Dallas lays sprawled out on the warm sand next to me, his arm thrown over his eyes to block out the sun; Ponyboy is trying to braid Morgan's long hair; Steve floats in the water on his back with ease; Sodapop is pretty determined on teaching Johnny how to swim; Darry is literally swimming back and forth across the lake; Two-bit and Vicky sit at the end of the dock, Two yelling wildly and Vicky just laughing at him.
Dal sits up abruptly next to me, startling me a bit. He looks straight at Morgan and Pony. "Aye, love birds, you wanna play a game?"
"Dallas, you can't even sit still for a minute, can you?" Morgan asks rhetorically, with sass laced in her voice.
"If the other person is the one moving I can." I contain a laugh and replace it with an eye roll.
"You dirty knob, you." Morgan says as her and Ponyboy move closer.
"What are we playin', Dal?" Pony asks, sitting down on a towel next to his beloved.
"Uhma, this game- dare or truth, or somethin' like that."
"Truth or dare." I correct him.
"Yeah, what princess said. Yanno, we either ask each other questions or dare each other to do something stupid."
"No one has to dare you to do anything stupid, Dallas." Morgan says, I laugh at her attitude and how she's not afraid to talk to him like that.
"What did you say, you little shit?" She shrugs. "Yuh okay, ya little shit, you."
"Emily," Morgan says over Dally's mumbling, turning to me she asks, "truth or dare?"
"Uhm- truth?" I say, almost ask.
"Don't be a pussy now, Emily." Dallas says, rolling over on his back. I punch his arm, "oh shit, that hurt so bad." He says jokingly.
"Okay, let me think about that.." Morgan takes a minute to think about what she's going to ask as Dallas and I fight over the blanket to lay on. Surprisingly, I win. I stretch out on it. "I got it! Who-"
"You give me no choice!" Dallas yells as he rolls on top of me, he presses the breath out of my lungs.
"Gosh, Dal, you're gonna kill me."
"Emily, I'm sorry to say, but you're going to have to get used to it one of these days." Ponyboy says, lifting his eyebrows up and down. We all laugh, I can feel Dallas's back move when he chuckles.
"Anyways-" Morgan says, "who was your first crush?" I wrap my arms around Dallas's stomach, and find a spot where I can actually breathe.
"I don't remember his name, but it was in the sixth grade, he had curly, gingery brown hair, and pretty blue eyes."
"He dress nice? Good shoes and all?" Dallas asks.
"Yes, I believe so." I nod.
"Sounds like you had a crush on Bob the Soc."
"What? Really?"
"Yeah. I can't believe it, man. You liked a soc."
"Well, sorry, I didn't know he was a soc. He actually talked to me a couple of times."
"No offense princess, but Bob is more likely to talk to a brick wall than you."
"Ouch."
"How about you, Dal?" Ponyboy asks curiously, still a little shocked by my confession. "Your first crush?"
"I never had a crush."
"Oh sure you have."
"Hit on 'em, bang 'em, done with 'em," I say trying to mimic Dallas's tone.
"That's my motto," He shouts.
"Why are you always yelling Dallas? We can hear you perfectly fine!" Morgan yells.
"Yeaokay, you shit." Dallas says, rolling off of me, I take in a long breath as he finds a place to lay on the blanket and throws an arm over me.
"And you, Ponyboy?" I ask.
"Honestly, the one and only girl I've ever had a crush on is sitting right on this towel next to me." I smile as Morgan blushes and kisses Pony's cheek.
"I would have to say the same." She says resting her hand on top of his.
"Oh how cute." Dallas says with a bored tone, "two shits in love." We all laugh a little at this.
"It's your turn to ask someone, Em." Morgan says. I turn my to face Dallas,
"Truth or Da-"
"Dare!" He yells again, leaving a ringing sound in my ears.
"Shut up, Dallas!" Morgan yells at him. Dallas sticks up his middle finger at her, cussing under his breath. I giggle at this.
"I dare you to push Two and Vicky into the water." Dallas stands up and runs over to the dock, his pants slipping a little. Ponyboy slaps a hand over Morgan's eyes as I, obliviously, focus in on Dal's lower back.
"Tie your pants tighter already, Dallas!" Pony yells after him. He stops and ties his pants and looks over his shoulder at Ponyboy, his small nose wrinkled.
"Better?"
"Yes! Thank you." Ponyboy removes his hand from Morgan's face. "Well, jeez Em, I should of covered your eyes too." I clear my throat as my cheeks burn, most likely turning red. I look back at Dallas as he approaches Two, on his tiptoes. He shoves him in and then Vicky right after, laughing all the while.
"Hey Dal!" Two-bit yells.
"Hey," Dallas says, waving gently as he looks down at them in the water.