As my alarm went off, I jumped from out of bed only to realise how badly damaged my ankle was, I fell but caught myself on the wardrobe. I dragged myself up and carefully limped down the stairs; Dawn looked up at my ankle, It was so swollen, purple and black and i knew it wasnt good...
"Christ alive! What is that? What happened?"
"Dallas Winston happened." I said in pain, reaching the bottom of the stairs.
"What did he do?" She got up and came over too me,
"We had an argument, he grabbed me, I struggled, he pushed me, I fell. And now my ankle is killing me. How am I going to dance like this?" I said wanting to cry.
"Get your bag, im taking you to the hospital. You need that x-rayed. it's bigger than your knee!" She gathered her things, passed me my bag and a jumper and we took the car to the hospital.
It was fractured, my dancing was screwed. How was I supposed to perform? I sat with Dawn in the cafeteria, we were silent for a few minutes and then I just blurted it out.
"I am fucked…." Dawn looked at me…. "And you know I never say that word." She was shocked to hear me say that. And I kind of regretted saying it too, but i was just being honest.
"I can't believe it took this place four hours to tell us that its fractured, does the cast hurt?"
"No, but my ego does…" I replied trying to force a smile. She laughed.
"Come on, hobbles, we gotta get you home and ready for work, guess ill drive you to work too!" So we got up and Dawn me and my crutches headed back to the car.
We drove for a few minutes in silence, again…
"So are you gonna tell me what you were doing with Ponyboy the other night?"
"I thought you might mention that…"
"How come you haven't said anything to me?"
"Well it's just weird, we're not official yet or anything, we're just getting to grips with things."
"Well im happy for you, but erm a little warning would be nice next time so I can avoid the tonsil tennis match! That would be great!
"Shut up." She chuckled "So what are you gonna do about the whole Dally thing?"
"What?" I panicked
"About Dally, Dallas. You know? That guy that bust your ankle that time?" I was relieved I miss heard and thought she said Darry, not that i was looking forward to talking about Dallas anyway.
"Well, I guess ill bar him, and erm, get someone to walk home with." I hoped it would.
"Well.... I've never thought he was as bad as he seemed, but I guess I was wrong." I thought for a moment...
"I Guess so."
When we got home Dawn helped me upstairs and I got changed, I couldn't get my jeans on over the cast! So I wore a dress and leggings instead, I pinned my hair up and checked my face. Then Dawn took me to work.
I started off as normal and at around seven Mike appeared,
"Nessi babe I need a huge favour!" he stopped "Whoa… what's with the cast?" His face looked bewildered.
"Oh I fell…" He didn't look convinced. "I was dancing, ballet. I did a leap and I landed wrong, fractured it." He looked satisfied with that…
"Jesz im sorry babe, anyway, im sorry im in a rush. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind having Dane here for an hour. I have to go out and I can't get a sitter and its just such bad timing with the…"
"MIKE its fine, leave him here, if it's like last night I won't see a customer all night." I interrupted him.
"Thank you thank you thank you! Here's the key for upstairs and the monitor, he's down for a nap, and he may not even wake!"
"Okay now get out of here…"
"Thanks angel" he said and kissed me on the forehead. Then he grabbed his car keys and dashed for the door.
I was secretly hoping Dane would wake up, I had nothing to do, I couldn't clean anything as I'd cleaned everything already and I couldn't dance. And then my heart jumped as the door opened and what appeared to be every greaser in town poured in…. Okay Dane could stay asleep. And then I realised Dallas was there….. They all came up and sat at the bar, I went straight to Ponyboy as awkward as it was, I wanted to avoid Dallas.
"What can I get you?"
"Hi Ness, beers all round please."
I looked along the line hoping Darry would be there... he wasn't; I was disappointed and a little relieved at the same time, and I couldn't explain it. I turned to the fridges and started getting bottles,
"Six beers, coming up." I got all the bottles out and started up-capping them, passing them out as I did,
"Hey...." Hey motioned me closer, "I'm kinda sorry about the other night, it was weird." he handed me the money, I smiled,
"It's no big deal, don't worry. Just be good to her, she's a great girl."
"Of course, just erm do me a favour and erm don't mention it too anyone." He said timidly.
"No problem." I handed him the change.
Dallas was tapping incessantly on the bar, most of the lads turned to conversation and he just kept staring at me, I felt so small right then, like I was trapped. I tried to walk past him but he jumped at the chance.
"We have to talk." He muttered
"I have nothing to say to you." I replied quietly and sharply.
"Look…" He said in a sterner tone.
"No you look, you put me in a cast? What is wrong with you? You don't know me, you've never even met me! yet in the middle of the god damn night you grab me and throw me about? Who does that?!" I couldn't help but get angrier as I said it, I starting shaking and I could feel my self getting more and more worked up.
