Cherry Valance didn't know exactly how she felt about her overly spontaneous actions; she'd seen Dallas give Johnny that hug and something had just snapped in her, snapped so much that she'd asked him to go with her to get a coke. It wasn't that she hadn't been entertaining the thought of Dallas Winston in her mind, since that very first night at the movies, it was just that the uncharacteristic gesture of kindness he'd shown to his friend got her courage up. Dallas Winston was a tough hood, sure, but he'd shown he could also be caring. Bob hadn't been a nice guy to her, she realized after the ordeal, but everyone thought he was a nice guy. And Dallas Winston was the polar opposite, he wasn't a nice guy and people knew it – but she couldn't stop herself. Cherry, the most popular Soc in school, was incredibly intrigued by the toughest hood in the neighborhood.

Dallas' arm was lazily slung around her shoulders, as they walked into The Dingo, and she just noticed how tall he was; a good 10 inches taller than her. Had he always been that tall, she thought to herself, admiring his height and profile as he let go of her and slipped into one of the booths. Cherry sat down primly, looking around to see if anyone was in there that she knew.

Dallas noticed. "Gonna get in trouble Red?" He asked, staring straight into her eyes and then looking around too.

Cherry didn't know anyone there; they were mostly greasers and tough looking ones at that. "No," She said evenly, looking right back at him. Cherry didn't want Dallas thinking that she was so prissy. "I wouldn't care so much even if I did." It was easy for her to say that now, now that she knew she wouldn't anyways.

Dallas laughed at her, rolling his eyes. "Sure, Red, bet you never been in trouble in your whole life huh?" He asked. Dallas could tell she was trying to impress him, trying to come off like she wasn't a goody-goody little Soc, but she really was. And for some reason, that's the way he liked it. Sure, the girl had fire, but she was still good girl.

"I've gotten into trouble!" Cherry countered, wondering though, if her definition of trouble was even at all similar to his. "And don't call me Red no more, it reminds me of that night we first met…" She snapped, looking at the menu.

Dallas shook his head and smirked at her, "Yeah, me too." He added before he got up to go get them some drinks. While he was getting the cokes he couldn't help but look back over to her, sitting up so straight and looking a little scared as she noticed some hoods looking at her. Shit, that was Shepard. He got the drinks and quickly went back over to the booth. "Maybe that'll cool you off this time," Dallas added, as he turned around to give Shepard a mean stare. "What are you lookin' at, grease?" He said, eyeing Tim.

"That sure is a cute broad, how much did you pay her to come in here with you Winston?" Tim shouted across the restaurant, laughing with some buddies from his gang.

Dallas was angry that Tim had insulted him and he was even angrier at Tim for calling Cherry a cute broad. Hell, he'd be mad at Tim for even looking at her. "You lookin' for a fight Tim?" He asked in a deadly calm type of voice, and Cherry became even more interested in her menu. This was the Dallas she wasn't so sure about, the boy who could kill you by looking at you.

Tim wasn't really looking for a fight that night though, so he backed off immediately. He and Dally were pretty evenly matched and he wanted to go hunt some action of his own without a black eye. Tim and his buddies got up and walked out, but not before Tim got in a "if you ever get tired of that old hood, baby…" as he passed by their table.

Cherry was getting angry at this point too, she hated fights. She hated that Tim and Dally were fighting because of her. "Never, so get lost," She said in a low voice that Tim could still hear as he exited.

Dally looked at her with a grin, yeah, she sure was fiery. "Shoulda known better than to leave ya alone with the likes of his gang starin' at ya," Dallas said, as he took a sip of his coke and Cherry nodded, taking a sip of hers too. He looked angry, but he couldn't stay that angry looking at Cherry across the table wearing his jacket.

"I hear it's good to have someone like Dallas Winston watching my back." Cherry smiled a little, biting her lip. She was glad he didn't have the cold blue fire in his eyes anymore.

Dallas was about to make a smart comment about liking to watch her from the back too, but he withheld. "Depends don't it," He shrugged, resting his arms behind his head as he leaned back in the booth.

"Well yes, I suppose it does," The cheerleader replied, in a suspicious voice. She wasn't ready to let her whole guard down yet; in fact, she was starting to wonder what she'd got herself into. "So where's your girlfriend?" She asked, asking more to find out if he had one. If the rumors were true, Dallas always had some sort of girl.

He scowled for a second at the thought of Sylvia, her treacherous smile under all that make up. "I ain't got one no more, that girl was two-timin' me…" He answered, running a hand through his light hair. "Why you askin' anyways, got a soft spot for me?"

