Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders.

Off Key

Chapter 3- Talking at Buck's

"Hey Winston! How ya been?" yelled Tim Shepard over the noise of all the people packed into Buck Merril's place. Dally had just arrived at the party about five minutes ago.

"Hey Tim. I'm doing alright, man. Just got let out of the hospital today."

"Yeah, I heard. Good to have you back, Dal. We've missed ya," Tim said in a brotherley tone. Tim and Dallas had been good buddies since Dally had first moved to Tulsa. "Ang has been asking bout ya lately. She's round here somewhere, probly'll wanna talk ta ya before the night's over."

"Yeah alright. So what's been going on round here lately? Did I miss any action?" Dally asked, making a mental note to find Angela Shepard later in the night to talk with her. Tim proceeded to tell Dally what all had happened since he had been in the hospital. Curly had got himself locked in the cooler again and Ang had had a little scare when she had thought she was pregnant but really wasn't.

"So, uh... have you seen Sylvia since you got out?" Tim asked cooly, hinting about something.

Dallas rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I sure did."

Tim picked up the meaning of Dallas's harsh words and simply nodded. Somebody then called to Dallas across the room.

"Looks like Curtis just arrived. I think he wants ya, Dal." Tim said, looking over to where Sodapop was standing in the doorway, motioning Dallas over.

Dallas looked to where Tim was looking and saw Sodapop. "Alright. Been nice talkin' to ya, Tim."

"Yeah, see ya later Winston."

Dally walked over to where Sodapop stood waiting by the doorway. "Hey, close the door man, it's cold out there," said Dallas to Soda. Soda closed the door and walked farther into the room.

"Hey Dal, Pon told me that ya'd be here." said Sodapop, glad to be out of the cold night.

Dallas nodded. "Yeah, I figured I'd come here to catch up with everyone. I was just talking to Shepard."

Soda smiled a little. He really needed to talk to Dallas about Steve... "Can we go sit somewhere, Dal?"

"Sure," said Dal, raising an eyebrow. There was obviously something on Soda's mind. He led Soda over to a nearby couch. A couple was making out on it but quickly retreated upstairs when Dally and Soda sat down on one end. "So how's it goin, man? Didn't really get a chance to catch up with ya earlier back at the park," he said.

"I'm alright. We were all kinda worried about ya that first week you were in the hospital, Dal. But you're alright now?" Soda asked in a concerned voice.

Dal smiled. Soda was a real good guy, in Dal's opinion. "Yeah, I'm fine. I wasn't burnt too bad, those nurses at the hospital were just fussing over me by making me stay two weeks. I feel fine now."

Soda smiled back and nodded. "That's good. We missed ya. Things weren't the same around the neighborhood without ya."

"Thanks, man... but did ya wanna talk bout something Soda?"

"Well..." Soda looked away, avoiding Dallas' gaze.

"I already heard bout Steve and Sylvia, Soda. You talked to Steve bout it lately?"

Soda shook his head. "No, I only heard about it from Sandy just tonight. Steve hasn't said nothing bout Sylvia or Evie lately... I really wish I knew what was goin on Dal." he said, his voice cracking.

Dal's eyes softened a bit. He could tell that Soda was real upset bout this. "Yeah, me too, buddy. But sometimes ya just gotta let things go. You'll never understand everything someone does... not even Steve."

Soda nodded sadly. "But..." he sighed. "Steve has always told me everything. What's different now?"

Dallas looked away and said coldly, "A lot's different. And you know it." Dallas was still terribly sore about Johnny's death. He had almost lost it that night in the hospital when Johnny had died, and now he just wanted to forget about it. He didn't need constant reminding of the kid he had loved so much.

Soda looked at Dallas closely, remembering how much Dallas and Johnny had adored each other. He saw now that there was no use in gettin' Dally riled up by feeling sorry for himself. He sighed. "I'm gonna head home, Dal. I'll talk ta ya later." He stood up as if to leave.

Dally snapped back to atention as he saw Soda rise from the couch and stood up next to him. "Hey, Soda, don't go, man. The party's barely started yet... listen Soda, if ya wanna talk, that's fine, but just not about Johnnycakes. Not yet... alright?" he asked, turning away from Soda to hide the tears stinging his eyes and hoping that Soda hadn't heard the way his voice had cracked.

Soda nodded. "Sure buddy. I'm real sorry, Dal... I just can't help noticing how different Steve's been acting lately. He never tells me anything anymore and he doesn't act like his normal self no more. The things he does now..." Soda shook his head sadly. "It's like he's a stranger to me now."

Dallas sighed heavily. "Soda buddy... sometimes... ya gotta know when to let go. After all that's happened, Steve's changed, and not for the better. It might be best if we all learned how to move on. Move on and forget." He turned to Soda to see his reaction. It wasn't good...

Soda's eyes were blazing, tears of fury streaming down his cheeks silently. "How can you say that, Dallas? You don't know nothin' bout me and Steve, you don't have the right to judge either one of us! And maybe you can move on without batting an eyelash, maybe you can forget everything that's happened, but I sure can't!" he said, feeling a sob coming up from his chest.

Dallas was staring at Soda in bewilderment with his mouth agape. He had never seen Soda like this before and had never thought he would. The guy was so happy and optimistic with all his charm, he was like a jack-in-the box sometimes. But he almost never cried in front of others and had definitely never yelled at Dallas or anyone else with such hatred before. What Soda had said to him had really hit him where it hurt, especially because of how broken down Sodapop looked. Dally hadn't meant to upset Soda so much, he was just tellin' him what he knew from experience. Back in New York, ya couldn't get all caught up bout something, ya had to move on before you got ur ass kicked. But as Dally had been learning over the past seven years, Tulsa, Oklahoma sure wasn't New York...

Sodapop shook his head angrily and looked Dallas in the eye. "I'm sorry Dal..." he said, his eyes slowly coming back to their normal look. "I... I didn't mean ta lose it like that. But... I think I'm gonna leave now. I got work in the morning anyway."

Dallas nodded. "Alright buddy. I'm sorry too... just hang in there, Soda."

Soda smiled slightly and left, shrugging on his jacket as he went out the door. Dallas stared after him for awhile before turning back to the party. Across the room, Dal spotted Angela Shepard talking, or rather screaming, at another girl next to her. I didn't look to good to him...

"Ang! Hey hon, what's been happening?" Dallas smiled wolfishly at her when she looked his way, forgetting the girl she had been about to pick a fight with. As soon as she saw him, she knew what she wanted that night. Dallas knew too. It had already been a hard night and he needed some way to forget everything for awhile. Anyways, he was still kinda pissed about Sylvia going behind his back again, and as always, he wanted revenge on the little broad. Seemed like Angela Shepard was the answer. Not wasting any words, Dal took Ang's hand and led her upstairs to one of the bedrooms. Dal was tired of breaking his back everyday for nothin'. It was time for him to get some satisfaction...

---------------------

A/N: Okay, I hope you like this chapter too: ) Something I forgot to mention in the author's note at the end of the last chapter: I know that Grease wasn't in existence yet during the time that The Outsiders took place, but I just thought that it was a kind of fitting musical for the story... Just wanted to mention that. Thanks so much for reading this story, please please please review!! I'd appreciate it so much! I'd really like more reviews so I know how I'm doing with this story. If you don't like it, please tell me so I can fix anything that's wrong. Thanks tons!

--Erin