"KEEP your voice down. You don't understand."
"Understand this; if you touch me again I will go to the police. And I will have you put away…..now…. get out. You're barred." I felt myself close to tears as I shook, standing there in front of him. And im pretty sure that if there hadn't of been a bar between I would have lost it. And then he slammed his fist on the bar and my heart stopped. He stormed out, everybody looked and I felt the tears start to trickle down my cheek. I quickly turned and walked out of the bar into the back room, I shut the door behind me and just cried for a minute, I was just in shock and I was so overwhelmed about what had happened. Why me? Why him? I was right he didn't know me, or anything about me. I was a stranger and he was victimising me.
Just then The monitor started crackling and I heard Dane starting to move around, I Took the key out of my pocket and went upstairs. I'd never been upstairs before so it took me a minute or two to navigate around, but i eventually found Dane sitting up in his bed.
"Hey handsome!" I said quietly
"Daddy?"
"No baby it's just me, Nessie."
"Hiya" He said cheerfully perking up right away, I went over and picked him up.
"You hungry little man?" I asked and he nodded exaggeratedly.
"Come on, let's get you some chocolate. Scratch that you can have chips, I need the chocolate." I wiped my eyes and then carefully carried him back downstairs with me, dropping the latch behind me.
I went into the bar and pulled a high seat out from behind the cabinet. I grabbed a bag chips from under the counter,
"Lets get you in the chair huh little man?" I muttered in a baby voice.
"MINE!" he yelled playfully reaching for the chips.
"Hang on a minute Mr." I joked as I strapped him into the high seat.
I opened the bag and poured the chips onto the table of the high seat, I ruffled his hair,
"There you go gorgeous, eat your heart out!" he smiled and started grabbing at the chips, "What do you say?"
"Ta Nessi." He smiled and laughed.
"Nessie? That's a cute name." I was startled and turned round quickly…. It was Darry. I was so relieved to see him, I smiled.
"Hi…" I muttered softly.
"Hey beautiful." He stared at me straight in the eyes, and I just melted, I walked over and learned against the bar,
"Whiskey sour?"
"Please, and something for yourself."
"thank you, can you tell I had a rough day!" I said jokingly smiling,
"Did I notice a bit of a hobble?"
"Yes, but its nothing major. Hurt my ankle. Im fine thank you though."
"That'll be hell on your dancing." He said and I was shocked because I didn't tell him that I danced.
"How do you know I dance?" I asked curiously as I gave him his drink.
"I saw you." I stopped in the midst of pouring mine…
"You saw me? Saw me where?"
"Here, yesterday. I came by, you know just to see if, erm, anyone was around and I saw you saw dancing in the side room."
"Oh, I never heard you…or saw you. That's embarrassing." I replied
"You really love it don't you?"
"Dancing? Yeah, what gave me away?" I took a sip of my drink then went over to Dane who was being very quiet and emptied a few more chips onto his table.
"Not a lot its just you had this look on your face, yesterday I mean. You looked like you were in a whole other world and nothing mattered. You looked amazing though…. Dancing."
"Thank you, although I won't be doing much of it with this ankle now."
"DARRY!" I heard a lad yell from across the bar, he looked over.
"Sorry, That's Sodapop." He said.
"Sodapop?" I asked as I laughed unintentionally
"Yeah, he's my brother, younger. So's the scrawny one, with the dark hair" He said pointing to Ponyboy,
"What Ponyboy?"
"Yeah, you met him?"
"Yes he's friends with my friend Dawn."
"Little D?"
"Yes, I guess that's what you guys call her" I said laughing to my self.
"Small world huh?"
"Definitely." I said. The guys started calling him and they were all starting to leave "Guess I better join them, don't wanna seem rude do I."
"Of course not, I think I've got my hands full here now anyhow. Someone has to go back to bed!" I said "Don't ya little man! Huh?" I picked Dane up from his high seat.
"You finishing late tonight?" He said as he stood up,
"Yes, probably around one."
"I'll see you then." He replied as he pushed the stool he'd been sitting on towards the bar,
"You will?" I Questioned.
"Yeah, can't have a pretty thing like you hobbling round in the dark now can we." He finished his drink and put the empty glass down. "I'd like to walk you home, if that's alright with you."
"I'd like that." He smiled at me, and I loved it.
I spent the next half hour playing games with Dane; it was so nice to spend time, where I didn't have to make any effort. I was just being childish and I really enjoyed myself. I eventually had to give that up when Mike came back, He thanked me and took Dane up too bed.
A Little while later my phone started to ring again…..
"Hello?"
"VANESSA don't you dare-" And I hung up. I guess I still wasn't ready to face my secret…..