Chapter 7
A/N: BOOYA! Chapter Seven is up and running. I'm sorry if it's a little short, but I liked how it turned out and it flows perfectly into Chapter 8. which also may be a little short too. Oh well, as long as it's good, right?
P.S. Dally's still a wee bit OOC, but not as much, and not in the next chapter either. *And* there IS in fact a reason about his dad's OOC-ness.
P.S.S. Reader Poll! Yahoo! Should Sylvia betray Dally? If you'd like to cast a vote, please do it via e-mail, not review. My e-mail's on my profile.
***
Dally stepped into the Curtis household only to be met by suspicious glances. He froze at the doorway for a second, feeling awkward as if he'd walked into a conversation about him. Two-Bit broke the silence. 'As usual,' Dally thought with a smirk.
"Hey there, Dallas. How's daddy?"
"Fine," Dally replied absently. "What are you guys doing today?"
Ponyboy answered, making Dallas feel uncomfortable again. He felt as if Ponyboy was studying him; his gray-green eyes stared deeply into Dally's. "I was planning on meeting Curly. He just got out of the reformatory and all. I thought I'd congratulate 'im."
Dally nodded and Pony continued. "You wanna walk with me to the Shepard's? You could meet up with Tim."
With a shrug, Dally assented. He kind of wanted to talk to Ponyboy anyways. If Dallas tried talking to the other guys, they'd think he was off his rocker. Either that or going soft. And Dallas Winston did not go soft.
Two-Bit's babbling interrupted Dally's thoughts. "You think Pony's a miracle-worker? God-like even?"
"What are you talking about?" Dally spat.
"Well, he changed you."
Pony blushed and looked away. Dally's eyes narrowed and he had half a mind to whack Two-Bit across the head, but decided against it.
'Idiot!' Dally thought. 'If I don't do something, he's gonna think I'm soft!'
So, Dally reached forward and whacked Two-Bit swiftly across the head.
"What do you mean I'm changed?" Dally snapped as he pulled out a cigarette from his pocket. "Pony, I'm gonna be out front. Come when you're ready."
Dally sauntered outside and lit up. After about five minutes, Pony came bounding out of the house, promising Darry he'd be in by nine.
For a while, the two greasers walked side by side down the sidewalk. Pony was uneasy; the last time he and Dally had been alone together, Dally had completely exploded. But maybe things would be different. Two-Bit did say Dally changed.
Dally threw his cigarette away. "So, Pon, how have you been holdin' up?"
"Pretty good."
Dally bit his lip, unsure of what to say. He'd been practicing all morning, but he still felt uneasy. "Pony, you keep your mouth shut good. Pretty damn good, in fact.If I were to talk to Two-Bit or Steve, maybe even Soda, they wouldn't be able to keep quiet."
Ponyboy nodded as Dallas continued. "Did Johnny really write that note? Did he honestly write it?"
Pony shook his head again. "Because, well, damn Pony! I feel it. Like, me getting' soft, I mean. All my life I been screwed, but everything's goin' good now. I just took Johnnycake's advice, and I'm feeling better. But, it's not gonna last, Pony. Like I said, I've been screwed my whole life, I'm not expecting for anything to change.
"You didn't hafta come and talk to me. You didn't hafta. But you did anyways. And because you passed the word, I've been great. It's not gonna last but"- he ran his hand through his hair- "uh, thanks kid."
'I really am a miracle-worker,' Pony thought absently.
Pony smiled and nodded at Dallas appraisingly. "I just can't stop livin' because Johnny died. I. I miss that little punk."
It was a hot day, and even though Pony was clad in a T-shirt, he was hot. "Hold up," Pony grunted as he stopped dead in his tracks. He leaned over and tugged off his shirt. Dally watched and came to a new realization about Ponyboy. If there was any evidence of good in the world, it was Ponyboy. Although he was little, he had a good build and was a good fighter. Yet, Pony hated fights and always read. He was a greaser, but he had heart. He was going somewhere. He could easily have fallen in with the hoods, been like them, ended up like them, but Pony walked his own path. Pony understood others and was all together a great guy. People just needed to know him before they judged him. Pony was good, and Dallas was trying his hardest to be like Pony.
