DON'T DREAM IT'S OVER | SODAPOP CURTIS

NINE

I brought my head up to look him in the eyes.

"Yes, I have been in love. Why do you ask?"

"Hey, Alice... Oh sorry, guys." Dally came up from the hole in the roof, not expecting Sodapop being up here with me.

"Hey man. It's okay. What's up?" Soda said, which angered me a bit because I didn't want anything to do with Dally right now.

"Uh, Alice... Vicki's a bit messed up. She's been drinking and smokin' a whole lot, and I think it's time for her to go home." He said, seeming to be concerned for her safety. But that didn't matter since he was probably faking it anyway.

Soda's warm hands slowly lifted my legs from his lap to turn me away from the ledge of the building, so I could safely and calmly stand up and speak to Dally.

"Dallas Winston, what are you doing up here." I said after walking over to him and getting closer to his face than before.

     "Well, Vicki's in trouble and.."

"You're telling me, you've been down there this whole time letting her drink and smoke? I'm almost positive you know she isn't allowed to be doin' shit like that. Way to go, Dallas. What happens when she realizes what happened, hm? What happens when she realizes that you don't care about her as much as she thought you did?"

He didn't reply to my sentence and only looked at the ground.

"Exactly." I said crossing my arms and biting my lip, trying not to hurt him even more. Sometimes Vicki was more of a sister than my actual one, and I was always protective of her.

"You know what... take her home. If you really care about her, you will. And do not even dare to try anything while she is drunk either. She can't come home smelling like cigarettes and being insanely drunk so you will be taking her home tonight."

"Alright. I'll take care of her. I really will, Alice, please trust me."

     "I'm not going to trust you. You have given me too many reasons not to."

     "Okay." Dally walked away with his hands in his pockets, looking at the floor.

I turned around and saw Sodapop staring in my direction.

"I'm sorry, Soda. Vicki's drunk and..."

"Yeah, I heard. Come on, it's about time we get outta here anyway. I gotta walk home with Pony anyway."

"Mind if I come?"

"What?"

"Come with you." I said, laughing.

"With me and Pony?"

"Well, yea..."

"But..." He grew a confused look on his face and slowed down his steps.

"Oh no, I did not mean to you know... um... sleep at your house or somethin' like that. I meant if I could walk home with you guys, you know since I won't have a ride now and I don't wanna be alone."