Rowan's POV

I started up my red mustang and drove down the street to the Curtis home. Darry and Soda had invited me over for some chocolate cake. I secretly was hoping I'd come across Dallas Winston there.

I flipped on the radio and listened to Elvis for the two minute ride. Steve and Two-Bit were tussling outside and I beeped my horn. "Hey Steve! What's up, Two-Bit?"

Steve waved, got up, kicked Two-Bit to declare his winning and opened the door. "Hey Johnny, come look at what this broad pulled up in!"

Johnny came out first, with the Curtis boys behind him.

"Wow, Rowan," Johnny said, "That's one tuff mustang. Mustangs are so tuff."

I got out of the car and slammed the door. "What are you all up to today?"

Ponyboy approached me with his hands in his jean pockets. He fixed his hair in his reflection on my mustang. "We're going to a movie with Dal. Me, Two-Bit and Johnnycake."

Darrel handed me a meaty piece of chocolate cake and I leaned on my car and ate it.

"I'll say, girl. Where'd a young girl like you get a car like that?" he asked me.

Two-Bit had a fit of laughter. "Hey Johnnycake, it's like the one that those Socs had. Y'know, the ones that scarred your face."

Ponyboy slugged him. "Shut up, Keith. You don't have to remind him every time we see a tuff car. Lay off."

Two-Bit reached inside his back pocket and pulled out a switchblade. "Don't get wise with me, kid." He took a step towards the younger boy and everyone around them got paler. I think I did too.

"That's enough, Two-Bit," Darry said. "Go inside, Mickey's on." Two-Bit muttered some swears under his breath as he went inside.

I took a bite of my chocolate cake and some of the gang started snickering. I decided to ignore it and brought up a new topic. "So, uh, where's Dally?" I licked the frosting off of my lips. Maybe that was what they were teetering about.

"Probably back in the cooler," Steve suggested. "You know Dallas Winston. Always in touble with the fuzz."

I laughed at that. Dally was the type to get back in the cooler the day after he was released.

Soda seemed to be looking past me, and then back at me. "Can we hear the horn on this baby?"

I swallowed my cake and reached in without looking to press the horn. Only, I didn't touch the horn. I was touching some abs. Nice ones, too. I turned around and was nose to nose with Dally. I screamed and the gang went wild.

"God dammit, Winston. You could've gave me a heart attack!" I said pulling him out of the car. "And you guys, you could've gave me some warning! That's what you were gigglin' 'bout."

Soda rested his arm on Ponyboy to keep himself up. "Nice one, Dal."

Dally lifted my chin with his three middle fingers and looked me in the eyes. "Cheer up, doll. You should be happy to me, I mean look at me!" He puckered his lips as if he wanted me to kiss him but I resisted the urge to.

"As if, Dal," I stammered with a hint of laughter in my tone. I splattered my chocolate cake all over his face and gave the plate to Darry. Dallas began to wipe it off his face and I jumped on his back, and he carried me inside where he washed his face.

"Any other person, any other person, and I would've pounded their head in, kid. You're lucky you're you," he told me, wiping down his face.

His hair was a little damp from the sink water and I messed it up with a towel. "You're better looking when your hair's a mess, Dal."

He flexed his muscle and kissed it. "Anything to make me look more attractive, which I will say is a very challenging thing to do."

"Please," I replied slowly. I was getting a big kick out of Dallas Winston. "Wanna go for a drive in my car?"

He nodded. "Sure, I can teach you how to drive like me.

We headed out and Dally jumped over the door into the passenger seat. I did the same and we hit the road.

I skidded onto an empty street and looked around. "Hey, check this out." I waved my arms in the air and steered with my feet. "COME AND GET ME, TULSA!"

Dallas laughed. "That's cool, I should try that with my car. Scare some people, y'know. They ain't gonna know I learned from the best."

I drove normally and slammed on the breaks, getting back at Dally for the scare on me earlier. He jerked back and hit his head hard on the head rest.

"Fuck!" he yelled as I pulled over.

"Oh shit, Dal, I'm so sorry. You hurtin' badly?" I put the car in park and examined his head.

"Don't worry, Row, it ain't nothin' bad, I'm just gonna rest." He closed his eyes, and I didn't think he noticed when his thumb went into his mouth.

Laughing as quietly as I could, I reached into the glove compartment and grasped my camera. Click!

Dally awoke from the sound of the camera and freaked out. "Hey girl, what the hell do you think you're doing?"

I licked my lips into a smile and blew him a kiss. "Don't worry Winston, ain't nobody gonna see this. At least not today."

He tickled me. "If anybody sees that photo I'll skin you alive, Bishop! Just wait!"

I slapped him away. "Don't tickle me and you have a deal!" I put the car into drive and headed back towards my street.

"So uh, Rowan, you doin' anything later on? I'm goin' to see some movie with the boys and maybe I could see you before or after it. Maybe around six."

I thought for a moment. Is Dallas Winston asking me out? Of course not, it's Dally! Tough, hard, don't-need-a-woman Dally. Always talking about how he loves nobody but Johnny 'cause he wants to be like Johnny. He probably is just trying to get to know me.

"I'm free at seven-thirty 'cause my Dad needs me for some work. I could see you after then, perhaps."

At this point, Dally has a bewildered look on his face. "My friend Buck is having a party later tonight at eight and I was wondering maybe you'd like to tag along with me? It's all night."

I smiled. "I'd love to, Dal. Pick me up when you're ready." I signaled to turn onto my street, when some Socs in a Stinger cut me off.

"Pull over, here, hun," Dally said to me, focusing on the Socs. He jumped out of the car and confronted the Socs, who also got out. There were three of them.

"You jackasses better get back to your side of town," Dallas retorted in a threatening way. I got out of my mustang and reached for the switchblade in my back pocket. I wasn't about to let Dally handle them alone. There I was, standing my ground with Dally Winston.

The tallest of the Socs started laughing hoarsely. "What are you gonna do, sweetie-pie? Let us men handle this stupid greaser."

I shook my head. "He may be a greaser, but he ain't stupid." My size six converse shoe got familiar with the boy's testicles and he fell to the ground while Dally and I were in hysterics.

We reassembled into my mustang and I dropped Dally off at Ponyboy's house. "I like your guts, Row. I'll see you later then." Dally pulled out a cigarette and lit it, making a circle of smoke in the air.

"See ya." I sort of saluted as I drove for two minutes down the street. I had fun with Dallas Winston today. Maybe I did sort of have feelings for him, but I'll shove them down my throat for now. He's a bad boy. And everyone knows that bad boys go from girl to girl in a blink of an eye. Maybe, Dallas was different. Just maybe…