26.

It was nearly five in the morning when Ellie stirred from her sleep. She was burrowed in her down comforter, fortified inside a nest of equally soft pillows. The nights had been growing colder and colder with every passing day, but inside her cocoon she was enveloped in warmth. There was little that could drag her from that bliss... except for the heavy creak of her bedroom door as it slid open.

"You don't have a key to the house." She mumbled, peaking over the edge of her blanket. The room was tinted in the beginnings of a sunrise, painting all surfaces in a gentle blueish grey.

Dallas grabbed the bedpost to keep steady as he kicked off a pair of muddy boots. "You left the door unlocked, idiot."

Ellie watched in growing trepidation as he stripped off his leather jacket and t-shirt. He built well for a young man; not bulky like a football player but sturdy and artfully muscled like the equestrian he was. Her eyes followed the trails of scars and burns that littered his body, then to the fresh tattoo above his collarbone. It was still too dark to see properly, but she was relieved to find it clean and un-swollen.

Dallas pushed the blanket aside, baring her shoulder to the cold.

"Dally!" She whined, shifting deeper into the covers where the warmth was still abundant. He threw the barrier of pillows to the other side of the bed and slipped in beside her. A waft of cigarettes and liquor accompanied him, musky and comforting.

Dallas tugged her tight against his broad chest and burrowed his face in her neck. "You're so fucking warm."

Ellie felt like she was hugging an iceberg, his fingers like freshly falling snow along her spine. When she reached up to pet his hair she found it damp. Was it raining outside? She couldn't hear any pitter-pattering against her window.

"Where have you been?" She questioned, eyes drifting shut as she slowly succumbed to sleepiness.

His breath was like dragon fire against her neck. "None'a your business."

"Where you with Two-Bit?"

There was no rely. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. Was he asleep?

"Steve?... Tim Shepard?"

She scraped a few fingernails across Dally's scalp, targeting a specific area above the nape of his neck.

He growled low and fisted the back of her shirt. "Shut up, will ya'?"

Ellie noted the slur in his words and realized he was drunk. Dallas was a delinquent and she knew that, but it didn't stop the uncertainty that sat low in her stomach. It all seemed so pointless. He didn't have to hang out with the gangs he hung out with. He didn't have to rob stores or instigate fights. He certainly didn't have to disappear all night and come back drunk. A frown tugged at her lips.

"I worry about you." She sent the words into the morning air and immediately wished she could reel them back in.

Dallas brought his head from under her chin to bring it level with her's. The hand that he had on her back drifted down over her rear and along her thigh.

"Don't you worry about me." Dallas demanded, "It won't do any of us any good and I'll still be doing the things I do no matter what."

Ellie nibbled on her lip, trying in vain to decipher his expression. With a sigh and a nod, she closed her eyes again.

Dallas shifted closer until their noses brushed. "I'm taking you out night."

"...Okay." Ellie bit her lip to hold back a smile. He was teasing her, his lips only inches away. But she didn't make a move to close the distance.

Dally's fingers crept back up her thigh and under the hem of her underwear.

"Dallas!" She scolded loudly, just as her alarm filled the room with a loud buzz.

Ellie tugged a pair of white knee-highs over her calves as she hopped into the hallway, brushing a mop of hair out of her face as she straightened.

"Johnny, hurry up!" She smacked the flat of her palm against the bathroom door repeatedly. "We have to leave in twenty minutes and I still need to do my hair and brush my teeth!"

She waited for a moment. Lord and Lady were curled up together by the stairs and they barely lifted their heads at her presence. Ellie turned back to the door and smacked it again. "Johnny! What're you doing?"

There was a scuffing sound behind her and she turned around. Johnny was standing in front of his bedroom in pajamas, rubbing his eye with a knuckle. "What are you doing?"

"Oh!" Ellie blinked at him. Then she turned back to the door and turned the handle, wincing as it slid open without resistance.

