I felt weight on top of me; heavy weight that I doubt I could move on my own. I furrowed my close eyes in confusion and something wet and soft pressed against my lips, and slowly moved down to my neck. I snapped my eyes open at the sensation.
"Well, look who's up." The last person that I expected to see smiled, laying his chin on my chest.
"What the fuck, Shepard?!" I yelled, doing my best to push the older boy off of me. Tim only smiled and grabbed my wrist, pinning them over my head.
"This is odd behavior. Last night you practically threw yourself at me." I groaned as I remembered the night before.
"Oh, that. That was nothing." Tim smirked again, brushing his lips up my neck. I instantly tensed and bit my lip, holding back the rising sound in my throat.
"Oh, but that's not what your groans tell me. Admit it, you're trying to fight one back now." I glared at Tim, wanting nothing more in the world but to hate him for making his statement true. I swallowed back the groan and opened my mouth to talk.
"Don't flatter yourself. I have no…agh!" I couldn't help but make a sound as Tim attacked my neck again. "Why are you doing this?" Tim pulled back, sitting on my legs so he could stare into my eyes. Suddenly his weight was gone as he moved off the bed, making his way for the door.
"I have to take a shower." He mumbled, racing out the door. I sighed in relief, covering my face with my hands as Tim's face continued to haunt me. What the fuck, what the fuck?!
I had to do something. Just leaving the Shepard house would brand me as a coward. But how could I face Tim? After I asked him why he wanted to kiss me…oh God. Tim Shepard didn't stop kissing me. Could he possibly…no! It wasn't possible!
But it is.
Shut up! Just shut up, you're not suppose to know how I feel!
But aren't big brother's suppose to know?
No! Just leave me the fuck alone!
You love him, Dusty. He loves you. Perfect match.
I gasped when a cold realization came over me. No matter who I was with, Dallas always screamed at me to stay away. Well, everyone except him. So why was he being different now?
What…what about Ponyboy?
What about him? I'm done telling you what to do, Dusty. You're old enough to decide who you love. Christ, I can't stand this any longer.
Dallas?
But there was no Dallas. Dally was gone; gone from my mind and no longer haunting my thoughts. I new because I felt it, I felt the never dying flame of Dallas Winston burn out inside of me. So my brother had given up on me, for the second time in my life.
I knew what I was going to do. Take the last advice my brother gave me. I knew it was true, not because Dal told me, but because I felt it in my chest and gut. My hands reached for my shoes, which were pulled off sometime last night. My jacket was off too, and draped on a lamp positioned in the corner. I swung it over my shoulder and walked out into the hallway, following the sounds of running water until I found a door with steam escaping it. I dug in my pocket and produced a cigarette, lighting it while leaning against the decaying wall. I was half way through the smoke when the door flew open, and Tim stepped out of the door, wrapped only in a towel.
"Fuck, Winston! I thought you would be gone!" Tim cursed and grabbed the knot that held the cloth around his waist up.
"Usually I would." I stated, moving off the wood and taking a step towards Tim. "But in your case I decided to make an exception." I was now dangerously close to Tim, my breath danced over his slick chest as he gulped.
"What do you want, Dusty? Honestly? Why the hell are you still here?" I licked my lips while desperately trying to produce an answer, but nothing smart popped into my head. So I only stared up at the older man with wide eyes. "You know, if you don't leave I'll probably jump you again." I finally caught my breath and found my words.
"I wouldn't mind." I breathed, leaning up on my toes to get my lips closer to Tim's. Before I could reach any father, I was slammed into the wall, pinned as Tim Shepard loomed over me with an animalistic glint in his eye.
"That's not what you said in the bedroom." I lifted my chin and met Tim's gaze with a hard, cool one.
"I changed my mind." Tim laughed, as in bellowed when he looked down at me.
"Christ, you try to look like your brother. I bet half the time you don't even try though." Tim leaned down farther, breathing into my gaped mouth. "You don't look like your brother now, though. You look like yourself. The true, honest to god Dusty Winston." I made a small noise as Tim crashed his lips to mine. He pressed hard against my mouth, moving his hands to rest on my hips as he flicked his tongue across my lips.
"Tim…" I pulled away and gasped for air, staring up innocently into the deep blue eyes. "I have to go." He pulled away and grabbed the cigarette dangling in my hand and put it into his mouth.
"Sure, get out of here." I rolled my eyes and wrapped and arm around his waist.
"Drive me there?" He looked down at me with squinted eyes, but smiled when I pressed noticeably closer into his chest.
"I guess, got nothing better to do."
We were cruising down the road a moment later, Tim had one hand on the steering wheel while the other got suspiciously closer to my thigh by the second. "So where are you off to?"
"The DX." I stated without hesitation. I noticed that Tim's eyes got darker at the mention of the gas station.
"You really need to find a new group of friends." I glared over at Tim.
'What if I told you to get a new gang?" Tim shook his head.
"That's different…"
"No it's not. Stop acting all jealous, will 'ya? It's making me lose my faith in the Shepard clan." Tim snorted.
"I'm never jealous." I continued to glare over at him.
"So if I walked right to, oh, let's say Sodapop and made out with him, you wouldn't mind?" Tim turned to glare at me.
"Don't you even think about it. You're mine now." I mentally cringed. I had never belonged to anyone, they belonged to me. Never had I dated a person that was not willing to let me take charge.
