Chapter Seven
However, as I walked in the door, I saw that my mother was there in the living room already. Damn!!
"Hey baby" my mom said before I could sneak to the stairs for my room. 'Great. Now there's no getting out of this.' I thought.
"Hey ma." I said weakly. My eyes were still red from crying and I was utterly exhausted from what had happened today. So much had happened. I walked over to the couch and collapsed onto the soft cushoning. I had no idea what I was going to do. I couldn't even think straight. Maybe Ma would know what to do.Even if she was a total pain the ass, she had too have been a teenager herself once too right? No matter how long ago it had been. If I got too pissed or annoyed I could always leave for my room right? Right. I couldn't even think about tomorrow without having any idea at all at what could happen. I needed reassurance. I needed an idea in my head that it could turn out all right. The only things I could think of were too painful to really think about. Some of the outcomes that came into my head were so painful. Too painful to think about. Especially about Soda. Soda had put so much pain in my heart. I didn't even know I could feel that much pain. And I don't know how or why but it was more than emotional too. I had a physical aching inside me. I felt it in my stomach, my head, my heart. My whole being. He had literally broken my heart. Almost totally. The only thing left was a tiny tiny tiny bit of that false hope that everyone gets for the first days or weeks that they get their heart broken. My logic managed to push even most of that aside. 'Time' I repeated to myself in my head. I still didn't believe me. My mom looked at me suddenly. My hair was a mess, I was breathing kinda hard, and my eyes were red. I looked like shit. I knew it too. I didn't care at all.
"What happened?!" my mom asked, slightly alarmed.
"Oh ma. He did it. I thought he was the only person who wouldn't, but he was the first who did." Tears started to flow again. God, I HATED it when I cried. Now my ma was even more worried, although probably tired of what she thought were antics. This time though, I really wasn't over-reacting or over-acting. She probably wouldn't have believed me if I had told her that.
"Belle, what are you talking about? Who did what to you?" she asked.
"Sodapop, Mamma."
"Sodapop?" she looked like she was trying to remember who he was. "Sodapop Curtis?"
"Yeah Mamma."
"What did he do Belle?"
"He.. he...he..." I couldn't even say it. I just sobbed.I brought my knees up on the couch and sobbed into them. I couldn't talk, I could hardly breathe. She started to rub circles on my back, but I shrugged her off. I didn't want her comfort like that, right then. It just didn't feel right. And I knew that crying out "He broke my heart!" would sound corny.
"He hurt me Mamma. Really bad." I was finally able to gasp out.
"Hurt you? As in, physically?!" My mom's voice grew louder.
"No! No mamma! He could never do that to me. I know he couldn't!" I said quickly and stubbornly.
"Then how?"
"Here, Mamma." I pressed my hand to my heart.
"Oh! It'll be alright Belle, it'll pass."
"No, it won't! I loved him Momma! I STILL love him! It won't be ok."
"Don't be ridiculus Belle. You're too young to fall in love."
Her words stung me. I looked at her. I finally understood something. To my mom, I would always be 3 years old. She'd never, ever let me grow up. I was mature far beyond my 14 years. Everyone thought I was 16 or 17. Only a couple people knew how old I really was. I don't even think my dad remembered. That's how I got my car for my 14th birthday. I told him I was turning 16. I couldn't talk to my mom about stuff like this yet. She wasn't ready. I wasn't totally angry. I mean, I was a little, but I think that I understood her a little bit more than before. I just accepted the fact. I got up off the couch. "Yeah, maybe your right ma. Maybe I wasn't in love." I wanted desperatly to tell that she was wrong, that I was desperatly in love with Soda. I knew I was. It was an undisputed fact. But that would just start another yelling match between us, it happened often, and I just didn't need that right now. I stumbled slowly to my room. I flopped on my bed. I layed there for an hour or so. Finally, I feel into a soft and thankfully un dreaming sleep. I woke up suddenly about an hour later. I looked at the clock. 8 o'clock. I yawned, stretched, and sat up. I looked in the mirror and saw how terrible I looked. "Ughh." I said. I was going to go out tonight. I was gonna call Lem and we were going to go to the drive-in. Sneak in, have a little fun. But first, I had to get cleaned up. I went in the bathroom and washed all the makeup off my face. Then I went into my room to raid my wardrobe. I was totally Greaser tonight. At least in dress. I looked at my selection. Quite impressive actually. I knew what I was looking for. I wanted to look good. Sexy. Bad girl sexy. I chose a short Catholic uniform plaid skirt, knee-high boots, and a small black t-shirt. Not too small, but small enough. I wasn't skinny. But I wasn't fat either. I had a few stretch marks, in visibly unknown places, but I looked good. And I knew it. I put on my ensemble, brushed and pulled my hair into a high pony tail, and outlined my eyes with a smoky black and filled the lids in with a dark midnight blue before applying a dark lipstick. I looked in the mirror, satisfied with my selection. I called Lem.
"Hey Lem?" I said after she picked up the phone.
