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violetsixx1981 · 3 months

Text

Winston

Word Count: 14880

After spending 6 months in jail Violet moves to Tulsa to live with her aunt and uncle. Her first night there she meets a mysterious boy. He looks tough and it's clear his past could rival even hers.

Canon Typical Violence

I finished the first fanfiction I ever started writing. This has been a work in progress for over two years. I am so immensely proud of myself.

Dallas Winston x Original Female Character

Chapter 1

“Hey Aunt Dorothy, do you think it would be alright if I went over to that Nightly Double drive-in place we passed on our drive into town,” I shouted? We’d driven all morning, and I’d been unpacking all afternoon. I was far from finished but I’d already been in Tulsa for 7 hours and I hadn’t even left the house. “Yeah, that’s fine, just be careful and make sure you’ve got the house key we gave you,” she said, coming into my room and handing me a couple of crumpled $1 bills. She walked out, and I turned toward my closet. I pulled out a pair of tight jeans and a low-cut black shirt and topped it with my worn-out black leather jacket. I checked my reflection in my vanity mirror, and my ginger hair fell into my green eyes in wisps. I walked into the living room, gave my uncle John a kiss on the cheek, and headed out the door.

I reached the Nightly Double and paid for my ticket. I didn’t know anybody, so I just awkwardly sat in an empty section. The first movie was Beach Blanket Bingo. It was entertaining enough, but I was starting to get thirsty, so I headed to the concessions building and waited in line. “What can I get you,” asked the man behind the counter? “Ummmm, a coke and a popcorn please,” I replied with a smile. He handed me my food, and I returned to my seat. Just as the second movie was starting, there was a commotion a few sections over from mine. I couldn’t make out any faces, but I heard a girl say something about learning to talk and act decent. There was a loud bang from the movie, and it startled me so badly that I spilled my drink on my lap. “Shit,” I said out loud and jumped up. I walked to the lady’s room and got some paper towels and started blotting the excess coke off my jeans.

I left the restroom, still drying my jeans. I wasn’t watching where I was walking and slammed right into someone’s back. “Why don’t you watch where you’re walking,” they said angrily and turned around. “Well, why the hell are you just standing there,” I said, slowly looking up from the ground? Our eyes locked, and I started to blush and look away. He was very attractive. He had dark brown hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a dark brown leather jacket, and there was a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. He looked tough, which was exactly my type. “I spilled a coke on my lap,” I said. He gave a half-smile and looked me up and down, “Have I seen you before? “No, I just moved here from Kansas to live with my aunt and uncle, I just got in this morning,” I said, still blushing. “I’m Dallas, Welcome to Tulsa,” he said as he stuck out a hand. I looked down at his hand and slowly took it in mine, “I’m Violet.” I replied with my gaze slowly moving up to meet his, I could tell he was staring at my breasts, but I didn’t mind. He dropped my hand. “You got any plans for the rest of tonight,” Dallas asked? “Not that I know of,” I teased. He raised his eyebrows at me, “How about I show you around?” I pretended to think about it for a second, “Where should we go first,” I said flirtatiously? He grinned and said, “Follow me.” He took my hand in his, and we walked out of the drive-in.

We walked through a big field and around a building with a sign that read Spencer’s Special Discount Store. We cut across Sutton St. and walked into the parking lot of a diner called the Dingo when a deep voice said, “Hey Winston.” Dallas and I both turned towards the voice. There was a guy with curly black hair and dark blue eyes. He had a scar that ran from his temple to his chin, and his nose looked like it had been broken a couple of times. “Hey Shepard,” Dallas said slowly. The guy eyed me up and down. “Are you new around here?” I nodded, “Just got in this morning. “The names Tim Shepard, it’s nice to meet you, but this ain’t no place for a lady,” he replied. Sensing that a fight was about to take place, I raised my eyebrows at him, “Violet Lennox, and I’ve been in my fair share of fights.” Tim and Dallas exchanged a bewildered look. I lifted my left jacket sleeve, revealing a 3-inch scar on my forearm. “A chick cheated on my best friend. I broke her arm, she belted me with a busted coke bottle,” I said. Dallas’s eyes widened, and then he gave a small smile. “So, what’s this about,” I asked? Looking back and forth between Tim and Dallas. “My little brother Curly caught Dally here slashing my tires,” Tim said. I looked at Dallas, and he nodded. I backed up and let them have their fight, I walked over and sat on a bench outside the diner. After it was said and done, they shook hands, and Dallas came over to where I was sitting. “Let’s get outta here,” he said, taking my hand.

“This is my buddy Buck’s place. I’ve been crashing here.” Dallas said, pointing to a large white building. We walked up the steps. Dallas opened the door, and Hank Williams came wafting out. I cringed at the sound of it. “Doesn’t anyone know decent music anymore,” I asked out loud? Dallas smiled at me, “Imagine trying to sleep right above this every night.” We walked past a bar with a bunch of rowdy drunks wearing cowboy hats and up a staircase into a bedroom. Dallas closed the door and turned toward me, “Your pants still wet? I can give you a pair of mine to wear while they dry. “Or I could just take them off,” I said, raising an eyebrow at him. “I mean, that works too,” he said with a half grin. I slowly pulled my wet jeans off. I laid them over a dresser to dry and sat down on the bed. Dallas took off his jacket and slowly lifted his black t-shirt. It looked like Tim had cracked a few of his ribs, but he didn’t seem too bothered by it. Dallas sat down next to me, “So what brought you to Tulsa? Where are your parents?” I looked out the window uncomfortably. “My “dad” is somewhere on the west coast; he could care less if I was alive or not. My mom died a year ago. After she passed, I started stealing to survive. I got in with some pretty bad people, got pulled into some fights, and accidentally almost killed a girl. Spent about 6 months in jail, after I got out the state was going to put me in a group home, but my aunt and uncle came to get me before they could,” I said, still staring out the window. “Deadbeat dad too, huh?” Dallas said. I looked back and smiled. We talked for a few hours. It turned out we had a lot more than just deadbeat dads, fight scars, and a lengthy criminal record in common.

We started making out, I climbed on top of him just as there was a knock on the door. “Hey, Dallas, Johnny and Ponyboy are outside asking for you,” said a deep voice through the door. “Alright, thanks, Buck,” Dallas said with a heavy sigh. “I better go see what they want, I’ll be right back,” Dallas said. “I’ll come down with you, I was getting kind of thirsty anyway,” I said, jumping up and pulling on my jeans, which were now completely dry. We headed downstairs, and I sat down at the bar while Dallas went to the door. The horrible Hank Williams music was loud, but I could just make out snippets of what was being said. Someone said something about someone killing someone, but things like that haven’t phased me in over a year. Dallas came back in with two boys, one with black hair and one with light brown hair. Neither one of them looked more than 14 years old. They headed up the stairs. I was going to follow, but it seemed serious, and I didn’t want to intrude. They came back down the stairs about 5 minutes later, and Dallas walked them to the door.

He stood staring out the door after them for a few seconds before turning and walking towards me. He grabbed my hand and pulled me back upstairs into the room, nearly pulling my arm out of the socket in the process. He shut the door and sat down on the bed. He looked distraught, I walked over and sat down facing him. He looked up at me and grinned before pulling me on top of him. We fell backward onto the pillows, kissing. I pulled my shirt over my head and unclipped my bra, throwing them both onto the floor. I leaned down and kissed him, biting his bottom lip. Dallas sat up, wrapped his arms around my waist, and flipped us over so he was on top. After we had sex Dallas got up and walked over to the dresser by the window. I was expecting him to kick me out because that’s what most guys did afterward. He pulled a pair of sweatpants and a large t-shirt out of the top drawer. He pulled on the sweatpants and tossed the t-shirt at me. He must have noticed the confusion on my face because he said, “Unless you’d rather go home.” “Nah I’ve got a house key and no curfew,” I replied. He grinned and said, “Good to know for future reference. Are you tired?” “Exhausted,” I said. We cuddled up under the covers and talked a little longer. Dallas fell asleep with his arm around me, and I fell asleep happy for the first time in over a year.

Chapter 2

We woke to the sound of a knock on the door. “Hey Dallas, the police are downstairs, say they have a few questions for you,” Buck said through the door. “Alright, tell them I’ll be down in a minute,” Dallas said drowsily. He got up and tossed me my jeans. I pulled them on, and we walked down the steps to see 2 uniformed police officers. One tall and skinny the other short and fat. Both officers looked up and gave Dallas a cold look of hatred when we entered the room. “What’s this about,” Dallas asked? “Seems that 2 of your friends, Ponyboy Curtis and Johnny Cade, got into some trouble last night. Cades wanted for the murder of Robert Sheldon,” the fat officer said. “What’s that got to do with me,” Dallas asked? “Don’t play dumb with us, Winston. They’re 14 and 16 years old, and they didn’t get out of town without help, and we’ve already talked to both Cade’s parents and the Curtis boy’s brothers. They don’t know where they are. So, we are gonna have to take you in for formal questioning,” the skinny officers said gruffly. “I’m sorry, officers,” I began innocently. They both looked at me like they hadn’t noticed me until then, they’re faces softened slightly. “I don’t mean to interfere, but I don’t know what Dallas could possibly know, seeing as he’s been with me all night,” I said sweetly. “Of course, ma’am,” the skinny officer said with a smile. “It’s just routine questioning, seeing as Dallas here is a close friend of both the Curtis and the Cade boy,” the fat officer finished. “Then you wouldn’t mind if I came along,” I asked with a small smile? “Not at all, ma’am,” said the skinny officer with a smile.

