Stay Gold

Dally almost killed a soc for me, big deal. That didn’t change the fact that I still wasn’t too fond of him. The four of us, Ponyboy, Johnny, Dally and myself went back to the house.

“Them bastards do anything to you?” Ponyboy asked.

I shook my head slightly, not uttering a word. I looked over at Johnny, who had a bloody nose.

“They said I shouldn’t be buddying around with you guys, that ya’ll are white trash.” Sure, they may have looked different from most people, and didn’t have as much money as those soc assholes, but they had one thing that no soc had. Pride. They didn’t give a damn how society saw them, they kept doing their own thing.

Ponyboy laughed, “And they’re white trash with asshole cars, who gives a fuck?” He paused, taking a sip of his Coke that was sitting beside him, “They had no right to touch you, and for that, that makes them lower than us.”

“I’ll cut them sons of bitches if they come near our territory again,” Dally added.

What, no smart remark from him? No, “We had fooled around in the alley you whore” or “you’re just a dumb bitch”? The hell was going on? It made me wonder what Pony said to him, if he got the same lecture Johnny gave to me. Unlikely, though. Highly unlikely.

“You sure you’re fine? You seem shaken up,” He said, trying to act concerned, even though we both knew that wasn’t possible.

“Shut the fuck up,” I snapped, “I’ve had enough of you for one day. I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fucking fine. I tired of answering the same questions every thirty seconds and I’m tired of hearing horseshit come out of your mouth!”

Hash, perhaps? I could’ve said a lot worse. I could’ve been a whole lot meaner. But, I held my tongue, somewhat at least.

Dally backed away, “Goddamn, why do you hate me so much?”

Here we go again, me answering the same damn question. I glared at him, “Dallas Winston, you’ve been nothing but a jerk to me since I’ve met you! I won’t put up with it. I don’t give a damn how tuff you think you are, you’re nothing more than an arrogant, self-centered asshole, you little shit.”

He looked surprised, like he’s never been told off before, “What did you just say?” His eyes narrowed at me.

I scooted towards him, “Did I stutter?” My natural instinct told me to be a full-fledged ass to him at this point, “You don’t scare me, Dally boy, I’m not so easily scared like the rest of the guys. Do your worst, but I swear on my momma’s life that you’ll regret ever meeting me.”

He said nothing, he just stared. Honestly, everyone was staring, acting as if they’ve never heard a woman talk to a man like that. I didn’t think of Dally as a man though, I thought of him as a loser, which he was. I stared back, fury filling my eyes again. I was waiting for him to do something, anything.

“Both of you, shut the fuck up,” Johnny shouted out, “I’ve never heard two people bitch as much as the two of you do! Now the two of you don’t have to like each other, but I’m done hearing you two bitch and moan!”

Now what’s gotten into Johnny? He was always so...frail, so...jumpy. When did he get guts to talk to anyone like that, especially to Dally?

“I need to get out for a bit, I...I feel shaky,” I said, making a quick exit out the door. It was dark outside. I knew it wasn’t safe for a young woman to be walking the streets, but I simply didn’t care. I was livid, all because of goddamn Dallas Winston. Boy, did he drive me up a wall. How long was it before I did something stupid because of him?

I made my way over to the lot, Ponyboy and Johnny’s hideout when they didn’t want to be with me. I lay on the makeshift bench they had, taking long drags off my cancer stick. I heard a rustling in the bushes behind me and sprung up quickly. I examined the area where I heard the noise. Nothing. I assumed it was just an animal and I went back to my resting position. The rustling continued. Only this time, it got louder, closer. I reached into my jacket pocket, “You better come out, whoever you are, I’ll blow your head off!” I knew I didn’t have a gun, but who or whatever was in that bush didn’t have to know.

“I swear, you...you better come out now,” I said, standing up and backing away from the bushes.

“Will you calm down?” Someone sighed angrily, “It’s only me.” Dally appeared out of the bushes. I frowned, I was hoping it was a serial killer or rapist, not him.