"No I'm not. Where's the proof?" Tim started twisting a gold sphere around his finger, and pulled it off slowly.
No way. No possible fucking way was Tim Shepard going to give me…
"Here's your proof." I gawked at the ring that was pushed into my hands. It hit me then that Tim wasn't fooling around. He was seriously attracted to me. And no girl wouldn't be attracted to the dark haired hood, with defined muscles and deep blue eyes that where so enchanting you can be lot in them forever.
I slipped the ring silently onto my thumb, and even there it was loose. It didn't matter though. I shifted slightly in my seat, placing my hand next to Tim's thigh. When the car jerked to a stop, I twisted my body so it pressed against the older man's, pushing my lips eagerly against his.
"Dusty…" Tim breathed, grabbing my waist while pushing me back into my seat. It was a struggle, since I still tried to hold my ground, but he pinned me to the seat eventually. "I have to drive, remember?" I huffed and crossed my arms, starring ahead with impatience.
"Yeah, yeah." Tim started to drive again, this time placing one hand on my knee. He swung into the gas station, parking behind the pump that was farthest away from the building. "Thanks." I mumbled, opening the door and stepping out.
"Where are you going?" I turned and smirked at Tim, who was lounged in his seat.
"Inside, dumbass." Tim growled and grabbed my wrist, yanking me down on top of him.
"Not after you tried to jump me, you don't." I pulled away from Tim's arms and leaned back.
'Watch me." Tim furrowed his eyebrows as I stepped out, leaving him in the car.
"You're not making any sense, Winston. First you try to make out with me, and now you don't!" I smirked again.
"I do, Shepard. But I'm not going to waist my time waiting for you." With that said I jumped out of the car and slammed the door, running to the building without looking a second time at Tim.
"Hey! Where did you take off to last night?" Sodapop leaned over the counter and waved, pushing the crowd of girls that had gathered aside as he ran to greet me.
"Long story." I grumbled, walking over to the stools in front of the counter. "Got anything with alcohol?" Soda laughed.
"It's only ten in the morning. Take a coke instead." I scowled at Soda, but took the coke that was pushed towards me.
"Who are you, my brother?" Some blond chick cleared her throat irritably, looking me up and down with cold eyes.
"Nice ring you got there." She said, with and edge to her voice. Soda stared wide eyed at me, looking down at my hands.
"Ring? What ring?" He grabbed my hand and jerked it under his nose, gorging his chocolate eyes on the gold. "Glory, Dusty! When did this happen? Who's the guy?" I groaned and jerked my hand back, giving the blond a bitchy look before turning to Soda.
"This morning, actually. He gave it to me in his car." I pulled out a light and lit it, taking a long drag.
"Who's he?" I glared at Soda, but ripped my eyes away when the door to the building flew open. Tim stalked over to me on the stool, a determined look planted in his eyes as He pushed me against the counter.
"No one walks away from Tim Shepard after a ride like that." I raised my chin and tried to push him away.
"I just did."
"Well you're not going to get away with it."
"Are you going to do something about it?" He pressed harder, grabbing the back of my head.
"Yeah." He crushed his lips on top of mine, not bothering to ease up as I squirmed under him. A moment later Tim pulled away for air. I gasped and rested my head against his chest, fighting to get air like him.
"Shepard?! Tim Shepard?! Dear lord, Dusty have you gone loony?" Soda shouted as I turned around, starring threateningly at his perfect face.
"Shut up, Soda. It's none of your damn business." The boy went stiff behind the counter, then turned away grumbling.
"Your right. Nothing's my damn business anymore." I didn't say anything, only fished through my pockets until I found a nickel. When I slammed it down on the counter, Soda turned back to me with a sad look in his eyes, which was near impossible. "You know, when I found out you were back, I thought I would actually spend time with you, and we could be friends again."
"Sodapop, we are friends!" I exclaimed, shoving Tim's weight away while jumping across the counter. "We do spend time together." Soda whirled around and shook his head.
"Not anymore. You're going to run off with him every night and forget all about us!" I barreled into Soda, wrapping my arms around his waist and squeezing hard.
'I'll never forget you! Stop saying stuff like that! I'm not going to make the same mistake I made last time. I'm not going to forget the gang." Soda slid his arms around my shoulders and held me close until Tim coughed.
"Dusty, we better go." He said in a low voice. I pulled away from Sodapop and glared at Tim.
"Take a hike, Shepard. Today I'm going to hang with my buddies." I could almost see Soda smile. Tim glared at me and crossed his arms.
"And what am I suppose to do, huh? Twiddle my thumbs and wait for you?" I smirked as I leaned across the counter and grabbed Tim by the back of his head, kissing him slowly while tickling the back of his neck. He shivered and pulled away, no longer glaring but still frowning.
"Don't look so pissed. I promise I'll sneak into your house my eleven." I laughed and pecked his lips. "Now get going, get drunk before noon for me." Tim pulled away, shaking his head but containing a smile.
"Fine. See you at eleven." I was shocked at how easy that was. I guess the offer of booze was too much to resist.
"Well that took care of him." I pushed Soda and jumped to the other side of the counter.
"Don't be so mean. He's not all bad you know." Soda rolled his eyes as he rang up a red head's gas bill.
"Sure. And I'm Paul Newman."