"Yeah?"
"You wanna go to a movie?"
"Yeah sure. Let me get ready. Come over."
"Ok. And Lem?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks." I hung up the phone, stood up, grabbed my small black purse, looked in the mirror one more time, smiled and headed out the door. My mom had fallen asleep on the couch. I sighed in relief. Less explanations. My thoughts weren't going to be rational tonight and I knew it. I needed as much help as I could get, and from someone who understood. Lem would understand. I got in my car, went to Lem's house, parked and rang the bell. Her mom answered the door. "Hi Belle. Here for Lem?"
"Yeah. We're gonna go to the movies if that's ok?"
"Sure it is Belle. She's in her room, go on up."
"Thanks." Lem's mom was alright. I went passed her and up to Lem's room. She was going through her closet. When I closed the door to her room her head peeked out from behind the door and she smiled.
"Well, well, well. Feeling rather bad-ass tonight, are we Belle?" she asked teasingly.
"How could you tell?" I answered sarcastically. We laughed. It felt good to laugh. She came out of her closet. She had on black capris, a red t-shirt, heeled sandals, and sunglasses for a headband. Everything was tightly fitting to her. She was Grease. I smiled.
"Just what I was thinking." I said, approving of her outfit.
"I thought you might."she said. "Considering the circumstances with Soda."
"Don't!" I said. "Don't even say his name." My heart had begun to sting again. All I wanted was for it to either go numb or get what it wanted. Getting numb seemed more likely. Lem looked at me really worriedly. She walked over swiftly and stood in front of me. "What happened Belle?" she asked softly staring at my face. Then she took a good look at me outfit and then stared hard into my face again. "Why do you feel like this?" She used her hand to point to my outfit. "What made this happen? Not that I don't like it, but why Belle? Why?" At first I didn't want to tell her. But then, when I looked at her, I couldn't stop myself. I told her everything that had happened since she left. From our kiss to my mother. I cried a little, but I must have been dried out. I didn't have anything left to cry with. She listened patiently, making all the right sounds and faces. I finally had found a best friend. Maybe she did understand. I knew that she did. She was in the same position I was. When I was finished, she told me how sorry she was, that it would all turn out all right in the end. I smiled at her gratefully. "He's just being an idiot Belle. He'll come around, you wait and see. Or scheme and see, which ever." She wiggled her eyebrows mischieviously. We laughed. I had a habit of scheming to get what I want if I get too impatient. It works too.
"C'mon. Let's go sneak into a movie." I said, feeling slightly better.
"Let's go." We linked arms, walked down the stairs, got in my car and srove off. We played the radio and screamed every song we knew. Tonight really was gonna be a blast. We had to drive passed the Curtis's to get to the drive in from my house. When we did, one of my favorite songs was on and I was singing at the top of my lungs. I didn't car who heard. The top was down, everyone probably did. I still didn't care. We got to the drive in and parked a block away. I put up the top, turned off the engine and we both got out of the car. I fixed my skirt, it barely covered my ass when I sat down, hardly when I stood up. I liked it that way. I went around to Lem's side, the street, and we crossed. We walked to the fence of the drive-in. A couple years ago, a Greaser had taken a knife and sliced the fence. Dally had as a matter of fact. I had stood watch. It was a great investment for me. I wouldn't have to pay anymore. We bent over, and went through the hole. It was dark, besides, no one would've told even if they had seen us. We walked to where they put the chairs for people who didn't have cars. We sat down in the first row. The movie was Rebel Without A Cause. They weren't real big on recent movies around here. I didn't care. It was a good movie. I'd seen it before. About five minutes after we had sat down, I felt a breath on my neck. It tickled. I looked behind me. No one was there. I felt it again. I ignored it. I felt it again. I suddenly swerved around and caught Dally leaning over, blowing on me.
"Dally! What the hell are you doing?" I said, a big smile on my face. I maneuvered myself so I was stradling the chair and threw my arms around his neck, and pulled him into a hug. He hugged me back, tightly.
"Dally." I said, slight mocking warning in my voice. I knew what he was up to. My breasts were right up against his chest. It wasn't a mistake. He made sure that they were. I didn't mind. We always did stuff like this. Not real serious, just messing around. I rather enjoyed it. It was fun. We let go. He had a grin on his face.
"Yeah, yeah. You just wipe that smile right off your face Dally Winston!" I said, my tone light. He didn't, like I knew he wouldn't.
He stood up, came around and sat next to me. I swung my leg around and sat myself straight. I was wearing black panties and I think by the time I was done positioning he knew it too. I blushed only slightly.
"Nice ensemble Belle." he said "Did you shop at Grease'R Us?"
"Ha ha ha. As a matter of fact, it was Greasers Unlimited for your info. You can do everything except check the tag on that." I said smartly. His mouth curled into a smile. He loved when I talked dirty. I did most of the time. It suited me.
"Well, wherever the hell you got it, I like it."
