Sorry it's been so long again. It's safe to say updates won't be as frequent as before with the workload I've taken on and such, but I will definitely be aiming for a new chapter at least every two weeks. Thanks for those who have stuck with this story and continue to read it. Here we go with…
CHAPTER 52:
Exhaustion had overtaken me last night and sleep had come easy despite the Stillwater rumble and my fight with Dal running through my mind. Dallas had trekked over to Buck's after our argument and when Two-Bit and I stopped over for a beer and a little Tulsa gossip, we caught him going shot-for-shot with Curly Shepard. At around sun up, I'd heard the Matthews' door slam close and a drunken Dally bump into every table and chair as he threw up his guts into the toilet. Two-Bit sniggered loudly from the bed next to me before throwing a pillow over his head and falling back to sleep instantly. I laid awake for awhile, listening to Dallas moaning in the bathroom and cursing Buck's cheap gin. Quietly, I lit a cigarette and enjoyed a smoke while sleep started to overcome me. Stubbing out my weed, I was out before I even hit the pillow.
"Dallas! I ain't cleaning this mess up and I gotta take a shower so you need to stop being a bump on a log and take care of this!" I heard Emily's shrill voice at quarter to eleven.
Deciding we should face the day, Two-Bit and I emerged from our bedroom after throwing on an outfit for the day. Emily had gotten sassy over the past couple of months and I figured she would be taking after her brother in no time. Dal grumbled incoherently at her while Emily rubbed his shoulder roughly to break him out of his comatose state. Soda and Steve were enjoying a day off and were sipping cokes at the dining room table while playing cards and enjoying the scene before them.
"Y'all may think this is funny but the bathroom smells like a damn sewer," Emily stated, her rusty-colored hair shaking violently about her head.
Patting the girl's head affectionately, I headed into the kitchen to pour myself a glass of milk, commenting on the boys drinking pop before noon.
"Dal got into it with some grease last night," Soda said to no one in particular, ignoring my comment.
"Oh yeah?" Two-Bit asked, "He got into it with my toilet last night too."
I'm sure if Dally was awake to the world he would have slugged Two-Bit for his cockiness. We all drink a little too much sometimes so I didn't much feel like taking a sting at Dal's ego. Steve asked if we were made up yet and I raised my eyebrow in typical Two-Bit fashion before tipping his chair that he'd been leaning back on. Figuring the boy's would all be hungry, I whipped up eggs for everybody just how they liked them and even put aspirin, water, and cigarettes on the coffee table for Dallas when he decided to grace us with his hungover self. I told Emily to lay off until after breakfast and she huffily grabbed a cigarette and left with a good slam of the door.
"Since when does she smoke?" I asked bewilderedly.
"About a month or so now. She don't do it often and I'm aiming to keep it that way for a while," Two-Bit stated, finally on the ball when it came to knowing what his little sister was doing.
Shrugging, I muttered that it was about time she started. After all, she was going to be fourteen in a few months and most greasers were smoking by the time they reached double digits.
"I was wonderin' why I was always missing cigarettes. I thought it was you stealin' em," I said sleepily as I rubbed my eyes.
"Probably was me too," Two-Bit grinned and I shot him a glare, telling him I work hard to afford my smokes.
The whole table erupted in a fit of laughter at this, since poker and pool games supported my habit. Emily came back in after a few minutes and slammed the door loudly once again to wake Dallas up.
"Em, I swear to god if you don't let me sleep I'm gunna jump whatever boy you're dating this week," Dal growled menacingly.
The young girl faltered for only a minute before crossing her arms and staring determinedly at him.
"You sure do look look like your Ma when you do that," Steve told her.
The phone rang next to the sofa and I pushed Dal's feet off to the side and sat down before answering.
"Hey Preston, what's up with the good times?" I stated knowingly.
I'd been expecting his call and Preston was always on time. He'd been filling me in daily on what was going on in Stillwater. Things were good, but Preston mentioned the tension on the streets was high. Fooling with the lighter I'd lifted from the drug store, I ran the warm flame delicately through my fingers, singing my hands when Preston explained that Wheatley was strung out on all kinds of shit and his brother might be stepping into his leadership position for good.
"Might be?" I demanded, "I don't deal with maybes. Call me back when you know the details."
Hanging up the phone without so much as a goodbye, I rubbed my eyes furiously before contemplating things over. Wheatley and I would be having a talk when I saw him next and it was not going to be a good conversation. The guys looked at me questioningly while I waved their looks away with a flick of my wrist. This was business and I wasn't going to stress it until I knew the truth. Figuring a game of pool would get my mind off of this mess, I plucked Two-Bit's keys off of our dresser and the guys and Emily followed me into the car. Even Dallas managed to get his sorry ass off of the couch and clean up the mess he'd made last night as well as himself some.