Dallas and I rode side by side in the back of the cop car. When we got to the station, the officers took Dallas into the back. He came back out about 45 minutes later. We walked over to the Dingo and got hamburgers and cokes. “Can I ask you something,” I asked Dallas as he lit a cigarette while we were walking back to Bucks? Dallas nodded. “You know where those boys are, don’t you,” I asked? “Yeah, they’re in a small town called Windrixville, but I told the fuzz they were headed for Texas. Can I ask you something,” Dallas asked? “Of course,” I replied. “Why did you lie for me? I mean, you hardly know me. We only met last night, and I know that you know that those boys stopped at Bucks last night,” Dallas said. “Those boys wouldn’t have hurt a fly unless they didn’t have a choice, plus I could tell how much those kids meant to you. Not very many guys would put getting laid on hold to help someone, even if it was their best friend,” I said. Dallas gave me a look of gratitude. We got back to Bucks, and Dallas grabbed a beer from behind the bar.

We headed upstairs to find a boy with dark gold hair and dark brown eyes sitting on the bed. He looked vaguely familiar, but I knew there was no way I knew him. I’d only gotten here yesterday, and I’d spent the entire night with Dallas. “Hey Sodapop,” Dallas said as we entered the room, The boy stood up and said, “Hey Dallas.” His voice was strained with worry. “Dally….,” the boy said before pausing and lifting up a sweatshirt with the arms cut off. I recognized it as the one that the light-haired boy was wearing when they arrived the night before. “…. If you know where Ponyboy and Johnny are….” The boy continued. “I don’t know where they are, Soda,” Dallas said. “IF you see them, can you give this to Pony,” Soda said, handing Dally a folded-up piece of paper and a wad of cash, and that’s when it hit me. He looked like the light-haired boy; this must be one of the brothers that the skinny officer had mentioned. “Sure, if I see them, I’ll give it to him,” Dally said, putting it into his wallet.

Soda turned and smiled at me. “I’m Sodapop,” he said, as he stuck his hand out. I took it and said, "I'm Violet, it's nice to meet you.” Soda turned back to Dallas, “We’re all getting together at the house tomorrow. You can come if you’d like,” Soda said to me before turning and leaving. “I should probably head home for the night. Uncle John and Aunt Dorothy probably think I ran off,” I chuckled. “I can meet you back here tomorrow,” I said to Dallas. “That works, I got some stuff to get done tonight anyway,” Dallas replied.

I slid the key into the front door and walked in. “Aunt Dorothy? Uncle John,” I shouted. “We’re in the living room. Come in here,” Uncle John yelled back. I walked into the living room where they were watching Bewitched. “Hey, sweetheart,” Aunt Dorothy said. “Did you make some friends at the drive-in?” Uncle John asked hopefully. “Yeah, I’m going over to their house tomorrow night, I said, “That’s great sweetheart, you know we don’t mind what you do, just give us a call every once and a while so we know you’re safe and maybe a phone number to possibly reach you in case of an emergency,” said Aunt Dorothy. “I will Auntie Doe,” I said, calling her the nickname I’d given her as a child. I wrote down Buck’s name, so she’d be able to look him up in the phone book and walked into my room. I peeled off my jeans and rifled through a box until I reached the bottom where I’d pack my pajama shorts. I pulled on a pair of dark purple ones. I walked out to the living room and sat next to Uncle John. “What do you want for dinner,” Aunt Dorothy asked? “Do we have the stuff for spaghetti,” I asked hopefully? Uncle John laughed and said, “We made sure to stock up on the ingredients for that.” Aunt Dorothy got up and headed into the kitchen. “Do you need some help, auntie Doe,’’ I asked? “If you want to help, you can, sweetheart,” she replied. I followed her into the kitchen. We all ate dinner and talked and laughed about memories of my mama and other things in town. After we had cleared the table, I went into my room to relax. I laid on my bed and tried to read Gone with the Wind, but I couldn’t get Dallas out of my head. I hadn’t felt this way about anyone in a really long time. I fell asleep thinking about him. I dreamed about him all night.

Chapter 3

I woke up to Aunt Dorothy saying, “Violet, you’ve got a call.” I got up and walked into the living room, Aunt Dorothy handed me the phone. “Hello,” I said with a yawn? “Hey, Violet,” Dallas said from the other line. I perked up at the sound of his voice, “Hey Dally, how did you get this number?” “Phone book! Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to go to the Dingo before we head to Sodapop’s,” Dally said? “Sure, I’d love to,” I said. “Cool, I’ll meet you there in about 10 minutes,” Dally said and hung up. I put the phone back and ran into my room and opened my closet. I pulled out a pair of dark jeans and a low-cut purple top and changed into them. I headed into the living room and gave both Auntie Doe and Uncle John a kiss and headed out the door.

Dally was already waiting for me outside the Dingo when I came walking up. He looked up from stamping out his cigarette. He smiled, “Hey,” We walked inside the restaurant and sat down at the bar. A waitress came up and asked, “What can I get ya?” Dallas looked at me and said,” Get whatever you want. “” I looked up above the bar where the menu was and said, “I’ll take a short stack of pancakes and a glass of orange juice.” The waitress looked at Dally and said, “And for you? “I’ll take an order of bacon, 2 waffles, and a glass of apple juice,” Dallas said. The waitress walked away to put our order in and brought us our drinks. Dally turned towards me. “Did you sleep well without being next to me,” he teased. I laughed and blushed a little. “Yeah, I had you in my dreams,” I teased back. We talked a little back and forth until the waitress brought our order out. We ate, and Dally went to pay the bill. While I waited for him, I noticed a greasy girl glaring at me from across the diner. I gave her a dirty look right as Dally came walking back over. Dally looked in her direction and got this awkward look on his face. “Let’s get outta here,” he reached for my hand. We walked out, and I asked, “Who was that?” “My ex, Sylvia, I dumped her for the 4th and final time the day before the last cuz she was two-timing me again while I was in the cooler,” Dally said dryly. “What a bitch,” I said. We walked to Bucks, and the moment we got upstairs we instantly started pulling each other’s clothes off. I pushed Dally on the bed and climbed on top of him and we made love once again. After we got done Dally looked at the clock on the wall and said oh shit, we gotta head to Sodapop’s. We both got up and got dressed.

As Dally and I walked up the steps and opened the front door of Sodapop’s house the sounds of Van Morrison’s Gloria came wafting out. We walked in and Soda came to greet us “Hey Dally,” he said shaking Dally’s hand. He turned towards me, “Glad you could make it.” I nodded at him with a smile. We walked into the kitchen where 2 guys were sitting at the table. One was tall probably at least 6 ft 1 and muscular and the other was tall and lean. They were arm wrestling but they stopped when they noticed us standing there. The taller one stood up and walked over sticking his hand out, “I’m Daryl Curtis it’s nice to meet you,” “Violet,” I said shaking his hand. The lean boy just sat at the table eyeing me judgmentally up and down. Soda must have noticed because he walked over and said, “Violet this is Steve Randle.” Steve nodded at me and said, “Nice to meet you.” “Nice to meet you too,” I said with a smile. “Hey Dallas,” Steve said. “Hey Stevo, how ya doing? Where’s Two-bit,” Dally asked? “Aw he should be here soon probably just got caught up swiping something from a store, you know Two-bit,” Soda said. Darry walked up to Dallas and me and said, “You two walk with me to the Shop&Save to get some beer.”

We walked out the front door and down the street. Darry asked me, “You new to town?” “Yeah, I just moved here from Kansas to live with my aunt and uncle’” I replied. “Oh really? What do your aunt and uncle do,” Darry asked. “He owns a roofing company, um Lennox Roofing I think, and my aunt is a nurse at the hospital,” I responded. “Oh really, your uncle my boss, he’s a nice guy,” Darry said. Dally stopped in the road and said, “Did you hear that?” Me and Darry asked simultaneously, “Hear what?” That’s when we heard it too. “Dirty Greaser,” said a snarly voice. Then came a mocking voice repeating it, “Dirty Greaser!” It was coming from the next alley. Dally and Darry turned to each-other and said, “Two-bit!” They took off running and I ran to catch up. All three of us skidded to a halt. In the alley was a guy with rust colored hair being jumped by 3 Socs in different colored madras. Without even thinking I ran in and socked one of the Socs in the nose with a deafening crack. All three of them ran off, and Dally and Darry came running. “Damn babe,” Dally said with a touch of regard in his voice. Two-bit put his blade away and said, “Damn Dally where’d you find this chick? Not even the hardest Grease chicks fight, let alone being able to punch like that.” He stuck his hand out to me and said, Two-bit nice to meet you,” I took it in mine and said, “Violet, and it’s nice to meet you too,” The four of us finished the walk to the Shop&Save and grabbed the beer., using Dally's fake ID which had his age as 21. On the walk back Two-bit said. “I read in the paper that Johnny and Ponyboy are headed for Texas, I want to go after them.” Me and Dally exchanged a look. Darry responded, “Even if they really are headed for Texas, it’s a big state and we don’t have any way of getting there. Trust me Two-bit no one wants Pony and Johnny back more than I do, but unfortunately, they don’t wanna be found right now.” When we reached the house Steve and Soda were on the porch, “Hey Two-bit what was the hold up?” Steve said, doing a flip off the porch railing. “Three Socs tried to jump me, but boy you shoulda seen Violet. She socked one of them right in the nose, I’m pretty sure she broke it too,” Two-bit said. Steve looked at me surprised, “Where’d you learn to fight like that?” I again explained what happened after my mom died. We all headed inside and played a little poker and drank some beer. I don’t know what surprised the guys more the fact that I took a beer the first time it was offered or that I won the first poker game. As me and Dally were getting ready to head out, he said, “Hey me and Violet are gonna be hanging out at the vacant lot with some of Shepard’s gang tonight does anyone wanna tag along?” Darry said, “I think we’d better stay home just in case Ponyboy calls…” and Soda nodded in agreement. “I’ll stick with Soda and Darry.” Steve said. “Oh, what the heck I’m in,” Two-bit said. And the three of us headed out the door.

