Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Some of us are lovers, most of y'all haters. But I put up a wall, and they just wallpaper. So love or hate me, I stay hate-free. They say we learn from mistakes, that's why they mistake me.

She stared at her freckles, her pointed nose, and her dirt brown eyes. She lifted her finger up and touched the thin line above her left eyebrow. She ran the tip of her finger over it and traced it. She breathed in. All the make-up in the world could not cover it up. She learned that a long time ago.

Who would think that a lamp could leave a scar this big? Three years ago. That's when it started. She always told herself it was because of the new boyfriend, but deep down she knew. She knew what her mother was becoming. She tried to hide herself from that person. She really tried. A few months ago, she learned she didn't try hard enough.

"Sarah, are you excited?" Her grandma cracked the door and peeked in. "Oh honey, you're so beautiful."

She quickly wiped her face and put on a smile. "Thanks."

"Your mom called this morning." She walked over to Sarah and began to twist her hair around her thin wrinkled fingers. "I suppose you already knew that though."

Sarah quickly held up her hands and stammered to defend herself. "I-I'm so sorry! I didn't-"

Betty smiled. "Sweetie, don't be actin' like that." She ran her fingers through Sarah's bangs and beamed at her granddaughter. "I understand you miss her and wanna talk but we've discussed this. She's not well."

Sarah's head hung down. She knew that. It'd been the words out of everyone's mouth. "I know."

Betty cupped her face and made her eyes meet her own. "Don't worry, honey. It'll get better."

No it won't.

It's been hard for years. It was just that no one noticed. No one said anything. The bruises, the cuts, the noise complaints, the constant moving, the strange men coming and going at all hours of the night. No one noticed. No one said anything. Sarah tried. She really tried.

"It's not your fault."

It never is. It just always was.

Jennie and Soda had all eyes on them. Jennie, herself, looked like she just stepped out of New York in the face, her clothes coming from the slumps. Jennie didn't have much money. I knew that. Tonight though, every one of us were the local press and Jennie and Soda were the next celebrities on the cover of every magazine.

Darry was the top reporter: "How old did you say you were? Where are you from? Why did you move here?"

Jennie doesn't know why we're all on our toes but everyone else does. In a way, I felt bad for her. She has to pay for someone's wrong doings yet at the same time, she's going to have to meet a high bar of standers.

Soda laughed it off and took her hand and led her away. Jennie was the one who stayed and answered each question, no sweat. Jennie didn't seem like the one to back down.

"So," I said. "How's Soda?"

She buried her hands in her pockets and shivered. "He's your brother, you tell me."

"He's a sweetheart." I breathed in warm air into my hands. "Sensitive...what do you think so far?"

She tightened her orange patched jacket around her body. It was thin and looked years old along with her shoes. She made the best of them. "He's gorgeous, Danni. You're whole family has some mighty good genes I must say. I'm jealous."

The lot was more crowded than it normally was. Dally was standing beside me, smoking and not looking at anyone. He was on edge. Everyone was asking too many questions he wasn't going to answer.

I grabbed his arm and held on to it. I breathed in and braced myself as we walked to our seats.

The show wasn't going to start for another fifteen minutes but Darry wanted to get here early because he knew just how crowded it got and he wasn't for seating near people. Him and Kathy always sat in the back away from everything. Johnny and Sarah sat with Dally and I, Johnny beside Dally. Jennie sat beside me and Soda was on the other side of her. They hadn't stopped talking since he picked her up.

"Steve couldn't make it?" I asked Soda.

He buttoned up his jacket and put and arm around Jennie. "Nah. He said something about it being just him and Evie tonight."

Dally sneered and fished for something in his pocket. "Score one for Steve."

"Here," Darry held out two dollars. "Should be enough for food. Kat and I are gonna go talk to some people we know. Don't get into any trouble. There's some Socs at the top of the gate with a bottle of Jack. Don't."

Dally took the money and assured Darry we would not be a part of that. He had been on his best behavior with Darry lately. Spending some time alone in the woods for a few days took us back a few steps in mending that relationship.

I peered around him at Sarah and Johnny. They were both just awkwardly there. Sarah hadn't shut-up all night. I guess Johnny was the right match for that. He couldn't get a word in edge wise even if he wanted to. I think he liked it that way.

"You wanna coke?" Dally asked, getting his cigarettes back out and flipping his lighter open.

I shook my head and stared as he lit one. The smoke filled my nose. "Another one?"

He put it in his mouth and held out the box. "Want one?"

I slumped down in my seat. "No."

I slid in close to him and shut my eyes. Everything was spinning. My head hurt and my lungs were on fire. "I wanna coke," he said, starting to move.

"I'll go." I grabbed the money from his hands and stood up. "You watch this."

He stared at me, his lips curled. "Well look who's waitin' on me."

"Shut-up...don't get used to it."

Upstairs was packed with people shoving and pushing each other. There's a reason Darry doesn't like Soda coming here very much. Something happens every weekend. A month back someone got malled and broke twenty bones. You're not supposed to walk around here alone.

