Hey everyone, don't know if any of you are still with me but here is a new chapter. Again I will finish this one way or another and feedback is much appreciated. Even if its just to tell me to hurry my ass up with an update lol.

I do not own The Outsiders.

Dally's POV

Pony sat there reading another one of his stupid books. Kids had his head in the clouds more than he used to. Hardly been the same, hell I ain't been the same either, but you'd think he'd might start thinkin' a little 'bout more important shit and use his head a little after everything that happened. If anything the kid got worse.

"So," he started glancing up, " Two-Bit and I ran into that girl the other day at school."

"What girl?" I asked. I knew what girl he was talking about, but I figured I'd make him sweat for it.

"I know you got a rotten memory Dal, but you know who I'm talkin' bout."

Kids gotten mouthy lately. Think I liked it better when he was afraid of me. "What about her?" I asked getting annoyed. What the fuck did it matter to me who they ran into?

"Evans has been harassing her. He's been pretty hacked off."

I rolled my eyes. "So?" I prompted searching my pockets for a pack of Kools only to find a nickel and some lint. "Would you get to the point already?" I asked stuffing my hands back in my pockets when he didn't say anything.

"Nothin', I guess Just wondering why you helped her that night. It's not like you to help random people on the street. You always say to look after yourself and no one else."

Throwing him a sharp glare I said "listen here horse boy, I ain't helped no one. Least of all some smart mouthed broad with shit taste in guys. Evens has been on my list since our little run in outside the school a few months back."

Ponyboy looked up non pulsed by my outburst. He just smiled that stupid grin of his. "Sure thing Dal. I believe you." he said non convincingly turning back to his book. Lucky for him he missed my glare. Glory I liked it better when smart mouthed kids knew when to shut up and keep quiet. I need a smoke.

…...

Carolina's POV

As I walked through the doors I scanned my eyes in search of who I was looking for. I had seen him walk into the diner a few minutes ago and I was determined to talk to him. I spotted his white blond hair seated in a booth in the far corner and slowly made my way over. I hadn't planned on ever talking to him again, but when I saw him walking down the street I got a sudden impulse.

As I slid into the seat across from him I saw him sharply look up and send me a glare that said what the hell do you think your doing? Ignoring it I swallowed the lump in my throat. I didn't need to know about his police record to know that I was seated with very dangerous company. I had seen first hand the kind of damage he could inflict and somehow I got the feeling that was nothing.

"Hey," I said slowly not meeting his eye. When he said nothing I chanced a glance at him. He was sitting there staring at be under hooded brows. I'm not sure why but that look he was giving made me smile. At the sight of me smiling he still said nothing, instead deepening his scowl before raising a brow in question.

"You done tryin' to intimidate me?" I asked. As soon as the words left my mouth, Dallas sat up straighter and squared his shoulders, before proceeding to loom over the small table. I knew this tactic. It was his way of trying to make me feel small, and the fact that I knew what he was doing just made me smile wider. Just as he had opened his mouth to no doubt tell me to get lost the waitress walked up.

"Anything for your date Dallas?" she asked.

At this I felt my cheeks go red from the blood rushing to my face. Date? But before Dallas could say anything I quickly smiled and asked, " What would you recommend?"

Dallas quickly snapped his head back in my direction, but I pointedly looked at the waitress and listened closely to what she was saying. Eventually I settled for a slice of apple pie, " would you heat that up for me?" I asked the waitress, and kindly thanked her.

When I finally turned back to the boy across from me I quickly lost my nerve. Why was he smirking? In all the time I had been there he hadn't said a word, and now there was a sly smile playing at the edges of his lips. I had never met someone who could unnerve me with a smile before.

Finally he spoke, "red really is your color doll face." I vaguely remembered I wore a red shirt the night I met him, and I felt my cheeks get hotter when I realized he was not only talking about that, but also the fact that he could see my blush.

"You gonna tell me why your interruptin' my meal doll?" He asked breaking eye contact.

"Well..." I started forcing my blush down, "I just wanted to say thank you, for the night at the drive-inn."

