The Outsiders Imagines

Dallas Winston - "Then why are you with me?"

Dally had his arm slung around my shoulder as he unsteadily walked beside me.

He just got thrown out of Bucks for participating in a fight, meaning he had to find somewhere else to crash for the night so he didn't end up in jail.

Me, being his girlfriend and all, lead to Buck calling me and asking me to retrieve him.

Reluctantly, I agreed, seeing it was best he stayed with me.

"Y'know" He slurs, not because he was drunk, which surprisingly he wasn't, but because his lip was busted. "You're too nice for someone like me."

"I know." I respond, one arm around his waist, keeping him upright, the other holding onto his hand that was around my shoulders.

"Then why are you with me?" He stops walking, spinning me to face him.

I think for a minute, and by his laugh, I knew he thought I was just pretending to think. "I don't know." I finally respond, taking in his beaten up appearance.

"What?" His left eye is blacked and I knew that it must've hurt when he raised that eyebrow.

"I don't know why I'm with you." I say quietly, noting the cuts below his right cheekbone, making a mental note that some might need stitches.

"You're joking with me, right?" He asks, taking a step towards me. His expression changed, making the blood running down from his lip seem more threatening, like it was dangerous, not from a bar fight.

I take a step back, as frightened as I was, I managed to keep my voice steady "No, I'm serious."

He looked at me, shocked, his mouth open like he wanted to say something. But he didn't.

"Come on, we shouldn't be out here this late. You're not at your best right now and Lord knows I stand very little chance-"

"No, I want to talk about this." He says, grasping my wrist harshly, but not enough to hurt me.

"No. I'm goin' home Dal, C'mon."

"I ain't moving till you tell me what brought this on."

"Nothing Dal. Nothing." I yank my arm away and spin on my heel, starting to walk away.

Being only a block from my apartment, I reached it very quickly.

Hurriedly I unlocked the door, not locking, but slamming it.

Dallas barges in behind me, the door slamming into the wall as his pushes me against the wall.

Not enough to hurt me, but enough to shake me.

"Tell me what you're talking about, Doll." Dally says "Tell me."

"You want to know what's got me so bugged?" I ask, pushing him off me causing him to stumble backwards onto the couch. "Every day you go out, you end up drunk. And I'm the one there to pick up the pieces. It's killing me. Every day I'm with you, I die a little more. Dally, being with with you is killing me. You know it, I know it. The gang knows it Dally... I can't be with you."

"You're just tired" He says, waving his hand absent-mindedly.

"I'm not tired. I'm angry. I'm angry that you get to do stupid things and I have to be the one to fix things. I need to have fun. I am dying because of this, Dallas. I am dying."

He looks at me, dumbfounded. He opens his mouth gaping like a fish, no words coming out.

I turn to the recliner where I had stacked pillows and blankets before I left.

I toss them at him one by one "Go. To. Bed. Dallas."

I turn on my heel and walk into my room, slamming and locking the door.

Flopping onto my bed, covering my eyes with my hands.

Why does life have to be like this?

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In the living room, Dallas sat on the couch, his head cradled in his hand.

"Why do I have to screw everything up?" He asks himself.

He wanted to make up with you, he wanted to fix himself. Be the person you wanted him to be.

He wanted you to feel alive with him... Not like you're dying.

He stood up, stumbling over to the your room door, knocking gently.

"Y/n... I'm sorry..." He whispers "I am so sorry for everything I ever did to you to hurt you or make you feel this way... I love you and I'm sorry..."

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I could hear Dallas whisper those words. Never in the whole time I knew him had he said he loved me.

But he's killing me, and sweet nothings can't help me.

It's better if I ignore him and we end things.

Its for the best.