When we reached the lot Tim, and 5 other guys were already there. Tim looked up and saw us coming. He greeted Dally and then turned towards me and nodded. I nodded back and he turned to Two-bit, “How ya doin’ Two-bit.” “Ah pretty good a couple of Socs tried to jump me, but Violet here came running up and broke one of their noses and they went running,” Two-bit said. I smiled, and Tim said, “She got quite the arm on her huh?” We stood talking for a bit then Tim and Dally started wrestling. Two-bit was doing a spot-on impression of a Soc when a bright red Stingray came pulling up beside us. A thin girl with red hair climbed out of the driver’s seat and walked right up to Dally. “Hey Dallas…” She spoke. Dallas eyed her coolly. I looked her up and down choking back a laugh she dressed like my grandma. “Hi Cherry,” Two-bit said, “Hi Two-bit,” she responded with a smile, before turning her focus back to Dallas, “If and when they find Ponyboy and Johnny, I’ll testify that Bob and Randy were drunk. That they were looking for a fight and Johnny fought back in self defense. I feel like this is all my fault if I’d just left Ponyboy and Johnny alone at the drive-in that night none of this would have happened.” Tim looked her up and down and then at one of his buddies, “Ain’t you that dead kid's girlfriend?” She nodded warily. “We ought to jump you just for that, you got a lot of nerve coming to this side of town,” said Tim reaching for his blade. Two-bit stuck an arm out and stopped him before he could reach it, “We ain’t jumping a chick,” “How about I take you to the Dingo, I’ll buy you a coke,” Dallas said. I had to choke down yet another laugh, but Cherry heard this one. She turned and glared at me. “No thank you Dallas! You can go to hell.” And with that she walked back to her car and drove out of the lot. “The jumpings have been getting a lot more frequent, that Soc that the quiet kid killed sure had a lot of friends. We witnessed 4 separate jumpings just on our walk here. Greaser can’t walk alone at all anymore, it’s all out war all over town Soc against Grease,” Tim said. “Check this out,” Dally said. He pulled a black heater out of his waistband. Two-bit’s eyes widened, “What are you doing with a Gun Dallas?” “Don’t worry it ain’t loaded, but it’s good for a bluff,” Dally responded, sliding it back into his waistband. “We’re in the process of getting a rumble between us and the Socs set up here, the deal is they win things remain how they are if we win, they stay out of our territory and quit jumping us,” Tim said. “Hey Tim, where’s Curly,” Two-bit asked? “He got caught trying to break into a liquor store, and got himself 6 months in a reformatory,” Tim said, shaking his head.

As we walked back to Buck’s Dallas turned to me, stepping directly into my path, I was so lost in thought I nearly tripped, but he caught me. I looked up and smiled at him. “Violet….,” he started but stopped. I pulled myself into a standing position and looked at him worriedly. “Yes Dallas,” I said. “I wanted to know if you would be my girl,” Dallas said. I blushed bright pink. “Yeah, I’d love to be your girl," I said. He leaned in and kissed me gently. We walked the rest of the way back to Buck’s holding hands. Hank Williams was cranked up once again. We sat down at the bar, and I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see Buck standing there. “Hey Buck,” Dallas said. Buck shook his hand before returning his gaze to me. I smiled at him. “Someone called for you while you were gone, said her name was Dorothy. It sounded pretty serious. If you wanna give her a call back there’s a phone in my room upstairs,” Buck said. “Thanks Buck,” I said, hopping off the bar stool. “Do you want me to come up with you,” Dallas asked? “Nah get yourself a drink, I’ll have one when I get back. I’m sure it’s nothing too serious,” I gave him a kiss and walked up the stairs. I walked into Buck’s room, closed the door and picked up the phone. I slowly dialed the house number; it rang twice, and Aunt Dorothy picked up.

I stumbled my way down the stairs and into the bar. I was hot and I felt like I couldn’t breathe, like the room was closing in on me. Dallas was still at the bar, laughing and joking with Buck and a few other guys. “Dallas,” I said. He turned to me, his smile quickly fading. He got up and ran over to me, catching me just as I started to fall. “Whoa, what happened babe,” Dallas asked as I leaned against his chest hyperventilating. By then all the guys at the bar had quit laughing and were looking over. Dallas pulled me over to a bar stool and sat me on it. Buck handed me a glass of water, and I took a sip. My breathing slowly returned to normal. “Okay now tell me what happened,” Dallas said. “My uncle was hit by a car,” I said. “Jesus Christ,” Dallas said. “My aunt is headed to the hospital now, she wants me to meet her there, but I don’t even know where the hospital is,” I said. Buck reached behind the bar and pulled out a set of car keys, “it’s down past the Nightly Double. You can take my car.” Dallas took them from him saying, “She’s in no condition to drive, I’ll take her.”

Dallas picked me up off the barstool and carried me outside. He gently placed me into the passenger seat of a red T-bird and climbed into the driver’s seat. As we drove out of the parking lot of Bucks place all I could think about was my uncle, my mom’s brother. He was the last blood family member I had left aside from my sperm donor. Dallas cleared his throat, causing me to jump. “What exactly happened babe,” he asked? I took a deep breath to calm my nerves, “Aunt Dorothy and Uncle John went for a walk. They were crossing Pickett when some drunk Soc in a green Mustang plowed into my uncle doing 50 mph. He didn’t even stop to see if my uncle was alive or not.” Dallas squeezed my hand gently, and I relaxed slightly. We pulled into the parking lot of the St. John’s Medical Center and climbed out. Dallas took my hand and led me into the building and up-to the receptionist. She looked up at us and smiled, “Can I help you?” I stuttered, “M-m-my uncle was brought in by ambulance. His name is John Lennox.” She looked down and leafed through a stack of papers pulling a page out of the middle. “Looks like he's in the ICU being prepped for surgery. You can’t go in. Wait are you Violet,” she said looking up at me. I nodded slowly. “Your Aunt Dorothy wants you to meet her in the ICU waiting room,” she said, pointing towards a staircase.

I thanked her and Dallas and I walked up the stairs. Aunt Dorothy was sitting stiffly in a hospital chair when we reached the landing, she jumped up and ran over when she saw us. I wrapped my arms around her waist, and we both cried. “Has there been any updates,” I asked hopefully? Aunt Dorothy shook her head no. Aunt Dorothy smiled at Dallas, seeming to have only noticed him then. “Aunt Dorothy, this is Dallas Winston. Dallas this is my Aunt Dorothy,” I said. They shook hands and Dallas said, “its nice to meet you.” Aunt Dorothy smiled, “it’s nice to meet you too.” Just then the tall skinny police officers from the other day came walking up to us. “Ma’am are you Dorothy Lennox,” he asked softly. My aunt nodded. “I need to ask you a few questions about the person that hit your husband. Can you tell me the make and model of the car,” the officer asked. “It was a forest green Ford Mustang,” Aunt Dorothy responded. “That’s a pretty common car around here, can you tell me anything else? Did you get a look at the driver,” the officer asked? “It all happened so fast,” Aunt Dorothy said. “Wait, I remember… There was a confederate flag hanging out the back window on the passenger side,” Aunt Dorothy said. Something flashed across the officer’s hardened face. It almost looked like recognition, but it disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. “Thank you for your time, ma’am. We will do everything we can to find the person who did this. I’m not gonna make any promises though, odds are we aren’t gonna find him,” the officers said. Aunt Dorothy stared at him incredulously as he walked away.

I looked over at Dallas and could tell something was wrong. “Are you alright Dallas,” I asked. He grabbed my hand and said, “Would you excuse us for a moment?” Aunt Dorothy nodded, and Dallas pulled me into the stairwell. “What is it,” I asked worriedly? Dallas looked away. “I know who hit your uncle,” he said, turning his gaze back to mine. My eyes widened. “Who was it,” I asked? “Don’t worry about it, I’m gonna take care of it,” Dallas said. “Dallas what does that mean,” I asked in a serious tone? Dallas grabbed my hand and pulled me back into the waiting room. “I’ve gotta take off, but it was nice to meet you,” he said, shaking Aunt Dorothy’s hand again. He walked out of the building. “Is he okay,” Aunt Dorothy asked? “Uhh yeah his roommate just needed his car back,” I lied. We sat there for what felt like days. A doctor walked into the waiting room, “Dorothy Lennox?” We got up and walked over. The doctor smiled, “Your husband’s out of surgery. Other than a few broken ribs, a broken leg and a slight concussion he’s fine.” We both sighed in relief. “Can we go see him," I asked hopefully. “You can go in but he’s still sleeping off the medication,” the doctor said.