But, it was difficult.
Pony balled his shirt up and stuck it into his fist. "OK, Dal, let's go."
Dallas snapped out of his thoughts and began walking again. Before long, the Shepard household was in sight. Dally wondered if Tim new about the new- and-improved him, and if so, how would he react?
***
Thanks to each and every one of my reviewers! Wow, the pleathora of reviews made me so incredibly happy! Thanks to.
Jessie C.- Aw! Thank you!
MissLKid- You never say much, but you're always there! Believe it or not, that means a lot to me. Thanks.
Blatty- Oh, don't worry about forgetting to review. I don't want to force people to review, only if they want to. But, thanks anyways! Yay!
DallysGirl4Life- Yes, but what will happen next?!? (dun dun dun) Thanks for the lovely review!
Pony's Girl- Oh, no problema! It was fun to write, so I had absolutely no problem with writing it in. You inspired it! You should be proud.
Crazy4nc128- Wow! Like, three reviews! That was great! Well, thanks for reviewin' all the chapters!
Scarlett7- Just like Pony's Girl inspired the little convo between Two-Bit and Pony, YOU, my friend, inspired Dally talking to Pony and kinda remembering Johnny. Thanks for the review!
Heidi- Hey, welcome! Thank you so much!
Zevie- Oh, no worries! Thank you for the kind kind review! I like it when Dally's a tiny OOC too, but I think that little section in my book was a little overboard. OH WELL, I'm not worried! Don't worry about babbling. Look what I'm doing now. Babble babble babble.
Joce- The poll is up! Thanks a ton for the suggestion!
ModestVanity- Yeah, there's a reason for his Dad's OOC-ness, but Dally just got caught up in the moment, I guess. "Is he going to continue being happy, or is something bad going to happen?" That's a good question. AND That's what the poll is for! Yay!
^Wow. Those were long.^
A/N: BOOYA! Chapter Seven is up and running. I'm sorry if it's a little short, but I liked how it turned out and it flows perfectly into Chapter 8. which also may be a little short too. Oh well, as long as it's good, right?
P.S. Dally's still a wee bit OOC, but not as much, and not in the next chapter either. *And* there IS in fact a reason about his dad's OOC-ness.
P.S.S. Reader Poll! Yahoo! Should Sylvia betray Dally? If you'd like to cast a vote, please do it via e-mail, not review. My e-mail's on my profile.
***
Dally stepped into the Curtis household only to be met by suspicious glances. He froze at the doorway for a second, feeling awkward as if he'd walked into a conversation about him. Two-Bit broke the silence. 'As usual,' Dally thought with a smirk.
"Hey there, Dallas. How's daddy?"
"Fine," Dally replied absently. "What are you guys doing today?"
Ponyboy answered, making Dallas feel uncomfortable again. He felt as if Ponyboy was studying him; his gray-green eyes stared deeply into Dally's. "I was planning on meeting Curly. He just got out of the reformatory and all. I thought I'd congratulate 'im."
Dally nodded and Pony continued. "You wanna walk with me to the Shepard's? You could meet up with Tim."
With a shrug, Dally assented. He kind of wanted to talk to Ponyboy anyways. If Dallas tried talking to the other guys, they'd think he was off his rocker. Either that or going soft. And Dallas Winston did not go soft.
Two-Bit's babbling interrupted Dally's thoughts. "You think Pony's a miracle-worker? God-like even?"
"What are you talking about?" Dally spat.
"Well, he changed you."
Pony blushed and looked away. Dally's eyes narrowed and he had half a mind to whack Two-Bit across the head, but decided against it.
'Idiot!' Dally thought. 'If I don't do something, he's gonna think I'm soft!'
So, Dally reached forward and whacked Two-Bit swiftly across the head.
"What do you mean I'm changed?" Dally snapped as he pulled out a cigarette from his pocket. "Pony, I'm gonna be out front. Come when you're ready."