"Dumbass." Johnny snorted.

She snatched a ribbon from a bowl by the sink and followed Johnny as he retreated back inside his room. A scattering of clothes littered the floor, a mixture of hand-me-downs from the gang with a few new articles that Ellie had demanded they buy.

"You only have a few minutes to get ready and eat breakfast." She reminded him, staring wearily at his pajama shirt.

Johnny fell face first into his unmade bed, mumbling into his pillow.

"What?" Ellie asked, pulling the top half of her brunette hair and securing it with a white ribbon. She approached the bed and sat beside him as he mumbled more words. "Johnny, what the heck are you saying?"

He groaned loudly. Sighing, Ellie grabbed his arm and used all her strength to turn him over.

He slung an arm over his eyes. "I've decided I don't want to go to school."

"Johnny Cade," Ellie pulled his arm away and forced him to lock eyes with her. "You either get out of bed and get dressed, or I'll wake Dally and he can do it for you. It's your choice."

"Dally's here?" Johnny asked with a cheeky grin. "He spend the night?"

Ellie poked his side and he let out a reluctant laugh, wiggling out away from her fingers.

"He spent the morning." She explained, "And nothing happened... Johnny, get up already! You have ten minutes!"

She got up and grabbed his limp wrists to tug Johnny into a sitting position, but he was too heavy and she nearly fell instead.

"I'm not kiddin', Els." He grumbled to the ceiling. "School started a month ago and I haven't gone to one class. If by some miracle they decide to let me pass the grade, I'll still have to struggle through hours of catching up. Not to mention-"

"-Work." Ellie finished for him, crossing her arms. She could see his turmoil in the bags under his eyes and the heavy rise and fall of his chest. He was disguising sighs with breathing. "Johnnycake, please sit up."

He did so with great reluctance. She sat back down beside him and grabbed his hand.

"Listen," She demanded gently as he locked gaze with the floorboards. "You don't have to go to school. I'm not your mother so I can't force you into anything. But I think you should go. I think you'll regret it if you don't. School is something every average teenager has to go through and though your life hasn't been exactly normal, this is one thing you can still hold on to..." Ellie let out a sheepish chuckle. "That's the way I see it, anyway."

She got up, straightened the skirt of her checkered dress, and took a deep breath to try and cast away the weight in her chest.

"You still have a few more minutes if you want to get dressed." Ellie headed towards the doorway but couldn't leave before casting him one last somber look. "I won't think any less of you for dropping out, but I always thought Johnny Cade was destined for something bigger than that."

Ellie was munching on an apple when Johnny came down the stairs. His shirt was dirty and covered in white dog hair and his jeans had a small hole forming in one knee, but Ellie was just glad to see him up.

"You better hide that smile before I crawl back into bed." He grabbed the fruit from her hand and took a bite that tore nearly a quarter off.

Shrugging innocently, Ellie grabbed the bag of dog food from the pantry and brought it with her as they passed the front door. By the foot of the stairs before the sidewalk sat four big bowls for the dogs. She filled two up with kibble while Johnny filled the other two with water from the hose, holding the apple in his mouth with his teeth. Lord was nipping at his legs, begging for a drink, before Johnny could even put the bowl down. Ponyboy came out of his house as Ellie ran back in to grab her bag from the kitchen table, and then they were on their way to school.

"I heard she's slept with all of them... you know, that gang of boys she's always following around."

"I know she's been sleeping with the one with that small kid. Rebecca saw them doing it behind the bleachers."

"That's so gross!" There was a high-pitched giggle. "While she was dating Ben? That's not a surprise."

Ellie set her jaw and began undoing the buttons of her gym suit. Her locker was swung open, hiding her face from the trio of girls standing on the other side of the bench. The change room attached to the gym was overwhelmed with noise from the shower, slamming doors, and the smacking of basketballs outside, but she didn't have any problem hearing their chatter. It was almost as if they wanted her to.

