Ah, this chapter took a good deal of work and revising. I have to admit I cringed a little as I was reviewing my previous version of this chapter. Part of me really liked that chapter and wanted to make it better. The other part of me said it was bad and to leave it out.

I do not own The Outsiders.


Dallas walked down the street with his hands jammed into his jeans pockets with a frown on his face. After his most recent talk with Johnny, Dallas found himself feeling conflicted about something, or rather someone. Andy to be specific. His expression darkened as the girl's face refused to leave his thoughts. On the surface she was everything he would expect from a rich person. The way she stood, walked, talked enforced his first opinion of her. That was, if he ignored the words she said and the things she did.

Dallas leaned against the old gym before he pulled out a cigarette and started to smoke. It was one of his preferred haunts on a dull day like that. Most of the time he could lean against the wall without any idiots trying to bother him.

For a minute, he considered walking to the edge of the greasers territory so he could pester the uppity rich snots who dared to get close enough to him. He undoubtedly get called like like 'street trash' or whatever other weak insult they could think of. Unfortunately for them, their 'righteous anger' had to be one of the most hilarious things he could see. They never seemed to notice that he didn't give a damn what they said about him.

But at that moment, Dallas did care enough to bother moving. Besides, if he went in an hour or two, there'd be more people for him to bother anyway.

A couple minutes later, he heard loud laughter and watched a couple of socs wandering nearby. He was considering going over starting a fight for the hell of it when they noticed him. The taller of the pair smirked as he called, "Hey greaser,", one yelled, "Why don't you come over and kiss my shoe!" Dallas rolled his eyes as the pair laughed. If that was the best insult they could think of, they'd probably run away before he could raise his fist.

The socs stopped laughing as Dallas looked at them with the most bored expression he could managed. The shorter boy tried to look tough as he called, "Too scared to do anything punk." Dallas studied his cigarette disinterestedly as he said, "I don't waste time on on wimps like you." They boys looked offended as the taller one spat back, "You take that back!" Dallas laughed once as he flipped them off and called, "Whatever you want princess." A smirk crossed his face as the boys seemed to boil with rage.

Dallas was about to take a drag on his cig when the shorted of the two called, "At least we don't cry we we get punched like that Cade kid you hang around."

Dallas froze momentarily at the mention of Johnny's name. Icy rage bubbled up inside of himself as the two idiots laughed. Dallas put out his cigarette, and the two boys stopped laughing when they caught sight of his face. One of them whispered something t the other who swiftly picked up a rock and threw it at Dallas who simply leaned to the side as the rock shatter the window behind him.

He began to walk toward the boys with the intention of beating them to a pulp when he heard the whoop of a siren as a voice called, "That's far enough Winston. You're under arrest for the destruction of public property." Dallas' teeth clenched, of course the fuzz would show up at the worst possible moment.

"He glared at the officer as he yelled, "The hell I did!" the man sighed roughly as he said, "Come one Winston, between a repeat offender and two upstanding citizens, who do you think I'm going to blame?" the two socs grinned as they realized they weren't going to be blamed and the taller one yelled, "You've got the right man officer."

Dallas felt himself boil with rage as his hand curled into a fist. He was trying to decide who to hit first when a gentle voice called, "Excuse me sir, but Dallas wasn't the one who broke the window." Dallas blinked in surprise as Andy hurried over to his side. she looked nervously at the soc's angered expressions before she turned to the officer and explained, " They were trying to provoke a reaction from Dallas, sir. They threw a rock at him when they finally angered him.

The officer looked at her suspiciously as he asked, "And you are?" Andy smiled politely as she replied, "I'm Andromeda Campbell, sir." The man looked surprised as he asked, "You wouldn't happen to be related to a Marjorie Williams would you?" Andy looked confused as she said, "Yes, she's my aunt." The man grinned suddenly and said, "My older brother works as her secretary. One of the things he mentioned was how she had a niece named Andromeda who'd visit the office every once in a while."

The officer turned to Dallas, "I can't believed I'm saying this, but you're fee to go Winston." The man then turned to the two livid looking socs and said, "Tom Adderson and Allen Wilbur, you'll have to come with me." The two boys glared at Andy as the car drove off.

Dallas turned to look at Andy as she sighed in relief. She had rested her hand over her chest as she muttered, "That went better than I'd hoped." Dallas raised an eyebrow as he said, "You weren't the the one who was in trouble. Why'd you do that anyway?" Andy glanced up at him as she said, "Because, it isn't right for someone to be arrested for something they never did in the first place."

Dallas shrugged as he said, "So what? Why'd you care if I care arrested anyway? You can't stand me remember?" Andy bushed unexpectedly as she said, "I may not like you, but I do admire you." Dallas blinked rapidly as he said, "What did you say?" He felt rather certain the he'd just misheard her because Andy saying she admired him was just plain crazy."

Andy's blush deepened as she said, "I admire you, Dallas. You're one of the few people that I know who doesn't act fake. For better or worse you've always spoken you're mind, and only a fool would try to mess with you. I'm not trying to say that you're an excellent role model, but you're better than some I've had."

Dallas gave her odd look as he said, "You're pulling my leg aren't you." Andy simply smiled back weakly as she replied, "I really wish I was."

There was an uncomfortable silence before Dallas asked, "Why're you here anyway? Good little girls don't come to places like this." Andy seemed to ignore the jibe as she said, "I was so caught in my book that I didn't notice where I was going until I'd finished reading." Dallas raised an eyebrow again as he asked, "And what about that map of yours?" A wry smile crossed Andy's face as she said, "You mean the one I left on my dresser this morning?" Dallas chuckled at the thought as he said, "Just this once I'll help you out. But only because I don't want to owe you."

Andy nodded lightly as she said, "Don't worry, I won't get used to it." Dallas turned and walked ahead as Andy followed him. He couldn't help thinking to himself that something about here seemed different than when they first met.


So, Dallas seems to have warmed up to Andromeda finally. It's not love, but they can at least tolerate each other.

On another subject, did that one soc's last name ring a bell? If not, you'll find out why it's important in the next chapter. Speaking of the next chapter, Andromeda will be introduced to another person from The Outsiders universe. And naturally, I'm not telling who.

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