There was some laughter coming from the fence. I could smell the grass. It was strong and the smoke was still fresh in the air. They had a half empty bottle of Jack on the ground and every so often someone would pick it up and take a big swig and then take another hit of the grass. Their laughter was thick. It carried through the lot.

I walked past both of them, keeping my eyes on the concession stand. It smelled like cheap cigars and whisky over by them. They were with a few hefty guys I had never seen before. I kept walking.

"Hey, Danielle!" I put my hands in my pockets and pretended like I didn't hear anything. The strong smell was burning my nose. There were some snickers and movement. "Hey, Danielle, I'm talking to you. I know you can hear me honey!"

The line moved and I stepped up, still ignoring them and the laughs. "Get lost," I hissed, moving forward. I didn't look at him. I could smell him enough to get a clear picture of what he was like.

He sneered and stepped with me. "Come on, babe," he nudged me, "don't be such a prune."

The guys he was with began cackling again. I didn't look at them either. I knew Randy was standing there watching, his breath and clothes smelling the same as Michael's. Randy went with the crowd. He always did.

Michael nudged me again, his smell rubbing off on me. "Come on, Dan. Lighten up."

My heartbeat picked up. I watched the line slowly move and wished it'd get faster. "Don't touch me."

He turned to his friends and they all laughed again. He moved his head near mine to where his mouth was at my ear. He opened his mouth and I held my breath from the smell. "Come on, greaser girl."

I pushed him away lightly and tried to catch the eye of the girl at the counter. She wasn't looking. There wasn't anything she could do anyway. There wasn't anything she would do.

"I just wanna talk," he said.

I clung to the few pieces of change I had in my pockets. My hands were starting to sweat and the money was beginning to slip in-between my fingers. I knew Michael wouldn't physical hurt me...that wasn't what I was scared about. I hadn't spoken to Michael in a while.

"Where's you big bad boyfriend?" he whispered in my ear. "With his baby bro? He's in jail you know. Probably going to be there for a while. Good thing too. They think...well you know."

I rolled my eyes and began to wish Dally had gone with me. "Michael, just leave."

"Why?" He got in close again. "Am I bothering you?"

I stepped out of line. I eyed the stairs that I came from and pictured running back down there. Michael wouldn't follow me. I knew what Michael wanted though and that's what scared me. Marilyn had tipped me off on that at the store. They were all thinking about it again.

Michael stepped in front of me, blocking my root. "Don't run away now."

We were in front of his friends now. They were still laughing at us and drinking from flasks. I hide my eyes from them and looked down, catching a glimpse of Randy's eyes before I did.

"Just leave me alone, Michael. We promised to stay away, remember?" I tried stepping around him. "Just do your part."

Michael whined. "Baby, don't be that way." Everyone sneered. "I just wanna talk." His arm touched mine and I could feel the iciness. I jerked away. "Awe, what's wrong? Cat got your tongue?"

"Michael, let her go." It was Randy. Everyone looked at him.

Michael smacked his lips together and held up a finger. He wouldn't listen to him. No one did. "I got it. Did big bad Dally hit you, Danni? Did he make you not talk?"

"Piss off."

The guys awed along with Michael. "There's the Danni I remember. Feisty huh? That's new."

I glanced up and stared directly at Randy. He kept his eyes on Michael but they told me he wasn't going to step on anyone's toes. "Can I go now? Please? We agreed not to bother each other."

Michael gave a look to his friends and grinned. "You agreed. You always agreed to everything. I could tell on you too, ya know. You're not the one with all the power here. You're just a poor dirty little girl. You think the cops would believe you over me? My uncle is the head of the District Attorney's office. I could rat on you in a heartbeat and let you rot in that prison cell for the rest of your life."

"Mike-"

He inched in closer. His nose touched mine. "You think you're something don't you? You think you have all the power here. You could be dead tomorrow and no one will ever notice. I could take you down, Danielle. I could burry you alive."

Water was building up in my throat. I could taste the bile forming up. My heart felt like it was going to explode. "Just like Frank?"

He lunged and his arm tightened itself around mine. I let out a noise as he cut off the circulation and pulled me into him. His face pressed itself closer. He jerked my body. "You listen to me-"

The punch was hard and fast. It all happened within a few seconds. I wiggled out of Michael's grasp and stumbled back words as the crunching sound came as fist made contact with face. Michael stumbled and caught himself before he hit the ground with his hand. He held his bleeding face and looked up.

His breathing was strong. He didn't flinch. "Touch her again and see what happens."

Michael grinned, blood covering his teeth. His eyes looked amused. "Look who it is fellers. The Winston himself."

I reached over and dug my nails into Dally's skin before he could move again. I could feel his pulse racing. My arms and legs were beginning to shake and I couldn't breathe. I got a grip on his arm and hung there.

Dally smirked at him and as fast as the punch went, he slipped out of my grasp and went over and kicked Michael right in the jaw. The noise of the bone shattering made everyone gasp. It didn't stop there though. No one moved.

