Dally was taking a long time. It felt like he'd been gone for hours. I laid down, trying to digest everything that had happened to me today—
I'd gone out on my own.
I'd met up with Tim Shepard.
A drunken guy had pinched my butt.
Tim had punched the drunken guy.
Dally and Tim fought.
Dally was my first kiss.
Dally was my second kiss.
And I was seeing stars.
I must have drifted off, because I awoke suddenly when the door opened. Dally walked in, toweling off his hair. Shirtless and the top button on his jeans open revealing a trail of hair from his belly button to who knows where.
"What are you still doing up?" Dally asked when he saw me awake.
"I couldn't sleep" I replied, fibbing slightly.
"Do you want me to take you back to the Curtis's?" he asked me, grabbing a fag and lighting it.
"No thanks, I'm fine." He nodded in acceptance. "Do you have anything I could sleep in?" I asked, blushing heavily.
He looked at me eyes wide.
"It's just, these clothes are really tight," I explained, gesturing with my hand to the jeans I'd never worn and the form fitting shirt. I saw his eyes rake up and down me, his eyes darkening.
"Yeah…I think I got something," he murmured, walking over to his dresser and pulling out some clothes. "Here's a shirt and boxers," he said, handing me his clothes.
"Thanks. Where should I change?" I asked
"Well, there's a bathroom down the hall," he offered, and I nodded, going a little pale.
Dally must have noticed because he said, "I'll go with you and wait outside the door to make sure no one tries anything."
I smiled, happy he would do that.
Once in the bathroom, I scrubbed off all the heavy makeup and peeled off my tight clothes. Changing into Dally's much looser clothes, I gave a sigh of relief at the lack of constriction.
I didn't want to keep Dally waiting too long, so I used the restroom and gathered my things, opening the door. Dally turned to me and I watched his eyes look me up and down.
"You look good in my clothes," he said simply in a low voice. I nodded and blushed. "Come on," he prompted, leading the way back to his room.
Once inside, I placed my clothes on his dresser and went to sit on the bed as he locked his door.
Then I watched as Dally pulled a pillow from the bed and a blanket from the closet and throw them to the floor before lowering himself down.
"…Dally?" I asked in a hesitant voice.
"Yeah?" he answered gruffly.
"You can sleep up here in the bed with me. I'll stay on my side and you can stay on yours," I offered, not sure where I was getting the courage to voice my thoughts.
"Nah, I'm good," he replied after a pause.
"Please, I feel weird, I'm not comfortable up here alone," I pushed, not sure where my neediness was coming from. Dally didn't say anything and I thought that my clinginess had disgusted him.
I couldn't bear to look at him. I heard him getting up, moving around, but I couldn't bear to see him leave me alone. I clenched my eyes shut, not bearing to breathe until I was sure he was gonna. I was so focused on not letting my tears show that I didn't hear Dally walking around the bed to lay on the other side until I felt the bed sink in under his weight. I glanced quickly to find Dally lying above the blankets, a cigarette hanging between his lips.
"What's wrong, Rach?" he asked, raising his hand to motion to my tear stricken face.
"I thought you were gonna leave me," I muttered, revolted with the neediness that Dally seemed to bring out.
"Nah. Don't worry kid, I'm not going anywhere," he assured me as I turned to face him. He moved his hands to wipe my tears away I felt like I was floating on a cloud.
"Do you always stay here?" I asked.
"Yeah. It's home," he replied simply, staring off.
"Why did you threaten to hurt Tim the other night?" The question had been on my mind for a while.
"Because I didn't know it, but you're mine and no one's going to touch you," Dally told me, his hand running through my hair. Instead of being upset by his possessiveness, I felt the warm feeling filling me. "I'm gonna borrow one of Buck's cars tomorrow and drop you back at the Curtis's," he said, his hand still stroking my hair.
"Are you gonna stay for a little while?" I asked, not sure why it mattered but praying that he said yes anyway.
"Do you want me to stay for a little while?" Dally asked, looking down at me.
I reached for his hand, clutching it in mine. "Yeah, I'd like it if you did," I murmured, looking up at him.
"Then I'll stay for a little while," he promised, squeezing my hand. "Now let's get some sleep," he said, putting out his cigarette out with his free hand, keeping his other hand still held in mine.
"Night Dally, and thanks," I whispered with a small smile.
"For what?" he asked.
"For being you," I answered.
"Night Rachel," he grinned.
I fell asleep with a smile on my face, my hand still tight with his. I didn't rightly know what exactly was happening between Dally and I, but I wasn't worried. I was more than happy to just let things happen as they did. Because in this moment I was happier than I had been since before my grandmother had passed away.