“Now I wish I had a gun,” I began, “what the hell do you want, Dallas Winston?” I snapped, glaring at him like the monster he was.

“First,” He started to say, “I know you don’t have no gun on you. Second, you don’t know how to shoot one. And thirdly...” He paused, “I came to make sure you was okay, and to say I was sorry.”

I folded my arms across my chest, “I don’t need your damn apology. Get lost, hood.”

He laughed. It was that kind of laugh that annoyed you like all hell, but at the same time it was irresistible. To me, however, it was the kind of laugh that made you want to kill someone.

“You know what you sound like?” Dally began, “One of those fucking soc broads. I can’t fucking stand ‘em.”

“If you can’t stand ‘em so damn much like you say, why is it you’re always tryin’ to pick one up?”

He went silent.

“That’s what I thought. You don’t fool me one bit, Dallas Winston. You may act tough, but you’re not. You’re really some goddamn child trying to act like he’s somebody. You may scare everyone else in the gang, but not me. Sure as hell, not me. You may have seen some pretty awful stuff, but I bet your sorry, loser ass I’ve seen the same, if not worse. Think about what you say before you say it...” I paused, “Because if you dare say the wrong thing, I won’t hesitate to risk the little I have in this world and in my life just to take you out of it.” I said, glaring and getting chest to chest with him.

At this point, I was waiting for Dally to do anything, say anything. Did I finally get it through his thick head that I wasn’t like a scared little kid like everyone else? When you’re abused and beat up like an old rug growing up, there’s one thing you can’t be. And that’s afraid. You had to act tough, otherwise you’d get eaten alive in this awful world we live in. I understand that Johnny is traumatized because of the socs that jumped him and beat the tar out of him, because I’d probably be the same way if I was hurt by them that bad, especially people you don’t know. Having a drunk family member do it is a whole ‘nother story.

“Aw,” Dally finally managed to say, “your threats are cute, you’re actually kinda cute when you’re mad.” He smiled menacingly.

My face was mere inches away from his. I could feel his warm breath on me.

“Believe me,” I smiled, “I know. It’s an awful shame that you won’t get to experience all this damn cuteness, because you’re such a jerk. Have fun eyeballin’ soc girls, wishing you could get one...while you’re stuck with your nasty greaseball girls, like that broad Sylvia-”

“Don’t bring Sylvia into this!” He snapped.

Hook, line, sinker. I found out what makes tuff guy tick.

“Why?” I asked, “Does it make you mad that she two-timed your sorry ass? I would have too, if you were my man, and if you were as big of a jerk to her as you are to me-”

“Shut your mouth, you bitch,” He warned, staring me right in the eye.

“Now I’m a bitch?” I questioned, “I thought a tough boy like you had more comebacks than that, Dally boy.”

All I wanted to do was instigate a fight with him, to see just how tough this bastard was; And he did just that. Before I knew it, I was on the ground and he was hovering over me.

“Oh, now you have me shaking,” I said sarcastically, “you’re pathetic.” Something told me I should stop egging him on, just to give up. But a side of me was telling me to give him hell, so I kept on going. “Look at me!” I began, “My name is Dallas Winston and I’m a punk ass,” I smiled. I was getting into some deep shit, but I simply didn’t care.

Dally got on top of me, pinning me down and pulling out his blade, placing it just under my chin.

“You think you’re tuff, putting your hands on a girl? News flash, you ain’t. You ain’t shit, honey,” I shouted, still inches away from his face. His eyes were dark, cold, full of mean and evil. “Go ahead, cut me. Finish me off. Wouldn’t be the first time I been cut, or nearly killed. Go ahead, you sick fuck, do it already!” Tears were streaming down my face now. It wasn’t because I was scared, because I wasn’t. I was angry, livid even. “Do it already!” I shouted out again.

I closed my eyes tightly, bracing myself for whatever was about to happen to me.