AS I SPRAY the table with the cleaner I could practically feel my insides squishing together, nausea making my head spin. I scrub so harshly that my knuckles start to ache. Today was the day Johnny and Ponyboy went to court. The day that my and my brothers' fate is determined. Stay together or be separated.

I had been cleaning since I woke up, trying to get everything in order in case they wanted to do a house inspection and make sure the house looked suitable to care for children. There was that reason and the fact my nerves were shot. I didn't want to risk them smelling cigarettes on me so I couldn't even smoke to calm my nerves.

"Angela we're about to...are you okay?"

My head snaps up to see Sodapop looking at me with a concerned slightly scared expression. Light breaths left me and beads of sweat formed on my forehead. I wipe them away, dropping the rag and wiping my hands on my jean-clad thighs.

"I'm fine, doing some housework. We're going to the courthouse now?" I question. I had worn my best flannel with my nicest blouse and the only pair of jeans I owned that didn't have grass stains. My hair was pinned into a very soppy braid but I wanted to try and at least look presentable.

"Yeah...are you sure you want to go?" Soda asks looking at me as if I'd grown three heads.

I scoff at his words, waving him off. "Please, I'm perfectly fine," I answer.

"No your not." Dally retorts blandly from the living room in the armchair he sat in. He flipped another page on the newspaper I gave him, his bare feet propped up on the coffee table.

I had almost forgotten I put him there. Yes, I made Dally sit there, but I couldn't take it anymore. He was following me around the house, just talking while I cleaned. I got over-simulated, so I made him take a shower, get new clean clothes, and sit on the armchair. I told him if he moved that he would be back to sleeping at Buck Merle's and wouldn't visit him.

He wasn't exactly the happiest with me at the moment. And right now I wanted to hit him.

"Shush it Dallas, this doesn't concern you." I snap at him.

Dally heaves a dramatic sigh, sinking in his seat and letting his head fall back. He looks at Soda with a bored expression. "Your sister is a real pain in the ass sometimes, man." He drawls out.

"I'm right here!" I scoff, rolling my eyes.

"That was the point, darlin'," Dally answers, dropping the newspaper on the side table and reaching his hands above his head as he stretches.

I shake my head at the boy and turn back to my brother. "Let's go, Ponyboy and Darry are in the car, I assume?" I question, my feet carrying me towards my brother, to the front door.

"Pony is in the car. You're staying here." I turn at the new voice, watching as Darry walks out of the bathroom, freshly showered and shaved, wearing his best clothes. All of us were trying to look our best, even Soda and probably Pony.

My face scrunches up at his words. "Excuse me?" I ask, almost believing I heard him wrong.

Darry walks past me, putting a hand on the front door knob "You're staying here and no funny business Dallas." Darry warns the brunette, pointing a finger at him while giving him a stern look. Dally gives him his signature lopsided grin and a small salute motion with his hand.

"Why am I staying?" I question following my brothers outside into the chilly Sunday morning air. Both Ponyboy and Johnny sat in the car we had borrowed from Buck Merle.

"Because you're on edge enough as it is. It's best if you stay here." Darry explains, grabbing one of my biceps to gently pull me back towards the house.

"But.."

"No buts. We'll be back in a little bit. Enjoy the house to yourself just...keep the activities PG." Darry tells me.

My eyes widen, my cheeks turning scarlet "Shut up right now." I groan, pulling my bicep away from Darry with a shudder. Talking about my sexual life with anyone was awkward...let alone my older fucking brother.

Darry looked as uncomfortable as me as he nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Just be good we'll be home soon." He promises pressing a kiss to my head. He jogs over to the car and gets in. The engine roars to life and Darry pulls out of our small gravel driveway. I wave as they speed off toward the courthouse, my stomach still twisted in an ugly knot.

I tense as I feel arms wrap around me, letting my body untense when I hear the low rumble of Dally's voice. "Let's go back inside. It's colder than a polar bear's ass out here." He says, peppering my neck with soft warm kisses.

I can't help but chuckle at his words, letting myself fall back into his embrace. I close my eyes and hum. "Probably because you're not wearing shoes," I replied, glancing down at his bare feet.

I feel Dally grin against my skin and I yell as he picks me up, wrapping my legs around his waist. "I can walk, Dallas. My legs aren't broken." I chuckle. Though I wasn't complaining. I loved it when Dallas picked me up.