He looked at me with an unreadable expression. "Lets get somethin' straight, I didn't' do nothin' to help you out. I couldn't care less about you and your dumb tool of a boyfriend," he finished almost exasperated, although I didn't understand why.

"He is not my boyfriend." I spat, giving him a glare of my own.

Dallas looked at me mock sympathetically, "what, don't tell me you broke up?" he rolled his eyes before looking over his shoulder for the waitress.

"He was never my boyfriend. I just moved here and he asked me out. He seemed nice and I thought it could be fun... It wasn't." That last part was little more than a whisper and I found myself studying the pattern on the wall next to me.

After a prolonged silence I looked up only to be met with his icy blue gaze. Again he was giving me a level once over before he broke into a mischievous grin.

"Why wasn't it fun?" he asked. Suddenly I felt his knee press against the outside of my thigh. I jolted in my seat and pressed my back into the cushion.

"Well," I started with an edge to my voice, "He thought he could take liberties with me... In the end I broke his nose."

Dallas laughed a loud bellowing laugh that made everyone in the diner turn to look at us. Dallas ignored the audience and began studying my heated cheeks and I tried not to squirm under his scrutiny. I felt his legs shift right before I felt his knee slide its way between mine. I gasped audibly and my face turned the brightest shade of red it's ever been. I put my hand on his knee in an effort to push him away, but he was not to be deterred, the stupid blond.

"What kind of liberties did he take doll face?" I felt his finger ghost back and forth against my knee occasionally brushing the underside of my wrist. My eyes bulged and I began stuttering in my mind trying to form words.. or at least a coherent thought. Just as I was starting to get my bearings back and kick him a good one, the waitress returned with our food. I felt Dallas' hand and legs retreat to his side of the table. As the waitress set our plates down in front of us she studied our faces and gave us both questioning looks. As she turned to walk away I shot another scathing look at Winston, only to find him devouring his burger with no thought as to what he had just done. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves and picked up my spoon.

"Carolina." I said.

"What?" he asked in between mouthfuls of his burger, barely sparing me a glance.

"My name," I said scooping a bite of my apple pie, "it's Carolina. I'd appreciate it if you could use it instead of Doll or Doll Face." I said this last part in a bored tone so he wouldn't know just how much his nickname really bothered me. Dallas just rolled his eyes in response.

"Look," I started again. "I didn't just come here to say thank you. There was something else."

Expelling an irritated sigh he looked up at me to continue.

"Other than that I just wanted to tell you that I met Beau in the hallway the other day."

He frowned at me as if to say what the hell are you talking about?

"Beau the guy I was with at the drive-inn.

Rolling his eyes he questioned, "What the hell does that have to do with me?"

He reached over the table to take a bite of my pie. Ignoring him I said. "look not that you need the warning, but when he threatened me in the hallway it wasn't just me who was on his hit list. Beau's pretty angry about what happened that night, and the look in his eyes was almost... I don't know... best way I can describe it is was crazy. Anyway, I just wanted to at least make sure you knew."

"Your right." he started. "I don't need the warning. So this, " he said gesturing back and forth between us, "was a waste of your time."

I opened my mouth to say something but he beat me to it, "If you were so desperate for someone to take you on a cheap date, do me a favor and spare me next time. Beau Michaels' leftovers don't interest me."

I sat there dumbstruck. No words came to mind as I processed what he just said. Cheap date? leftovers? I didn't know what to say I'd never even been with a guy, but Dallas just sat there looking at me with such venom you'd have thought I just killed his dog. I didn't understand it. Finally I realized there was nothing to say. Nothing I said would change his mind and what did I care what he thought. Silently wiping my hands on my paper napkin, I sat it down next to my half eaten slice of apple pie. I stood making sure to keep a stoic look on my face refusing to show him how much his words bothered me, because the truth was for whatever insane reason I did care what he thought.

Quietly the only thing I said was, " You enjoy the rest of your meal Dallas Winston."

"So the broad knows my name. I'm honored." He said bitingly.

I didn't say anything as I reached the door to the diner. I didn't look back, but I could feel his eyes trailing me out the door.

It wasn't till I was half way home that I realized I hadn't paid for my pie. Cheap date indeed.

So that's the next chapter, let me know how you liked it.