AS THE YEAR progressed into fall, the days got chilly and the leaves turned into different shades of red, brown, orange, and yellow, painting the ground with the colors as the leaves fell swiftly from the tree.

I hold my thin jacket closer to my body as a rather large gust of wind blows from my right, making my hair fly to the side.

I can't shake the watchful eyes I feel on me, and I glance behind me, watching as busy passers bustle about, not paying any attention to me. My eyes didn't miss the shadow of someone ducking into an alley. I couldn't tell their build or if they were a man or woman and I can't help but wonder if it was him. He's been stalking me around ever since I got out of the hospital. Every so often I'd get a glimpse of him, but that was it.

I turn back around and continue my walk to Betsy's Diner for my shift. Due to the circumstances of the situation and the help of Beatrice's sweet-talking our boss, I got my job at the local diner back.

I had let work and school consume my every hour of the day. In reality, I didn't know why I kept up with it. Ponyboy and Darry were the smart ones. Not me. I knew how to work and get stuff done. And that's seemed to take me pretty far.

Soft chatter and the scraping of forks against plates fill my ears as I step into the warm diner. Nobody even glances up as I discard my jacket and quickly walk to the back.

I open my work locker and throw my jacket and duffle bag of clothes inside, pulling my apron out. I put the apron on and grab my notepad and pen, clocking in and heading out to take orders.

The minutes blend into ours as I work, my cheeks starting to hurt from the smile I force on my face every time I walk up to a customer. I could feel my chest tightening, and my sore ribs started to ache. The rib that I had broken was mostly healed. The doctor had told me the pain would last a few more weeks at least.

"I'll be right out with that, ma'am," I tell the woman in front of me, giving her a dip of my head before I rush off to give the order to the cook. As I rip the order off my notepad and stick it where all the orders sat, I heave a breath.

I wipe at the sweat beading on my forehead and lean against the wall, closing my eyes as I take deep breaths.

"You alright?" I open my eyes to see Beatrice standing in front of me. A hand lay on her hip and there was a crease of worry in her brows. I nod, pushing off with wall, grimacing at the ache in my ribs.

"Is it your ribs?" Beatrice questions.

"I've gotta get back to work, Bea," I say, dodging her question. I loved Bea to death, but ever since I've been back she's been babying me.

Take a break, Angie.

Don't stress yourself too much.

Have you taken your pain medication?

Is this too much to do for you?

I felt guilty for getting annoyed with her. Bea was only trying to help and it showed she cared. But I was sick of being babied.

Beatrice frowns. "Okay, just...don't overwork yourself, okay?" She says.

"Okay, mom." I joke with a grin.

Beatrice rolls her eyes, hitting my arm lightly. "You're still coming over, right?" She questions. Beatrice and I haven't had a girl's night in forever, and Beatrice demanded that tonight we do. I didn't really know how her mother felt about me coming over. Since now my brother was an accessory to murder, I doubted she wanted me anywhere near her daughter. But it wasn't really her choice.

I nod my head "Of course. Who else am I gonna fan over Alain Delon with?" I amswer in a 'duh' tone.

Beatrice smiles dreamily. "God, the things I would let that man do to me." She groans.

I nod in agreement with my own far-away smile. Both of us are ripped from our fantasizing when we hear our boss yell. "Bea, Angie, come on girls, I need you!"

"Coming!" I yell in unison with Bea.

"See you tonight," Bea says as she rushes past me, tapping my arm before disappearing into the front of the diner to serve customers.

I grin, speed walking over to where two plates for table six sit. Picking them up, I go back to my work. Letting myself get lost in the work completely with the promise of an Alain Delon movie marathon later.

💥|TIME SKIP|💥

Flipping the sign in the window from open to closed, I sigh, letting my arms go limp at my sides as I look around the empty diner that was now spotless thanks to me.

I had to close alone tonight, but I didn't really mind, closing alone gave me time to myself and peace. No one nagging me to take my medication or telling me what to do.

It felt nice.

I grab my duffle bag of clothes for Bea's house and wrap my jacket around my body. I clock out and leave the diner through the back, making sure to lock it.

In a matter of minutes, on my way to Bea's, I feel the hairs on the back of my neck rise and the burning of someone's eyes. I huff and roll my eyes, stopping in my tracks.

I turn around and am met with the empty sidewalk, the dim streetlight above the only light in the dark night. It was close to nine o'clock, so most people were already home and watching TV or sleeping. The world around me was still, and it was so quiet that I could hear my pulse drumming in my ears. But I knew he was out here. He had to be because I could feel his presence. I always could.

"It's rude to follow girls home, you know," I call into the dark, my voice carrying beyond the streetlight. I'm met back with silence and I frown, letting my eyes travel and look for the slightest movement.

I start to doubt myself when I see nothing move, not even the wind rustling in the bushes.

I hear a stick crack and I snap my gaze to the left where I heard it. Slowly, someone walks towards me from the other side of the street, crossing the street without looking. From the build, I could tell it was a man, but the hood over his head shelled his face in the darkness. When he stepped into the light, I let out a silent breath in relief when I saw I was right.

"Why have you been following me, Todd?" I ask, irritation clear in my voice.

