Five for Fighting
Rated: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own a thing
N.I.N.E.T.E.E.N.
When we finally made it to the lot by our house, everyone was outside having a smoke and bumming around, everyone including Dallas.
He wouldn't look me in the eye but I didn't care.
I marched up to him standing on my toes to loop my arms around his neck and hugged him tight nearly losing my breath when I felt his arm slowly loop around my back and tighten to return the hug.
The guys looked on, slightly agape as I released Dallas with a simple, "thanks."
I settled down onto the pavement sitting on my Spanish book and adjusting my skirt to make sure I wasn't showing anything to the boys that I shouldn't and turned my attention to Johnny.
"Hey Johnny, what's doin with coming back to school?" I asked
He brightened visibly, "Next Monday, I start classes again, I can't believe it."
"That's great, are you going to come to the game this weekend and watch me cheer and Pony run around the track during halftime? It can be your first official activity back at school"
His dark eyes loomed above me from his chair, glowing bright as he nodded, "we'll all be going," Two-Bit said cheerily.
"Except me kiddo, I'm sorry," Darry said with a sigh.
I smiled up at Darry, "It's ok, though I do wish you'd take a day off now and then, you work yourself to the bone."
He shrugged his shoulders taking the cigarette out of Ponyboy's mouth and flattening it under his heel, "What did I tell you about more than a pack a day?"
"Aw Darry, come on, they're my lungs," Ponyboy groused looking down at his flattened smoke.
Cigarettes are hard to come by what with us having no money save what it takes to keep the house running, most of ours come from Two-Bit and we all know he doesn't get them by legal means.
"Listen, Soda, do you reckon you could help me with my back handspring? I want it to be real good for the game, Cherry put me up front for some of the routines." I said.
Soda may not be able to help us with our homework, but he was a whiz with acrobats, I swear he'd rather front flip his way to work than drive there.
"I'm sorry kid, I'm pulling a double at the DX, I'm here on break before Steve and I need to head over," He said apologetically.
"That's ok…how about you Two-Bit?"
"Shoot kid, I have to get going, my mother hasn't seen me in three days, I ran into my kid sister at school today and she told me my mom is threatening to report me missing and presumed dead." He replied
I sighed, "Ok, I guess it's good enough anyhow."
"I'll help you, kid." Dallas said suddenly
"You can do a back handspring?" I asked incredulously
He gave me a scathing look before stomping out his cigarette and taking off his leather jacket, tossing it to Johnny.
Cracking his neck on both sides he smiled his dark mysterious smile and did a series of backhand springs across the field ending in a back flip.
Sauntering back over to us, I think we all had our mouths slightly agape.
"Ok, you can help me," I said standing up.
"I'll see you guys later…" Soda said standing up with Steve, both of whom seemed surprised by the change in mine and Dallas' relationship.
I was surprised too to tell the truth.
Two-Bit left also and Darry wandered inside to start dinner leaving Johnny and Ponyboy talking quietly amongst themselves and me and Dallas on the grass.
"Ok kid, let me see what you got." Dallas said gruffly, taking out another cigarette and lighting it.
I did a backhand spring, then another and another, all on his command.
I could do them, but they didn't flow together the way they should when you were doing six or seven in a row during a routine.
"Ok, I see your problem" He said dropping his smoke to the ground and rubbing it out.
"The arch of your back is all wrong, you're too rigid, you've fallen and cracked your head before haven't you?"
I thought back to that day in seventh grade when there had been water on the ground, I had lost my footing and slammed my head into the gym floor. I had to be taken to the hospital and received twenty stitches to the back of my head, it had taken hours to stop the blood flow.
I nodded
"Forget about it," He said simply
I nodded again and tried to clear my mind, "Ready?" He asked
I nodded once more and did the move, "Better, still too tensed up though."
"Do it slowly," He said
I leaned backwards towards the ground and felt his hands circle my torso, "loosen up, Amber."
He called me Amber
His hands were warm on my back and my knees weakened and gave out, "sorry" I said lamely from my spot on the ground where I sat looking up at him.
A real genuine smile flickered across his face.
Hauling myself off the ground Dallas and I worked on the move until I had it perfect and Darry was calling out to us for Dinner.
"Thanks for all your help, Dallas"
"No problem Kid" He said sauntering away from me and into the house.
I stopped by Johnny and Ponyboy and sighed, from the corner of my eye I could see them exchange a worried and knowing glance, but I didn't care, he had called me Amber.