After enough time had passed, Cherry had finally arrived to the conclusion as to what made her so indecisive with Dallas Winston. She did not want to love him, and she did not want to depend on him, either. She wanted to remain as she always was; Cherry Valence, a high school cheerleader who carried her own self with the help of nobody else. On the other hand, however, she had wanted him so badly. She wanted things she knew she couldn't have, or be told that she couldn't have. It was not only the restrictions and yellow caution tape that had attracted her so much to him, however. It was also how he began unveiling himself to her day by day. Even minute by minute, when they were together in one place at once.
The more Dallas had spoken to her, no matter how short, rough and simple his sentences may have been, the more she began to realize that he was a human being. He had a past, which had most definitely reflected his present. All that Cherry could ever think about was his future, with her. What does Dallas expect from someone like me? she couldn't help but wonder. She wondered if Dallas had felt as connected to her as she did to him. But the night that Cherry lost her virginity, that was the very night that set her mind on a crazy spin. She didn't know what she had wanted after that night had occurred. She was no longer afraid of Dallas, she was no longer in search of what he had wanted from her. She knew that all he had wanted from her was her trust, and she gave it to him that night.
Dallas could not get his mind off of the fact that Cherry was forever his, or at least it felt like she was. After driving home the next morning, all he could envision was the way her eye lids rested, shielding her from the morning sun that had masked her beautiful face.
Now it was two o'clock in the afternoon, Dallas had just woken up from a short nap he had taken while crashing at Ponyboy's house. "Lil' lover boy's face is glowin' like a jack-o-lantern!" Two-Bit chuckled as he pointed to Dallas, with a beer in hand, sitting in the chair next to his. Two-Bit, Dallas, Sodapop and Darry were sitting in the living room, surrounding the small television and watching the channel three news. The other boys laughed as they watched Dallas slowly sit up from his sleepy, slouched position. His eyes squinted, he muttered, "Wha- what? Man, what time is it?"
"What time is it? It's time for Mickey Mouse, Dal!" Two-Bit responded as he clicked the remote repeatedly to navigate the cartoon channel. Darry lightly punched Two-Bit on the shoulder, and walked over to Dallas. Dallas was slowly becoming in touch with reality, as his eyes opened more and more each moment. Darry leaned down and ruffled his fingers through Dallas' hair, patted his forehead with the back of his head, and asked, "Shit, kid. You've been doing okay? Two-Bit and Sodapop told me what's been going on. You look like you haven't slept in days."
"Probably because he hasn't." Two-Bit added.
"Nah, nah nah. I'm fine, man. Just tired, that's all." Dallas responded as he allowed his head to rest in his hands. Darry continued to look at Dallas once more, before he nodded and walked over to the kitchen. Two-Bit and Sodapop began to mess with each other, attempting to outdo each other's dance moves to a cartoon's theme song that was playing on the television. Dallas saw Darry heading over to the kitchen, and he got up in order to follow him. As Darry opened the fridge for a beer, Dallas came walking in through the kitchen entrance, and with slow, small, hesitant steps, he inched closer to Darry. Darry closed the fridge, slightly surprised to see Dallas waiting for him behind the door. Immediately Darry knew that something was on Dallas' mind.
"Ay, Darry..." Dallas mumbled under his breath, "Do you think we could talk for a quick sec?"
Darry replied, "Sure kid. You know I'm always here for ya'll. Like brothers. What can I do for you?"
Dallas wasn't exactly sure how to put his situation into words; especially into the right words for a greaser to hear. However, Darry was not like other greasers. He could have been a Soc if it weren't for his brothers. Finally, Dallas decided to just let the words loose; whatever the first thing on his mind was."Would you let anyone change you?" he asked.
Darry paused, then replied, "How do you mean? Would I let anyone change my lifestyle? Personality?"
"Uh, I guess a little of both."
"Never. I am who I am. And you are, too." Darry replied. Dallas paused, realizing that he may have been wording his question a bit incorrectly. He tried again,"Look, that's not what I meant. I mean...if you met someone that brought out a different person in you. Like, it's still you, but it's just not normal, it feels nice. Would you let them do that?"
Darry set down his beer onto the counter. He tilted his head slightly, and realized what Dallas was coming onto. "What'd you do, meet a girl or something?". At first Dallas had chuckled with a smirk in response to this. But then he had realized that what Darry had asked was nothing far from true. And suddenly it hit him; he met a girl. He met a girl? These feelings; was it all for a girl? Dallas quieted down, and finally replied, "Yeah, yeah I guess I did."