"I bet she's still sleeping with all of them. Those kinds of girls are interchangeable to Greasers, if you know what I mean. They all just go around taking turns."

She slipped her dress over her head and pulled the zipper up, flipping her hair over the collar. She couldn't see them, but she knew who they were. Lora, whom she had met when Ben had taken her on their first group date, and another girl named Patty had been using their change room time to exchange wild gossip every day since the beginning of the year. Ellie had even been invited into the conversation a few times while she was dating Ben. That had ended the moment she became the gossip.

"I heard she's started shacking up with the small kid." Lora added with a disgusted scoff. "I wonder how Winston is taking it."

Ellie could image the faux-empathy on Patty's face. "Do you think he... hit her or something?"

She wanted to go up and say something equally as hurtful, but what? There seemed to be nothing that could bring them down. Both girls were beautiful, wealthy, and popular- perfection, if there was such a thing. They were mean, but in their circle it was more of a quality than a flaw. Ellie sat down on the bench to untie her sneakers and slip on her knee-highs and flats. From that position she could see that Alice was with them as well, though she hadn't said anything yet. Her face tightened as their eyes locked. Ellie held it for a moment, letting Alice know she had heard every word, before she stood back up to put her gym suit back on it's hook.

"I won't be surprised if she's pregnant by the end of the month." Lora giggled as they passed her towards the exit. Ellie placed her shoes on the metal bottom of the locker, her gym socks bundled inside, and then gently closed the door. She made sure to wait a few seconds until they were out of her line of vision before she started on her way out as well.

Her heel crunched against something metal on the floor. Ellie crouched down and picked up a set of keys dangling from a little blue-jeweled owl key chain. She had seen it numerous times when she was still friends with Alice. Biting her lip, she rolled the tiny owl around between the pads of her fingers.

"Excuse me!" Ellie called, hurrying through the door of the change room and into the gym. Lora, Penny and Alice were following the wall to get to the exit leading into the hallway. "Alice!"

All three of them turned around as she approached, their expressions ranging from irritation to discomfort. Alice gripped her elbows and inched closer to Lora as Ellie caught up to them.

"You dropped this." She said, holding the keys out.

Alice hesitated, eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights. She reached out and grabbed the key without letting her fingers touch Ellie. Then her lips parted briefly and they locked gazes again; for a moment she seemed to want to say thank you... or perhaps apologize... but then Lora wound her hand around Alice's arm and gave her a sharp tug.

"Come on, Alice. We have to hurry." She snapped, with rouge lips pursed. Her hazel eyes breezed past Ellie as if she was just another scuff mark on the floor of the gym.

Ellie hadn't noticed Johnny until he put his hand on her shoulder. He looked worried.

"Two-Bit's been telling me you're getting harassed by some of the Soc girls." He mumbled, "You... you want me to do something about it?"

A smile spread across her face as they made their way into the hall. "What're you going to do? Beat them up? It's okay, really. They'll forget about me in a month or so."

"Yeah..." Johnny readjusted the pencil he had stuck behind his ear. "Sure."

Ellie looped her arm through his in her usual manner. "Anyway, how was your day so far?"

He shrugged. "Good... but I keep having to dodge questions about some sort of ski accident I was in."

"Oh, yeah... sorry about that." Ellie winced. "It sounded like a good excuse at the time."

"Ellie, there isn't even a skii resort in all of Oklahoma!"

After school Johnny followed Ponyboy to the library to catch up on the month's worth of school work he had fallen behind on. With the house to herself, Ellie spent the rest of the evening in one of her old button-up dresses, scrubbing the whole house down and giving it a good, thorough cleaning. She hadn't done it since her grandmother's passing and the amount of grime she found would have sent her mother reeling. But then again, anything Ellie had done since arriving in Tulsa would have sent her mother reeling.

