reckless 【 the outsiders 】

thirteen.

Two weeks in and Leigh was realizing just how attached she'd become to Dallas Winston. She always wondered about him: if he was fighting, if he was thinking about her, if he was alive, even, seeing as he didn't try to call her again but he probably didn't have her home number. She could almost guarantee that she had the answer to all of her questions but that didn't stop her from thinking so hard about them all. Dorothy even had to shut her up when she started trailing off about it sometimes.

Her work wasn't enough to keep her mind busy. She'd spend nights out with Gigi, Bugsy, and V and her mind would still be racing. She couldn't believe her brain wasn't tired of thinking of Dally and the only time he'd leave her mind was when she was sleeping. Everyone around her found it annoying: her brother had been to jail plenty of times but nothing affected her as much as this. She couldn't help but think about what he looked like sitting there all alone and it would really upset her sometimes. She had to keep reminding herself that it was his fault, that he definitely had it coming and that she shouldn't even be putting so much thought into it, either. Dally was doing almost the same exact thing, thinking about her, not that he had much else to occupy his mind.

After a month, she felt like she couldn't go another day without seeing him or hearing his voice but something unexpected had finally taken her mind off it. She hadn't visited Dallas like she said she would and probably wouldn't with her oldest brother, Lenny, back in town. The one person to bring the individuals of the Sawyer family together, even if just for a little while.

Lenny Sawyer was the oldest of the four siblings, the most protective of them all, the one they all go to for everything. They've missed having him around and it makes them realize how much they miss being a whole family again. Their dad actually took off work, even though they all knew he loved working and needed the hours. They all wanted to actually spend time together and lucky for Leigh, she didn't have to work. Levi blew off his friends and Luke canceled a date with his girl. Needless to say, this was important to them all.

While Leigh was bonding with her family and finally letting something bring her out of her month's slump, Dally was waiting. He'd never been so anxious. On visiting days he always hoped he'd get called, he hoped she'd come to see him. He was completely out of the loop because he didn't bother to call her. They had some of the guys cleaning floors and Dallas always felt something he couldn't explain when he'd look and see the others hugging their girlfriends or wives and their kids, well not so much their kids but definitely their ladies.

He'd sit around, bored as ever. Not even bothering to pick a fight or disturb a guard. He's got it bad and now he's getting lonely.

Another month passed, still no visits, still no call out. Lenny was staying with his girl so it was safe to say that Leigh had simply forgotten about it. Visiting Winston wasn't on her mind. He wasn't even on her mind, anymore, as the rush of being with her family again filled that void. Her and Levi weren't fighting, Lucas's free time wasn't completely occupied by his girlfriend, and their dad was actually making plans outside of work.

They have always had a good relationship, the Sawyers, but they've never been much of a unit. The family is full of standalone people who love each other to death but each get caught up in their own lives and forget to prioritize their family. All of her brothers would do anything for Leigh, they'd lay anyone out at the snap of a finger if she said to but they also didn't express their love in other "normal" ways. They fought but also did little things like making a little meal for everyone to take to lunch or having a quick dinner ready after everyone's off, but then they like to talk about one another, it was fun for them, making fun of each other, and makes them damn near invincible when someone else tried to do it. They definitely challenged one another but sometimes they forget the importance of simple things like explicitly reminding each other that they care.

Leigh's habits with her family undoubtedly surface when she's getting a little more serious and she sometimes has a hard time dealing with tough situations and instead shuts it out with ease.

Dallas convinced himself to get over it. Assuming the worst was what he was best at and after a couple more weeks, still no visit, still no call, he was a free man yet again. The boy didn't bother going to Leigh's place and went to hang out with the guys instead; he didn't even wanna call her. Out of sight, out of mind, he claimed to himself. Whether or not it was completely true was a different story.

Nobody bothered to ask Dally why he wasn't with the girl he'd recently become attached to, even when he'd turned into an almost completely different person without her around him. He could claim it was because of being away for a while but it was obvious her absence played a part in his new habits.

edited 12-28-21