As the doctor led us into the hospital room I couldn’t shake the memories of my mom dead in her hospital bed. I felt woozy and started to sway. The doctor caught me. “Whoa there,” he said, leading me to a chair. “I’ll go get you a cup of water,” he said leaving the room. Aunt Dorothy walked over to me. “This is the first time you’ve been in a hospital since your mom…. Isn’t it,” she asked? I nodded. The doctor came back in and handed me the cup. Aunt Dorothy reached into her purse pulling out a bottle of aspirin, handing me two tablets. After about 30 minutes Uncle John started to groan. Both Aunt Dorothy and I shot up and walked over to the bed. Uncle John smiled when he saw me, “Hey kiddo.” “Hey Uncle John,” I replied, squeezing his hand. Aunt Dorothy leaned over and gave him a kiss. “How ya feelin,” she asked? “Hungry,” Uncle John said. All three of us laughed. “Would you mind taking my car and running through McDonald’s,” Aunt Dorothy asked? “Of course, Auntie Doe,” I replied. She handed me some money and the keys to her car.

When I got back to the hospital with the food, Uncle John had been moved out of the ICU. Aunt Dorothy was talking to the receptionist about the next time they’d be working together. I walked up and Aunt Dorothy smiled at me. “I’ll see you next week Susan,” she said to the receptionist before leading to Uncle John’s new room. When we walked in, he was propped up on a pillow flipping through TV channels. I handed Uncle John’s burger and fries to him. After we’d all finished eating Aunt Dorothy told me I should take her car and go home and sleep. After some protest I caved and took the keys. The whole drive home all I could think about was what Dallas had said. What did he mean by I’ll take care of it? I really hope he doesn’t get himself in trouble. I unlocked the front door and picked up the phone to dial Buck’s. “Hello,” Buck said. “Hey Buck, is Dallas there,” I asked. “No, he hasn’t been here since the two of you left for the hospital,” Buck replied. “Okay, can you tell him I called,” I asked? “Yeah, I’ll let him know when I see him next,” Buck said. I hung up the phone and walked into my bedroom. I laid down and started crying for the first time since my mom died.

Chapter 4

I woke up the next day around 1 pm and realized I was still wearing my outfit from the day before. I must have cried myself to sleep. I got up, peeled off my clothes, and walked into the bathroom for a shower. I just stood in the hot water for probably a good twenty minutes before actually washing. I climbed out, wrapped a towel around myself, and walked back to my bedroom. I pulled on a pair of dark jeans and a blacktop. I started combing my hair just as the phone started ringing. I walked into the living room and picked it up. “Hello,” I said. “Good you’re awake, your uncle is being discharged. Could you come to pick us up,” Aunt Dorothy asked?” “I’ll be there in 15 minutes,” I said, hanging up the phone.

When I pulled up to the hospital Aunt Dorothy and Uncle John were waiting outside. Uncle John was on crutches. I climbed out to help Aunt Dorothy get him into the passenger seat and then climbed into the back seat. We pulled up to the house and I went to hold the door open for Uncle John. Aunt Dorothy went into the kitchen to cook something for lunch and Uncle John went to lay down in their bedroom. I sat down on the couch and turned on the television. I flipped through channels until an I Love Lucy rerun came on. The phone started ringing. “Violet, can you get that please,” Aunt Dorothy shouted from the kitchen? “Yeah,” I shouted back. I picked up the phone, “Hello,” “Hey Violet,” the voice said. “Oh hi, Darryl how are you,” I asked? “Oh, I’m…. I just wanted to check on your uncle,” Darryl said. “He’s doing good, he just got home. Hey, have you seen or heard from Dallas since last night, I asked? “No, I haven’t seen him since the two of you were over here the other day. Why…. Is everything okay,” he asked? “Oh yeah everything’s fine, I just need to tell him my uncle’s okay,” I lied. “Alright…. I’ll let him know you’re looking for him if I see him,” Darryl said. I hung up the phone just as Aunt Dorothy was setting the table for lunch “Can you go wake your uncle up dear,” Aunt Dorothy asked? I nodded. “Hey Uncle John, Aunt Dorothy’s got lunch ready,” I said, knocking on the door. “Alright thanks, sweetheart, could you come in here and hand me my crutches? They fell on the floor, and I can’t get them,” Uncle John said. I pushed the door open and knelt, grabbing the crutches. “Here you go,” I said, handing them to Uncle John.

After we finished eating, uncle John and I went into the living room to play Go Fish and aunt Dorothy cleared the table. We played 4 games, 3 of which I lost. The phone rang and Aunt Dorothy answered it. “Violet, Dallas is on the phone,” She yelled from the kitchen. “Thanks, Auntie Doe,’’ I said, picking up the call on the living room phone. “Hey Dallas,” I said. “Hey baby, I heard your uncle was discharged this morning,” Dallas said. “Yeah, he’s doing well,” I replied. “That’s great. Can you meet me at Buck,” Dallas asked? “Yeah, I’ll be there in 20 minutes,” I said, hanging up. I went to tell Aunt Dorothy I was leaving to meet up with Dallas but that I’d be back for dinner. I hugged her and grabbed my worn-out leather jacket. As I was heading out the door Aunt Dorothy yelled, “Hey Violet, invite Dallas over for dinner tonight at 5 pm.” “Okay, Auntie Doe,” I said, closing the door behind me.

I walked into Bucks to find Dallas sitting on one of the bar stools. “Dallas,” I said, walking over to him. He turned around and I could tell he’d been in a fight. He had an ice pack on his knuckles. “Hey babe,” he said smiling. I sat down. “Does that have anything to do with the guy in the green Mustang,” I asked, gesturing to his hand? “Don’t worry about it babe, I took care of it,” he replied “He ain’t dead,” Dallas said after noticing the look of fear on my face. I smiled and leaned forward to kiss him. “Let’s go upstairs,” Dallas said after kissing me back. When we got into the bedroom Dallas closed the door and sat down on the bed. I sat down next to him and said, “My aunt wants you to come over for dinner tonight at 5.” He turned to me and smiled. “Why not. Oh, by the way I’m driving up to Windrixville tomorrow to check on Ponyboy and Johnny. I think you should stay here; I don’t want to get you mixed up in this any more than you already are,” Dallas said. “Okay, just call me when you get back then,” I said. Dallas pulled me closer, kissing me softly, we fell back onto the pillows kissing. He held my face and said, “Where have you been all my life?” I blushed. We fell asleep holding each other.

When we woke up it was already 5 o’clock. “Oh, shit we’re late,” I said. Dallas jumped up and we ran downstairs where for once there wasn’t a party happening. I picked up the phone behind the bar and dialed my house number. Aunt Dorothy picked up, “Hello?” “Hey, auntie Doe we fell asleep. We are headed that way now,” I replied. “Okay sweetheart sees you guys when you get here,” she responded before hanging up. Dallas came behind the bar and grabbed Buck’s keys. “Hey Buck, is it cool if I take your car? We’re running late for dinner at Violet’s,” Dallas yelled. “Yeah, go for it,” Buck yelled from upstairs. We pulled up to the house and parked. I led Dallas inside to where Aunt Dorothy and Uncle John were already sitting at the table. Uncle John turned to us and smiled. “I’d come to shake your hand, but I’m a little busted up,” he said, shaking one of his crutches. Dallas walked over and shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you,” Dallas said. “It’s nice to meet you too. Dallas is it, Uncle John asked? Dallas nodded. “I hope you like meatloaf,” Aunt Dorothy said. “I love meatloaf,” Dallas responded with a smile. We all sat down to eat. “This is delicious Mrs. Lennox,” Dallas said. “Please, call me Doe,” Aunt Dorothy responded.

After we finished, I helped Aunt Dorothy clears the table, and then we all went into the living room to talk. Dallas was explaining how we met when there was a knock on the door. “Who could that be,” Aunt Dorothy asked out loud? Uncle John shrugged. Aunt Dorothy went to answer it and 5 minutes later she came walking back in with the tall skinny police officer. He looked at Dallas and made a dirty look. “What’s this about,” asked Uncle John? The officer looked at Uncle John and then returned his gaze to Dallas. “We stopped at your buddy Bucks’s place, he said you’d be here. We have a guy down at the station that’s pretty beat up saying Dallas here attacked him this morning,” the officer said. When Dallas didn’t say anything, the officer continued, “He drives a green Mustang, but we can’t verify that it’s the guy that hit you last night. But maybe You thought it was the guy and decided to get a little revenge for your girlfriend’s uncle.” Excuse me, officer,” Aunt Dorothy said, clearly picking up on what was going on. The officer turned to her with a smile. “I understand how this might look, but Dallas has been here since last night, so there’s no way he could have done that," Aunt Dorothy lied. The officer looked stunned and a bit angry, but he apologized and left.

