I followed him, although I wasn't quite sure where we were going. We ended up walking about twenty minutes until we reached the drive-in theatre. On Saturdays, there was always a fight going on around here. And everyone was around to watch.
We hopped the fence, and I regretted it immediately after. My ankle will never get better with my lifestyle. I was walking behind Dally as we waltzed right in front of everyone's view of the movie screen, weaving in and out of cars, behind cussed at and I even had a glass bottle thrown at me. I flipped the drunkard a bird, before returning in pursuit of Dally. Turns out, the whole gang was there. It was dark already, and pretty chilly. I wish I had a jacket.
Two-Bit was the first one to notice me, and gave Dally a weird look before standing up. "Hey, Tobe!" He got shushed by a few people behind and next to him, and then grabbed me gently by the wrist and pulled me into the seat next to him. I hadn't seen him since he got tackled by that fat cop. I wanted to ask him everything. What happened in the cell, if his mom was hacked off at him for getting arrested, if he was mad at me for breaking his record of never getting caught when stealing something. I felt guilty, suddenly. "What's up with the good times?" I loved how casual he was.
"Hey, sorry about yesterday.." Damn. That was really yesterday? Shit, I bet Two-Bit would flip if he knew what happened just this afternoon. Dally was sitting a few seats down from me, his legs kicked up on the guy's seat in front of him, who was getting irritated.
Two-Bit laughed. "What're you sorry for?" His voice was a little low. "I was the reason you were stuck in the hospital; shit, didn't mean to yank on you so hard. I damn near thought I broke you when you fell on that glass, I felt mighty awful. I'M the one that should be sorry." I grinned a little.
"I ruined your good luck streak, though. Of never getting caught, I mean. I guess we're even."
"You have to get stitches?" I looked over at Dally, who was cussing at the guy who had the nerve to move his feet away from the back of his head. He was being shushed by the people behind him.
"...Nah.." My attention was now focused on Dallas. Two-Bit noticed, and started watching, too. In a matter of seconds, more people were focused on the angered teen and the unlucky victim than they were on the cheap beach movie.
After getting done telling off the first guy, the persistent 'shushers' were next. Dally advanced towards them quickly, grabbing the guy's large coke and spilling it on top of his head, dropping the now empty cup into his lap. The guy was older, probably in his twenties, and apparently he was on a date, because his girl gasped and you could see the humility grow inside of him. He then quickly stood, looking ready to pummel Dally. Of course, he didn't stand a chance, even though he was taller. The man looked reluctant, knowing that at that very second that he stood he'd have to do something or else be humiliated even more. So, he pulled back slowly, and attempted to deck Dally straight in the nose.
In a flash, Dally was down, and back up again after ducking the bigger man's swing, and threw a swing of his own. Then another, and another, before the man stumbled back onto the steps, holding his nose. Two-Bit cussed in admiration of Dallas, and then stood when the crummy security of the place came far too late. Dally's victim was already on the ground, bleeding from probably all of the holes in his face, and they shoved him.
"Get lost, hood!" I stood up then, too. Dallas looked dangerous. Almost as dangerous as when his eyes flared up when he saw me pinned up against the wall this afternoon. But, this time, it was a playful dangerous. He was grinning menacingly, and the security stammered and stumbled a bit over his own words.
"C-C'mon now! No fights allowed, you know the rules!" He gave Dallas a shooing hand instead of shoving him again. Dally flipped the collar of his leather jacket up, and walked down the steps, slowly exiting the place with a harsh laugh. I started to follow him, before the security noticed me, too.
"You didn't pay for your entrance, either! Get outta here!" It was my invitation to follow Dally, and so I ran out of there, leaving Two-Bit behind. I wanted to talk to him more about what happened, but I knew I'd have all the time in the world. I never got to talk to Dally, so I caught up with him and hopped the fence.
"Is getting into fights on your daily schedule, or did I catch you on a bad day?" I asked, still catching up to him, as I soon walked behind him. It was dark, and his dangerous grin was fading.
"Who knows." He was walking fast, which was hard on my ankle to keep up, but I did anyway. I bit my lip, trying to think of something to say. I think he enjoyed torturing just about everyone; silence is what tortures me. At least, uncomfortable silences like this.
"I uh.. got kicked out, too. Didn't just follow you for the hell of it."
A cold chuckle released, and a faint puff of hot air frosted over in front of his lips. Was that his natural icy aura, or was it really that fucking cold outside?