"Dally," I squeaked out watching the dark red blood form on the brown dirt.

The guys with him ran over and grabbed Michael and shielded him from Dally, forming a circle of protection. One of the guys sized himself up to Dal, asking for a fight and some words were spewed amongst them. People were starting to stare and gather. This wasn't an uncommon sight here.

"Danni!" Randy shouted, picking up Michael from the ground in the middle of the circle. "Control him!"

I pressed my lips together and watched the punches fly and the guys leap to Dally. He didn't want those guys. He wanted Michael.

Don't move. Not yet.

"Danni!"

Everything was slowed. People were being thrown left and right and some people standing around got in on the fight as well, none knowing whose side they were on, just wanting to throw some punches at anyone they could.

Someone came to my side and pulled me away and over to the rails. "Stop him, now!" He got in my face. His eyes were worried. "Danni, you have to stop him! Do it! He's going to kill him, now do something, damnit!"

There was a circle around them now. I couldn't tell who was who anymore or who was winning. They were just figures dancing around each other.

"Danni! Stop him! Danni!"

Darry handed him another rag and some ice. Soda came out of the bathroom with a fist-aid-kit and instructed Darry to sit so he could stop the bleeding. Darry hadn't taken his eyes off Dally since we got in. Kathy was beside him, tending to his cuts, but Darry wasn't as caring to him. He scowled.

"Dar, come on. You're bleedin' a lot," Soda begged, trying to inch him to the sofa. "Let me take care of your hand."

Darry kept his stare on Dally as he backed up and took a seat. He didn't say what was on his mind like he normally would. This is because of you. I almost broke my fucking hand because of your dumb ass.

"He was just protection her," Soda whispered quietly to him as he got him to sit. "You know we would have both done the same thing."

Darry frowned and hissed as Soda poured the alcohol on the cut. "I wouldn't have been such an idiot about it and nearly kill the guy...especially with everything else going on."

"You're doing it wrong," Jennie said, kneeling beside Soda on the floor and taking a look at Darry's hand. "Cotton balls will do better than a rag. You're going to get it infected."

Soda stopped and stood up. "I think we've got some."

"Cops better not show up," Darry fumed. Kathy looked at him and he retracted. "If they do you gotta go hide somewhere. Sneak out the back or something."

Dally groaned and coughed. "They won't. Trust me...where's Johnny, man?"

I rubbed his knuckles and wiped off some of the blood and the scars that were on them. "He took Sarah home."

"He like her?" he moaned. "Johnny's got a girl. Johnnycake's got him a girl. His first date...man..."

Darry gawked and shook his head. I shushed Dal and rubbed his upper arm. "How many pills did you give him, So?"

Soda shrugged and carried out the bag of cotton balls and handed them to Jennie. "Three or four." Everyone stared. "He said he was in pain! You try only giving one to a raging bear."

"Dal," Darry sat up and cleared his throat. "How do you feel?"

Dally licked his lips and grinned. "Mighty, mighty fine. Flyin' high, Superman."

Darry rolled his eyes but ignored him. He watched as Jennie and Soda took care of his bleeding hand. "I don't wanna have to break you out of fights every weekend."

Dally shut his eyes and moaned as Kathy cleaned a wound on his shoulder.

"Are you listening?" Darry asked. "Dally, it ain't the same here anymore. You got some people out for your head...now especially. You understand that?"

Dally smacked his lips together and told Pony to get him some water.

Darry went on. "You can't be goin' out with her and gettin' into this stuff." He pointed at me. "I ain't gonna have her get hurt because of this. What if something happened to her tonight? Huh? You were in a pile getting kicked in the head."

"He did it because of me," I protested. "I was fine, Dar."

Dally groaned. "I was doin' the kickin'."

"This ain't gonna happen again," Darry said sternly. He looked at me. "Dal, I think you need to stay low for a while. Go down and stay with some buddies for a while...just until everything dies down."

My heart skipped a beat. "Darry-"

"No!" he said with force. "Dan, I ain't gonna let anythin' happen to you and this is the only way both of you can be safe. You can call and write but he can't come up here and be out. He's going to get himself and you killed!"

I tightened my hand around Dally's. "You can't...Darry you think I'm safe going out by myself? If he's here then-"

"It won't change anything," he said.

I opened my mouth to protest again but Kathy spoke first. "Danni, it's for the best right now. Just...wait."

I stared at Dally who had shut his eyes by this point. Darry stood up and shook him. "Listen, she's my sister. I'm not going to let anything happen to her. You wanna protect her? I get it. I do too. If you really want her safe, leave."

A small tear feel from my eyes as Dally slowly nodded his head in agreement. "I'll be in Texas."

Life is a choice, and death is a decision. Times have changed, but fuck it get a new watch. I still got the vision like a line between two dots. Young money's eating, the label getting fatter. And yea, the tables turned, but I'm still sitting at em.

A/N: Any thoughts on Michael and Dally? Do you think Dally will stay away? Please review. :)