Chapter Four: Lies

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Pony's voice was so shaky- I hardly even recognized it. If I hadn't watched those words come out of his mouth, I wouldn't have believed it was him. 

"H-He what?" I asked, trying to make myself sound calmer than I was actually feeling. 

Dally's POV:

Seventeen years and you start to pick up on some things, like how Lex tries to act tougher than she really is so the people she cares about don't worry. But man, I can see right through her.

Alexis' POV:

"He killed some kid," Dallas piped in, still not making eye contact.

These words made Johnny start trembling even more. His lips were quivering as he mouthed over and over again, "I killed him. I killed him. I killed him." Ponyboy gave him a reassuring pat on the back, but I could tell that he was just as scared. How did this 14 year-old kid get wrapped up in murder?

Suddenly Dally jerked around; he had found what he'd been looking for. He now had a heater in one hand and a wad of cash in the other. I threw a shirt I found lying on the ground to Pony, while Dally carefully handed Johnny the loaded gun. 

"I don't know if it's your size— or even clean— but it's dry. You'll die of hypothermia before the cops ever get to you," I said in an attempt to make light of the situation.

Two Bit would know exactly what to say to lift the tension in the room, but he was probably passed out drunk somewhere. God, we needed him right about now. It felt like no one was breathing, all too focused on our own thoughts.

Pony put on the dry shirt and Dally tossed him his brown leather jacket— one of the only nice things he owned. Pony looked down at it, amazed, then quickly put it on before he changed his mind. Dallas dragged him by the jacket's collar over to the bed where Johnny had sat down- the gun in his lap. He leaned in and told them in a hushed but firm voice, 

"Get the 3:15 train to Windrixville, it's a freight. There's a church on top of Jay Mountain with a pump in the back, so you won't have to worry about water. Get a week's supply of food as soon as you get their, then don't so much as stick your noses out the door. I'll be up there as soon as I think everything's cool. You got it?" 

Ponyboy and Johnny both nodded their heads, their eyes wide. It wasn't the cold that was gonna kill them- it was fear. They were scared to death. I looked at Dally, who noticed this too.

"Hey, listen. Everything's gonna be alright," he reassured Johnny, "as long as you follow the plan. I'll be up there soon."

I smiled to myself, watching Dally— the tough guy, the hoodlum— acting so sweet. It was cute. Okay- maybe I do like Dallas Winston just a little bit. 

Johnny let out a deep breath and led the way out the door, down the steps, and towards the train tracks with Pony following behind him. I watched through the bedroom window until the darkness engulfed them, while Dally walked around the room muttering. 

"Man, I thought New York was the only place I'd end up in a murder wrap," I heard him tell himself.

Oh god, I wondered, what am I going to tell Darry and Soda? "Yeah, our little brother is on the run with a murderer, no big deal though. He'll be back" just wasn't going to cut it.

Then, almost as if he could read my mind, Dally stopped pacing and said, "You can't tell your brothers about this. They'd interfere with the plan, which is pretty much foolproof. In fact, you should probably lay low for a while yourself. Stay away from Darry and Soda as much as possible without you worrying 'em."

"You mean lie to my own brothers?" I asked him, shocked, "They'll know immediately that you put me up to this."

"Then we better have each other's backs," he replied with a smirk, "We'll be like partners in crime."

The word "crime" sent chills up my spine. Johnny and Pony committed an actual crime. If the police got ahold of Johnny— he'd be sentenced to death. They put people in the electric chair for murder! 

But then I realized, that's exactly what Dally was trying to avoid with his "foolproof plan." He had perfectly crafted it to avoid just that. So only this one time, I'd be his—

partner in crime.

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Author's Note: 

Another chapter done! I like the way things are going so farrrrr :)

I'm trying to make their relationship grow gradually and not seem too forced- so I hope I'm succeeding. I think it's becoming more and more natural to write their dynamic as the chapters go on, though. They're starting to seem like real people in my mind, with different personalities!

Hope you enjoy and stay gold 🌅

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