He sucks his bottom lip into his mouth, running a hand through his tossled black hair. In his other hand, he held something g behind his back. I narrow my eyes, taking a step back.

Todd notices my step back and my nervous glance at his hand behind his back."I wanted to apologize. And...give you these." He says. He holds his hand out, revealing a bouquet of daises.

Daises.

My heart tightens at the flowers and I shake my head, looking back up at him. On his cheek were three thin scars that were almost done healing. Where I had scratched him the last time he followed me home.

"I can't take those," I tell him. My throat tightens as I swallow, blinking back my tears.

This is the second time he got me daisies. The first time was the night my parents died. They were too much of a reminder. That night had started off as the best night of my life and ended as the worst.

Todd swallows and takes a small step toward me. "Please come back to me, baby. I miss you." He mumbles with a pleading look.

I shook my head, glued to my spot as my body trembled ever so slightly. "I can't," I whisper.

"Can't or won't?" Todd counters.

I look up into his grey eyes, those eyes used to make me melt and feel whole inside. Now I felt nothing. I flutter my eyes closed for a second. And in that second I see Dally giving me his lopsided grin. Every negative thought and feeling brushes past, and I'm engulfed in warmth and safety as I think of the brown-eyed boy.

And at that moment, I didn't think I loved Dally. I knew I loved him. I love his lopsided smile and dark eyes that made me forget all my worries. I love his small kind gestures towards me that showed me he cared. I even love his arguing. I love him.

"I'm in love with another," I whisper, looking up at Todd with teary eyes, my heart stuck in my throat.

His jaw tenses and he looks down at the ground, chewing his bottom lip. "Who is he?" He asks.

"Dallas Winston," I mumble.

Todd's face falls at my confession, and he scowls. "You're choosing a criminal over me?" He hisses with a judgmental glare.

I scowl. "He may be a criminal, but he's never gone around telling everyone about our fucking sex life." I retort.

Todd sneers, throwing the flowers at my feet. "So you've fucked him?" He growls his voice rising.

"It's none of your damn business." I snap back mine rising as well.

"Burn in hell you fucking whore!" He barks, storming off. His voice echoes off the empty street.

I don't let out my breath until I watch Todd's car, speed past me, his tail lights getting dimmer and dimmer the farther he drives.

I blink away my tears, looking down at the crumbled daises at my feet. Whore. The word made my stomach twist.

But I didn't care. Todd could call me whatever he wanted. He wasn't mine.

I take off walking to my new destination, I knew I would owe Bea a giant apology because she would be pissed if she knew I ditched her to see Dally. But I needed to see him. I needed his touch and deep, soothing voice.

I break into a sprint, holding my duffle bag of clothes close to my side and I don't stop running until I appear at Buck Merle's front door.

I tried to open it only to discover it locked. It was a rare night that Buck Merle wasn't partying.

With only one option left, I beat on the door like my life depended on it, only stopping when it's opened. "What the hell Angela?" Dally rasps, his hair messy and his clothes wrinkled he was asleep.

I bring my throbbing knuckles down and launch myself into his arms, burying my head into his neck. He stumbles back slightly, wrapping his arms around me as I breathe in his familiar, calming scent. His hands rest on my lower thighs, holding me up.

"What's going on Angela? Did something happen?" He questions, the smallest hint of worry in his voice. I pull my face from his neck, cupping his face as I shake my head.

"Nothing's wrong, I'm okay now," I whisper.

Dally looks at me with a confused look, the tiredness in his eyes gone. "Then what are you—"

He's cut off as I smash my lips to his. He responds almost immediately, kissing me back with twice the force I was kissing him. Dallas was never good at telling me his feelings. But at this moment he poured everything he was feeling into our kiss.

His desire. His fear. His everything.

I moan as he forces his tongue through my mouth, my back hitting a wall as I pull at his clothes and his hair. I wanted to bury myself in his skin and engrave my name into his bones. I wanted him to need me as much as I needed him. And I might be selfish for that. But I don't care.

Dally pulls away for breath, both of us panting for air, our breaths mixing in the air between our mouths. I lick my swollen, damp lips, staring into Dally's hungry eyes.

"What do you want, darlin'?" Dallas whispers as he runs his thumb along my jaw, making goosebumps rise and the throb between my legs intensifies.

I could feel his bulge pressing against my core through our clothes and I've never been so sure about wanting something in my entire life.

"Take me upstairs, Dallas," I whisper back, sucking my bottom lip into my mouth as I feel his body tense against mine.

He looks me up and down as if battling within himself. Finally, he meets my eyes. "Once I start with you. I want to be able to stop." He warns me, caressing my cheek with his thumb.

I lean into his touch, desperate for more of whatever he'll give me. My stomach jumps in excitement at the anticipation of what Dallas meant. My mind came up with a few different ideas. I liked every single one of them.

"I don't want you to stop," I reply.

Without much of a warning, I'm thrown over Dally's shoulder, yelping in surprise. I hold back a wince of pain from my ribs and gulp as Dally rushes up the stairs.

𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞

𝐒𝐦𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐱 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬! 𝐈 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤. 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬, 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 ❤️