She glanced out the window as she wiped the dining room table down with Pine-Sol. The back and front yard needed a good mowing, and the fence was starting to sag a little by the gate where all the boys could be found leaning over to feed scraps to the dogs. They needed fixing if she wanted to have a nice house, but truthfully Ellie didn't feel the need to care anymore. Ever since her mother had stopped answering calls and the Socs had cast her away, it felt as if all connections to that perfect, upper-class life had been cut. Who would she be trying to impress with a nice new fence and clean yard? She was an east-sider now- a poor kid with bigger worries than how long the grass was growing.

Yet here she was, cleaning the dining room that she had never used.

Ellie sat down on one of the chairs and peeled off her dish gloves. She had been indifferent to the empty house a few minutes ago, but now the lack of noise was making her uncomfortable. Even the dogs were outside, shading themselves under the tree at the far end of the backyard. It felt heavy and suffocating, like she was being dragged down to the bottom of the ocean.

The doorbell rang and she let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. Getting up, she capped the bottle of Pine-Sol, grabbed her gloves, and raced to put it all under the kitchen sink. Whoever was at the door was incessantly ringing the bell, scattering the silence that had been strangling her moments before. Ellie was both relieved and annoyed.

"Hello?" She swung open the door, leaving the screen as a barrier between her and the unknown.

But it was only Dallas, leaning his shoulder against the frame and grinning impudently down at her. "Hey good-lookin', what's your name?"

Ellie raised a brow at him. "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to pick you up." He reached up with both hands and tugged at his leather jacket collar with all the arrogance he could possess. "I figured I'd give you the whole 'Dallas Winston experience'."

"Oh?" She hummed, smiling bemusedly. "So Dallas Winston often goes up to stranger's doors in hopes that a girl will answer it?"

"That's a technicality."

Ellie laughed and nodded, straightening up to take on her new role. "Well Mister Winston, my name's Elizabeth but my friends call me Ellie."

Dallas winced. "God, don't call me Mister Winston. I sound like a fifty-year old pervert."

"Are you going to try and pick me up or what?" She asked, rolling her eyes. She flung open the screen door and moved aside to let him in.

"What, you'd let an old man into your house?" He asked as he passed her. "You got a thing for wrinkles?"

She followed him into the newly cleaned kitchen. Opening a cupboard, she pulled out two glasses and set them on the counter. Dallas sat down on the top of the breakfast table and watched her.

"Well, your's are just so magnificent." She poured some iced tea and handed him a glass. "Now, can I help you with anything?"

Dallas' piercing gaze roved up and down Ellie's figure. She felt her face heat up as she remembered her ratty old dress. It was at least five seasons too old and as thin and light as paper. She didn't even want to imagine what her hair looked like after an hour of scrubbing the floor, or if her skin was just as sticky and dirty as it felt.

"You sure can." He ran a knuckle up her stomach and fingered a button that rested at her navel, smiling an all-knowing grin as she ducked her head to hide a spreading blush. "How 'bout I take you out?"

Pulling herself together, Ellie gave him what she hoped was a nonchalant shrug. "I would say yes... but I already have a boyfriend and I don't think he'd be too happy to find me with another man."

"I see..." Dallas retracted his wandering hand to scratch his chin. There was stubble forming. "What's this guy like?"

Ellie didn't reply, pretending to mull his question over thoughtfully. "Well..."

"Devlishly handsome?" He supplied, "The coolest, toughest guy you've ever set eyes on?"

She placed a finger on her lip with a hum. "Oh, he's alright, I guess. Definitely not the coolest or toughest. He's actually quite a big cry baby."

Dally's eyes narrowed, his smug smile tightening in mild annoyance. "Is he now?"

"Yeah... He likes to think he's a hotshot but he's really this big baby that's crying and whining all the time- and he's always following me around 'cause he's hopeless in love. I felt so bad that when he asked me out I had to say yes."