After his cruiser had pulled out of the driveway Dallas turned to Aunt Dorothy and said, “You didn’t have to lie for me.” “And you didn’t have to do what you did for me,” Uncle John said. Dallas finished telling them how we met and then said, “I should go, I don’t wanna take up any more of your time.” “Nonsense you’ve been a joy. Why don’t you stay the night just in case that cop tries to harass you again,” Aunt Dorothy said. I looked at Dallas hopefully. “I mean if you want me to,” Dallas said. Aunt Dorothy smiled. I showed Dallas to my bedroom. “Nice frilly pink curtains,” he teased. “Thanks, they’re hand-stitched,” Aunt Dorothy said, clearly not catching the sarcastic tone in Dallas’s voice. She walked in and handed Dallas a pair of pajama pants. “I’ll let you two get dressed for bed,” she said walking out of the room.

Dallas changed into the pajama pants, and we climbed into my bed. We talked until we fell asleep holding each other.

Chapter 5

We woke up the next morning to a light knocking on the door. “Violet? Dallas? Breakfast is ready, I made pancakes,” Aunt Dorothy said through the door. “We’ll be out in a few minutes Auntie Doe,” I replied. I rolled over putting my face on Dallas’s chest. He gently pushed his fingers through my hair. I sat up leaning forward and softly kissed his lips. I kicked the blankets off and stood up to stretch. Dallas stretched in bed before standing up and pulling on his clothes. We walked into the kitchen together. Uncle John was asleep in his recliner and aunt Dorothy was currently flipping a pancake. “There’s orange juice in the fridge,” Aunt Dorothy said. I grabbed 3 glasses from the cupboard setting them on the table. Dallas handed me the orange juice. We sat down, and Aunt Dorothy put 2 pancakes on each of our plates before sitting down across from me. “What time will you be leaving for Windrixville babe,” I asked? “Probably right after breakfast, I should only be gone for 2 or 3 hours,” Replied Dallas, as he ate his pancakes. “Will I see you later,” I asked around a bite of pancake. “Yeah, I can pick you up after. I was thinking we could go to the drive-in tonight,” Dallas said. “That sounds good,” I said. “What are your plans for today, Auntie Doe,” I asked turning to look at my aunt. “Well, I’ve got to pick something out for your uncle’s birthday present and do a little grocery shopping. Why don’t you come with me, and we’ll have a mini girl’s day,” she said looking at me. “I miss the girl’s days we used to have when I was little,” I said with a smile. “Alright then we’ll figure out what we’re going to do after Dallas leaves,” Aunt Dorothy said as she grabbed our plates and walked them to the sink.

“Like I said I shouldn’t be more than a couple hours, and when I get back, we can go to the drive-in,” Dallas said, as we walked outside. “Alright, just call me when you get back into town, and I can meet you at Buck’s,” I said leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his lips. Dallas climbed into Buck’s car and pulled out of the driveway. “VIOLET,” Auntie Doe yelled. “I’m right here,” I yelled back as I shut the front door behind me. “Alright, we should probably get ready now, so we’re done when Dallas gets back,” Aunt Dorothy said.

“Did you have any ideas of what to get Uncle John,” I asked, as we walked into Spencer’s Special Discount Store. “Well, I was thinking a new pair of coveralls, or a new pair of work boots,” Aunt Dorothy said as she grabbed a buggy. “I did notice his coveralls are practically falling apart,” I joked. “I swear that man would sooner have his clothes fall apart in public than, let go,” Aunt Dorothy joked. We slowly browsed the various shelves and racks. Ultimately, we decided to get him a new pair of coveralls and a new coffee mug. After we checked out, we headed to the Dingo to order lunch to go.

“Violet, how much do you know about Dallas,” Aunt Dorothy asked as we drove back to the house. I furrowed my brow at her. “What do you mean,” I asked. “He’s known around town for being quite the troublemaker. Been in and out of jail multiple times. He’s always getting in fights,” Aunt Dorothy said. “I’m not unaware of how people feel about him. I’ve seen how the cops in town treat him. They don’t know him like I do. I know he seems hard, cold, mean, but he’s actually really sweet. Life hasn’t been kind to him. He gets me in a way that no one else does. He saw me for me, and he didn’t run away like everyone else has. He accepted me for everything that I am,” I said. “Your uncle and I were talking; things seem to be moving quickly with you two. We just want to make sure you’re being careful,” Aunt Dorothy said, as she placed her hand on mine and gently squeezed it. “I know Auntie Doe. I promise I’ll be alright,” I said. “Just be wary, Violet. That’s all I’m asking,” Aunt Dorothy said. “I will, I promise,” I said.

When we got back to the house aunt Dorothy, Uncle John, and I sat down to eat lunch. Uncle John also voiced his concerns about my relationship with Dallas. “I’m just worried he’s going to cause you to get into trouble. We just got you back, Violet. We don’t want to see you in a jail cell,” Uncle John said. I again promised that I would be careful.

After we ate, I went and called Buck’s to see if Dallas was back. “Hello,” Buck’s voice came through the receiver. “Hey Buck, it’s Violet. Is Dallas back yet,” I asked. “No, he’s not, but I’ll tell him you called when he gets here,” Bucks said. “Thanks, I appreciate it,” I said before hanging up.

Another hour passed and then another. It was starting to get dark out. I was pacing around the living room biting my nails. What if the cops followed him to Windrixville and they all got arrested? What if he got in a car accident? “I’m sure he’s fine Violet,” Uncle John said trying to comfort me. Something he had never been very good at. Just then the phone rang. “See I bet that’s him calling to tell you he lost track of time,” Uncle John said. I ran to the phone and grabbed it. “Hello? Dally?” I said my voiced obviously filled with anxiety. “Violet? It’s Daryl,” the voice coming from the phone said. “Oh, hi Daryl. Did you need to speak to my uncle,” I asked. “Uh no, it’s about Dallas. Him, Johnny, and Ponyboy were involved in an accident,” Daryl said. “What kind of an accident,” I asked? “The church they were staying in caught fire. I don’t know the extent of Dallas’s injuries, but I was calling to ask if you wanted to ride with us to the hospital to see him,” Daryl said. “Yeah, I would,” I said. “Alright, we’ll be there in 5 minutes,” Daryl said. “Thanks Daryl,” I said. “No problem, sweetheart, and you can call me Darry,” he said. “Alright I’ll see you soon,” I said and hung up the phone.

I nervously paced around the room. “Is everything alright,” uncle john asked when I turned around. “Um, Dallas was in an accident. Daryl and his younger brother are their way to get me, so we can go to the hospital,” I said. “Oh, my goodness, I hope he’s okay,” Aunt Dorothy said. “Me too,” I said, just as Darry honked his horn out front. “That’s them, I’ll be back later,” I said as I slipped on my shoes and ran out the front door.

I hopped into the back seat behind Sodapop. “Thanks for picking me up,” I said. “No problem,” Soda said with a smile. “Buckle up,” Darry said. Once I was buckled in, Darry set off for the hospital.

“Do you know how the fire started,” Sodapop asked? “Probably a cigarette Pony or Johnny didn’t stamp out properly,” Darry replied. “So, uh. You said you didn’t know the extent of Dallas’ injuries, but what about your brother and his friend,” I asked. “Honestly, I’m not really sure what to expect,” Darry said, “The person that called sounded frantic, but then again there was a whole church on fire.”

We pulled up to the hospital and the three of us walked up to the front desk. “Hi, Violet, how’s your uncle healing,” Susan asked with a smile. “He’s good. We’re looking for Dallas Winston, Ponyboy Curtis, and Johnny Cade. They were involved in a fire in Windrixville and brought here by ambulance,” I said. Susan flipped through some papers. “Looks like Johnny’s in room 105, and Dallas is in room 72. Ponyboy isn’t in one. He received treatment in transit and is just waiting on a guardian to pick him up,” Susan said with a smile. “I’m his guardian,” Darry said, and the nurse directed him to the correct waiting area.

After Darry and Soda had reunited with Ponyboy I headed to find Dallas. I lightly knocked on the door before entering. “Hey, beautiful,” Dallas said with a small smile. “Hey,” I said as I sat down on the side of his bed and took note of the bandage on his arm. “How’s the pain,” I asked. “Ah, I’ll live, they got me on some good pain meds. Sorry we can’t go to the drive-in,” Dallas said taking hold of my hand. “I’m just glad you’re okay,” I said as I leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his lips. “What happened,” I asked?

Dallas explained the kids and the fire at the church, Johnny getting trapped inside and the roof caving in on top of him. I promised that I’d try to find out how Johnny was.

“Are you still participating in the rumble tomorrow,” I asked? “Unfortunately, they won’t let me leave this prison until the day after,” Dallas said. “I’m sorry Dally, I know ypu really wanted to beat the shit out of those Socs,” I said. “Let’s just hope the boys can win without me,” Dallas said.

Dallas and I talked for a few more minutes, and then I went to meet Ponyboy, Darry, and Sodapop in the lobby of the hospital.

