Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders or the characters
Since the first time Cassie met Dallas Winston she didn't think much of him or about him. She'd heard stories about him from Johnny; a fellow classmate turned friend. It was clear from the way Johnny spoke about him that he idolized the guy. Though Cassie couldn't see why. She in the past had her own encounters with people like Dallas Winston and she knew that it was nothing to look up to. If anything it was something she would actively try to avoid. That was what she did when she first saw him and mostly every time after that. She was under the impression that he was no good, nothing but bad things would come from him. Isn't that how it was with hoods like him? Danger followed them where they went. But then again Cassie didn't live where Johnny or Dally lived. She didn't have to deal with the prejudice. She was invisible to most unless she was with Pony and Johnny when a Soc showed up. She couldn't say she understood why the two class of people hated each other so much but that was just the way things were in Tulsa.
The only time Cassie spoke to Dallas was that day at the Dingo and even that conversation didn't last too long. He'd caught her off guard. She hadn't notice him walk in though even if she had she wouldn't have acknowledged him. She didn't want to talk to him, didn't want to know him. She didn't care about him. But that day, he said something to her. She wanted to ignore him, not say anything but he sat down. So she gave him the shortest reply she could muster because she wasn't going to do this. Wasn't going to engage him in whatever it was he wanted.
Despite what she told herself, the rest of that day she would catch him watching her. She watched him just the same; zeroing in on every move he made. She was aware that he was completely ignoring his. . .girlfriend? Or maybe it was just someone he was fooling around with. Either way, he hardly acknowledged she was there. Cassie could feel his eyes on her even when she looked away. Some times when she glanced back at him he'd have a smirk on his face, like she'd given him exactly what he wanted. She found it to be contagious. She wanted to know what kind of game he was playing. Of course she never did ask because they hadn't spoken after that. For a while it was like he didn't exist, except for the occasional passing.
That was until they both walked out of the DX together. Cassie wouldn't be able to tell you why she walked out with him. She told herself she wanted nothing to do with him but there was something about Dallas Winston. Something that made her pay attention to him. Notice him when he was around even when she tried to ignore him. He was the type of person that she didn't want to be around. She thought she'd learned her lesson the first time. Apparently she hadn't because if she had she would have walked her ass back to the car and sat down. Not walking with Dallas Winston down the street to no where.
It was surprisingly easy for her to talk to him. Not in a deep conversation but in general. He wasn't as serious as he looked. Dally didn't look his age. He was a year older but from the way he carried himself he seemed even older. She was pleased to see that he was able to joke around, even if it were a little bit. Because there were moments when they were silent and when she looked at Dally she didn't see him. It was almost like he'd drifted somewhere into his thoughts. He looked empty. A cold expression would appear on his face that would remind her of the time she first saw him. Cassie didn't say anything to him when he was like that. Johnny had told her he had a temper and she didn't want to piss him off. Especially when he was leading her deeper into a neighborhood she was unfamiliar with. What if he left her alone? How would she get home?
Eventually Dally came back to reality and asked her a couple of questions about how her friendship with Pony and Johnny came to be. She then explained to him that her and Johnny shared a couple of classes. One day when she was struggling in their math class she had asked him for help only to find out that he was just as confused. After that they would help each other out when they could. Then she began to talk to him outside of class; eventually meeting Ponyboy. Slowly but surely she met the rest of the gang. She claimed to like them all very much. They had welcomed her from the beginning.
The rest of the day went about the same. Dally asked her questions that she answered while the walked next to each other. Though whenever she tried to ask him a question he would give her a short response. Sometimes he didn't even respond, he'd just pull out a cigarette from his pocket. He was completely closed off from everyone and anything. That much she gathered. Even when he was with the rest of the guys she noticed that he wasn't there with them. Cassie had half a mind to ask him where he went when he got quiet at the risk of him not answering her. But she didn't. She'd save it for another time. If they were ever together again.
As they walked, Cassie quickly realized just how known Dally was. Some people would come over and talk to him like they were friends. Other would cross the street when they saw him. At one point some guy stormed up to him and nearly started a fight; throwing slurs his way while getting too close. Cassie took a step back from the guy, wanting to get away from the anger on his face. Dally looked more than ready to fight the guy with his fist balled at his side. The Greaser made the mistake of shoving Dally who took a small step back from it. Then before Cassie could blink the Greaser went reeling back while cupping his jaw. When she turned to Dally, he was wiping the back of his hand on his jeans. With relief she noticed that it wasn't his blood, it was the other guys. The stranger didn't look like he was ready to give up as he started charging towards Dally. Luckily his friend pulled him away with a force that made him stumble. Even she could see that he wouldn't have stood a chance against Dally.
When the sun began to set they both headed back to the DX. Dally claimed that he had to get the car back to Bucks and Cassie claimed that she had to get home. However when they reached the gas station Johnny and Ponyboy were also there. Ultimately instead of going home, Cassie went to get something to eat with the four guys.
Dally still left with the car not even bothering to say bye.
For the rest of that night Cassie's thoughts kept drifting back to him.
A/N: These daily updates are a first for me. I think it's because I've had this in my head for about 5 months now. I'm not used to waiting on writing. I usually dive in head first as soon as I get an idea. I hope you guys are enjoying the story. :)