Inside The Outsider

    

        

        I stared down at my book that had Dally's picture placed in it. Instead of paying attention to the lesson, i just gazed at the photo. It was weird havin a picture of Dally, usually i had to use my imagination and daydream about him, now he was at my fingertips," Ms.Robinson..Ms.Robinson!?" Suddenly my attention was broken from the photo and up at my teacher," Ms.Robinson, what's the angle of this acute triangle?" I glanced at the board and did the math in my head," 30 degrees." "Good job, next time imma need you to be payin attention and not sitting there daydreamin." "Yes ma'am." I put the photo back into my purse and did as Ms. Lane told me to do.

      I looked down at my paper and did the rest of the problems that were on the board. As i was doing my work, i could feel someone starring at me. I turned my head and made eye contact with Clarice who was givin me a death stare," What?" "Don't tell me you have a picture of that boy?" I shrugged my shoulders," We're gonna talk about this at lunch."  I turned back to what i was doing and finished my work.

     "Come on, i wanna talk about this." Clarice dragged me over to our regular lunch table and sat me down beside her," So y'all back together now?" I nodded my head waiting for a negative reaction," No matter how much i hate him for not stickin up for you, i'm glad y'all back together." I smiled down at my hands,"Me too." I glanced up at her with puppy dog eyes," Clarice?" She looked at me confused," Yeah, what's wrong?" "Come with me to hang out?" Her eyebrows furrowed," But I have a date with-" "Please, Clarice i need you ." She rolled her eyes and sighed," Alright, you owe me a double date." "What? TJ can't know I'm with Dally." "Well he's gonna find out sooner or later D, might as well just have them meet face to face." I glared at her and she just mischievously smiled at me," Come on and eat, your food is gonna get cold."

       I sat down on the bleachers in the gym, Coach Lyons had worked us out to death once again. Clarice was somewhere socializin with someone as i sat alone. Suddenly i felt a presence sit beside me,"Hey Diana." I turned to Michael who was awkwardly staring at me," Hey Michael."

    He scratched the back of his neck," Um we haven't spoke since the other night at the club...Did i do something wrong?" I scrunched up my eyebrows," No not at all." He let out a breathe and smiled," Well on that note, would you like to go out with me sometime?" "Like a date?" He nodded his head, i swallowed the big lump in my throat, i didn't want to hurt his feelings but I don't want no one but Dally," I'm sorry Michael but I'm with someone." He coughed surprisingly," Really?" I nodded my head," Sorry." He shook his head,"No, no it's fine." The bell finally rang for dismissal , i got up and patted Michael's back reassuringly;He still sat there not movin at all.  Clarice caught up with me and we exited the school.

     "These white people are gonna give us hell." "We've been knowin this Clarice." "Yeah, but now you hangin out with em, they're gonna give us all types of hell." "We never been scared before so nothin's different." "Alright, alright but don't forget our double date." I rolled my eyes, she nudged my elbow and laughed. We had finally entered a diner and got us a seat," It's weird not havin Lisa and Cheryl by out side." I commented, "Fine by me, they been gettin on my nerves anyway." I chuckled at her statement until i saw a familiar face.

  Suddenly i felt someone sit beside in the booth and wrapped their arms around my shoulder," Hey D." I quickly turned to the familiar face and smiled wide," Dally what you doin here?" His other friends, Johnny and Pony sat beside Clarice as she glared them down," Yeah what are yall doin here?"

     Everyone in the diner kept turning their heads towards us, i knew they were talkin about us," Dally we're suppose to be taking baby steps." He glanced at me and smirked," Baby steps are no fun." I playfully rolled my eyes at him," Nothing sane is fun to you." He shrugged his shoulders," You're fun." I raised my eyebrow,"Oh really?" His smirk grew bigger,"Yeah."

   Abruptly, a cough interrupted me and Dally,"We're still here." Clarice clarified. I glanced at her," Well ya gonna stay here and look; cause i had to with you and TJ." She sighed and sat back in her seat turning to Ponyboy in the process," You do anything other than get harassed by them rich white boys?" He looked down at his hands and turned to her," I uh read books." Clarice scrunched up her nose," You like reading too? You and Diana will get along just fine." He glanced at me," You like reading?" I nodded my head and smiled,"Yeah she loves it more than me." Dally commented as he stared at me. I shrugged my shoulders," They're more interesting." Dally straightened up in his seat and glared at me in disbelief," Me? Dallas Winston not interesting? I'm the most interesting person you've ever met and you know it." I looked over at him with a smirk on my face," True." He pulled me towards him and pecked the side of temple.
   
  I glanced at Clarice who had finally ignored me and Dally; she was chattin' it up with Pony and Johnny. A smile grew across my face until an unpleasant figure came stormin' over to where we were sittin'.