Sunsets & Switchblades.

Chapter Twenty-One

I didn't really know how it began happening, but Dally stared coming home drunk. Or he had cuts and bruises. And I just stared getting so worried, and it started to drive me insane. I really didn't know if it was what the doctor told me was the pregnancy hormones, or if it was just the fact that I was beginning to care.

As the door opened that night I sighed. I could tell by the way he was walking that he was drunk. And I think at that point I had had it. "Drunk again?"

"Huh?" He slurred.

I stood up, crossing my arms. "Honestly Dally home long is this gonna go on? Because honestly I'm sick of it."

"What are you talking about?" He asked, looking at that moment, completely sober.

"I'm sick of it Dally, me worrying until you come home. Me worrying if you're going to come home in pieces, or if some cop is going to call saying you're locked up. And that I have to bail you out." My anger was slowly rising, and I could tell his was too.

"Don't worry then." He retorted.

"It's impossible Dally. It's impossible for me not to care about you!"

He just stood there, not speaking. "And that's why I'm doing this....I don't want to see you anymore Dallas Winston. Everyone was right." I took the ring off my finger and laid it in his hand. I walked out of my house, just leaving him standing there. I went to Ponyboy's and climbed the shaky ladder onto the roof. I laid down and cried. I only sat up when I heard someone coming up the ladder.

"Hey Shay.." Ponyboy whispered softly.

"Hey Pony.." I replied, wiping my eyes.

"What's the matter?" He hunched down next to me.

"I left Dally Pony.. I just left him there. I gave him back his ring. I just couldn't take it anymore. And to top it all off, I'm going to have a baby." I threw my arms up in the air.

He swallowed. And he just stared at me. "Does Dal know?"

I shook my head. "No, I couldn't tell him Pony."

"Are you gonna?"

"After tonight? Probably not, he can just think whatever." I sighed, defeated.

"But it's his kid.." He asked it almost as if it was a question.

"Of course it's his kid."

Ponyboy just stared. "Look Shay, I like you, and I know how Dal is. But I'm pretty sure he liked you an awful lot. And this might sort of throw it off a bit, he might be worse." Ponyboy concluded.

"Look, he's not gonna be with me, he can deal however he wants." I had to make that comment, something inside me told me I needed to stop caring.

Pony slung his arm over my shoulder. "Wanna go inside? You can crash here tonight." He said.

"Honestly I think that your family's gettin' sick of me."

"Nah, Soda likes ya, he loves anyone who's almost as happy-go-lucky as him. He thinks you're tuff too. Darry likes ya cause you can stick up for yourself."

"Well I guess it'll be better than going home.." I said, wondering if Dally was still standing there.

We made our way down the ladder, and I stretched out as Pony tossed me a blanket. I'd try to get some sleep, just for the benefit of this child that was by some kind of karma growing inside me.

I woke up the next morning to someone moving my feet. It was Ponyboy. He didn't seem to notice I was up, so I stretched out some more. He looked at me then. I don't know what I saw in his eyes, but there was something, before they moved to my stomach. I surpressed a glare. He was fourteen, had he ever even been around someone who was pregnant?

I folded my arms over my stomach, and pushed myself against the arm of the couch. "Hey Pony, can you make me some toast? Try not to burn it though." I added the last part with a laugh. He smiled, and nodded. As he went to the kitchen I sighed. This was not going to be easy.