"I don't know if that's what you'd call it," Cherry shrugged, trying to look nonchalant about it. Of course, she had a soft spot for him; every time he looked at her chills ran through her. That was something that no Soc boy could ever do to her. It was all about experience and charm, and Cherry thought she could lose herself in Dallas' if she wasn't too careful.

"What would you call it then, Cherry?" The tough boy asked, leaning across the table to her and using her name for the very first time. He wanted to know, he wanted to know if this was a one time thing after all that had happened, was she just stringing him along? He wouldn't be the dope that fell for that again.

"I'm not too sure…" Cherry admitted truthfully. Of course it was his looks that had originally attracted her to him, but she'd realized after their brief encounters recently that he was fiercely loyal and true. It was the passion that he had for his friends that sealed the deal, she'd realized she'd wanted that sort of passion directed towards her. "But I want to find out," She added quietly, anxiously twirling a finger around a red curl.

God, he thought, was there a thing about her that didn't set him off. He had thought it was her fire that made him like her so much, but this nervous gesture turned him on too. Dallas was a guy that liked to feel powerful, and he liked that he had this kind of effect on her. But she also knew how to stick up to him too. "How can I help ya find out?" He asked, moving his hand to stroke the side of her wrist only a little, across the booth.

Cherry eyed the gesture apprehensively, then looked up into his eyes. That blue fire had returned to them again, without the harshness from before. "Well, we'll see," She gulped, losing herself in the fire in his eyes for a moment. The sun was setting, she noticed as she tore her eyes away from his and she knew she'd need to be heading home soon. "Dallas, I think that I need to get back home soon."

Dallas was still looking at her, his eyes roaming now. "Yeah, alright," He said getting up from the booth, waiting for her to get up too. She walked in front of him, and he couldn't help but notice how tiny she really was, how fragile. She had to have guts, and she had to trust him a little too. Dally knew he could've taken advantage of her at any point, and with another girl he would've tried. Hell, he tried it on her at the movies, but now he didn't want to scare her away. Still, he couldn't resist a little pushing.

Sneaking up behind her a little, he bent down and whispered gruffly in her ear, "There ain't nothin' about you I don't like." He was so close that his breath tickled her ear.

Cherry just about blushed the color of her hair. Bob had been forward like Dally, and she'd always pushed him away. But Bob sure didn't have Dally's charisma. She felt fidgety, jittery and she didn't know quite what to say. And she was glad she didn't have to say anything because Dally just walked ahead of her and told her that a red thunderbird was his car.

Dally didn't open the car door for her, and she hadn't expected him to. That was just something she'd have to get used to, that is if they even ever saw each other again. She sat quietly in the passenger seat, directing him to her house on the West Side of town. Thinking quickly though, she stopped him before they got to her house a bit. Cherry didn't want to have to explain to her strict parents that a greaser had driven her home.

"Thanks for the coke," Cherry blurted out, not knowing what to do about the tension-filled silence within the car. Her hands were clasped tightly in her lap.

Dally grinned and nodded at her, "Anytime, Red." He meant it too, he didn't want her to get up out of this car and be gone from his life like that. He'd never felt for any girl what he felt for her, though he couldn't place the feelings. Looking back at her he could tell she was nervous again; she didn't want to be but she was. "Relax, baby, I ain't gonna bite ya…" He joked and his eyes glinted. And before she'd realized he'd rested his left hand on her thigh, over her light skirt. He wasn't gripping it hard, it was just…resting there.

"I…thanks again," Cherry smiled weakly, she felt weak from the contact. She was holding herself back. She made a move to get out of the car but he grabbed her wrist.

"Wait a second baby, that's my jacket you're wearin," He laughed, then pulled her back inside, maybe a little bit too hard because she'd ended up quite close to Dally. And before Cherry knew it, he was kissing her. Probably the gentlest kiss Dallas Winston could muster, she mused, though it still was rough and wild. His hand was tangled in her hair and her hand was pressed against his chest.

Cherry pulled away, breathless after a minute or two. "Dallas, I've really got to go…" She said, as she took off his jacket and laid it in the seat.

He just nodded and looked at her, not looking fully satisfied but wearing a bigger grin than he had been wearing before. She got out of the car and began to walk, but he pulled up next to her. "When am I gonna see ya again?" He asked, like it was no big deal.

Her eyes lit up for a second at the question and she thought hard. "Meet me this Friday at the Nightly Double?"

"Sure thing, baby," Dallas said before finally pulling away.

And as Cherry walked the block to her house, she felt completely breathless. Safe and dangerous at the same time, she thought contentedly, it was something she could maybe get used to. And Dallas just took long drags of his cigarette on his way home, thinking about Cherry red hair and Cherry red lips.