"I thought you might." I said. Lem wasn't talking. She loves James Dean. Didn't take her eyes off the screen. Probably a good thing too. She doesn't like Dallas much at all. Soda liked him. Soda liked everyone. I was staring out, right over Dally's shoulder, my eyes starting to glisten slightly at just the thought of Soda. Dally must've noticed. Dally's a total bad-ass and under normal circumstances wouldn't even be seen doing anything remotly kind or considerate. But there was something you have to understand about Dallas Winston and me. I NEVER cried around him. I didn't wanna feel baby-ish I didn't want him to think I was and other than that, he always kept me laughing. He'd never even seen or heard me even whimper. I just didn't do it. Almost at all. But NEVER,EVER around him. Anyway, like I was saying, he must've seen because before I knew it, he had grabbed me by the arm and was almost literally dragging me across the lot dodging into shadows so we wouldn't be seen. I was finally snapped out of my reverie. His hand was almost hurting my arm. "Dally, what the hell are you doing?!" I asked, a tad of anger in my voice. I didn't want him to bruise my arm, and Dally was stronger than I was if he decided to do something. But I wasn't really scared. He didn't answer me. "Dally, if Soda finds out about this...." I trailed off, the mention of Soda's name, especially in my own voice sent me back into my own world, to re-live again and again the events of today, lingering on the kisses and best parts and killing myself over what I could've done to prevent the latest developments. My eyes glazed over again and I became only dimly aware of Dally still pulling me across the lot, then to the side of a building resting im half shadows. He let go of my arm but I didn't notice. All I could see and hear was Soda. "Belle!" I didn't hear. He grabbed my shoulders and shook me. Hard. "Belle!" he shouted at me. I was jerked away from my tormenting thoughts finally. I looked at him. I don't think I've ever seen Dally so scared. "Dally?" I asked, wondering where the hell I was. I looked at his face again. "Dally? What's the matter? Why do you look like that?" I was really worried. I didn't know that I had a tear trickling down one side of my face, making a clear line in my finishing powder. He reached up a hand and smoothed away the tear making its way down my face. I looked up at him. "Dally? What's wrong?" I asked again. He was still staring at me with fear and wonder on his face. "Belle, what happened to you? You're the toughest damn broad in this whole damn town. I've seen every single girl here cry at least a dozen times. I've known you for years and not once, not ONCE have you even looked like you were about to. What the hell happened to you? Who did this to you? And why are you crying? I hate to say this and if you ever tell anyone, I'll absolutly kill you, but, I'm worried about you. I care, Belle." I looked at him, shocked. I knew he did, but never in a million years did I think he'd ever admit. I moved closer to him, only a few inches away. I looked up at him. "You really do don't you?" I asked. He nodded slightly.
"Yeah, I really do. Don't go spreadin' it around all right?" he said in that tough way of his. I threw my arms around him, and squeezed him tight. He stiffened a little, I could almost feel him blink, but he put his arms around me non-the-less and hugged me back. Eventually he relaxed and after a few moments of burying my face against his chest, and thinking how good it felt to hear that from someone, anyone, especially him, I gently pulled back and eventually let go. I sniffed. His t-shirt was slightly moist as I had cried a tiny bit while in our hug. I think it was the first time a girl had ever cried ON him before. He looked at me, I could still feel the surprise that came off him. "Thank you, Dally." I said quietly.
"What happened to you Belle?" he asked.
"A boy happened to me Dally. A boy." I said softly, but clearly, looking up at his face.
"What boy Belle? What did this boy do to you?"
"He broke my heart Dally." my face scrunched slightly and I could feel soft tears floating down my face. I wiped them away impatiently. I still hated to cry in front of him. "He broke my heart, and it hurts worse than anything I've ever felt before in my life." I looked down at the ground, unable to see his reaction in case he thought it was all just silly girly stuff. I looked up at him again, hesitantly. Apparently, he didn't think it was. His face had fury written all over it. It scared me a little.
