Ch 8:
"We are young! We drink and we fight and we love just because. We are numb, we're on the run, and you're never going to chase us down. We are young."
~3oh!3 (We Are Young)
Dally's POV:
I could feel the heat of the sunlight beneath my closed eyelids. I was at a moment of peace, the one where you half wake up in the morning and you have completely forgotten about what happened the night before. I basked in the warmth and peace of it all, until I opened my eyes.
I froze for a moment, staring at the grey ceiling. I could hear light, calmed breathing from right next to me. I turned my head slowly so I was staring at a beautiful face. Pale cream in color, with skin so silky and soft that it looked like satin. Closed eyelids with long dark lashes that just barely brushed her cheek. Full, pale pink lips that parted ever so slightly as she breathed. Curly dark red hair that surrounded her face like fire against the moon. My heartbeat stammered, and I wondered once again when I had become such a softie.
Just then, my eyes traveled to her bare shoulder, covered partly by the linen sheets. I had faint memories of last night, mostly just remembering her beauty and the feeling of her skin against mine.
Just then, her eyelids fluttered. I watched slowly as her face came to life, her eyes blinking rapidly and glittering, and her lips stretching into a slow smile when she saw me watching her. I leaned in, unable to resist, and slowly pressed my lips to her forehead. When I pulled away, a look of confusion was on Cherry's features.
"Good morning." I whispered, giving her a grin so she knew I was alright. She blinked again, her eyelashes fluttering. She bit her lip gently, her eyes traveling to the parts of my body that weren't covered by the sheets. Suddenly, she gasped.
Cherry jumped up from the bed, grabbing part of the sheet as she did to cover herself. Her emerald eyes were wide, her lips parted in a perfect 'o'.
"No. No." Tears sparkled in her eyes. I frowned in bewilderment. What was going on? She darted to the bathroom, pulling the sheets with her, and slamming the door behind her. I sat back onto the bed frame, running my hands through my hair in agitation.
I waited for about five minutes, before deciding that she probably wasn't coming out anytime soon. I rose to my feet, feeling the dizziness hit me so hard that I had to sit back down again. My heart was pounding in my ears, and my head was spinning. It was like I was in a hangover, when I didn't even drink. I guess the effects of barely eating were getting to me.
Then I remembered why I wasn't eating. Why I came to Cherry's house. I remembered everything. And it suddenly made sense why she had run from me. She thought I was going to leave her again. But I suddenly knew exactly what to do. It was like someone was telling me that it was right, and I could feel the presence of someone else in the room with me. I wasn't sure who it exactly was, but I had a good idea. Johnny. For the first time, it didn't hurt to think his name.
I dressed quickly, throwing on my old clothes from the day before. I winced when I saw a small bloodstain on the jeans, but otherwise I put all thoughts from my mind.
"Cherry?" I rapped on the bathroom door, ignoring the spinning in my head and how my knuckles seemed to bruise instantly on contact. I was real weak, but I would be fine in a couple of weeks. Almost back to the way I was before I would say, but wiser. I would make good decisions, and I would live my life like I was supposed to.
The doorknob clicked, and I watched slowly as the brass knob turned. The door swung open, and before me stood Cherry. There were tears streaming down her face, her eyes red and puffy, but she still managed to look beautiful. She had put on pajamas, and her arms were wrapped around her waist protectively. But just staring into her dark jade eyes, I knew right then that I was making the right choice. I leaned in slowly, noticing every little detail of her face. The curves of her cheek bones, the tear drops in her eyelashes, the shape of her lips, the color blooming in her cheeks.
I let my lips brush hers gently. Heat waves moved through me, electricity burned beneath my lips. I knew I had loved her for a while, but I had never felt the extent of it to a point like this.
"I don't understand." Cherry breathed, her gaze searching my expression with clear confusion. I let my hand caress her cheek, feeling its softness underneath my finger tips. I loved her so much. I felt Johnny's presence close by, and I knew that he was telling me it was okay to do this. He wanted me to.
"I'm never going to leave you again Cherry. Not ever." And with that, I leaned forward and closed the space between us once more.
