temporary | dally winston | the outsiders

5

"You should think about being an artist, Mon. That's really good." I shrugged at Dally's compliment.
"You know, tagging is usually supposed to be a negative thing. You don't need to make it look pretty."
"Says the boy who spray painted a penis."
He laughed.
"Hey, you got the time?" I asked.
He turned around and looked at a building with a clock standing on the outside.
"1:14. Why, you got work in the morning?"
"I quit."
He laughed. "On the first day?"
"Yeah. Turns out it isn't for me."
"We're more alike than you care to admit."
"Not a chance, Dal. You still stayin at ol' Buck's?"
"He just came back today, I can finally get in the house now." He laughed.
"I don't understand why you didn't just sneak in while he was away."
"Cause someone would tell on me, then I'd be out for good."
I nodded slowly. "Want a weed?" I offered the pack to him. "Sure." He grabbed one out of the pack.
We started walking and sat on the couch in the lot with complete silence.
"Monica?"
"Yes, Dal?"
"Do you like me? Even a little?"
I shrugged. "I'm trying hard not to."
"How do you know I wouldn't change just for you? All the bad guys change, it has to start with someone."
"I can't trust it. It's a huge ol maybe, Dally."
He grabbed my hand. "I trust it."
I pulled my hand away.
"We're only friends."
"You know that's a lie." He pushed my hair behind my ear and whispered.
Johnny walked up. "Hey y'all... Oh wait, was I interrupting somethin?"
"No Johnny, come sit." He sat beside me.
Dally left his hand in the small of my back, making sure Johnny couldn't see. I shuddered.
"What happened, buddy?" I asked.
"My folks are fighting again. I don't wanna be there."
"I'm sure Darry wouldn't mind you staying over for the night."
"You can stay with me at Buck's if you wanted too." Dally offered.
"No offense Dal, but I can only take the smell of cigarettes and alcohol for so long, let alone sleep in it."
Dally shook his head. "Wuss."
"C'mon. I'll walk us to Darry's."
"I'll walk with y'all." Dally said.
I looked at him. "You sure? It's late, you could just go home."
"Now, why would I do that?" He grinned.
As we walked, Dally was showing off his new blade when a blue mustang drove real slow past us. "Hey greasers!" They threw cups at us and cussed us out.
Johnny looked at Dally. "That's the car, Dal. The car from the...—"
"Alright, Johnny, next time they come around, we'll get em. Don't you worry."
This must have been the jumping Ponyboy told me about. The one that scarred little Johnnycake.
As Johnny stopped in the general store to pick up a pack of smokes, Dally grabbed my hand.
"You gotta stop doing that. We're gonna get caught."
"I don't see you letting go."
"We can't do it. The gang."
"It'd be okay."
"It wouldn't, Dallas. You don't understand that. Go get a broad. Get over it."
He shook his head. "It's harder than you think."
Johnny came out of the store. "C'mon. I got cherry ropes!"
I smiled. "You better give me one, kid!"