"Who, Belle?" he said, his voice shaking with anger. I almost didn't tell him. I almost couldn't. But then, I had to. I don't know what it was, but from that moment I knew Dally would protect me against ANYTHING no matter what. I felt safe around him. I was scared for Soda, scared for what Dally might do to him. I knew that look in Dally's eyes, I'd seen before rumbles and before someone landed in the hospital. They were there because he had put them there. But I also knew, somehow, that I had to tell him. I don't know why. But I had to. So, I took a deep breath. And I did. "It was Sodapop Dally." I said softly. "It was Soda" I whispered. He looked like I had just taken a sledge hammer and hit him in the groin with it. His eyes were so wide I thought they were in danger of popping out of his head. "Soda?" he asked, afraid to believe it. I nodded my head yes. "Soda, Dally. It was Soda." I took a breath. "God, it hurts Dally. I can't even think about him, I just start hurting all over. I mean, I know it's just a saying, but it really hurts. It's not like sick hurt, but it hurts so bad. I can't think about him or it starts and I can't do anything But think about him. At first, my heart kinda just went numb. Like, I couldn't feel anything at all. But then it must've thawed out or something because as soon as I heard his name or saw his face in my head, it started again. It hasn't stopped and everytime I hear his name or see his face in my head, it gets even worse." He reached out and pulled me into a hug. He fiercly and protectivly locked his arms around me tightly. I hugged him back. I was pressed tight against him, but this time he wasn't trying to be dirty, he wasn't joking around. I don't know what it was. But he felt something for me. Really strongly. I squeezed him tightly, relishing in the protection that he provided. "I'm gonna kill him. I swear to God I'll kill him Belle." he said fiercly. And I believed him too. He said it with such emotion and conviction, I believed him too. If Dally said he was gonna kill him, he was gonna kill him. And no matter how much Soda had hurt me, no matter how mad I was at him for acting like that and breaking me, I couldn't let Dally kill him. I stepped back slightly so I could look up in his face. He didn't release his grip and only tightened it more. And I don't know if you know this yet, but Dally can be strong as HELL if he wanted to. Stronger than anyone I know. He may not look it, but he had more muscle and more spirit in him than anyone you could ever know. Which is why I believed him and he also had something about him. He had....presence. Powerful presence. I gave up trying to back up. He wouldn't let me go. Not that I ws complaining. I could see his face any how. I looked up at him. "No Dally! You can't kill him. Much as he hurt me, I still love him. And if you kill him, I think it'll only make it worse. I need to believe that one day he'll fall in love with me again, or if hasn't in the first place or if he hasn't fallen out of it, that he'll at least come to his senses. He's gonna need help getting there. I know that. But, you have to help me Dally." I was getting desperate again. I needed Dally's help. I knew he would give it to me. I had to ask. I had to plead. He was the only one who would listen. I clutched at him. "I love him Dally. I can't help myself."
"I know you do Belle. I know what it's like to be in love." he admitted roughly.
"You do?" I asked curiously. He never even hinted at this before.
"Yeah, I do." he said quietly and kissed the top of my head. A thought registered in my head. 'It's me. He loves me. Oh no.' I mean, I loved Dally. Loved him with all my heart, but I wasn't IN love with him. I didn't love him the same way he loved me. I could've at some point. In fact, I had. But what I felt for Soda so surpassed that. I loved Dally as my confidant. I can't really explain it. It's more than that. I could turn to him for anything. I wasn't scared of him, I knew somehow, before that night, I had always known, that he could never hurt me. I could calm him down. He could get my temper riled up when I needed it. He made me laugh. I was one of the few people that could make him laugh. We understood each other. It was more than that too. I really can't explain it. But no matter what I did, I couldn't tell him outloud that I didn't love him like that. It would hurt him to much if I actually said it. I knew it would. And I couldn't hurt him.
"Oh, Dally." I whispered.
"Don't." he said roughly, acting like his usual self. I nodded. We understood. But I knew that he still wouldn't leave me. I wiggled a little against him. He took the hint and finally dropped his arms. I stepped back. He looked me over from head to toe. I sucked in my stomach as he looked.
"You really shouldn't wear stuff like that Belle. You might just get a guy all hard up." he said it without embarrasement. He didn't care. I smiled slyly.
"Don't I know it."
He laughed.
"You still got it Belle. You still got it."
"You better believe it baby."
We laughed.
"C'mon. We better get back. Lem'll think you went ahead and kidnapped me or something."
"Yeah, sure. You wish."
"Oh, do I?"
He laughed again. I took out my mirror, the one that I always carried with me.
"Jesus! I look like shit. Remind me not to do that crying thing again. I think it's bad for my complexion." He laughed. I fixed my face. When I looked up, Dally was tapping his foot on the ground, pretending to be impatient.
"Are you done yet?"
"I don't know. Maybe I'll take another hour." I shot back. He growled and slung his arm around my shoulders. He started walking, and I caught up with him. We walked back slowly, side by side. I put my arm around his waist. He walked with that, bad-ass coming-don't-mess-with-me-or-die, walk that he had. I laughed.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"Oh,nothing." I said, smiling before starting to giggle.
"Arggh." he growled before taking his other hand and tickling me on my belly. I squeled and stepped away. He followed me. We were right at the slice in the fence that Dally had made. I glanced towards it. Suddenly I stopped. Just straight out stopped moving. Dally plowed into me.
"Whoa!" he said. "What's with you?"
"Look!" I said. And pointed to a figure suddenly running from the fence. "It's Soda Dally! We have to go! C'mon." I started to run but my boots were slowing me down. Dally could run faster than me. "Go!" said to him. "Catch up with him! Stop him!" Dally took off, speeding out of sight after the quickly dissapearing figure. I ran to Lem. I pulled her hand.
"C'mon." I said. "We have to go."
"Why?" she said grumpily, I had interrupted James Dean. I groaned. No time to explain.
"It's Soda. C'mon." I pulled at her again. This time she got up and I started running. We ran through the fence and down the street. I didn't even think of my car. I could only think of getting to Dally and Soda.