"I see." Dallas replied. His hand went to the back of her neck and he ran his thumb down her neck to the center of her collarbone. "Sounds like the kind of guy I'd beat the crap outta'."

Ellie burst into a fit of giggles. "I'd like to see you try!"

Dallas grabbed her waist, turned her around, and gave a gentle kick to her rear. "Go put some shoes on, smart-ass."

"Shoes?" Ellie scoffed, running her fingers through her mess of hair as she followed his orders and marched down the hall. "I need a shower and a new outfit-"

"If you aren't back here in twenty minutes, I'm gonna find some other broad to take out!"

Shoulders back, arms crossed over his chest, jaw clenched, and eyes carved from the core of an iceberg, Dallas was giving her his best glare.

Ellie held her laughter back weakly as she tugged on his wrist and whined, "Come on, Dallas!"

"Just forget it, will you?" He snapped at her, "I'm not doin' it."

"I just think it's weird that I know nothing about you!"

Dallas scoffed. Ellie had to back away as he unwound his arms and dug around his jacket for a cigarette. "I always thought you knew too much."

She threw a piece of popcorn at him. It bounced off of his temple before becoming lost somewhere under their feet. His glare burned tenfold.

"It must be pretty awful if you don't want to tell me." She sniffed, turning her head back to the screen a few dozen meters in front of them. The drive-in theater had become a familiar hang-out; many summer nights had been spent sneaking in to watch movies with Johnny and Pony when none of them had wanted to go home just yet. Ellie's parents had never let her go to them back in Chicago and she found herself instantly hooked on the funny little concession-stand commercials, day-old popcorn, watered-down soda, and the stink of a thousand cigarettes being lit in one area. It held a certain magic.

Ellie glanced at him through her peripherals and realized he was ignoring her.

"Dallas!" She whined again, "I won't even laugh, I promise!"

He grabbed a handful of popcorn and gestured toward the screen. "Watch the damn movie, woman!"

"Fine, but..." Placing the popcorn bag to the side, she inched closer until her shoulder pressed into his arm. "If you tell me..."

She let the sentence linger unfinished. Dally cocked an eyebrow.

"Never mind!" Ellie straightened up and turned to watch two sweaty men find a lone carriage in the middle of the desert. The movie had been playing for a few minutes but she had been too busy bothering Dallas to catch the plot. Instead she tried to focus on Clint Eastwood; at least he was still dreamy even in her state of confusion.

"Ellie..." Dallas grunted roughly, looking as if he was trying very hard not to throttle her. Ellie offered him a guilty smile and moved back to his side, lifting his arm to throw over her shoulders.

"If you won't tell me your most embarrassing moment, then I guess I'll just have to tell you mine." She paused to think, "Okay, remember when I told you I used to be in pageants?"

A Cheshire grin was beginning to form on his face. "How can I forget?"

Ellie elbowed him in the ribs. "Anyway, when I was first starting out, I had this big fear of being on stage. So I was- ...Oh."

"What?"

"That's not my most embarrassing moment." Ellie admitted, curling further into his side. "Let's just watch the movie. What's going on, anyway? Who are these guys? Is that one bad or good? Who's the ugly one? It's not Clint Eastwood-"

Dallas adjusted so that she could see his bewildered expression. "What the hell were you going to say?"

She let out a long, exaggerated sigh and tried to think of a way to avoid the conversation. It wouldn't have been so bad to tell him the pageant story, but this... it was too mortifying. And all Two-Bit's fault, of course! But she had been oblivious to the rascal's ways back then. Most of the memory was a drunken haze of swearing and bloody noses...and one awkward question that- even now- set her face ablaze.

Dallas dipped his head down close to hers and tried a softer, more compelling tone of voice. "If you tell me, I'll tell you what mine is..."

Ellie shrugged. "I can just ask Johnny."

"He wouldn't betray me like that." Dallas scoffed, starting up a new cigarette.