"Yeah. I know." Dallas grins as he kicks the door shut, he carries me to the kitchen, setting me on the counter closest to him. Dally connects our lips in a hasty kiss and I smile against his lips, pulling him closer to me.

Dally hums, kissing my cheek, then my jaw,, and sliding his sloppy kisses down my neck. His hands roam up my thighs, and he hooks his finger through the front belt loop of my jeans, tugging lightly. "Dally." I hum in a warning voice.

Dally looks up at me with questioning eyes, continuing his kisses down my clothed chest and settling on his knees. I couldn't lie, Dally looked hot as hell on his knees. He had never gotten on his knees for a woman. Except me.

"What's wrong darlin'?" Dally asks as he pops the button of my jeans open. I swat his hand away and button my pants again, laughing as Dally pouts and gets to his feet. "You're no fun." He grumbles.

I chuckle and pull him to me by the loop of his jeans "I have to study, Dally." I tell him, hopping off the counter and walking to my room.

"For?" Dally drawls out as he follows me, he shuts my bedroom door behind him, plopping down on my bed.

"For a math test, I have tomorrow," I answer as I discard my flannel and shirt. I hear Dally whistle and roll my eyes with a playful grin tugging on my lips.

"Math is easy," Dally replies as I tug an old t-shirt over my head, I think this one used to belong to Darry.

"Maybe for you, you're a math genius." I retort as I switch my jeans for a pair of cotton shorts.

"I'm not a math genius." Dally scoffs.

"Are too," I reply, grabbing my math notes and notebook before settling on my bed. Dally pushes my legs apart, resting his body between them, his head lying on my stomach. Who knew Dallas was so clingy?

"Just cause I can solve a few math problems doesn't mean I'm a genius," Dally answers as I use the top of his head to prop my book open.

"You're a math genius." I retort stubbornly. Dally was the only person I'd ever met who could solve a math equation in thirty seconds or less and still get the correct answer. He was a math genius.

Dally lets out a huff of defeat and lays quietly while I do my work.

After just a few minutes, I could feel a headache forming, the numbers blurring together in a giant blob of ink. I blink my eyes, squinting down at the paper. Irritation spikes through me, and I let out a huff, slamming the notebook shut and letting my head fall back against my bedframe.

Dally moves the closed notebook off his head and looks up at me with a confused expression. "What's wrong?" He questions.

"I don't understand it! The fucking numbers are blending together, and the fractions and mixing up, and everything is wrong." I ramble. I could feel tears of frustration form as I rubbed my pounding head.

"Here I can help—"

"No!" I snap wincing at the loudness and rudeness of my voice. I sigh, slumping my body as I close my eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm just.don't know." I huff.

"You're overly stressed," Dally answers. I hear him shift on my bed, his hands massaging my hips, rubbing and squeezing gently. It felt nice.

"List off everything that's bothering you," Dally instructs as he lets his hands roam my body, massaging all the tensed muscles.

💥|SEXUAL CONTENT AHEAD|💥

"The math is too hard." I start, my breath hitching in my throat as Dally pushes my shirt up and trails gentle kisses down my stomach. "I'm worried about Ponyboy; the water bill is due in two days, and we still don't have the money ney—" I'm cut off as Dally pulls my shorts and underwear off.

I open my eyes to look at him as he props my legs up on his shoulders. "I'm helping you relax." He says innocently.

"Darry told us— Ah!" My body melts as Dally licks a line up my folds, flattening his tongue as he does. I close my eyes again and tangle my hands into his hair, groaning as he flicks his tongue against my clit in fast, small strokes.

My hips start to roll, matching the thrust of his tongue, I moan as he plunges his tongue into me, my thighs already starting to twitch. "K—Keep doing that." I plead.

Dally obeys, switching between circling his to guess around my clit and plunging it into me. My brain and limbs turn to mush and I can't even remember what had me so stressed.

His strong arms wrap around my thighs, and he flips us over, so I sit on him. I push my body up, hovering above him on shaky legs as I shake my head no. "Dally, I'm too heavy." I pant.

"Bullshit." Dally rasps, using his hands to massage my thighs again. I feel my legs weaken, and the fight to hold my body up becomes almost too much. "Use my face for your pleasure, darlin'. You know you want to." He whispers.

I shake my head stubbornly, whimpering as I feel his soft kisses on my inner thigh. I let my head fall back, heavy breaths leaving me as I felt my knees starting to weaken, my body getting lower and lower.

