DALLY WASN'T KIDDING when he said we would go to the diner. We sat in a booth by the window so we could see people walking past the diner. As we waited to be served Dally pulled out his pack of cigarettes. I could see other people in the small diner glancing at Dally with distaste. I kick his leg under the table and he gives me a look "What?" He questions.

"Don't smoke inside." I scold him, my eyes find a woman who is glaring at Dally. I smile sweetly and she rolls her eyes looking away "You're attracting attention." I mutter to Dally in a low voice.

"I attract attention everywhere I go, Darlin' I mean look at me." He uses his hand to gesture to his beautiful face as he grins playfully.

My eyes land on the cigarette between his lips and I frown. Dally noticed because he huffed and took the cigarette out of his mouth putting it back in his pack. He pockets the pack grumbling something under his breath.

"Did Dallas Winston just put another's feelings into consideration?" I gasp teasingly.

"Shut your trap, woman." He grumbles, though I could see his lips twitch up. That made me smile too. My smile falters when I catch the dark blue eyes of a familiar Soc. His blonde hair was well-kept and styled and he was handsome, well except for the swell of his nose. The same nose I slammed my head into when he had me pinned on the ground just a few days ago.

He stared right back at me from his spot in the booth a few feet away. Dally noticed my wandering gaze and looked over his shoulder, when he looked back he put two and two together. "That the Soc that bruised your face up?" He questions lowly to not be heard.

I clear my throat, my eyes snapping back to Dally "Please don't make a scene." I beg with pleading eyes.

His jaw tenses "I should pound his face into the ground for putting his hands on you." He growls lowly.

I gently put my hand over his balled-up fist and I feel him tense more under my palm. "Please, Dally. Just let it go, it's over now." I mumble. He pauses for a moment before nodding his head. I smile lightly and move my hand "Thank you."

"Hi! Welcome to Betsy's Diner. What can I— Angela?" My face pales slightly, my eyes widening as Beatrice's bright blue eyes take in my appearance.

Her eyes trail over my clothes then stop for a second longer on my neck before her eyes snap to mine. Beatrice isn't an idiot, my neck had little dark marks, I wore the same clothes from last night, and I was with Dally. She knew.

"Can I get a coke?" Dally breaks the silence, unaware of the tension or maybe he just didn't care.

"Do you want a black eye?" Beatrice fires back with a sweet smile, her eyes now on Dally, annoyance radiating off her in waves.

"That depends, you want to end up on your ass, Blondie?"

"You son of a bitch," Beatrice reaches for Dally who seemed to find the situation amusing. I shoot up from my spot and hold my hand out in front of her.

"Bea..let's just talk." I word my sentence carefully. Beatrice looked like she wanted to shoot Dally while Dally still had a smug grin on his face.

The blonde finally looks at me and walks away "Don't do anything dumb." I mumble to Dally as I move from the booth.

"Yes, ma'am," Dally says sarcastically, giving me a fake salute. I roll my eyes and hit the back of his head as I walk away from him.

I follow Beatrice to a side exit with the words "employees only" in big red letters plastered on it. She walked back and forth in a line. She was so angry I would feel the annoyance radiating off of her in waves.

"Bea.."

"Out of all people you chose the most cockiest, dumbest, most annoying man on planet Earth to hook up with?!" She seethes quietly through her teeth.

I cringe and take a small step towards her "Listen it just...happened." I stammer. Wow great explanation, Angela.

Beatrice stops in her pacing rage and lets her head hang for a moment, a heavy sigh leaving her. She looks back up at me "So you consented, right? Because if you didn't I'm marching back in there, cutting his dick off and shoving it—"

"Yes! Yes! It was all consensual, I agreed to everything that happened." I quickly cut my best friend off. The girl scared me sometimes and she wasn't even from the East side.

Beatrice nods, her eyes on the door "So...if I went back in there and hit him how pissed would my mom be?" She questions.

I sigh and squeeze the bridge of my nose "Beatrice...I just...I had a rough night and I needed...fuck— I just needed a night of no worries." My sentence didn't sound well thought out, and it wasn't. I still didn't know why out of all the guys at Buck Merle's party that I could've hooked up with it had to be Dally. I didn't know why I enjoyed it or why I wanted to fuck him again. And what scares me is that more than anything I want to wake up on his chest after a wild night and just lay there with him in a small peaceful little bubble that no one could pop. Mine and Dally's peaceful bubble.

