ANNALISE | Dallas Winston

eighteen

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we all talk as dinner is being made. devin gets to tell my brothers about himself, and they tell him about themselves.

he seems to really be enjoying it, he's definitely not as nervous. he's also not in as much pain as he was from ibuprofen that we gave him.

once dinner is ready, darry, pony and soda sit at the dining table but i stay on the couch with devin.

my brothers talk, but devin and i have our own conversation.

as i finish chewing a bite of food, i say "you know you don't need to protect me, right?" as i swirl my fork around my plate.

he nods "yeah, it was real dumb of me, i was just so angry that he treated you like that.."

i hum, agreeing with him. "i'm pissed too. i cant believe dallas had the nerve to even come to my room today, but i guess i'm glad he did; i wouldn't have found you otherwise."

we finished eating, i helped darry clean up while soda and pony talked to devin about whatever.

i dry my hands with a rag on the counter and walk back to the couch "how are you feeling?"

"a lot better," he says standing up "i should probably get going. i'm sure my stay is overdue."

i look back at darry, who nods at me. i sigh and take devins hand, pulling him out the front door with me.

"i'm really glad you're okay.." i say, looking down at the ground.

"all thanks to you" he says smiling, putting his two fingers on my chin and meeting my eyes with his.

he leans in, and we kiss goodbye. we both pull back with a smile. "i'll see you around" he says as he rubs his hand on my head, messing up my hair.

my redness and butterflies settle down as he disappears into the distance. i hope he makes it home safely.

i walk back inside, and sit on the couch with pony and soda. darry is sitting in his own chair.

"you finish your work?" darry asks. i nod.

"great. now, you tell me what happened with dallas."

i tell him about everything, left out parts that don't really matter. after i finished, they all just sat in silence, staring at me.

"you kissed dallas?!" pony asks. "he's the one guy we don't want you to go after!"

i roll my eyes "oh, shut it, pony. i don't need my kid brother lecturing me."

darry clears his throat and stands. "no, he's right. don't talk to him like that. go to your room, i'll talk to you in a minute."

"why can't you just talk to me now? might as well.." i say with an annoyed sigh.

he points to my room, motioning for me to go immediately without saying anything else. i sigh again, louder this time and stomp to my room.

i clean up my papers and put them away as i wait for darry to come in and lecture me.

eventually, i hear a knock.

"come in" i whisper, sitting on my bed. the door opens slowly, and it's sodapop.

"what are you doing in here?"

"darry told me to come talk to you. he doesn't really know what to say."

he sits on the bed next to me and holds me to him tightly. he rest his chin on my head.

"we're worried about you, annie.." he starts "dal is a real bad guy to fall for. we don't want you to get hurt, or get into trouble.."

"he's not that bad," i say. "at least, he wasn't before. now i don't know if i wanna see him.." i begin looking back at the time we had spent together, starting from the night i had saved him.

tears begin to form in my eyes "why did he say that he doesn't care about me? i've been so nice to him, i wanted to help him-"

soda wipes my tears and begins running his hands through my hair. "that's just the way he is, annie. he's cold and mean. he's been like that since we met em'."

i sniffle "i thought i could fix him..hell, soda, you said you thought there might had been a reason he had me come down that night, but it was only because he didn't want you guys to see him die."

i laugh lightly after finishing that sentence, noticing how it's a bit of a kind gesture that he didn't want them to see him pass, but it still sucks about why he had me come down.

"what's funny?" soda asks.

i wipe my nose "i dunno, i just sound stupid."

he shakes his head "no, no, this feeling is valid. dal was a real douche to you..but, devins real nice, yeah?"

"yeah.." i say letting out a deep breath. "i just don't wanna hurt him."

"you? why would you hurt him?" he asks. i grab his hand, putting both of mine on top.

"listen, soda..you can't tell no one, specially darry, got it? just like when i told you how i was helping out dal at first.."

he nods "i'm listening.."

"i think.." i put my head on his chest. "i think i really fancy dal" i say muffled.

"what? i cant hear you, sit up" he says, picking my head up off of his chest.

"i like dallas."

his eyes widen, he pulls his hands from mine. he sits for a moment, not knowing what to say.

"you're serious?"

i nod slowly. "i feel the same way around him as you told me you had felt around sandy, when y'all were together..i get such bad butterflies i feel like i'm gonna be sick."

"nah, come on, annalise! don't forget what he had done to ya!"

i flop back on my bed "gosh, i know, soda! i really fancy the both of them, devin and dal, but..i dunno, i just- i dunno."

"i don't know what to tell ya, sister. but, i do know we all really like devin.." he hints as he gets up and leaves the room.

i grab a pillow and put it over my face, screaming into it.

after i sit for a moment, trying to piece things together, which i failed, i decide to shower and then head off to bed a little early since i'm going to school tomorrow.