"I want in on next game," I stated when I stepped into the pool hall.
The place was deserted except for the current game going on so I warmed up at another table playing against Steve, the best player out of the bunch. Two-Bit was staring as his sister talked with a few of the younger grease boys that were watching the game in disinterest. Soda had his usual band of girl followers and was basking in the flirtatious glory. Dally was sitting in a booth, sipping at a Pepsi and looking surly. We caught each other's eye a few times and he motioned for me to sit next to him. Figuring I'd warmed up enough, I slid easily into the booth.
"You look like you downed a whole bottle to yourself last night."
"Shep's gunna kill me for gettin' Curly reeling drunk again'."
Nodding, I helped myself to a sip of his Pepsi and leaned in when he put an arm around my shoulder. His eyes looked tired and his white-blond hair was matted where his head had rested on the pillow.
"Can we just get out of here?" He asked me suddenly.
For some reason, I found myself nodding and let him push me gently out of the booth. Dal waved at the gang and grabbed my hand as we exited the pool hall. I heard someone yell about me having next game and faintly remember telling them Steve would fill in for me. The walk to Buck's only took a few minutes and he nodded at us while we ascended the stairs. His lips were on mine before the door was even fully shut and I kissed him back hungrily. Within moments, I slipped off his shirt with ease while he did the same to me after. He lifted me up by my thighs and pushed me against the door, trailing kisses down my neck while holding me firmly. My fingers ran through Dal's hair while our lips met again. Dallas stumbled to the bed while still holding me and I crawled on top of him, kissing his collarbone and running my hands down his chest. We were both caught up in the passion of the moment and didn't hear the pounding of boots coming up the stairs, didn't hear the jangle of the door knob. Only when the door gave a resounding creak did the two of us finally hear our approacher.
"Tim do you mind?" Dally shouted angrily while covering my shirtless figure with his body.
Shepard let his eyes wander from my bra down my tanned stomach, stopping where my jeans began, and he smiled while advancing his gaze to look me in the eye. A small blush tinged my cheeks and I turned my back as to not let Tim see. Cursing for not thinking to lock the door, I pulled my shirt over my head and roughly struck up a weed, lighting a match against Dal's St. Christopher's necklace. Dallas looked nothing less than furious at getting interrupted and scooted off the bed to find himself face to face with Tim. It was obvious why he was here and I knew another famous Winston vs. Shepard fight was in the making.
"Get dressed," Dal told me as he descended the stairs with Tim hot on his heels.
"Lookin' good doll," Shep's cat-like voice trailed as he made his way down the stairs.
The sound of broken glass and Buck's yelling echoed from down below and I ran my fingers through my hair to make myself look decent. My feet silently padded down the stairs, and I seated myself on the third step, well enough away from the action. There were only a handful of people in the bar and none of them looked excited at the thought of pulling the two notorious hoods apart. When things got too rough, however, Buck convinced the two of them to take it outside and they left with Shepard tackling Dal outside.
"Christ, I can't deal with this shit no more," Buck muttered to himself while pouring a few shots and downing them quickly.
A twang of pity rushed through me until Buck looked at me and shot me his crooked smile, asking if Dal and I had gotten hot and heavy before Shepard had interrupted.
"They ain't the only ones in a fighting mood so I suggest you watch your mouth," I retaliated bitterly.
Curly must have gone home drunk out of his mind last night for Tim to come looking for Dallas and it only being two o'clock in the afternoon. I don't exactly see what this had to do with Dally, seeing as he wasn't pouring the liquor down Curly's throat or anything. Still, this wasn't the first time Curly had drank himself stupid while in Dal's company and I reckon Tim was tired of making up for his younger brother's antics. A few minutes later I heard a car peel out of the parking lot and Dally stepped through the doors of the bar looking a little worse for wear. Neither of them had won, hell neither of them ever did, they fought until they felt the other had paid their dues. This time, when we walked up the stairs to a bedroom, we had different intentions in mind. I led Dal to the bed and gently lifted his shirt off, grimacing at the black and blues that were already starting to form.
"And I thought that hangover was the worst I was gunna feel today," Dal moaned.
He laid back after that and shut his eyes, promising me he wasn't sleeping but just resting. I chuckled softly when his breathing became heavier.
"Come to bed, babe," He mumbled drowsily, pulling me up against him.
Not having the heart to tell him I wasn't tired in the least, I laid comfortably in his arms and occupied myself to the sounds of the bar filling up downstairs. Two-Bit and Steve's voices rose up to the bedroom after about an hour and I shimmied out of Dally's light grasp to go and join my friends. Kissing Dal on the shoulder, I glanced back at him one more time before shutting the door lightly.
'You are one charming boy Dallas Winston.'
END OF CHAPTER.
Well there you go, a little fluff and a little Shepard/Dally drama. Please review and let me know what you think!