"What happened?" Beatrice asks, concern lacing her words, replacing the venom that was previously there.

"Darry...he hit Ponyboy so fucking hard. He wasn't like this before the accident, he was so caring and gentle, never violent. Ponyboy wasn't so quiet and Sodapop he...he was just happier y'know? I just— I miss how things used to be." I let the words fly out of my mouth like a bullet flying from the barrel of a gun. I let them because I knew no matter what, Beatrice would listen and she would make it all better.

My best friend softens her eyes and pulls me into a strong hug, holding me tightly. I hug her with the same amount of tightness she was hugging me and just like that.
Everything wasn't all better. But it felt all better.

"I know you do, Angie. I do too." She whispers. I close my eyes and let out a slow breath. We pull away and Beatrice smiles gently.

"I hate Dallas Winston...but as long as he doesn't fuck up, I'll tolerate him." She tells me. That was the nicest thing I've ever heard her say about Dally. I knew that was the nicest thing she would ever say about Dally.

"Good to know." I grin.

She smiles "I've gotta get back to work, bye." With that, she leaves me outside.

I sit on the curb and pull a cigarette that I had stolen from Dally from my pocket. I light it and inhale the smoke. My brain falls silent and as I exhale, so do my thoughts.

I finish the cigarette quickly and make my way back inside. I freeze when a police officer stops me from walking forward. "If I could just have a moment of your time, Ms." He says politely.

"For what?" I question. Cops rarely ever talked to greasers. Unless they were scolding or arresting them.

"I was wondering if you've seen these two boys?" My heart sank as he held up Ponyboy and Johnny's school pictures.

I keep my expression the same as I reply "No, why? Are they in trouble?"

"Suspects of first-degree murder of Bob Sheldon. Their names are Johnathan and Ponyboy." The officer explains. My blood ran cold, I couldn't hear anything else that was coming from the man's mouth.

I felt like I was going to throw up. Dally knew. He had to know, why else would Ponyboy and Johnny show up at Buck Merle's in the middle of the night?

"Excuse me, I have to go," I mutter cutting the cop off mid-sentence. I step past the man and quickly make my way back to Dally who had a coke in front of him as his eyes scanned the menu.

"Took you long enough, I already got us cokes, now we just have to...what's wrong?" His brows knot in confusion as he looks at my lips which were pulled into a tight line.

I sit down letting out the most genuine laugh I could, mustering a smile that didn't look forced."It's nothing, Dal." I wave him off with my hand "Oh, you never told me why my brother and Johnny stopped by last night." I tell him, taking a sip of my Coke.

Dally shrugs "You know how they are, man. They just found something, wanted to show me." He replies. "Are you sure you're okay, Ange?" He questions, his eyes flickering over my face.

"I'm fine." I shrug as I grab a menu. Dally hesitantly nods and looks back down at the menu in his hands, eyeing me skeptically. Beatrice comes back and Dally orders two eggs sunside up, some hashbrowns, and sausage. I order some pancakes and bacon.

Beatrice takes our menus, I didn't miss how she snatched Dally's from him, or the glare she sent him. Though, like always Dally ignored it and watched as she marched away.

I look out the giant window that Dally and I sat by. "A lot of cops out today," I comment, watching Dally's reaction from the corner of my eye.

"Maybe they're just doubling up on fuzz to make the Socs feel safer." Dally shrugs, not even looking at me as he glances at the people in the restaurant before grabbing a handful of sugar packets and stuffing them in his pocket.

"Yeah, maybe, I might ask the fuzz about it later." I hum. I watch as Dally's shoulders tense slightly before a grin breaks across his face.

"It's nothing to worry about, Darlin'. Just a Soc being a little dramatic and demanding there be more cops on the streets for safety." He assures me.

God, he was so fucking cocky. How long does he think he can keep this lie of his up? I'm done playing his game though. "Funny you say that because I've already talked to a cop about what's going on." I hum coyly.