Something in me snaps, and I push my body back despite my leg's protest. "Dally I don't wanna suffocate you," I argue.

"You won't and if you did, I would die a happy man." I gasp as Dally yanks me down, forcing my body onto his face.

The pleasure his tongue brought me caused my eyes to roll back, and my hands gripped the headboard of my bed so tightly that my knuckles turned white.

I grind my pussy against Dally's eager mouth. I could feel everything. His plump lips, soft tongue, and gentle nibbles made me see stars. I didn't even try to be quiet since we were the only ones home.

After barely a minute, my legs start to shaky and the knot in my stomach snaps as a cry of pleasure leaves me. I fall back, letting my body slump against my sheets as I wipe the sweat from my forehead.

I looked up at Dally, who had a stupid grin on his face, my climax coating his lips. "Shut up," I say between pants as Dally gets out of bed.

"I didn't say anything." He replies defensively as he grabs a new pair of underwear and shorts from my dresser. He comes back and helps me put them on before laying on my bed and pulling me to lay beside him.

💥|SEXUAL CONTENT ENDED|💥

"Dally?" I mumble after a few moments of silence. Dally hums in reply, signaling he is listening. "What are we?" I question.

"What do you mean?" Dally replies.

"Are we fuck buddies or dating or something else?" I ask.

"Fuck buddies don't say I love you and mean it," Dally mumbles back, his fingers tangling through my hair.

I can't help the smile that makes its way onto my face as I snuggle closer to Dally, my boyfriend. Boyfriend. That was weird to say and yet, it felt right.

"Are we ever gonna leave Tulsa?" I question.

"Do you want to?" Dally remarks.

I fall quiet unable to answer. I didn't know what I wanted. I never really thought I had a choice when Mom and Dad died. I can't just leave my brothers. They were the only family I had left.

As if he read my mind, Dally puts his finger under my chin and lifts my head to look at him. "I'll go wherever you go. If you want to stay here, we'll stay. If you want to go halfway across the world, then I'll buy the plane tickets myself. Just say the words and I'll do it." He tells me.

I freeze looking at Dally with love swelling in my chest. It's crazy how I hate you can change to I love you in just barely a month. I plant a hand on Dally's cheek, letting it slide back into his chocolate locks. "I love you, Dallas Winston," I whisper.

"I love you, Angela Curtis." He replies with a soft smile.

I roll my body on top of his, letting my face nuzzle into the side of his warm neck. Dally made me feel safe. He made me feel like I mattered. He put me first even when I didn't. Nobody had ever done that before.

A train of tiredness hits me and I feel my eyes start to droop before I let sleep take over my body.

💥|TIME SKIP|💥

I DON'T WAKE until Dally gently shakes me from my sleep. I grumble nonsense under my breath, not ready to wake up. My eyes shoot open when he speaks, "Your brothers are back."

I jump from bed and stumble slightly as I walk to my bedroom door. I hear Dally chuckle as I stumble out of my room, rubbing the tiredness from my eyes.

In the living room, Ponyboy, Darry, and Sodapop all sat with gloomy looks on their faces. I feel my heart stutter as I prepare for the bad news. We didn't win, and cops will be here to put Ponyboy in the cooler.

Darry's voice pulls me from my thoughts. "Angela." He says as he gets to his feet, walking towards me.

I can feel my heart tighten, expecting the worst when suddenly Darry smiles. "We won." He says.

It feels like a fever dream as I yell in joy and tackle my oldest brother in a hug. I feel Ponyboy and Sodapop join our hug as Darry chuckles. Tears of joy start to fall from my eyes as I let Darry go to grab Ponyboy into a bone-crushing hug.

Soda whoops as he picks Pony and me up, spinning us around and causing Pony and me to laugh. Darry yells at Soda not to break anything.

Soda throws us on the couch causing us to laugh. I grab Ponyboy by the collar of his shirt as he tries to get off the couch, gently pulling him back. "If you ever become an accessory to murder again I'll kick your ass," I warn him.

"I love you too, Angie." He replies, hugging me.

I hug him back, holding him tightly as he lays his head on my shoulder. Dally comes into my view as he clasps his hand on Darrys back with a grin, the two falling into conversation.

I catch myself staring at him, and he must've felt my gaze because he glances at me, flashing a small grin at me.

"I'm goin' to get the boys, we're celebrating!" Sodapop announces as he leaves the house.

For the first time in a while, I was happy. Genuinely, completely happy.

𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞

𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