Hopeless In Love

Paul Newman

AN: sorry it's been so long! i'm not really in the outsiders fandom anymore but it's important to me to not abandon you guys. i'm trying to finish this story, updates just may be slow. I've gone through a lot in my time here. I'm in a much better place when I started this story and this may be noticeable in my writing. Love you guys! Enjoy!

Dally's POV:

I hand Johnny his jacket. I'm trying to steady my breathing, but I'm too furious about what just happened for it to work. I want to kill Ponyboy, or at least beat the shit out of him. He's never liked me, and after what he just pulled he deserves it, but he's also Johnny's best friend. Shit.

Johnny might never forgive me if I beat the shit out of his best friend. Plus, the gang could kick me out. I hate this. A couple months ago, I would've lashed out right then and there, but this time I just left.

I guess the gang is the closest thing I've had to a family in awhile. I don't fully trust them, but I definitely distrust them less than anyone else.

I hear footsteps from behind and turn around to see Ponyboy running up to me.

"Dallas! Wait up!" He calls out.

"What the hell do you want?" I growl.

"Johnny, is it okay if I go with Dallas instead? I need to talk to him."

"Sure." Johnny replies.

"Why would I go anywhere with you? I think this—" I protest.

"Dally. Let him go with you. I'll go with you another time, okay?" Johnny interrupts.

Johnny puts his hand on my shoulder and I just melt under his touch. He knows he can get me to do anything. I'd run into a burning building for him and he knows it. I'm such an idiot.

"Fine." I mutter.

"I'll see you guys later." Johnny says, walking back to the Curtis house.

"Dally, I'm sorry—" Ponyboy starts.

I grab the collar of his shirt and shove him against the wall of the building next to us. I can't actually hurt him without hurting Johnny, but that doesn't mean I can't give him a good scare. His face goes white with shock and I feel just a bit better.

Ponyboy's POV:

"Cut the crap." Dallas growls

I really messed up. I have to fix this somehow, but Dallas might not give me a chance. I've seen him beat people up before and I don't want to be on the receiving end

"I get that you've never liked me," he continues, "You don't trust me. That's fine, I don't care, man. But I have always had your back. Now, the one time I need you to have mine, you go behind my back like the coward you are. You backstabbing piece of shit!"

He punches the wall just right of my head. I can feel the wind from it in my hair. Dally's right. He's saved me from the Socs countless times. Always gets me out of trouble even when I could've avoided getting myself into it. He's never actually done anything to me. Then I went and screwed him over.

"You're right." I say.

This confuses him, I think. He narrows his eyes at me for a moment.

"Of course I'm fucking right! You're lucky I'm not beating the shit out of you right now." He yells.

"Why aren't you?" I ask.

"What?"

"Why aren't you beating me up, then?"

"You know why." He growls.

I honestly don't. Why isn't he beating me up right now? It's one of the things he does best. His eyes briefly move to the side, where Johnny is a tiny blob in the distance, and refocuses his gaze on me. Then it hits me. Of course, I'm Johnny's best friend. That would never have stopped him in the past. I guess Da