me up.

"Drop his hand now," he snapped, deep green eyes set on Aria, I stood up and found the heater pointed at me.

I watched as her hand jerkily left mine, the emptiness cold.

"Listen, you don't have to do this," she said slowly, trying to ease her way in front of me.

"Aria you listen, that ass down there, beat up one of us, fer nothin' that ain't all he's done, but that's my beef right now," he snarled, stepping closer to us, Aria was focused on the heater, trying to keep calm.

"And you, you're brave enough to stand up my brother, who's now in prison for loving you," he spit at her, I heard the clatter of footsteps and watched as the rest of his gang came down, all of them smiling like hyenas.

The fear was numb now cold and gone, it was replaced by the raw will to live. I took my place at Aria's side, holding my ground, it probably wasn't loaded, right?

"Jace, please put that heater down," she mumbled, eyes on the ground now, just like how you're not supposed to look a dog in the eyes.

"No, no I ain't! You and that Winston caused this world enough trouble," he snarled, pointing the gun straight at me, the bullseye in between my eyes.

He would not shoot us, I repeated over and over again, no way would he. Soda, Steve and Pony knew they were out to get us, he knew that, it would be stupid, the cops would pick him up right away, right?

"Come on Jace, am I really worth it? Shoot me and watch Cass fall apart when he hears, shoot me and watch the fuzz come and sweep you up, shoot me and see what happens to your life," she growled, stepping forward, the gun almost touching her forehead. He won't shoot, I repeated over and over in my head.

I saw him raise the gun, that black gun, it was close to her nose, I saw his finger brushing the trigger, then I heard the crack. But not a gun crack, the kind a bone makes, I saw Aria stumble backwards, nose bloody. Then I saw the heater drop and watched as the gang approached us.

Aria swiveled on her heel and turned, hand wrapped around my wrist, we were both taking of the other way, the blood was everywhere, deep crimson red, dripping on me, on her. thud thud thud the stampede of pounding followed. Together we tumbled down a slope, my heart slamming against my chest, then I saw the lake, shimmering like a movie scene. We stumbled down to it, our feet reached the edge of the water thud thud thud, and I jumped, tearing through the air and towards the water. My body hit like a cannonball, a splash and the force knocked me under, my sight blurry.

The water was peaceful, cold and serene. I closed my eyes for a second, just a second, and took in what it felt like to just be done, done with it all. My lungs began to tighten up and my mouth was a little desperate for air.

I pulled myself upwards to the glimmering moon that lit up the water.

"DALLY!" someone screamed, I looked up, my head out of the cool aqua.

Jace was holding Aria up by her waist, she was kicking around, hair messy, eyes wild.

"Aria!" I cried, the shock that she wasn't here, right here, next to me, drove me insane.

That bright red pick-up truck came crashing down the trail, pulling along side Aria & Jace.

I watched helplessly as Jace hoisted Aria over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and then dump her in through the open window. I heard some muffled screams, my body wouldn't move through the water fast enough, I wasn't fast enough.

I pulled out of the water, dripping wet, shivering. There was that squeal of tires as the truck pulled away, I chased it, running like crazy. Aria...Aria...Aria... Pounded through my head

Aria Fields POV

Oakridge Middle School

June 1st, 1958 (The Outsiders took place in 1965, so she's about 13-14)

"Pst...Pst... Hey!" a raspy whisper came from behind me.

I turned to meet a boy, feet propped up on the cheep cedar desk, smug smile spread across his face.

"Can I copy off your homework?" he mumbled, the smile still there.

"Yeah right," I growled and turned back towards the board. It was 3rd period math in Mr. Rose's class, the clock ticking the only noise that echoed off the walls.

"Awh come on! If I don't get this in I'll be here all summer," he begged, pulling those clunky black shoes off the desk and leaning forward.

"What's your name anyway," I grumbled, a little annoyed that I was even doing this, but a little excited too. Hardly anyone had talked to me ever since I locked Jessie Moss in the bathroom.