However, as I walked in the door, I saw that my mother was there in the living room already. Damn!!
"Hey baby" my mom said before I could sneak to the stairs for my room. 'Great. Now there's no getting out of this.' I thought.
"Hey ma." I said weakly. My eyes were still red from crying and I was utterly exhausted from what had happened today. So much had happened. I walked over to the couch and collapsed onto the soft cushoning. I had no idea what I was going to do. I couldn't even think straight. Maybe Ma would know what to do.Even if she was a total pain the ass, she had too have been a teenager herself once too right? No matter how long ago it had been. If I got too pissed or annoyed I could always leave for my room right? Right. I couldn't even think about tomorrow without having any idea at all at what could happen. I needed reassurance. I needed an idea in my head that it could turn out all right. The only things I could think of were too painful to really think about. Some of the outcomes that came into my head were so painful. Too painful to think about. Especially about Soda. Soda had put so much pain in my heart. I didn't even know I could feel that much pain. And I don't know how or why but it was more than emotional too. I had a physical aching inside me. I felt it in my stomach, my head, my heart. My whole being. He had literally broken my heart. Almost totally. The only thing left was a tiny tiny tiny bit of that false hope that everyone gets for the first days or weeks that they get their heart broken. My logic managed to push even most of that aside. 'Time' I repeated to myself in my head. I still didn't believe me. My mom looked at me suddenly. My hair was a mess, I was breathing kinda hard, and my eyes were red. I looked like shit. I knew it too. I didn't care at all.
"What happened?!" my mom asked, slightly alarmed.
"Oh ma. He did it. I thought he was the only person who wouldn't, but he was the first who did." Tears started to flow again. God, I HATED it when I cried. Now my ma was even more worried, although probably tired of what she thought were antics. This time though, I really wasn't over-reacting or over-acting. She probably wouldn't have believed me if I had told her that.
"Belle, what are you talking about? Who did what to you?" she asked.
"Sodapop, Mamma."
"Sodapop?" she looked like she was trying to remember who he was. "Sodapop Curtis?"
"Yeah Mamma."
"What did he do Belle?"
"He.. he...he..." I couldn't even say it. I just sobbed.I brought my knees up on the couch and sobbed into them. I couldn't talk, I could hardly breathe. She started to rub circles on my back, but I shrugged her off. I didn't want her comfort like that, right then. It just didn't feel right. And I knew that crying out "He broke my heart!" would sound corny.
"He hurt me Mamma. Really bad." I was finally able to gasp out.
"Hurt you? As in, physically?!" My mom's voice grew louder.
"No! No mamma! He could never do that to me. I know he couldn't!" I said quickly and stubbornly.
"Then how?"
"Here, Mamma." I pressed my hand to my heart.
"Oh! It'll be alright Belle, it'll pass."
"No, it won't! I loved him Momma! I STILL love him! It won't be ok."
"Don't be ridiculus Belle. You're too young to fall in love."
Her words stung me. I looked at her. I finally understood something. To my mom, I would always be 3 years old. She'd never, ever let me grow up. I was mature far beyond my 14 years. Everyone thought I was 16 or 17. Only a couple people knew how old I really was. I don't even think my dad remembered. That's how I got my car for my 14th birthday. I told him I was turning 16. I couldn't talk to my mom about stuff like this yet. She wasn't ready. I wasn't totally angry. I mean, I was a little, but I think that I understood her a little bit more than before. I just accepted the fact. I got up off the couch. "Yeah, maybe your right ma. Maybe I wasn't in love." I wanted desperatly to tell that she was wrong, that I was desperatly in love with Soda. I knew I was. It was an undisputed fact. But that would just start another yelling match between us, it happened often, and I just didn't need that right now. I stumbled slowly to my room. I flopped on my bed. I layed there for an hour or so. Finally, I feel into a soft and thankfully un dreaming sleep. I woke up suddenly about an hour later. I looked at the clock. 8 o'clock. I yawned, stretched, and sat up. I looked in the mirror and saw how terrible I looked. "Ughh." I said. I was going to go out tonight. I was gonna call Lem and we were going to go to the drive-in. Sneak in, have a little fun. But first, I had to get cleaned up. I went in the bathroom and washed all the makeup off my face. Then I went into my room to raid my wardrobe. I was totally Greaser tonight. At least in dress. I looked at my selection. Quite impressive actually. I knew what I was looking for. I wanted to look good. Sexy. Bad girl sexy. I chose a short Catholic uniform plaid skirt, knee-high boots, and a small black t-shirt. Not too small, but small enough. I wasn't skinny. But I wasn't fat either. I had a few stretch marks, in visibly unknown places, but I looked good. And I knew it. I put on my ensemble, brushed and pulled my hair into a high pony tail, and outlined my eyes with a smoky black and filled the lids in with a dark midnight blue before applying a dark lipstick. I looked in the mirror, satisfied with my selection. I called Lem.
"Hey Lem?" I said after she picked up the phone.