“Hey, you ready to go,” Darry asked as I walked up. “Yeah. Hey thanks again for the ride,” I said with a smile. “No trouble at all. You seem good for Dally. The right amount of calm and crazy,” said Sodapop. “Thanks, I think,” I said. “You were at Bucks the night Johnny and I showed up,” Ponyboy said. “Yeah, I was. I’m Violet, it’s nice to finally meet you Ponyboy,” I said sticking my hand out. “It’s nice to meet you too, Violet. So, you’re why Dally seems so different,” Ponyboy said as he took my hand. “What do you mean,” I asked. “Old Dally never would have helped us pull those kids out of that church,” Ponyboy responded. “Don’t let Dally here you say that,” Darry said with a chuckle. “Let’s get home,” Sodapop said.

“Violet, is that you,” asked uncle John as I walked in the door. “Yeah it’s me,” I said as I came into the living room. “Violet, can you sit down,” Aunt Dorothy asked. “Is everything okay?” I asked as I sat down on the couch. Aunt Dorothy and Uncle John exchanged a look, one that told me this conversation wasn’t going to be pleasant. “Violet, we need to talk about Dallas,” Aunt Dorothy began, her voice calm but firm. “What about him?” I asked, already feeling defensive. “We don’t think he’s a good influence on you,” Uncle John said bluntly. “He’s always in trouble with the law, he’s reckless, and—”

“And he got hurt today because he was saving kids from a burning building!” I interrupted, my voice rising. “You don’t know him like I do. He’s not just some troublemaker.” “He’s been in and out of jail, Violet,” Aunt Dorothy said, her tone softer. “We’re just worried about you. We don’t want you to get hurt or dragged into his messes.” “I’m not going to get hurt,” I insisted. “Dallas would never let anything happen to me. You don’t see the side of him that I do. He’s sweet, caring, and he understands me in a way no one else does.” “Understanding you doesn’t change the fact that he’s dangerous,” Uncle John said, frustration creeping into his voice. “You’re too young to be dealing with this kind of drama.” “I’m not a child!” I shot back. “I can make my own decisions about who I want to be with.” “We’re not saying you’re a child, Violet,” Aunt Dorothy said gently. “But we’re your family, and we love you. We don’t want to see you end up hurt because of him.” “You’re wrong about him,” I said, my voice trembling with emotion. “Dallas is more than just his mistakes. He’s been through a lot, and he’s still standing. He’s strong, and he’s good to me.” “But for how long?” Uncle John asked. “What happens when he gets into another fight or lands in jail again? What if he drags you down with him?” “He’s not going to drag me down,” I said, shaking my head. “Dallas wants to change, and he’s trying. Can’t you see that? Can’t you trust me to know what’s best for me?” “We do trust you,” Aunt Dorothy said, reaching out to take my hand. “But we’re asking you to be careful. To think about your future. You deserve someone who can give you stability, who won’t put you in harm’s way.” “I love him,” I said softly, tears welling up in my eyes. “Isn’t that enough?” “Love is important, but it’s not everything,” Uncle John said. “You need to think about your safety and your future.” “I am thinking about my future,” I said, my voice breaking. “And I see Dallas in it. Why can’t you just accept that?” “We’re trying to protect you, Violet,” Aunt Dorothy said. “We’re not trying to control you. We just want what’s best for you.” “And I’m telling you, Dallas is what’s best for me,” I said, standing up. “I appreciate your concern, but I’m not going to stop seeing him. I love him, and I believe in him.”

“Violet…” Aunt Dorothy started, but I cut her off by standing up. I stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind me. I wiped the tears from my eyes and started walking, the cool evening air stinging my cheeks. I needed to get away, to find someone who would understand.

Without thinking, I found myself heading toward Ponyboy, Sodapop, and Darry’s house. When I arrived, I hesitated for a moment before knocking. The door opened, and Sodapop stood there, his usual smile replaced by a look of concern. “Violet? What’s wrong?” he asked, stepping aside to let me in. “I… I had a fight with my aunt and uncle,” I said, my voice trembling. “They don’t understand about Dallas. They think he’s just trouble, and they want me to stop seeing him.” Sodapop closed the door behind me and guided me to the couch. “Sit down, Violet. I’ll get Darry and Pony.” A few moments later, Darry and Ponyboy joined us in the living room. Ponyboy sat next to me, while Darry took a seat across from me. “What happened?” Darry asked gently. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. “They think Dallas is dangerous. They don’t see the side of him that I do. They just see his record, the fights, the trouble with the law. They don’t understand that he’s trying to change, that he’s good to me.” Ponyboy nodded, his eyes sympathetic. “They’re just worried about you, Violet. They don’t know Dally like we do.” “I know,” I said, my voice cracking. “But I love him, and they don’t get it. They don’t trust me to make my own decisions.” Darry leaned forward; his expression serious but kind. “Violet, it’s hard for them to see past Dally’s past. But they care about you. They’re just scared.” “I know they are,” I said, tears spilling down my cheeks. “But I need them to trust me. I need them to believe in him like I do.” Sodapop put a comforting arm around my shoulders. “You can stay here tonight if you need to. Get some rest and clear your head.” “Thank you,” I said, wiping my eyes. “I just need a place to think.” Darry nodded. “You’re welcome here anytime, Violet. Get some sleep. Things will look better in the morning.” Ponyboy fetched a blanket and a pillow for me. I settled on the couch, feeling a bit more at ease with my friends around me. “Thanks, guys,” I said softly, as they left me to rest.

Chapter 6

“Morning,” I said when Ponyboy came out of the bedroom. “Morning. Want some breakfast,” Ponyboy responded with a smile. “Sure, thanks again for letting me stay last night,” I said. “No problem, we keep our door unlocked, so if you ever need to crash again. Just come on over, no need to knock,” Ponyboy said as he headed to the kitchen. I sat back down on the couch and pulled my blanket around my shoulders. “How do you like your eggs,” Ponyboy shouted from the kitchen. “How you’re having them is fine,” I shouted back just as Steve and Two-bit came through the front door. “Anybody home,” Two-bit shouted. “Yeah, in here. Don’t slam the door,” Ponyboy said, just as the door slammed. Two-bit smiled and waved at me, and Steve nodded before they both ran into the kitchen to ambush Ponyboy. I stood up and followed them into the kitchen. Two-bit grabbed pony around the waist and started shaking him, causing him to fling the eggs all over the kitchen. “PONYBOY CURTIS.” Two-But yelled. “What are you doing? Look what you did. You made me ruin my eggs and drop my spoon,” Ponyboy said. I bent down and picked up the spoon, handing it to him. “Look at the blonde headed monkey, ha ha,” Two-bit said as he opened the fridge. “I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it in the paper. Hey, tell me, pony boy, what’s it like being a hero, huh,” Steve said. “A what,” Ponyboy said as Steve handed him the newspaper. “A hero, man. You know, like a big shot. Beer for breakfast, Two-bit,” Steve said. “I like the, uh, turn hero bit,” Two-bit said. “They’re charging Johnny with manslaughter? What do they mean if he recovers,” Ponyboy asked, showing me the front page. “It also says how you saved them kids, Ponyboy. How they’d have burned to death if it hadn’t been for you,” Steve said as he grabbed a chocolate cake and headed into the dining room. “Dallas will be mad when he hears they didn’t mention his police record,” Two-bit said as he leaned against the door frame between the kitchen and the dining room. “Ain’t that the truth,” Steve said.

“It’s all about us. Darry, me, and Soda. They’re thinking about putting me in Soda in a boy’s home? No way. They ain’t putting me in a boy’s home,” Ponyboy said as he threw the paper on the dining room table and walked into the bathroom. “Oh, hell, Ponyboy, they don’t do that to heroes. Where is, uh, Soda and Super-Dope, anyhow,” Steve said.

“Super what,” Darry said as he picked up Steve and put him back down. “All Brawn no brain,” Steve said around a mouthful of chocolate cake. “Darry, have you seen my DX shirt somewhere,” Soda asked, coming out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. “You got to wear pants, too, buddy. I think there’s a law or something about that,” Steve said. “How about my jeans,” Soda asked. “I ironed them. They’re in my closet,” Darry said as Ponyboy came out of the bathroom. “Darry,” Ponyboy said as he walked up to his oldest brother. “Hey, hurry up, you’re gonna be late,” Darry said. “Did you, uh, hear about that juvenile court thing,” Ponyboy asked as him and Darry watched into the living room. “The cops told me about it last night,” Darry said as he put on his shirt. “Hey, I tell you what. After we stomp the socs real good, Steve and I are gonna throw a party, and everyone’s gonna get ripped,” Sodapop said. Steve whooped in excitement. “Hey, where are you gonna get the dough, little man,” Darry said. “I’ll think of something,” Soda said as Ponyboy stepped out on the porch. “Hey, Violet, do you know when your uncle will be back at work,” Darry asked. “He should be back today,” I said.

“Pony? Pony,” Darry said. Pony came back in. “I hate to leave you here by yourself. Maybe I ought to take the day off,” Darry said. I’ll be OK. I’ve stayed by myself plenty of times. Besides, we can’t afford it,” Ponyboy responded. “Yeah, but I really ought to stay,” Darry said. “Don’t worry about it, Darry, I’ll babysit him,” Two-bit said, causing Ponyboy to slap him in the head.