"We'll see." Ellie snatched it from his lips and rivaled his glare with a roll of her eyes. "You'll be dead before you're twenty the way you always chain-smoke."

Dally grabbed her wrist and forced her fingers to press against his lips as he stole the cigarette back. Holding her there, he lit the other end and took a deep drag. Ellie watched a quarter of it disintegrate into ashes. Though she disliked cigarettes, she had to admit that watching Dallas smoke was a thing of beauty. His cheeks caving in ever so slightly as he inhaled, the quiet sigh that accompanied a cascade of smoke from his slightly parted lips... her urge to kiss him was never so strong as it was when he had a lit cigarette between his fingers.

"Maybe... but of all the things I do, I doubt smoking will be the one to get me." Dallas let go of her wrist. The smoke still sizzling in her fingers, she let the edge of her thumb brush against his cheek. His skin was cool and surprisingly soft.

"How, then?" She asked, curiosity getting the best of her.

Dallas shrugged and turned his head to capture the cigarette again.

"Twenty is too young, anyway. Don't you want to grow old with me?" Ellie asked, their faces inches away. She would be lying to say she hadn't been nervous about this date. It wasn't a secret that teenagers liked to hook up at drive-ins, and sitting alone in a car with Dallas all night could only really lead to one thing. But she wasn't like that. No matter how far away her parents were, or how much of a greaser she liked to think of herself, there was still a part of her that wanted to hold onto that perfect life she always envisioned for herself. Dallas didn't fit into that world, nor would he ever... but there was also another side of her that wanted to throw everything away just to see that devilish smile of his.

"I don't even know if I want to spend another day with you." Dally admitted, tugging playfully on her ear. The smell of Old Spice and leather came off of him in waves. He had showered for her. She couldn't help but grin at the thought.

"Say's the man who set my car of fire so I couldn't leave." Ellie brought the cigarette back to his lips and watched greedily as he took a drag. Everything seemed to be fading away. The chatter of a few teenagers in their area; the bright tecni-color lights from the screen; the gun shots cutting through static on the speakers... Suddenly there was only the two of them alone in a dark, quiet room.

"That was before I remembered how annoying you are." Dallas flashed her a thin, cruel smile. His hand slipped between her knees and the callused pads of his fingers stroked a spark up her thigh. She captured his wrist, an involuntary gasp tumbling from her lips. Dallas muzzled it with a kiss, laughter vibrating deep in his chest.

"Jerk." Ellie sighed as she pulled away to catch her breath, only to tug him back to her a moment later. Dallas could have called her any name in the book and she wouldn't have cared. Just so long as he kept kissing her.

Dallas nipped and sucked on Ellie's lower lip, his hand drifting from between her thighs to her jaw, coercing her mouth open. She submitted under his silent demand, grasping his golden locks as his tongue slid against her's, teasing and mischievous and ravenous. His grip was loose but strong, and it was made clear to her that she wouldn't be able to push him away unless he let her. But she loved it. She felt frightened and trapped and she loved it.

Dallas broke away to brand kisses along her jaw and neck. Seized with modesty, Ellie tried and failed to choke back her moans as he found her most sensitive spot: a spread of delicate skin just above her collarbone. She hummed, squirming as his hand went back to her thigh, breezing along until his fingers were nearly touching the band of her undergarments.

"How the hell do you smell so good?" He asked, his breath tickling her skin.

"Hm?" Ellie had trouble grasping his words. She wanted to tug Dallas closer and closer until their bodies were melded together and she could feel nothing else but him.

"Strawberries..." Dally's kisses became gentler as he traveled back up her jaw. "Jesus, it smells good."

She had to grip his jacket collar to keep herself from tipping under his weight. "I h-had a bath. It's my soap."

Dallas pulled away with a content hum, trailing a finger along her collarbone and neck where he had been roughest. She shuddered, surprised to find the skin unbearably sensitive. His grin was even more troubling.