"Dallas Winston," he said, in a voice that said, that's my name, why the hell don't you know it? Well to be honest I did, he was one of the other troublemakers in the school.

Pursing my lips I pulled out the sheet. Damn. It was blank, I forgot, crap, crap, crap, I forgot. I'd been trying to raise my grade in this class, well... I needed to or else it was summer school for me.

"Hey... Hey Billy," I said, tapping his shoulder.

He turned to me, pudgy face wearing a pathetic frown.

"What Aria," he growled.

"Can I see your sheet? Just for a sec, or two..." I asked, smiling and batting my mascara covered eyelashes.

"No way Ari, you stole my lunch money last week! Then took my english paper!" he snapped, turning back around.

"Hey Billy, better give the girl that sheet if you like your face enough," Dallas snarled from behind me, feet back on the desk, eyes set hard. Something inside me began to tick like the clock.

Billy sighed, then passed back the paper.

"Nice teamwork," Dallas whispered as we both scribbled down the answers. I rolled my eyes, yeah right, he just wanted those answers... Right?

"Hey! Hey girl, wake up!" someone snapped, I was shaking, or someone was shaking me... Where... Was I? My mind couldn't hold my own thoughts, I was tired, so tired, my legs hurt, my arms...

"Come on wake up!" the voice persisted, softer this time, still shaking.

I didn't want to, I tried but my eyes wouldn't open, they were sore too... So sore...

"Awh, man... Come on girl," the voice said, quiet. I felt a hand, cold, like the winter wind, pressing against my neck. Stop I tried helplessly to say, desperate for words.

"Okay... She's not dead," the voice breathed a sigh of relief. I'm alive I thought, trying to remember how to get the sound to work with my mouth.

"Wake up!"

"Where..." I mumbled, tongue heavy like a slab of meat.

"See, told you,"

Painfully my eyelids lifted, a glaring light met them, biting my eyes. I grimaced at the brightness and reached to bat whatever it was away. A sharp stabbing pain wrenched through my arm, it felt tight and hard, pulling my arm back I searched my mind for answers.

Movies, yeah... Drive-In... Steve... Pony? Soda? What the heck... Oklahoma... I paused, yeah... Oklahoma, I was there... and... and... Jace... Jace was here... and... Dally... Dally was here... The whole night came crashing down on me, taking my breath for a second.

A face was staring straight at me, wide light blue eyes.

"Aria? Is that your name? Right?" he said, kneeling down next to me.

"Ye... Yeah... Aria," I mumbled, the words suddenly sliding off my tongue too quickly, slipping away from me.

"Cass... I'm Cass," he said, stern but soft.

"Cass..." I repeated, trying out the name.

"God, what did you do to tick them off," Cass mumbled, shaking his head.

The room was dark, but he had a flashlight, luckily turned away from my face.

"Where... Am... I...?" I asked, choppy but clear. Everything hurt like crazy, my head was pounding, making a low, hard beat inside my brain.

"Shh... Does this hurt?" he whispered, placing his fingers on my forehead.

"Oww... Damn, damn, damn, quit it!" I screamed, a painful sting ringing through my body.

He stopped but the pain lingered, burning in my head, the flames wild.

Then... Nothing...

Three Hours Later

I blinked, once... Twice... Suddenly my eyes were open, everything was dim, I was cold, I was so freaking cold.

"Hello?" I croaked, but my only answer was a deep silence.

My eyes searched the room frantically, darting from blank wall, to blank wall. There was nothing, I was still freezing, shivering, teeth clattering against teeth.

I got up, a shooting pain ran through me, I wobbled, feet threatening me, I moved to where I saw the sliver glint of a doorknob. Almost there...

I reached for it and flicked my wrist to open it up. But the door was tight, unmoving. I shook harder on my last glimmer of hope. Nothing.

"Open up!" I snapped, my hands hurt but I thought maybe... Just maybe, if I shook harder it would open.

"Somebody help me!" I screamed before my legs doubled over, and I was on the ground, still shivering like mad.