Two-bit stood up and tackled Ponyboy. “Why don’t you get a job? You ever think of getting a job, Two-bit,” Steve said. “Hey Soda, come on, we gotta get to work,” Steve said as he headed towards the front door. “I gotta quit smoking, or I won’t make track next year,” Ponyboy said as Two-bit put him in a headlock. “Hey, you do up the dishes,” Darry said. “I’m gonna cut off your air,” Two-bit said. “Two-bit, lay off,” Darry said. “Yeah, Two-bit, lay off,” Ponyboy said as Two-bit finally released him. “He ain’t looking so good,” Darry said as he grabbed Ponyboy’s upper arm to help him up. “I’ll look after him, Darry,” I said. “Thanks, Violet,” he responded.

“Pony. You smoke more than a pack today, and I’ll skin you, you understand,” Darry said as he headed for the front door. “Yeah. If you carry more than one bundle of roofing at a time today, me and Soda here we’ll skin you. Understand,” Ponyboy said. “Hey Darry, please don’t tell my uncle I’m here,” I asked. “I won’t, but I want you to at least think about going home,” Darry responded. I nodded with a smile. “Hey, say hi to Johnny,” Darry said as him, Soda, and Steve headed out the door.

“We gotta clean up the house. The cops and reporters are gonna come by, and besides, it’s time for the people from the state to come and check on us,” Ponyboy said as he started gathering dishes. “Shoot, this house ain’t messy. You ought to see my house,” Two-bit said. “I have. And if you have the sense of a Billy goat, you’d start cleaning your house up instead of bumming around ours,” Ponyboy said as he headed into the kitchen. “Shoot, kid. If I ever did that, my mom would die of shock,” Two-bit said as he grabbed the entire chocolate cake and a beer and sat on the floor in the living room.

“You need any help,” I asked Ponyboy. “Yeah, sure. If you wanna put the dishes from the drying rack in the cupboard, so I can wash the dirty ones that’d be great,” Ponyboy said with a smile. “No problem,” I said as I started clearing the dish rack. “I thought once we get the dishes done, we’ll head over to the hospital to see Johnny and Dallas,” Ponyboy said.

Once we finish the dishes me, Ponyboy and Two-bit headed towards the hospital. I noticed quickly that they walked backwards, which I thought was a bit strange, but they walked on either side of me to ensure that I was safe in the road. “I would drive us, but the brakes went out on my car. Almost killed me and Kathy the other night. You ought to meet her brother. Now there’s a hood. Boy, he’s so greasy. He glides when he walks. He goes to the barber shop for an oil change, not a haircut,” Two-bit laughed. Their entire demeanor changed when they noticed a light blue Mustang. They turned around and began walking swiftly towards the gas station as the Mustang quickly drove around the building. “Stay close,” Two-bit said. “What do they want,” Ponyboy said. “I don’t know. How many guys were in the car,” Two-bit asked. “Four or five. Come on let’s hurry up inside,” Ponyboy said, reaching for the door just as the Mustang parked in the parking lot. “Hey, wait. Let’s see what they want,” Two-bit said. “Why do you want to see what they want m,” Ponyboy asked. “Just stay here,” Two-bit said as the group of guys cane walking up. “No jabs before the rumble. You know the rules, ape-face,” Two-bit said. “We know,” said a curly, dark-haired boy. “I want to talk to you,” the boy said, gesturing to Ponyboy. Ponyboy turned to Two-bit. “Go ahead. I’ll keep my eye on him,” Two-bit said. Ponyboy nodded and followed the boy back to his Mustang. “Two-bit, who is that guy,” I asked. “His name’s Randy, he’s the best friend of the guy Johnny stabbed to death,” Two-bit replied. “Oh my god,” I said. “Yeah, why don’t you head inside, Violet. We’ll meet you in there,” Two-bit said. I nodded and headed into the convenience store. I grabbed a pack of Twizzlers and a bottle of Coke.

Two-bit and Ponyboy grabbed their snacks, and we finished our walk to the hospital. Luckily, my aunt was off today. After an argument with a nurse, a doctor finally came and said that we could go in and see Johnny. Upon seeing Johnny’s condition, I stopped in my tracks. I didn’t belong here; this boy didn’t even know me. “I think I’m gonna go find Dally,” I said. “Alright, we’ll meet you over there,” Two-bit said.

I opened the door to Dallas’s room to argue with a nurse. “What’s happened to your gown,” she asked. “I threw it away. Get out. Just get out, you make my stomach sick,” Dallas said. “Hey baby, they treat you all right in here,” I asked. “Hey, sweetheart,” Dallas said as he gave me a kiss. “Ponyboy and Two-bit are with Johnny they’ll be here soon,” I said as I sat on the end of his hospital bed. “So, how’s Johnny,” Dallas asked. I really didn’t want to be the one to tell him how bad Johnny was, and like a gift from above Ponyboy and Two-bit came walking in. “Hey, man. How ya doing,” Dallas said as Two-bit tossed a toy Mickey Mouse on his chest. “It’s good to see you guys, man. This place gives me the creeps,” Dallas said as he got up to close the door. I noticed that he was only in his underwear. I thought about how his muscles wrapped around me. I blushed and looked away. “I won’t out,” he said as he slammed the door shut. “Tim Shepard dropped by. He saw my picture in the paper and couldn’t believe it didn’t have wanted dead or alive written underneath it,” Dallas said as he climbed back into his hospital bed. “He started rubbing it in about the rumble, man. I hate missing it,” Dallas continued as he sat up in bed. “You got a cigarette, Pony,” Dallas asked, and Ponyboy tossed him his pack. “Thanks.” Dallas said, his face suddenly becoming serious as he prepared to ask the question, we were all waiting for him to ask. “How is he? How’s Johnny doing, man,” Dallas asked. “Look, Dallas, uh…I don’t know about stuff like this, but uh… But he didn’t look too good. He passed out cold before we left,” Two-bit said. Dally rolled over onto his stomach, crushing his cigarette in the process. “You still got that knife on you,” Dallas asked. “What,” Two-bit asked. “The knife. Give it to me, will ya,” Dallas said as he outstretched his hand. Two-bit pulled out and flipped open a black handled switchblade. He handed it to Dallas handle first.

“You know, we gotta win that fight tonight. We gotta get even with those Socs. Let’s do it for Johnny, man. We’ll do it for Johnny,” Dallas said as he stared at the blade of the knife.

When we prepared to leave, I turned to Two-bit, “Can I have a minute alone with Dallas,” I asked. Two-bit nodded “We’ll meet you in the lobby.” Once they left the room, I walked over to Dallas’s bed. “I don’t know what you’re planning, but please promise me you’ll be safe,” I asked, fear evident in my voice. Dallas looked at me and took my hand in his. “I promise I’ll be safe, baby,” Dallas said, looking into my eyes. “ I mean it, Dallas, I can’t live without you. I love you,” I said. His eyes widened, and then he smiled. “I’m so glad you said that first, but I love you too,” Dallas said, pulling me to him. I smashed m6 lips into his.

I met Ponyboy and Two-bit in the lobby, and we headed outside to the bus stop across from the hospital. “Are you okay, Ponyboy,” Two-bit asked, pressing the back of his hand against Ponyboy’s forehead. “You feel kind of hot,” Two-bit said. “I’m okay. Be a pal and don’t tell Darry, okay, Two-bit. I’ll take a bunch of aspirins when I get home,” Ponyboy said. “Alright, but Darry will kill me if he finds out you’re sick, and you go ahead and fight anyway,” Two-bit says. “Keep your trap shut, and he won’t find nothing out,” Ponyboy says right as the bus pulls up. “Do you know the only thing that keeps Darry from being a Soc is us,” Two-bit said as he handed me and Ponyboy bus money. “Yeah, I know,” Ponyboy said as he climbed on the bus.

Once we took our seats, Ponyboy rested his head on the window. “Tonight. I don’t like it one bit. Something awful’s gonna happen,” Ponyboy said. Me and Two-bit exchanged a look. We reached our stop and got off the bus. “We’re gonna stomp *** on them so socs tonight. Everything’s gonna be alright,” Two-bit said as we walked to the park.

There was a group of kids wrestling in the grass. “Tough little kids, huh,” Ponyboy said. “Yeah, future Greasers,” Two-bit said. “PONYBOY,” called a female voice. I looked up and noticed the soc girl from the abandoned lot. Cherry, I think. She climbed out of her car. “Hey, Two-bit,” Cherry said, walking over. “What’s up with the big times,” Two-bit asked. “No weapons. They play your way. It’s a fair deal,” Cherry said. “You sure about that,” Two-bit asked. “Well, Randy told me. He knows for sure,” Cherry said. “Good deal. Thanks, Cherry,” Two-bit said. As we went to walk away, Cherry said, “Ponyboy wait a minute. Come here. I wanna talk to you.” Two-bit NI walked away so they could have some privacy.

We walked back to Ponyboy ’s house. “Hey, I should probably head home. My aunt and uncle are probably worried sick,” I said. Two-bit nodded. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow after Dallas gets out of the hospital,” I said before I turned and started the walk home.