Dally sauntered outside and lit up. After about five minutes, Pony came bounding out of the house, promising Darry he'd be in by nine.
For a while, the two greasers walked side by side down the sidewalk. Pony was uneasy; the last time he and Dally had been alone together, Dally had completely exploded. But maybe things would be different. Two-Bit did say Dally changed.
Dally threw his cigarette away. "So, Pon, how have you been holdin' up?"
"Pretty good."
Dally bit his lip, unsure of what to say. He'd been practicing all morning, but he still felt uneasy. "Pony, you keep your mouth shut good. Pretty damn good, in fact.If I were to talk to Two-Bit or Steve, maybe even Soda, they wouldn't be able to keep quiet."
Ponyboy nodded as Dallas continued. "Did Johnny really write that note? Did he honestly write it?"
Pony shook his head again. "Because, well, damn Pony! I feel it. Like, me getting' soft, I mean. All my life I been screwed, but everything's goin' good now. I just took Johnnycake's advice, and I'm feeling better. But, it's not gonna last, Pony. Like I said, I've been screwed my whole life, I'm not expecting for anything to change.
"You didn't hafta come and talk to me. You didn't hafta. But you did anyways. And because you passed the word, I've been great. It's not gonna last but"- he ran his hand through his hair- "uh, thanks kid."
'I really am a miracle-worker,' Pony thought absently.
Pony smiled and nodded at Dallas appraisingly. "I just can't stop livin' because Johnny died. I. I miss that little punk."
It was a hot day, and even though Pony was clad in a T-shirt, he was hot. "Hold up," Pony grunted as he stopped dead in his tracks. He leaned over and tugged off his shirt. Dally watched and came to a new realization about Ponyboy. If there was any evidence of good in the world, it was Ponyboy. Although he was little, he had a good build and was a good fighter. Yet, Pony hated fights and always read. He was a greaser, but he had heart. He was going somewhere. He could easily have fallen in with the hoods, been like them, ended up like them, but Pony walked his own path. Pony understood others and was all together a great guy. People just needed to know him before they judged him. Pony was good, and Dallas was trying his hardest to be like Pony.
But, it was difficult.
Pony balled his shirt up and stuck it into his fist. "OK, Dal, let's go."
Dallas snapped out of his thoughts and began walking again. Before long, the Shepard household was in sight. Dally wondered if Tim new about the new- and-improved him, and if so, how would he react?
***
Thanks to each and every one of my reviewers! Wow, the pleathora of reviews made me so incredibly happy! Thanks to.
Jessie C.- Aw! Thank you!
MissLKid- You never say much, but you're always there! Believe it or not, that means a lot to me. Thanks.
Blatty- Oh, don't worry about forgetting to review. I don't want to force people to review, only if they want to. But, thanks anyways! Yay!
DallysGirl4Life- Yes, but what will happen next?!? (dun dun dun) Thanks for the lovely review!
Pony's Girl- Oh, no problema! It was fun to write, so I had absolutely no problem with writing it in. You inspired it! You should be proud.
Crazy4nc128- Wow! Like, three reviews! That was great! Well, thanks for reviewin' all the chapters!
Scarlett7- Just like Pony's Girl inspired the little convo between Two-Bit and Pony, YOU, my friend, inspired Dally talking to Pony and kinda remembering Johnny. Thanks for the review!
Heidi- Hey, welcome! Thank you so much!
Zevie- Oh, no worries! Thank you for the kind kind review! I like it when Dally's a tiny OOC too, but I think that little section in my book was a little overboard. OH WELL, I'm not worried! Don't worry about babbling. Look what I'm doing now. Babble babble babble.
Joce- The poll is up! Thanks a ton for the suggestion!
ModestVanity- Yeah, there's a reason for his Dad's OOC-ness, but Dally just got caught up in the moment, I guess. "Is he going to continue being happy, or is something bad going to happen?" That's a good question. AND That's what the poll is for! Yay!
^Wow. Those were long.^