***
Cherry's POV:
Triumph. Triumph was the first thing I felt as he kissed me passionately. I had won. I had convinced Dallas Winston to not commit suicide. After the triumph came relief. Then love.
The way he kissed me and held me, it was like he knew I was delicate. He knew I could break at any moment, just like he did. But he didn't mind. He was going to hold me and keep me safe, letting his strong arms create a cradle for me. He wouldn't ever let me ago, not ever again.
I knew all of this without words, somehow. Dally just told me it all through this kiss, as he pulled me closer even though our bodies were already pressed together. His arms circled my waist, and I let my hands creep up his neck. I knew what we did last night was rash, and completely berserk, but that didn't matter. Even if something were to come out of it, I knew he would stand by me. Now he was just making it official.
Once we both pulled away, I stared into his eyes. The ice in them had melted away; erasing the steely look of his face and making him look unbelievably handsome and sweet.
"I have to go talk to the others. I have to… apologize for what I did." His gaze flickered from sweet to worried for a moment, before going back to the knee-shaking gorgeous expression he showed me that one night of the rodeo, when he had finally started opening up to me. Becoming the man I loved today. I have seen him hurt, and angry. But I had never actually seen him truly happy. Now I have.
"Of course." I said quickly to his spoken words. "You should make things right." Dallas nodded, kissing me again. I melted under his touch, though I tried to hold my ground. I had already shown him so much weakness, and it was weak that I felt uneasy that he had to leave me for even a few minutes. I knew I had been scarred real bad when he got sick, but I had no idea that I would still feel the rash of it right now.
"I don't want to leave either. I'll be back." Dally mumbled into my hair. I could feel his breath on the back of my neck, and it sent tingles through me. He pulled me to his chest, and I let his warmth spread through me before he pulled away.
"Your acting like you'll never see me again." A small grin pulled onto his lips, letting me know that he was not trying to make fun of me. I shrugged lightly, letting myself smile back.
"Will I see you soon?" He nodded, and kissed me one last time. I let the kiss linger, pulling him closer until he chuckled and pushed me (gently of course) away. I walked him to the front door, barely able to stand being so close to him and not touching him. I let my hand brush against his as we walked, but he never had seemed like the type to hold hands. I watched him walk through the front door, and only letting my smile fade when it closed behind him.
Instantly my heart beat sped up when I thought of what had happened last night. If Dally was going to stay true to his words of not leaving, then maybe we would be okay. But if he was going to go all maniac on me again? What would I do? I would have to drop out of senior year to take care of the baby, and he would probably run out on me like he did every other girl he got pregnant. The thought sent waves of sickness to my stomach.
I ran to the nearest bathroom, barely just vomiting into the toilet. I dry heaved, pulling my already sweaty hair out of my face. I was shaking, but I knew this wasn't pregnancy sickness. I was just really scared. Scared of him leaving me. Scared of having a kid. Was I ready to take care of a whole life?
Was Dally? I knew I was probably over reacting, but still. I was such an idiot. I knew what could happen, and yet I let him. I was such a stupid girl.
I stepped into the shower after stripping my damp clothes. I was a sweating and shaking mess, and the hot water somewhat made me calmer. I cranked up the heat until it burned my skin, but it made my quivering stop and that was all I needed right now. I was sobbing hysterically for the second time that morning. I wasn't sure how I could go from feeling on top of the world one moment, to like I was falling through the universe the next. But it scared me how vulnerable I already was.
I waited until my tears ran dry and my skin was numb from the heat. I wrapped two fluffy towels around my now-pink skin. I tottered up to my room, trying to let my mind go blank. You are going to be okay. I told myself. You might not even be pregnant. But not even I believed me.
Hey guys! I'm going to be updating shorter chapters from now on, since most of them will be drama packed and important to the story. Plus it's easier to update. Thank you to ALL of my lovely readers/reviewers, especially THG123. I tried to reply to your message, but I'm not sure if it went through! Let me know if it didn't. Anyway, I have been very busy in horse camp this entire week, so I'm so sorry for not updating sooner. I hope this somewhat makes up for it. I love all of you!
~Alaina