"I'm sure." God, he was so insulting. If I ever got hacked off at him enough, I think I'd test what would happen if I hit him myself. I'd probably get whipped until I couldn't remember my name, but maybe the fact that I have tits may keep Dallas Winston from beating the tar out of me.
He slowed down, eventually. Only to stop for a quick cigarette, though. I didn't know where we were -- again -- but it looked pretty gloomy. The streets were empty, I bet the whole East Side was sitting back at that drive-in theatre. I shivered, and held my arms. My shoulders ached from earlier, and if it wouldn't require me revealing more skin, I would have checked.
"Cold?" I almost laughed out loud at Dallas Winston's question, asking if I was cold.
"No." I lied halfway out of sarcasm, halfway out of trying to look cool. He observed me thoughtfully, cigarette in lips, before taking off his leather jacket and holding it out in front of him.
"You slow or something? I said I wasn't cold." I crossed my arms. He shrugged, and dropped the coat as if it meant nothing to him. I've never seen him without it, actually. Removing the cigarette, only to put it back between his lips, he began walking, leaving his jacket behind.
"Are you just gonna leave it?" I took a few steps towards him. He was wearing a semi-tight white t-shirt. It wasn't faggishly tight, just tight enough to show off his lean build. He didn't respond, just kept walking.
I sighed in frustration, reluctantly picking it up and throwing it over my shoulders. It was so warm, I could have melted. I walked quick to catch up with him again, and he grinned when he saw me wearing his jacket. It smelled like old leather, cigarettes, and grease. I like the smell of all of those things. Not so much old leather, I mean it's alright, but the smell of cigarettes for me is a given. I'm a heavy smoker, and seeing him smoke in front of me without me taking a drag was killing me anyway. I liked the smell of grease because it almost smells like a faint, old cologne, but more smooth. Dally never really put that much grease in his hair; he didn't need to. Everyone knew he was a greaser just by looking at him. He must have stolen it from some real greasy hood, and the scent stayed. I wondered what Dally's real scent was like..
"How come you and Tim had it out today, anyway?" I was surprised that he actually gave it a second thought. It must have irked him that I hauled off and clocked Tim in the jaw, not to mention kneed his family jewels. Or, maybe he was just surprised that Tim would actually do something that low. I wouldn't find out.
I laughed out loud, remembering why. "I asked for a cigarette, and he was giving me mouth. Then his gang said I was a rat, so I called 'em a bunch of faggots and bolted. They caught me in an ally, though, and it just went from there." He was looking at me when I looked up at him, and he almost looked impressed. I beamed.
"So wait, you just punched him in the jaw when he found you in the ally?" He almost laughed.
"Nah, he had me pinned, so I kneed him in the nuts and tried to finish it off."
"All over a cigarette, huh?" He took a long drag, then took the cigarette from his lips with three fingers, and passed it over to me. I took it, and took a long drag, too. It's been almost two whole days since I've had a cigarette. I shuddered with pleasure. I inhaled the smoke like a fiend and took three more hits, one after another.
"Hey, I didn't say you could have it. Jesus Christ." I mourned when I had to part from the cig, and gave it back to Dally, but it was nearly smoked down to the filter by then. He took the last drag, and smothered it with his heel. The leather jacket weighed down on my bruised shoulders, and I noticed his breath catching fog. I felt guilty, again. I used to never feel guilty, now I do all the time around these assholes.
"Ain't you cold?" I wouldn't want to give up the warmth so easily, but it was his jacket, and I wasn't real used to generosity anyway. Hell, no one would, coming from this hood.
"No." I couldn't tell if he was mocking me from earlier or not, because he didn't let on.
I couldn't think of anything else to say. Man, there's a lot of things I can't do. I'm so useless.
"Are you and Tim friends?" By my random questions, I bet he could tell that I was nervous and didn't really know what to talk about. The farther we walked, the closer we got to home, but, the darker it got. He gave that question some thought.
"I guess you could say that. After what he pulled today, though, I don't think I'll be on such friendly terms with that motherfucker for a while."
"I heard stories about him. I didn't know it was the Tim I heard shit about, though, 'til after." I realized that it didn't make me sound so tough anymore. Sure, I punched Tim Shepard in the face, but I didn't know it was Tim Shepard so it didn't make me seem so tough.
"You've heard stories about me too, then." He said coolly.
"Yeah.." Dally was proud of his reputation. I knew it. But I didn't need to go on and on about shit he's heard a thousand times over.
We didn't really talk much after that. He said he was going to some guy named Buck's place to crash, and didn't offer me to come along. So I didn't ask. I did need a place to crash, but I didn't say it. It's like chewing glass when you try to tell Dallas Winston things.