"What?" Ellie asked, her hand moving to her neck automatically. Quicker than an alley cat, he caught her wrist and forced it down. Then, still smiling, he captured her lips in his once more. It was a slow, playful kiss; a sudden but pleasant change from his previous assault. She could nearly taste his laughter.

There was a sudden flash of light, eliminating a rainbow of colors behind Ellie's closed eyes. She thought for a moment that it might be the movie screen, or a car's headlights. But then it flashed again and she could hear loud, hyena-like laughter. Tearing away from Dallas, she blinked, clueless, at two Socs that had parked to their immediate left. They were pimply, repugnant boys that could be better described as nerds, loitering at the front of their car with their respective girlfriends. Ellie had seen them drinking before the movie had even begun, and judging by the red tinge on their faces they were good and properly sauced.

One of them was clutching a Polaroid camera and rapidly waving a fresh-made photograph.

"Yeah! Get it!" His friend was hollering at them crudely, "Come on now, don't stop on our behalf! It looked like the show was just starting!"

"Oh my God..." Ellie whispered, mortified as she shrunk into the leather seat. The girls were barely concealing their laughter behind their hands, standing off to the side as if they could disassociate from their boyfriends but still enjoy the scene.

Dallas didn't speak as he cracked the car door open and stepped outside. Ellie watched him walk to the other side, strolling casually between cars, his eyes fixed on something behind the boy's heads. He didn't seem very angry; maybe he'd just want to speak to them. Ellie hoped so, but there wasn't much hope for the idea. She didn't think Dallas had ever just spoken to a Soc.

The one with the camera paled and jabbed his chattering friend with his elbow. "Oh fuck, John, isn't that... That's the Winston kid..."

The humor died on the other boy's face as Dallas came into full view, towering over both of them by half a foot. It turned out that Ellie hadn't needed to worry at all; the Socs hardly put up a fight. Dally stuck a hand out and the boys passed him the camera and film.

He gave one of the photographs a glance. "This one's not bad, actually. I kind of like it."

"You can keep it." One of the boys offered, inching back so that he was pressed up against the car. "Honestly, we're sorry. We didn't- we weren't thinking... we were just fooling around, right, John?"

Dallas ignored them and strolled back to the car to pass Ellie the camera and film. "Don't say I never got you anything." He joked, winking at her. Then he turned back to the Socs and Ellie could imagine the ice freezing and crackling under his skin.

"I was gonna let you off the hook," Dallas admitted, leisurely approaching them. "But then that shit spewed outta your mouth. That was some fucking pathetic grovelling, kiddo. Really, I'll be doin' you a favor, beating your asses."

Ellie crawled onto her knees, pressed up against the door of the car to see better. The girlfriends had stopped laughing and were now watching the scene unfold with as much trepidation as Ellie.

"Look, we-" The boy lifted his hands up in surrender but his friend, John, was too frightened to copy him. He looked as if he might throw up on Dally's shoes.

"Shut up." Dallas chuckled, pushing up his jacket sleeves. He gave them a lazy, unimpressed once over and squared his shoulders. "Who's first?"

The Socs shared a look. They gave off the distinct impression that they had never been in a fight before- or at least never won. The boy that had the camera opened and closed his mouth a few times, wanting to say more but knowing it would only get him into more trouble. He was a pacifist, Dallas was not, and deep down Ellie felt bad for the boy. Then they exchanged another look, one of grim understanding. It was quick, but she knew what it meant. They could try and out-run Dally and take a hit to their pride, or they could face him head on. Either way they had to except their fate.

With a loud, roaring battle cry, both Socs launched themselves at Dallas. He was caught off guard, stumbling under their combined weight.

"Dallas!" Ellie gasped, sure he was about to fall. She gripped the handle of the car as they struggled, conflicted. Should she help him? Should she go find someone to help him? There were at least a dozen Greasers in their area, some of which were acquainted with Dallas. Yet something in her insisted she keep out of his way. It wasn't her place to stop him or help him- she wasn't his mother. All she could do is be there when the dust settled.