"Yeah?"
"You wanna go to a movie?"
"Yeah sure. Let me get ready. Come over."
"Ok. And Lem?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks." I hung up the phone, stood up, grabbed my small black purse, looked in the mirror one more time, smiled and headed out the door. My mom had fallen asleep on the couch. I sighed in relief. Less explanations. My thoughts weren't going to be rational tonight and I knew it. I needed as much help as I could get, and from someone who understood. Lem would understand. I got in my car, went to Lem's house, parked and rang the bell. Her mom answered the door. "Hi Belle. Here for Lem?"
"Yeah. We're gonna go to the movies if that's ok?"
"Sure it is Belle. She's in her room, go on up."
"Thanks." Lem's mom was alright. I went passed her and up to Lem's room. She was going through her closet. When I closed the door to her room her head peeked out from behind the door and she smiled.
"Well, well, well. Feeling rather bad-ass tonight, are we Belle?" she asked teasingly.
"How could you tell?" I answered sarcastically. We laughed. It felt good to laugh. She came out of her closet. She had on black capris, a red t-shirt, heeled sandals, and sunglasses for a headband. Everything was tightly fitting to her. She was Grease. I smiled.
"Just what I was thinking." I said, approving of her outfit.
"I thought you might."she said. "Considering the circumstances with Soda."
"Don't!" I said. "Don't even say his name." My heart had begun to sting again. All I wanted was for it to either go numb or get what it wanted. Getting numb seemed more likely. Lem looked at me really worriedly. She walked over swiftly and stood in front of me. "What happened Belle?" she asked softly staring at my face. Then she took a good look at me outfit and then stared hard into my face again. "Why do you feel like this?" She used her hand to point to my outfit. "What made this happen? Not that I don't like it, but why Belle? Why?" At first I didn't want to tell her. But then, when I looked at her, I couldn't stop myself. I told her everything that had happened since she left. From our kiss to my mother. I cried a little, but I must have been dried out. I didn't have anything left to cry with. She listened patiently, making all the right sounds and faces. I finally had found a best friend. Maybe she did understand. I knew that she did. She was in the same position I was. When I was finished, she told me how sorry she was, that it would all turn out all right in the end. I smiled at her gratefully. "He's just being an idiot Belle. He'll come around, you wait and see. Or scheme and see, which ever." She wiggled her eyebrows mischieviously. We laughed. I had a habit of scheming to get what I want if I get too impatient. It works too.
"C'mon. Let's go sneak into a movie." I said, feeling slightly better.
"Let's go." We linked arms, walked down the stairs, got in my car and srove off. We played the radio and screamed every song we knew. Tonight really was gonna be a blast. We had to drive passed the Curtis's to get to the drive in from my house. When we did, one of my favorite songs was on and I was singing at the top of my lungs. I didn't car who heard. The top was down, everyone probably did. I still didn't care. We got to the drive in and parked a block away. I put up the top, turned off the engine and we both got out of the car. I fixed my skirt, it barely covered my ass when I sat down, hardly when I stood up. I liked it that way. I went around to Lem's side, the street, and we crossed. We walked to the fence of the drive-in. A couple years ago, a Greaser had taken a knife and sliced the fence. Dally had as a matter of fact. I had stood watch. It was a great investment for me. I wouldn't have to pay anymore. We bent over, and went through the hole. It was dark, besides, no one would've told even if they had seen us. We walked to where they put the chairs for people who didn't have cars. We sat down in the first row. The movie was Rebel Without A Cause. They weren't real big on recent movies around here. I didn't care. It was a good movie. I'd seen it before. About five minutes after we had sat down, I felt a breath on my neck. It tickled. I looked behind me. No one was there. I felt it again. I ignored it. I felt it again. I suddenly swerved around and caught Dally leaning over, blowing on me.
"Dally! What the hell are you doing?" I said, a big smile on my face. I maneuvered myself so I was stradling the chair and threw my arms around his neck, and pulled him into a hug. He hugged me back, tightly.
"Dally." I said, slight mocking warning in my voice. I knew what he was up to. My breasts were right up against his chest. It wasn't a mistake. He made sure that they were. I didn't mind. We always did stuff like this. Not real serious, just messing around. I rather enjoyed it. It was fun. We let go. He had a grin on his face.
"Yeah, yeah. You just wipe that smile right off your face Dally Winston!" I said, my tone light. He didn't, like I knew he wouldn't.
He stood up, came around and sat next to me. I swung my leg around and sat myself straight. I was wearing black panties and I think by the time I was done positioning he knew it too. I blushed only slightly.
"Nice ensemble Belle." he said "Did you shop at Grease'R Us?"
"Ha ha ha. As a matter of fact, it was Greasers Unlimited for your info. You can do everything except check the tag on that." I said smartly. His mouth curled into a smile. He loved when I talked dirty. I did most of the time. It suited me.
"Well, wherever the hell you got it, I like it."
