Best Times Of Our Lives

Chapter Seven

Disclaimer- I do not own the Outsiders and Caryn is dorkydork.

I stomped all the way back to Carrie's house. She and Caryn had seen me storm out and were following me. They had to run to keep up with me and kept asking me what had happened. I just kept walking, though. Until I reached Carrie's house. I pushed open the door and stomped through the house. It was when I got into Carrie's room and threw myself down on her bed that I started to cry.

"What's wrong?" Caryn asked softly as she sat down next me.

"How could he?" I sobbed. Carrie and Caryn exchanged looks.

"How could who what?"Carrie questioned. She already knew the 'who' so I didn't know why she asked.

"Dallas," I cried.

"What did he do?" Carrie asked and I could hear the edge of anger her voice had taken on.

"I told him to stop," I whimpered. "But he wouldn't stop."

They both gasped. "He didn't," Caryn whispered, a hand flying to her mouth.

"No," I replied. They let out a relieved sigh. "But, if I hadn't done something, I don't know if he would've."

"Look, Marie," Carrie sighed. "Dally's tryin' really hard to do right by you." I couldn't believe she was defending him. "But it's hard for him, y'know? He's never been with a girl like you before."

"What do you mean 'a girl like me'?" I questioned, wiping the tears from my eyes.

"Well, y'know," she began. "He's been dating girls like Sylvia Reynolds his whole life. He's not used to someone who's not like that."

"Than, what's he doing with me?" I questioned sadly, actually starting to believe what Sylvia had said to me earlier.

"He obviously really likes you," Caryn explained like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"What?" I asked. Even Carrie was giving her a questioning look. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Dally doesn't go out with girls unless he knows he gonna get some," she told me bluntly. "And he wouldn't give her his ring unless she proved it."

"I haven't slept with Dallas," I said, offended.

"I know," she replied. "Which only proves my point." I still wasn't sure, though, and she could tell. "You didn't sleep with him. He gave you his ring. That's more than Sylvia Reynolds ever got." I couldn't help but smile a little bit at that.

The three of us stayed up for a while longer. Now that I wasn't in such a down mood, conversation was a lot more fun. We talked the night away over a bowl of popcorn and a deck of cards until we all fell asleep.

I was the last one to wake up the next morning, Carrie's room was empty. I went downstairs to find Caryn and Two-bit sitting on the couch, hand-in-hand watching Mickey Mouse. I laughed at them but neither noticed. They were a match made in heaven, I'm telling you.

I went into the kitchen to find Carrie sitting at the table, and Mrs. Matthews cooking pancakes for breakfast. I sat down across from Carrie.

"G'mornin'," I yawned. She smiled at me.

"Hey," she replied as Caryn and Two-bit entered the room. "How ya feelin'?"

I shrugged. "Better, I guess."

"Oh, what happened?" Mrs. Matthews asked, concerned. "Are you feeling sick?"

"Boy troubles," I responded and a look of understanding crossed her face.

"Yeah, Dally was tellin' me about that," Two-bit said. "Man was he mad."

"About what?" I questioned.

"I dunno exactly, but he said he screwed up bad," he answered.

"Oh he did," Caryn told him. "But we're boycotting Dallas Winston today, right ladies?"

We laughed at her. "I like her," Carrie said to Two-bit. "You keep her."

"I plan on it," Two-bit replied with the lopsided grin he wore when he was joking. Something about the look in his eyes, though, told me he'd meant it.