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Open Your Eyes, the World is Calling

Fall

The next morning I woke up and I had forgotten everything. My tape player was now playing the very end of "What Sarah Said," and everything came back. I nearly cried. I noticed the black smears on my pillow and groaned as someone started yelling from downstairs. I was unsure of a helluva lot of stuff that morning but I knew I had the mother of all headaches and someone yelling wasn't helping.

I recognized two of the voices as my aunt's and my cousin's but the third was a male and it wasn't at all like my uncle's. My Uncle Ted had a very distinct voice and he hardly ever raised his voice because he never had to. All he had to do was give you a look and it'd make you shut your mouth.

Then I realized whose voice the third one was: Dallas fuckin' Winston.

I groaned again but inside I was smiling. I remembered what Dallas had done for me the night before.

"You can't see her," shrieked my Auntie Lisa, "She's asleep! And you're trash!"

"But she'll want to see me! I know she will," replied Dallas, not as loud and what was that in his voice? Desperation. I sub-consciously remembered that the next day was Christmas Eve. I'd already bought all my presents but hadn't wrapped them. I put my hair up into a ponytail, pulled on a pair of jeans and a tank-top plus a zip-up sweatshirt, and wiped the running make-up from underneath my eyes and walked clumsily down the stairs. I was really tired.

"Hey Dallas," I said, "Let him in. He's my friend."

"But—but—but," Aunt Lisa protested snootily, "He's a hood!"

"I have nothing against greasers and even I can't stand this guy," Cherry agreed.

"Let him in and don't fight with me today," I growled. PMS and losing a family member just don't go well. I was pretty pissy, especially since it was 1:00 p.m. and nobody had woken me up and I hadn't eaten anything.

My aunt just stood there with her mouth open and let Dallas in slowly and as if in a dream. I'd never spoken to her like that before but what did she expect that day?

"You could have called," I snapped at the tall boy, "I was sleeping. And I have a headache. Waking up to yelling did not help." He followed me through the house and I slipped on my slippers.

"Bad mood this morning?" He smirked. I hated his smirk.

"Yes," I replied simply.

"And since when was I your friend? You've never called me that before," Dallas was being cocky again. I almost kicked him so hard where the sun don't shine that he wouldn't be able to have kids but decided against it. We went into the kitchen and I poured myself a bowl of cereal.

"You've been my friend since you helped me yesterday, alright? Now leave me alone before I kick you so hard you won't be able to have any kids."

"Ooo, threatening me?"

"Yes," I barked and took a big bite of Frosted Flakes.

"Well you better not kick me that hard," I was sitting on the counter and he put his arms on each side of me so our faces were really close together, "Those kids could be yours." I pushed him softly on the forehead but blushed and smiled. Did he know how I really felt? Oh God, I hated myself for saying that.

"You wish," I replied icily and finished my cereal, slipping under his arms to plop the bowl into the sink. I looked out the window at my face. Verdict: I looked like shit.

"Let's go to the Curtises," I said, exchanging my slippers for my Converse high tops, "I mean, we all know how much I like Sodapop. Maybe he'll let me give him a lap dance." Inside I was laughin' my ass off at the look on Dally's face. He looked about ready to kill me, or Sodapop. I was lyin' of course. I liked Soda just fine, but he was too shallow for me, or some'n.

Truth is, I had no idea why I didn't like Sodapop. He seemed like the perfect boyfriend. I think maybe he seemed too touchy feely or too lovey dovey or some'n. I didn't like mushy boyfriends. They annoyed me. I liked real conversations and hated all that mush. Ew, mush. Just thinking about it makes me want to heave.

"So what are you doing here, anyway?" I asked Dallas as I got into Buck Merrill's T-Bird. I got into the driver's seat and Dally gave me a look like I was some kind of alien.

"Just wanted to check on you," he replied, cocking one eyebrow, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Dallas Winston, I've driven with you before, I ain't getting' into the passenger's seat when you're the only other person around to drive." Which was true. He was a complete maniac when he drove.

"Well, come on then, gimme the keys." Surprisingly, he handed them to me. I was shocked for a second before I smirked and started the car.

"Why Dallas Winston," I commented when we were about halfway there, "I do declare you have a soft spot for me." I looked over at the blonde with a smile and saw he was smiling a little too. He sure did look good when his hair fell in his eyes like that. Wait, what am I thinking? I think I just need to concentrate on driving…

"Why would you say that?"

"'Cuz you do. I can tell. You're always looking at me and you never punch me like you would anyone else except of course, for Johnny, and you let me drive."

"What if I did have a soft spot for you?" He had whispered the words in my ear and I could feel his breath on my neck. I tried to concentrate on driving or other things. For some reason I remembered the time a cousin from the other side of my family was rambling on about something when I was asking her advice. Oh yeah, because she was talking about making out with a guy in a car when he was driving.

I didn't look at Dallas but I knew he was still right there next to me. I so badly wanted to kiss him and when we pulled up to the Curtis house I just turned the engine off and sat there. He was still right next to my ear and his hand was on my knee.

"Dallas," I said, softly. I didn't want to say no. I wanted to jump his bones right then and there but I knew I couldn't. I was still in mournin' for my little brother and I didn't want Dally to think that was why I was screwin' him. Plus, I didn't want to lose my virginity in a car, thank you very much.

Yeah, I was still a virgin. Most people didn't believe it. Our neighbourhood hadn't been the richest and most of the girls there barely made it to 14 without having sex but I guess I'd never really needed it. I didn't have that many boyfriends either; I didn't need a man to function.

But Dally's lips were on mine in the most gentle of kisses which surprised me. He tasted like smoke and something that couldn't be named. It was simply the taste of boy.

"Dallas," I repeated, this time it was just to say his name, not a warning like the last had been.

We both stepped out of the car and he smiled as nice as Sodapop. Maybe it was even nicer 'cuz his were just so rare. You rarely ever saw Dallas Winston really smile. He put his arm around me and I had to stop myself from leaning into him. Yeah, Dallas Winston was just the kind of boy I'd always wanted.

I didn't think me and Dally were together. But it just kind of happened. It happened in the moment that we stepped in and Two-Bit just knew and Darry smiled knowingly, pulling out the paper, and Sodapop danced with glee.

It just happened like most things do.

A/N- There you go. Just another chapter. Hope you like it. They get together…I think. Not as romantic as in the last one but I'm not a hopeless romantic and neither is Becca so it fits. I think this chapter should go to Uma, because she's been here since the beginning. I'd also advise all of you reading and liking this story to please review or, I dunno, I could maybe…NOT WRITE FOR YOU GUYS ANYMORE! MUAHAHAHAHA!