"I thought you might." I said. Lem wasn't talking. She loves James Dean. Didn't take her eyes off the screen. Probably a good thing too. She doesn't like Dallas much at all. Soda liked him. Soda liked everyone. I was staring out, right over Dally's shoulder, my eyes starting to glisten slightly at just the thought of Soda. Dally must've noticed. Dally's a total bad-ass and under normal circumstances wouldn't even be seen doing anything remotly kind or considerate. But there was something you have to understand about Dallas Winston and me. I NEVER cried around him. I didn't wanna feel baby-ish I didn't want him to think I was and other than that, he always kept me laughing. He'd never even seen or heard me even whimper. I just didn't do it. Almost at all. But NEVER,EVER around him. Anyway, like I was saying, he must've seen because before I knew it, he had grabbed me by the arm and was almost literally dragging me across the lot dodging into shadows so we wouldn't be seen. I was finally snapped out of my reverie. His hand was almost hurting my arm. "Dally, what the hell are you doing?!" I asked, a tad of anger in my voice. I didn't want him to bruise my arm, and Dally was stronger than I was if he decided to do something. But I wasn't really scared. He didn't answer me. "Dally, if Soda finds out about this...." I trailed off, the mention of Soda's name, especially in my own voice sent me back into my own world, to re-live again and again the events of today, lingering on the kisses and best parts and killing myself over what I could've done to prevent the latest developments. My eyes glazed over again and I became only dimly aware of Dally still pulling me across the lot, then to the side of a building resting im half shadows. He let go of my arm but I didn't notice. All I could see and hear was Soda. "Belle!" I didn't hear. He grabbed my shoulders and shook me. Hard. "Belle!" he shouted at me. I was jerked away from my tormenting thoughts finally. I looked at him. I don't think I've ever seen Dally so scared. "Dally?" I asked, wondering where the hell I was. I looked at his face again. "Dally? What's the matter? Why do you look like that?" I was really worried. I didn't know that I had a tear trickling down one side of my face, making a clear line in my finishing powder. He reached up a hand and smoothed away the tear making its way down my face. I looked up at him. "Dally? What's wrong?" I asked again. He was still staring at me with fear and wonder on his face. "Belle, what happened to you? You're the toughest damn broad in this whole damn town. I've seen every single girl here cry at least a dozen times. I've known you for years and not once, not ONCE have you even looked like you were about to. What the hell happened to you? Who did this to you? And why are you crying? I hate to say this and if you ever tell anyone, I'll absolutly kill you, but, I'm worried about you. I care, Belle." I looked at him, shocked. I knew he did, but never in a million years did I think he'd ever admit. I moved closer to him, only a few inches away. I looked up at him. "You really do don't you?" I asked. He nodded slightly.
"Yeah, I really do. Don't go spreadin' it around all right?" he said in that tough way of his. I threw my arms around him, and squeezed him tight. He stiffened a little, I could almost feel him blink, but he put his arms around me non-the-less and hugged me back. Eventually he relaxed and after a few moments of burying my face against his chest, and thinking how good it felt to hear that from someone, anyone, especially him, I gently pulled back and eventually let go. I sniffed. His t-shirt was slightly moist as I had cried a tiny bit while in our hug. I think it was the first time a girl had ever cried ON him before. He looked at me, I could still feel the surprise that came off him. "Thank you, Dally." I said quietly.
"What happened to you Belle?" he asked.
"A boy happened to me Dally. A boy." I said softly, but clearly, looking up at his face.
"What boy Belle? What did this boy do to you?"
"He broke my heart Dally." my face scrunched slightly and I could feel soft tears floating down my face. I wiped them away impatiently. I still hated to cry in front of him. "He broke my heart, and it hurts worse than anything I've ever felt before in my life." I looked down at the ground, unable to see his reaction in case he thought it was all just silly girly stuff. I looked up at him again, hesitantly. Apparently, he didn't think it was. His face had fury written all over it. It scared me a little.