Darry smiled and placed a firm hand on Dallas' shoulder. He walked him over to the kitchen window, and began shaking his shoulder tightly."Never have I ever thought I'de see this comin' from you, Dally." he laughed.
"Yeah, yeah ,yeah..." he muttered under his breath. "I've just been wanting to ask you, 'cause I know you're practically borderline Soc. But you're here. You're loyal to family, you know? If there's anyone in this town that's honest and loyal, it's you man."
Darry nodded in silence. He looked at Dallas and replied, "If you want an answer from someone like me, the answer is yes. Let her bring out the best in you. If there's anyone in this world that can make you see the best in yourself, then it's the best you can get."
Dallas felt slightly better when hearing this from Darry. Dallas rarely looked at anyone as a role model or someone
he'd like to be. Darry was neither of these things to him, but he was definitely close; he was someone to trust when he needed help. Dallas never had trust from anyone other than the boys.
"Cool, thanks man. " Dallas replied as he glanced up at the clock on the wall. Suddenly, Darry leaned to look past Dallas, only to notice that Sodapop was talking to someone through the opened front door. He couldn't make out the face, but he could hear Two-Bit's annoying little flirtatious remarks projecting from the living room.
Dallas turned around from hearing Sodapop's voice in the kitchen doorway.
"Uhh…So we have some company!" Sodapop said with a quirky tone. He scooted to the side, allowing the petite young girl to enter the room. Dallas' eyes widened as he realized who was standing right in front of him.
Finally, he opened his mouth with distaste, "And what the hell do you want, Shelby?"
Shelby stood on her own two feet, staring Dallas up and down, and then at Darry. She knew that she was the type of girl that guys could never resist, and that was exactly the problem with her; she was stuck up. She wore black high-waisted jeans, a yellow, buttoned and collared shirt, and wore her hair up in a ponytail. One thing that drove the boys crazy was how long her hair was, it reached all the way down to her size two hips. Her voluptuous curves and yet petite weight drove greasers mad, but Dallas had enough of Shelby.
Dallas and Shelby had gone back a few years, when he had just arrived in town. A friend of a friend had brought him to a kickback that Shelby was having; this was where he had first met Shelby.
Dallas was lighting up a cigaret and chatting with a few guys that he had just met; there was Stumpy, who was nicknamed after his five-foot-two height and broad shoulders, Ren, who knew anyone and everyone around town, and Jessie, who was also called Speedy Jessie. The guy talked so fast, you could barely understand a word he was saying.
"Listen, Dal-You mind if I call you Dal?" Ren conversed with him.
"Yeah sure." Dallas responded. He wasn't so into this town. He couldn't understand how people could possibly live in Oklahoma when it was hardly nothing compared to New York.
Ren continued, "I like you, you know? You got a girl out here yet, man? 'Cause I got someone I think you'd really like to meet. The chick who lives here, you'd really like her. And I mean really, really. " He leaned in towards Dallas and nudged him with his elbow. Dallas couldn't help but think that Ren was some wannabe know-it-all, always trying to show off his social skills and what not. Dallas hated characters like Ren. He didn't seem real. Someone like Johnny Cade, he was real to Dallas. Johnny felt certain ways about certain things, he didn't go around doing favors and impressing other people.
Dallas watched as Ren waved over Shelby, who was wearing a high-waisted skirt with a red buttoned blouse tucked underneath.
"Dal, I'de like you to meet-"
"I'm Shelby." Shelby reached out her small hand for a shake, Dallas just stared back at her. Ren smiled, only because he knew exactly what Dallas was feeling; he was overwhelmed by Shelby's amazing body and looks. Shelby continued to snap as she chewed her gum repeatedly, waiting for a response. Dallas just took another drag at his cigaret.
Shelby pulled back her hand, "You must be new here, huh? What's your name?"
Dallas blew out his smoke, "Yeah, yeah sure I'm new. I'm Dallas."
Ren, Stumpy and Jessie began to drift and walk away. Ren could sense that he had set off a new discussion between the two. He winked at Dallas and walked away.
"So how old are you anyway?" Dallas continued. He thought that Shelby looked awfully young, and he didn't want to embarrass himself by hitting on anyone too young.
"I'm eighteen. Why, you think I'm younger?"
"I don't know."
Dallas and Shelby ended up talking for the rest of the event, discussing what the deal was around this town, and who was who. At about one in the morning, Shelby conducted a plan.
"Come with me, Dallas." she said.