But Ellie underestimated Dallas, and so had the Socs. He didn't fall- instead he grabbed hold of their collars, one in each hand, and used their momentum to shove them to the side. The boys tumbled to the ground, struggling as they rolled down the little hill where the cars were parked and onto the dirt road that cut between the followed them down, smiling smugly. Stopping at John, he brought back his foot and gave him a few swift kicks to the stomach. Ellie couldn't see to well with their new position hidden behind the front of the convertible, but she could hear the boy crying out with the impact and was a little sickened by the sound.

"Do something!" She realized one of the girlfriends were shouting at her. The other girl was crying, her hands over her mouth. Ellie stared back at them, baffled.

"Do something!" The girl shouted again, "He's going to kill him!"

Somehow, their hysteria calmed Ellie. The whole thing suddenly seemed over-dramatic, like she was watching a scene in a play. She stood up on the leather seat, grabbing the top of the windshield to keep steady. To the other side of her, a couple of Greasers had spotted the fight and were whooping and cheering. Eliminated by the colors on the screen, she could see Dallas with his foot on the other boys neck, laughing and saying something to him in a low, snide voice. The Socs should have taken their chances and ran.

"Dallas!" Ellie shouted, but the movie overcame her words. She called out again and he peered up.

He didn't seem happy to be interrupted. "What?"

Lifting the camera to her eye, she steadied the base with her hand and centered him in the middle of the lens. Ellie pressed the stiff button on the top of the machine. Then she crawled back into the car and sat down while the Polaroid whirred and buzzed and a little photograph slid out from the slot.

The driver-side door popped open and Dallas slid back in. There was another cigarette hanging from his lips and Ellie couldn't remember what had happened to the one she was holding.

"I need a drink." He grumbled, turning the key in the ignition. His eyes were sharp and his muscles were still tense; she could see him trying to fight his adrenalin back down.

The girlfriends were just barely helping the Socs up in front so Dallas was forced to reverse into the lane behind them. Ellie stared at them until they faded from view. "The movie isn't over yet."

"You weren't watching it either way." Dallas replied.

She pushed the lens in to compact the camera before turning it off. "Maybe I would if you hadn't started a fight."

"You didn't seem so mad about it a few seconds ago." They shared amused smiles as the car pulled into the main road. "Let's see it?"

Ellie pulled the black film away to reveal the image on the photograph. The flash had eliminated Dallas' figure. He was standing in the middle of the road, wild and grinning with his foot on the Soc's throat and his arms spread out like a strong-man. She showed it to him. "I like it. You look evil."

"I look handsome as hell." He corrected. With one hand he pulled the cigarette from his mouth and gripped the wheel. He placed the other on her thigh. "Did I ruin our date?"

"Yes." Ellie took his hand and threaded his fingers through her's. "But I don't think I really expect anything other than trouble when you're involved."

Hi! Sorry this chapter is really short, but I just felt like I definitely needed to write a first date for Dallas and Ellie... I think after this I'll be taking some time to focus more on Johnny and his problems, but I think I gave a good glimpse of that in this chapter? I really loved writing this chapter though! I like to think this has been the most well-written in a while, which means I'm improving! Unless I'm just delusional, but whatever.

Also, I didn't notice until now, but it's now been over a year since I started this story! OMG! I want to thank everyone who has been there since the beginning (and even those who came a little later) and have always supported me! I know it's been a bit of a rough ride and I'm sure there have been some cringe-worthy writing moments, but you guys are LITERALLY. THE. BEST. I want ya'll to know that this is ALL for you. Every chapter I post is a token of my gratitude and love. I mean it. Every review or favorite or follow sets my heart pounding. I fucking love you guys. You're my Dallas to my Ellie. Goddamn.