Dally's face falls "Angela—"

"He showed me 2 pictures. It was 2 greasers, who looked to be young, maybe 14 and 16." I hum, cutting Dally off. "Now. You have 10 seconds to explain why the hell Johnny and Pony were at Buck Merles and everything else." I hiss lowly.

Dally takes a sharp inhale, letting out a soft curse "Listen, Ange. It was all an accident, they wouldn't talk about it but you know them. They're not killers, not unless it was the last option. I gave them some money and gave them a place to lie low for a bit. I swear to god, that's all I know."

I rub my face with my hands letting out a long exhale "Where are they?" I ask.

Dally falls silent, sucking his bottom lip between his teeth "I can't tell you that." He speaks carefully.

"Yes, you can. And you will now." I snap back. He keeps his mouth shut, giving me a shrug.

"Sorry, Darlin' but I don't snitch." He shrugs.

I grind my teeth together a sneer settling on my face. "I'm leaving." I shoot up from the booth and storm off, ignoring Dally's calls.

I feel a hand wrap around my wrist and I'm spun around by Dally. I didn't even know he had followed me "Hey!" I sneer, yanking my wrist away from Dally's grip. "Don't touch me." I seethe.

"Okay." He says putting his hands up in surrender "But you can't get mad at me. Ponyboy told me to not tell you, Soda, or Darry anything." He explains.

My expression hardens and I step back "Fuck you." I spit before swinging back around and stomping away.

"Jesus, woman! Just listen would you?" Dally exclaims as he runs forward and flips around so he walks backwards, in front of me. "I promise Pony and Johnny are fine. They're safe, they had food and water, the only thing they don't have is a shower and phone." Dally rambles, he grabs me by my biceps, stopping me. "Ya hear me?" He questions softly.

I look up at him, shaking my head as I look down at my feet a bitter laugh leaving me. "What are you doing, Dallas? Why'd you take me to a diner? Why are you acting like you fucking care that I'm upset?" I ask, looking back up at him.

Dally falls silent. This was the first time he truly didn't know what to say. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. I had my answer.

"Okay," I mumble attempting to walk passed him.

"Wait, just...hold on." He rushes out, holding his arm out to stop me. "I...damnit Angela, you know I'm not good at this!" He hisses, shaking his head as if he was having a mental battle with himself.

"Good at what exactly?" I ask.

"This feelings bullshit, but I'm trying. I really am trying, Ange." He assures me, a pleading look in his eyes.

My breath hitches in my throat "What am I to you?" I question timidly. Me and Dally could not be together. We just couldn't. It wouldn't work, not him and I. We're too different.

"I don't fucking know man." Dally groans, threading his fingers through his brown locks and yanking lightly.

I fall silent, swallowing the lump in my throat "Last night was a mistake, Dally. You know that." I say.

Dally's eyes snap to mine, the smallest hut of vulnerability flashes through his brown hues before the hard, protective exterior shines over them. "Yeah, I know. Does that Soc you've been fucking know you hooked up with me?" He sneers. My heart drops. How the hell does he know about Todd?

"I don't know what you're talking about." I deny, Dally steps close to me, standing tall as if to intimidate me. He lowers his head to meet my eyes, a dry laugh leaving him.

"Are you sure about that, Angela?" He taunts, tilting his head. I stay silent and a sickening smirk overtakes his face "Socs love to brag to Greasers about what they have. Especially after a few sips of booze at Buck Merle's." He sneers and I knew he wasn't lying. Everyone went to Buck Merle's parties, even Socs. I knew Todd did. "You should've heard him, Ange. He went into great fucking detail, y'know? How pretty you sounded for him. How easily you fall to your knees—"

I slap Dallas across the face, silencing him. Tears gathered in my eyes, but I wouldn't let them fall. I felt disguised. With myself, Todd, and even Dally. His words were like a knife being driven into my stomach, and his taunting smile was the cherry on top that made the knife twist deeper to settle in my cut.

"Fuck you, Dallas Winston." I hiss, swallowing the lump in my throat.

"You already did it for me, Darlin'." He remarks dryly.

I shove him back and he barely stumbles from my force. Spinning on my heel, I let out a frustrated noise as I stomp away. I touch my face, pulling my hand back to see the wet spot. I hadn't even realized I was crying.

My feet carried me to the nearest corner store where I spent my whole paycheck for the month on booze and cigarettes.