"Who, Belle?" he said, his voice shaking with anger. I almost didn't tell him. I almost couldn't. But then, I had to. I don't know what it was, but from that moment I knew Dally would protect me against ANYTHING no matter what. I felt safe around him. I was scared for Soda, scared for what Dally might do to him. I knew that look in Dally's eyes, I'd seen before rumbles and before someone landed in the hospital. They were there because he had put them there. But I also knew, somehow, that I had to tell him. I don't know why. But I had to. So, I took a deep breath. And I did. "It was Sodapop Dally." I said softly. "It was Soda" I whispered. He looked like I had just taken a sledge hammer and hit him in the groin with it. His eyes were so wide I thought they were in danger of popping out of his head. "Soda?" he asked, afraid to believe it. I nodded my head yes. "Soda, Dally. It was Soda." I took a breath. "God, it hurts Dally. I can't even think about him, I just start hurting all over. I mean, I know it's just a saying, but it really hurts. It's not like sick hurt, but it hurts so bad. I can't think about him or it starts and I can't do anything But think about him. At first, my heart kinda just went numb. Like, I couldn't feel anything at all. But then it must've thawed out or something because as soon as I heard his name or saw his face in my head, it started again. It hasn't stopped and everytime I hear his name or see his face in my head, it gets even worse." He reached out and pulled me into a hug. He fiercly and protectivly locked his arms around me tightly. I hugged him back. I was pressed tight against him, but this time he wasn't trying to be dirty, he wasn't joking around. I don't know what it was. But he felt something for me. Really strongly. I squeezed him tightly, relishing in the protection that he provided. "I'm gonna kill him. I swear to God I'll kill him Belle." he said fiercly. And I believed him too. He said it with such emotion and conviction, I believed him too. If Dally said he was gonna kill him, he was gonna kill him. And no matter how much Soda had hurt me, no matter how mad I was at him for acting like that and breaking me, I couldn't let Dally kill him. I stepped back slightly so I could look up in his face. He didn't release his grip and only tightened it more. And I don't know if you know this yet, but Dally can be strong as HELL if he wanted to. Stronger than anyone I know. He may not look it, but he had more muscle and more spirit in him than anyone you could ever know. Which is why I believed him and he also had something about him. He had....presence. Powerful presence. I gave up trying to back up. He wouldn't let me go. Not that I ws complaining. I could see his face any how. I looked up at him. "No Dally! You can't kill him. Much as he hurt me, I still love him. And if you kill him, I think it'll only make it worse. I need to believe that one day he'll fall in love with me again, or if hasn't in the first place or if he hasn't fallen out of it, that he'll at least come to his senses. He's gonna need help getting there. I know that. But, you have to help me Dally." I was getting desperate again. I needed Dally's help. I knew he would give it to me. I had to ask. I had to plead. He was the only one who would listen. I clutched at him. "I love him Dally. I can't help myself."
"I know you do Belle. I know what it's like to be in love." he admitted roughly.
"You do?" I asked curiously. He never even hinted at this before.
"Yeah, I do." he said quietly and kissed the top of my head. A thought registered in my head. 'It's me. He loves me. Oh no.' I mean, I loved Dally. Loved him with all my heart, but I wasn't IN love with him. I didn't love him the same way he loved me. I could've at some point. In fact, I had. But what I felt for Soda so surpassed that. I loved Dally as my confidant. I can't really explain it. It's more than that. I could turn to him for anything. I wasn't scared of him, I knew somehow, before that night, I had always known, that he could never hurt me. I could calm him down. He could get my temper riled up when I needed it. He made me laugh. I was one of the few people that could make him laugh. We understood each other. It was more than that too. I really can't explain it. But no matter what I did, I couldn't tell him outloud that I didn't love him like that. It would hurt him to much if I actually said it. I knew it would. And I couldn't hurt him.
"Oh, Dally." I whispered.
"Don't." he said roughly, acting like his usual self. I nodded. We understood. But I knew that he still wouldn't leave me. I wiggled a little against him. He took the hint and finally dropped his arms. I stepped back. He looked me over from head to toe. I sucked in my stomach as he looked.
"You really shouldn't wear stuff like that Belle. You might just get a guy all hard up." he said it without embarrasement. He didn't care. I smiled slyly.
"Don't I know it."
He laughed.
"You still got it Belle. You still got it."
"You better believe it baby."
We laughed.
"C'mon. We better get back. Lem'll think you went ahead and kidnapped me or something."
"Yeah, sure. You wish."
"Oh, do I?"
He laughed again. I took out my mirror, the one that I always carried with me.
"Jesus! I look like shit. Remind me not to do that crying thing again. I think it's bad for my complexion." He laughed. I fixed my face. When I looked up, Dally was tapping his foot on the ground, pretending to be impatient.
"Are you done yet?"
"I don't know. Maybe I'll take another hour." I shot back. He growled and slung his arm around my shoulders. He started walking, and I caught up with him. We walked back slowly, side by side. I put my arm around his waist. He walked with that, bad-ass coming-don't-mess-with-me-or-die, walk that he had. I laughed.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"Oh,nothing." I said, smiling before starting to giggle.
"Arggh." he growled before taking his other hand and tickling me on my belly. I squeled and stepped away. He followed me. We were right at the slice in the fence that Dally had made. I glanced towards it. Suddenly I stopped. Just straight out stopped moving. Dally plowed into me.
"Whoa!" he said. "What's with you?"
"Look!" I said. And pointed to a figure suddenly running from the fence. "It's Soda Dally! We have to go! C'mon." I started to run but my boots were slowing me down. Dally could run faster than me. "Go!" said to him. "Catch up with him! Stop him!" Dally took off, speeding out of sight after the quickly dissapearing figure. I ran to Lem. I pulled her hand.
"C'mon." I said. "We have to go."
"Why?" she said grumpily, I had interrupted James Dean. I groaned. No time to explain.
"It's Soda. C'mon." I pulled at her again. This time she got up and I started running. We ran through the fence and down the street. I didn't even think of my car. I could only think of getting to Dally and Soda.