locked doors | dallas winston

chapter fifteen

𝐑𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬
𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 15
monday ; 19 days before
..⃗.🕊•̩̩͙⁺゜ ⤾·˚ ༘ ◡̈

   A WARM SMILE WAS PLASTERED ON MY FACE MONDAY MORNING AS I ARRIVED TO SCHOOL. Pulling into my usual parking spot beside snotty Sylvia, my smile stayed. I put my car in park and turned it off, taking the keys out of the ignition.

   I was happy today. I wasn't sure why I was in such a positive mood, but I was. Especially for a Monday it was quite surprising to me. The day felt bright. Brighter than usual, like nothing could even hurt me today. Not even Sylvia and Dallas making out right beside me. Looking at them, a scoff escaped my lips. I shook my head and rolled my eyes with disgust, however, my smile stayed.

    I grabbed my book bag from the seat beside me where Ponyboy would usually be sitting, however he caught a ride with Two-Bit considering I was running late this morning. Somehow I still arrived before the two.

   I pushed my heavy door open, standing up straight and hanging my bag from my shoulder. I shut the door behind me and gazed around the crowded student parking lot. My eyes landed back on Dallas and Sylvia that were now broken away from each other, the two of them looking at me skeptically.

   "Why are you so happy?" Dallas spat, nodding his head at me with his eyebrows furrowed. My face softened. I peered at him.

   "Someone once told me not to let anyone take away my sunshine," I started. I sent the boy a wink, "and I won't let anyone take it away."

   Dallas immediately rolled his eyes with annoyance followed by his girlfriend snickering. "Whoever told you that is dumb," she remarked in attempt to be snotty, but she sort of just sounded dumb.

   My grin grew. If only she knew that it was her boyfriend that told me that, she'd have a different opinion. I winked once more before continuing my walk into the school.

..⃗.🕊•̩̩͙⁺゜ ⤾·˚ ༘ ◡̈

    "Kella? Has anyone told you how talented you are? That dress, it's, it's amazing!" Ponyboy spoke from behind me, sitting comfortably on my bed. It was after school. School had been great today. Austin even talked to me in front of everyone.

   I now sat in my bedroom working on my prom dress. It was a habit of my younger brother to sit and watch me sew, so like usual, he was sitting in his usual spot sitting comfortably on my now messy bed from Steve and Sodapop who were wrestling in my room not even five minutes ago.

   A smile rose to my face. I kept my eyes on the fabric in front of me, but responded to my brother so that I didn't leave him hanging. "Yes," I responded. "You, all the time," I chuckled.

   I heard the younger boy laugh. I gazed at his reflection in the mirror, seeing the boy fix himself on my bed. I stared at him in awe. We were only a few years apart, but it felt like I raised him. He has grown so much, and has been through so much, and he was just... precious.

   "Do I say it a lot?" He questioned with regret.

   I rose my eyebrows. "Do you want the honest answer or do you want me to butter it?" I asked him. I heard him sigh.

   "Honest answer, please," he breathed out. I nodded my head. I sat the fabric down carefully on the desk in front of me. I spun my chair around so that I could see the blonde. I sent him a warm smile, folding my hands together on my lap gently.

   "You tell me a lot," I spoke. He was about to groan, but I quickly stopped him by placing my arms out. "But, Pony, don't worry. I love when you tell me that. It gives me more motivation, it makes me prouder of how every project of mine is going to turn out. You and Dall- well, now just you, is the only one to tell me that I'm good at this and I could have a great career in this, and I'm so so appreciative of it."

Ponyboy smiled wide filling with a sudden joy. His smile was contagious, "well, it's true! Dal and I know that your going to be making wardrobe or whatever for The Beatles one day!"

I scoffed, "one, I hate the Beatles," I paused, "and two, Dallas is too busy with Sylvia to pay attention to anyone else," I commented. Pony looked at me skeptically, his smile still on his face.

   "Dallas, huh? Still scared to call him Dal or Dally, right?" He questioned. I furrowed my eyebrows together. What was he trying to get at? "You see, when someone has a nickname, yet there's that one person, usually of the opposite gender, tbat calls them by their full name: Dallas, it usually means they like them."

    "Gross!" I scoffed again, "I do not like Dalla-" I sighed while the boy on the bed laughed at me.

   "A cat caught your tongue, eh?" He teased. I rolled my eyes playfully and reach below me to grab a pillow Soda and Steve had knocked over earlier. I brought it upwards and chucked it at my younger brother.

   "I don't like him!" I defended and grinned.

Ponyboy caught the pillow and returned the grin, "I'm not saying you do, I'm saying I know you like him wether you realize it or not, maybe you're even in love with him! And I know that deep down in Dal's heart, he shares those same feelings for you."

   I gazed at my little brother cock eyed, letting his words sink in. Once they did, laughter abruptly left my mouth and I laughed uncontrollably.

   In love with Dallas Winston? Never in my life.