While I made my way over to the Curtis' house, I couldn't stop thinking about Shelley. This happened years ago, but these events are one of those things you simply can not forget. I've always wanted to tell Darry, Soda, and Pony that I knew how they felt but I simply couldn't.

Once I arrived, Soda and Darry were a nervous wreck. Two-Bit and Steve was there trying to calm them down. They wouldn't stop asking me where Ponyboy and Johnny were but I was persistent in saying I didn't know. Sodapop didn't believe me because he gave me a letter and said "give this to him."

I sighed, and agreed.

Then we were startled as there was a knocking on the door of the Curtis' house. I turned around as Darry opened the door.

It was the cops.

"Is this the Curtis residence?"

"Yes."

"Can we please speak to…erm…Ponyboy?"

Darry quickly looked at me, hoping for an answer. I didn't know if he wanted it to be truthful or a lie.

"They're headed for Texas." I said quickly. Everyone looked at me. "Or so I heard." I added.

They scrawled something down on a little notepad. "Alright, we'll be looking for them." The cops said and left. After they left, Darry closed the door and asked "They're in Texas?" "Yeah." I remarked. Yeah, I was lying to my own friend. But that's just what I do.

Two-Bit pulled on his jacket. "Where are you going?" I asked. "I'm gonna hunt for them. All over Texas if I have to." He answered. "You serious?" I asked. "Dead right I'm serious. I'm gonna take my car and drive down there."
For Two-Bit being a funny guy, he actually was serious for once.

"There's no need to do that…" I said. "Why not?" "They'll turn up. I swear." I said, ducking my head. He sighed. "Whatever."

And plopped down on the couch.

After everything dyed down with the media I drove Buck's car out to Windrixville and headed to Jay Mountain to find the church. They better be there still.

After arriving, I didn't hear a single sound. Crap. I thought. They're not there. I looked in the old wooden broken down windows and saw them fast asleep on the dusty pews. Thank God. I sighed.

I smiled walking in. Man they looked different. Pony's hair was dyed blonde and Johnny's grease was all washed out. Both of their hair was shorter. "Hey Blondie." I said, laughing and rumpling Pony's hair to wake him up. "Hey Dal!" "Hey Johnny, rise and shine man." I said kicking his pew. After they got up they wouldn't stop asking me all these questions. "Did you hear anything with the cops?" "How's Darry and Soda doin?" I interrupted their endless questions offering them to go to Dairy Queen with me to get something to eat.

Obviously that wasn't what they wanted to talk about but that's sure what I wanted to talk about. I was starving.

Then I remembered the letter. "Oh, hey I got a special delivery for…Ponyboy Curtis." I said laughing, giving the letter to Pony. "Who's it from?"

Read the front, dumbass. I thought jokingly. "The President of the United States of America." "Yeah right." "It's from your brother Sodapop. I told him I didn't know where you were but he didn't believe me. He really wanted you to give that to you, man."

While he was reading the letter I went over to the corner and had a smoke. Damn, too much drama was happening and I honestly wanted it to be all over. I sure didn't want the boys to go to jail, but I did want this all to pass over our heads and lead on with our regular lives. This crap does not go well with what I've been dealing with.

"Hey Dally what's going on with the cops? Did you hear anything?" Johnny asked. I explained to them that I told the cops they were headed for Texas.

But I didn't want to talk about it now. I joked around about Ponyboy's hair, and then took them out to the Dairy Queen.

Sitting in the car I took out my unloaded heater to show the boys when a little girl showed up at the car. She asked for money, and I didn't want her to see me so I quickly put back the gun and put on some sunglasses.

Some disguise, but I had nothing else.

I looked at her, and then I DESPERATLEY wanted her away. She looked like Shelley did when she was nine years old. "GO AWAY GET OUT OF HERE!" I shouted. I didn't want to burst into tears.

"That was a close call…" I said, but I didn't mean her seeing me. I meant me crying.

To change the subject I brought up getting Cherry Valance as a spy, her telling me to go to hell and all that. I asked as a joke if she liked me and Ponyboy seemed a little upset. Guess the kid has a crush.

Then Johnny said he wanted to go and turn themselves in, and I FREAKED.

"Man, the boys are worried! Two-Bit wanted to go to Texas to freakin hunt for you!"

"Dally, I asked if my parents asked about me…"

"NO! they didn't ask about you. So what? Do you think my old man gives a HANG if I'm dead in a car wreck, drunk, or in jail? He doesn't CARE."

Ouch. That hurt to say.

"But that doesn't bother me!" I added.

That was a lie.

"You're not going anywhere." Man was I pissed. I got them a place to stay so they WOULDN'T get in trouble and now all they want to do is go to jail! I was never going to let that happen.