As I approached the front steps of my aunt and uncle’s house, I didn’t know what to expect. They had every right to be angry, I had run out and disappeared for over 24 hours. “Violet, is that you?” Uncle John called out as I walked in the door. “Yeah, it’s me,” I said, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle in as I stepped into the living room. Aunt Dorothy and Uncle John were sitting on the couch, their faces etched with worry and relief. “Violet, can you sit down?” Aunt Dorothy asked, her voice steady but strained. “Is everything okay?” I asked, though I already knew the answer. I sat down on the armchair opposite them, bracing myself for what was to come. Aunt Dorothy took a deep breath, glancing at Uncle John before she began. “Violet, we need to talk about what happened yesterday. We were worried sick about you.” “I know,” I said quietly, feeling a pang of guilt. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” Uncle John leaned forward; his hands clasped together. “It’s not just about you being gone, Violet. It’s about Dallas. We had that argument because we’re concerned about the kind of influence he has on you.” I nodded, biting my lip. “I get that you’re worried. But you don’t understand him. He’s trying to change. He saved those kids from the fire. He’s not the monster you think he is.” Aunt Dorothy’s expression softened, but her voice remained firm. “We don’t doubt that he’s done good things, Violet. But his past…it’s hard to overlook. We just want you to be safe.” “And I am safe,” I insisted. “Dallas wouldn’t let anything happen to me. He cares about me. He loves me.” “We’re not saying he doesn’t care about you,” Uncle John said. “But love isn’t always enough to keep someone from making bad choices. We just want you to think about your future.”

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. “I’ve thought about my future, and I see Dallas in it. Why can’t you just trust me?” Aunt Dorothy reached out, taking my hand in hers. “We do trust you, Violet. But sometimes, love can blind us to the reality of a situation. We want you to be happy, but we also want you to be safe and to make the best choices for yourself.” I pulled my hand away, standing up. “I’ve made my choice. And I choose Dallas. If you can’t accept that, then I don’t know what else to say.” Uncle John stood up as well, his face lined with concern. “Violet, please. Just think about what we’re saying. We’re not trying to control you. We’re trying to protect you.” “I know,” I said, my voice breaking. “But I need you to believe in me. To believe in him.” With that, I turned and walked out of the room, heading to my bedroom. I closed the door behind me and leaned against it, letting the tears finally fall. I didn’t know how to make them understand, and I wasn’t sure if they ever would. All I knew was that I loved Dallas, and that had to be enough.

“Hey, Violet. Dinner is ready. Your aunt made spaghetti,” Uncle John yelled. “I’ll be right there,” I yelled back. I walked to the kitchen, and me, Aunt Dorothy, and Uncle John ate dinner together.

After dinner, Aunt Dorothy and Uncle John went into the living room. While I sat at the kitchen table alone thinking. Suddenly the phone started ringing. I stood up and answered the phone, my heart already racing with unease. “Hello?” “Violet, it’s Darry,” came the tense voice on the other end. “We have a situation. Dallas called me—he’s in serious trouble.” “What happened?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper. “He robbed a convenience store, Violet. The cops are after him. He needs help, and he doesn’t have much time.” My breath hitched. “Where is he now? Did he say?” Darry’s voice was strained. “He’s headed towards the park. But the police are closing in. You need to get to him before they do.” “I will. Thanks, Darry,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady as I hung up the phone. As I turned to leave, Uncle John walked into the kitchen, a grave expression on his face. I froze, realizing he’d been listening. “I heard, Violet,” he said quietly, reaching into his pocket. “I know you care about Dallas. Here, take my car keys.” I blinked, stunned. “Uncle John, I…” “I don’t approve of his actions, but I understand that you need to help him. Just be careful, okay?” He handed me the keys, his eyes filled with concern. “Thank you, Uncle John,” I whispered, clutching the keys tightly. “I won’t let you down.”

I hurried out the door, my heart pounding in my chest. The night was dark, and the drive to the park felt like an eternity. I kept glancing in the rearview mirror, paranoid that I might see police lights flashing behind me.

Finally, I reached the park. I saw Dallas running with the cops on foot behind him. I drove up next to him and pushed the passenger door open. “Get in, now,” I said. He looked like he wanted to keep running, but eventually, he jumped into the car.

I noticed that he was bleeding from his leg. “What happened,” I asked. “The convenience store owner shot me. Where are we going,” Dallas asked. “Back to my house so my aunt can rip that slug out of your leg. And then we’re leaving town.” I said as I slammed on the gas and speed out of the parking lot. “What caused you to do this, Dallas,” I asked. “Johnny died,” Dallas said. "Oh my god,” I said.

When we arrived at my house, I helped Dallas out of the car and into the living room. “AUNT DOROTHY. WE NEED HELP,” I yelled. Aunt Dorothy and Uncle John came running in. “Oh my God, John, get my first aid kit,” Aunt Dorothy said. Uncle John sprinted off to get the first aid kit while Aunt Dorothy guided Dallas to the couch, her face a mix of concern and determination. “Lie down, Dallas. We need to see how bad this is,” she instructed, her voice steady despite the tension in the air. Dallas winced as he settled onto the couch, his leg bleeding profusely. I hovered nearby, my hands trembling. “I’m so sorry, Dallas,” I whispered, feeling helpless. Uncle John returned with the first aid kit, and Aunt Dorothy immediately got to work, cutting away the fabric around the wound. “This is going to hurt, but I need to get the bullet out,” she said, looking at Dallas with empathy. He nodded, gritting his teeth. “Do what you have to do.” I watched in silence as Aunt Dorothy carefully extracted the bullet, her hands precise and practiced. Dallas squeezed his eyes shut, stifling his groans of pain. Uncle John stood beside me, his hand on my shoulder, offering silent support.

After what felt like an eternity, Aunt Dorothy finally removed the bullet and began cleaning and bandaging the wound. “You’re lucky, Dallas. The bullet didn’t hit anything vital. But you need to rest and keep the wound clean to avoid infection,” she said. Dallas nodded, his face pale but grateful. “Thank you, Dorothy.” I breathed a sigh of relief, my heart still pounding. “We need to leave town,” I said, looking at my aunt and uncle. “The cops are going to be looking for him.” Aunt Dorothy nodded, her eyes serious. “You’re right. You can’t stay here. But where will you go?” “New York. I still have friends up there,” Dallas said. Uncle John handed me a small bag. “Take some supplies and money. You’ll need it.” He looked at me, his eyes filled with worry. “Be careful, Violet. And take care of each other.” “Thank you,” I said, feeling a surge of gratitude and love for my family. “We’ll be back when it’s safe.” With Uncle John’s help, I got Dallas back into the car. Aunt Dorothy pressed a thermos of coffee and a package of sandwiches into my hands. “Stay safe, and call us when you can,” she said, her voice breaking slightly. “I will,” I promised, giving her a quick hug before climbing into the driver’s seat. As I drove away from the house, the reality of our situation settled over me. We were running from the law, with no clear plan for the future. But as long as we were together, I knew we could face whatever came our way. Dallas rested his head against the window, his eyes closed. “Thank you for coming for me, Violet,” he murmured. “Always,” I said, squeezing his hand. “We’re in this together.”

We drove through the night, the dark roads winding ahead of us like an uncertain future. But with each mile, I felt a growing sense of determination. No matter what lay ahead, I knew we would find a way to survive. Dallas and I pulled into the parking lot of a small, rundown motel on the outskirts of Joplin, Missouri. The neon sign flickered with the words “Vacancy” as we parked the car and stepped out into the cool night air. “We should get a room for the night,” I said, looking around nervously. “Yeah, good idea,” Dallas replied, his voice tight with exhaustion. His leg still throbbed from where Aunt Dorothy had pulled the bullet out of his leg. I told Dallas to stay in the car, and I walked up to the front desk, where a tired-looking woman with bleached blonde hair sat behind the counter. “I need a room for the night,” I said, trying to sound casual despite the panic that threatened to overwhelm me. The woman glanced up from her magazine, eying me suspiciously. “You got ID?” she asked, her voice gruff. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my ID. Handing it to the woman. After a moment of staring at it, the woman nodded and handed it back to me. “Room 203,” she said, sliding a key across the counter. I went back to the car, grabbed Dallas and our things, and we headed to the motel room. Once inside, we collapsed onto the worn-out mattress, exhaustion washing over us like a tidal wave.

“We should call Darry,” I said, reaching for the phone that was sitting next to the bed. “Yeah, let him know we’re okay,” Dallas agreed, his voice soft with relief. I dialed Darry’s number, my heart pounding in my chest as I waited for him to answer. After a few rings, Darry picked up. “Hello?” “Darry, it’s Violet,” I said, my voice shaky with emotion. “We’re okay. We’re in Joplin, Missouri, staying at a motel for the night.” There was a pause on the other end of the line, then Darry’s voice came through, filled with relief. “Thank God you’re okay, Violet. Are you safe?” “We’re safe,” I assured him. “We just need some rest. We’re heading to New York. We’ll come back once everything cools down.” “Okay, just take care of each other,” Darry said, his voice tight with worry. “And call me if you need anything.” “We will,” I promised, my eyes meeting Dallas’s across the room. “Thanks, Darry. We’ll talk soon.” We hung up the phone, the weight of our situation still heavy on our shoulders. But as we curled up together on the bed, our fingers intertwined, we found comfort in the knowledge that we were in this together. And no matter what lay ahead, we would face it together as a team.

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