Dally's Baby Sister//Ponyboy Curtis

Eighteen//Jerry Lee Lewis

AMELIA

WHEN I SAW Dally fuse up after telling him what had happened the previous night, I knew that I could never go near the Curtis house ever again.

"He what?" Dally asked. He was seeing red, I knew that for sure. Dally never hesitated to let me know what he was thinking, and it seemed like he wanted to kill Sodapop at that moment in time. I told him everything. I told him that Sodapop had told me to get out, and that Soda had yelled at me for telling him that mailing letters to Sandy wasn't a good idea. If one thing is for certain when it comes to Dallas Winston, it is to never yell at anyone he loves. He threatened Papa that he would kill him the next time he was caught yelling at me, but that promise had never been fulfilled. Dallas, though he tried to hide it, loved our parents. I knew because I went through his drawers after he basically moved out and saw the Christmas cards he almost gave to our parents. Each Christmas card was Dally telling Mama and Papa how much he loved them and how he missed the good old days. He never gave them the cards, so they just never knew.

"Dally," I started to beg, "please don't get mad at him. I know what he did was wrong, but I am also to blame for some of this. Maybe all of it. Please don't hurt him, Dally. Please just take some deep breaths." I knew that if Dally didn't take any deep breaths or try to cool off, he'd straight up run over to the Curtis house just to strangle Soda. I couldn't let that happen. Soda was such a kind soul, he never deserved to get mad at. He just let his anger get to him, and I knew that is a dangerous aspect. Soda has a way of letting his anger get to him sometimes. He's really sweet and doesn't get mad often, but I've seen what happened when he and Two-Bit were alone together one October afternoon and Two-Bit got Sodapop really mad. It wasn't pretty at all, but Soda felt really bad for punching him across the face and brought him chicken noodle soup the next day as a way to say he was sorry. I helped make the soup, so he told me everything when I was cutting up the carrots and celery. 

Just as Dally was about to say something, the doors of the bar busted open and a certain Darryl Curtis in all his glory stood in the doorway. The morning was still bright and it was hot outside.  There were birds chirping, the sun was shining, and there was a car pulling in to get breakfast. However, the person pulled away and left. Maybe a bar wasn't the best place for them, I guess. 

I got up out of my seat and ran to greet Ponyboy, who walked in after Darry. However, Dally rose immediately and held me back. I looked up at him and he looked straight at Darry. Though Darry was older than Dally, Darry still feared him. He knew what Dallas was capable of, and that scared everybody, even big, bad Darrel Shayne Curtis. 

"Dally," Darry said quitely as his greeting. Dally didn't say anything back. He was still angry. 

"Soda didn't mean it," Ponyboy said. It didn't help. Dally's attention was now directed towards Pony at the worst time possible. Darry elbowed his shoulder a little harder than he should have and Ponyboy winced, but kept it subtle. He rubbed his left shoulder to get rid of the pain.

"I don't care if that damn kid meant it. My sister isn't staying over there anymore. The landlord came by at seven this morning. We can move in as soon as we can. I'll be over there today at two to pick up her things," Dally said calmly. Ponyboy squeezed his eyes tight and rubbed them. Darry sighed and nodded. "I'm not mad at you guys, but you better keep Soda away from me for as long as you can. Nobody leaves my sister out in the pouring rain and gets away with it as easily as I'm letting him."

"What are you saying, Dallas?" Darrel asked, immediately becoming defensive for his younger brother. His fists were clenched a little and his eyebrows were beginning to furrow. My heart beat quickened. No, not now, I thought.