What We Once Were

Just One Date... Plus One

Valeria's POV

I walked to the ice cream place where I told Dallas I would meet him. He seemed jittery as I approached him. He didn't have a cigarette in his mouth like he normally did when I saw him. I guess that would explain why he looked uncomfortable.

"Hey, doll. Ready to go?" He asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be..." I mumbled. "Where are we going?" I asked.

"You'll see." He said, grinning. I already had a bad feeling about tonight. I don't think he really knows much about what normal people do for dates.

We walked for a bit and I found myself at that bar we met, again. "Ugh. I hate this place." I muttered.

"Good thing we're not going inside." Dallas said quickly.

"Then why are we here?" I asked.

"We're getting a car."

"A car?"

"Mhmm." He seemed to unsure of what to do without a cigarette. I guess he just ran out and didn't have time to get more?

"Why is there a car here?" I asked, out of confusion.

"Well, my rodeo partner owns the place. He lets me stay upstairs. He also lets me use his car. And we're gonna be taking it, tonight."

"Huh." I said in a surprised tone. "Well, alright." I continued. We got in the red T-Bird and he started driving. "So when are you gonna tell me where we're going?"

"You'll see." He said, without losing eye contact from the road.

We were coming to a familiar place and I realized we were by the drive in. He pulled up to the ticket stand and we waited for a second behind another car.

"You're paying to get in?" I asked in shock.

"Mhmm. Is there a problem with it?" He asked.

"No! No, not at all. I'm just shocked. I know there's a hole in the fence where people sneak in. I figured that's what we'd be doing."

"Nah, we'll just pay. It's not a big deal."

I was grateful it was dark cause my face would have shown how shocked I was. Everything we've done tonight was legal. And from what I've heard, Dallas isn't into that kinda stuff.

We parked and decided to go take a seat in the front. Dallas leaned back in his chair and I sat up straighter.

"You want something to eat? Or drink?" He asked getting up and looking through his pockets.

"Nah, I'm alright." I said. He walked back to the concessions stand while I continued to watch a movie.

"Hey, Val." Someone said from behind me.

"Jane? What are you doing here?" I asked making sure Dallas didn't see us.

"I came here with my brother. What are you doing here?" She asked with a giggle. She knew exactly what I was doing here.

"Don't get all bubbly. It's just one date."

"So was the first one. When does it end?" She asked. "How many "one dates" can two people have?" She asked with a grin.

"Look, I only said yes because I know it won't last. He can't go one night without getting in trouble. It's not my scene."

"So you feel bad for him?" Jane asked.

"What? No! That's not it at all! I do really wanna go out with him but... look, I dunno. It's complicated." I said turning back around.

"Alright, alright. Sure it is. But remember, use protection!" She said, laughing.

"What? Jane, we are not hooking up." I whispered, turning back around and facing her.

"Yeah. Let me know how that goes." She took something out of her person and dumped it in my lap. I saw Dallas coming back to his seat.

"What is this?" I mumbled, more to myself than Jane. Jane got up and started to go back to her brother, giggling as she left. I picked up the package type thing she put in my lap and angrily threw it back at her once I realized what it was. What girl just has condoms in her purse? "You're crazy!" I called out.

"Who was that?" Dallas asked taking a sip of his drink and sitting down.

"My friend, Jane." I said with an eye roll.

"What did you just throw at her?" He asked out of curiosity.

"It was nothing. She's just trying to piss me off." Her little brother appeared in between Dallas and i and started making kissing noises. "And it's working!" I yelled, directed towards her.

He grinned. "Your friends seem fun." He said with a laugh. "At least for Soc girls."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked jokingly.

"Nothing. Just never seen a high class girl like that joke around." He said turning back around.

"You should see their parties. If that shocked ya, you might be in for a surprise." I said with a laugh.

He grinned. "Huh. I guess there's a lot I don't know."

We finished the movie and he offered to drive me home. "It's on Glavendale." I said telling him my address.

"Oh, so you're rich rich." He said in shock.

"I guess so." I said dully.

I never really thought I was too rich. Well, maybe in money. But I'd love to live like Sodapop does. He's got a good family and a nice life. His parents don't seem the type to pressure him about high school or jobs or college. He might not have a great big home but he has a good family. And that's the most important thing someone can have.

It's not like things are perfect in my neighborhood, either. Everyone's got something rough in their life. The only real difference between Socs and greasers are that the greasers have a better time about expressions their emotions. While Socs act perfect and don't really let anyone know too much about them. I wish it wasn't like that but everyone's got issues of their own. Nobody's got it perfect.

So I guess to Dallas, Socs probably are perfect. But from my point of view, we're just better at hiding the problems we have.