"Wha-…Huh?" Dallas responded. At this time, he had drank one too many beers. He was not beyond drunk, he just couldn't think.
"Stay over tonight, yeah?" she flipped back his hair from his face. Dallas smirked as he looked right back at her and nodded.
Shelby grabbed his hand and walked inside the house through her back door, and slammed the door shut. Dallas continued to follow her into her bedroom, and she closed the door behind him. He leaned with his back against the door, as she walked towards him.
"I think you're a little tipsy, Dally." she giggled.
Dallas raised an eyebrow, "I think you're hot as hell."
Shelby grabbed his hand again and led him over to her bed.
"I've been hearing a lot about you," Shelby said, "and I've been wanting to meet you."
"Oh yeah? What'd you hear?" Dallas sat down in front of her, as she continued to stand in front of her bed.
Shelby began to slide her index finger down the center of Dallas' chest. "Just some things…" she continued.
She began to whisper into his ear, "I heard that you're nothing like the rest of these bozo's in town." Dallas was turned on already, so he went on ahead and pulled her onto his lap. He then responded, "Nah, I'm not. So, sweetheart, are the rest of the girls here as hot as you or what?"
"I don't think so!" she laughed aloud. They began to kiss, almost as aggressive as snakes snapping at one another. Dallas rolled her onto her bed, leaning on top of her. As he opened his mouth and continued to kiss her, Shelby took off Dallas' pants and returned to stand in front of the bed. She then pulled up her skirt and bent over the side of her bed, almost as if she were in a rush. Dallas accepted the invitation with pleasure, and the night had officially begun.
Between the breaths and pantings, Dallas mumbled, "I'm terrible with names…"
Shelby quickly responded, "Say my name, it's Shelby."
That very night was the night that Dallas had received his welcome gift. The only problem was, Dallas hadn't expected anything to come out of it other than pleasure. Shelby was not exactly miss prim and proper either, but for some reason she had expected more from Dallas. She wanted more out of him, not just one night to remember. After this very night, Dallas had never wanted to see Shelby again.
That was the weird thing that Dallas had felt about Shelby; he had disrespected her so much, but only because he disrespected the fact that she let others disrespect her. Confusing? But when he looked at Shelby, he saw fitted skirts. He saw short shirts, he saw long and wavy hair, he saw luscious lips, he saw cleavage. When he looked at Cherry, however, he saw beautiful eyes. He saw pale, sparkling skin. He saw her nicely shaped legs coming out from underneath her pleaded skirt. He saw her smile, the way she laughed. He saw her fiery hair. He saw the amazing way that she'd look back at him, allowing her eyes to rummage inside his. And above all things, he felt. He couldn't feel anything with Shelby.
Dallas continued to stare back at Shelby in the quiet and now calmed kitchen, where Shelby chewed her obnoxious gum and stared right back. "Came to apologize." she finally spoke up.
"Yeah? For what?" Dallas smirked back. Darry looked at the two staring furiously at on another, and then signaled to Two-Bit and Sodapop that an exit was needed. The three quickly and casually stepped out of the kitchen and into the living room.
Shelby sighed, "I'm sorry for pissin' off your little girlfriend over at the party last night."
"Yeah, yeah. So is that all you came here to say?"
"Hey, don't blame me for not being able to let go of us."
Dallas rolled his eyes, "Wha- are you fucking kidding me? Shelby there ain't no us, quit talkin' like that."
Shelby snapped, "Not until you quit actin' like we only lasted a night! Fuck Dally, you're really screwed up in the head. You and I both know that something was on between us."
"Bullshit!" Dallas yelled. "Now leave me the hell alone, would ya?"
Shelby was not exactly lying, either. For about two weeks, Dallas had introduced Shelby to others a friend, but treated her as something more. Although Dallas thought Shelby was a great girl to hang around and talk to, he began to realize that she wasn't exactly honest. She would expose herself to other greasers, offer herself to other guys, and even talk dirt about Dallas to some of her friends. If there was anyone that Dallas disliked most, it was two-timers and two-faced people. Shelby, on the other hand, only wanted attention. She loved feeling the jealousy of other girls towards her when she was seen walking arm and arm with Dallas Winston. But she still wanted more, and that was her problem.
Shelby paused, and then turned to walk away from Dallas as he continued to smoke a cigaret in the kitchen. She immediately walked out the door without saying a single word. Sodapop and Two-Bit looked at each other with faint smiles on their faces. Dallas took one more drag of his cigaret, and muttered to himself, "Crazy broad.".