The Outsiders Imagines

Dally • The Break Up

PONYBOY'S POV

"Can't believe I bust on a thots stomach." He grumbled, making me and Johnny cringe.

Dally thought it was pretty funny though.

"Sorry kids."

"You're nasty, Dal."

"Whatever."

He lit a cigarette and tossed the pack and the lighter over to Johnny and I. "I want to get drunk, might head over to Bucks - I know Darry'll kill ya if I bring you over Pony, but, uh... you can come Johnnycake."

Usually I would hate to be left out of things just because I was younger, or because Darry wouldn't approve. But I was glad that Dally wasn't inviting me over to Bucks, I didn't want to be caught up or seen around there. Besides, Dallas was already pissed off as it is, because his broad, Sylvia went and cheated on him while he was in the cooler. I didn't want to see him angry and drunk.

Maybe it was a good thing that Johnny was going with him - he could keep ole Dally out of trouble.

"Its like, why would you cheat on me I gave that bitch everything..."

I didn't think Dallas really cared that Sylvia cheated, when Johnny had asked about the ring being back on his finger he had shrugged it off and told us calmly that Sylvia was a two-timer. But now he just seemed to let it all sink in, ranting to us. I think he felt ok to vent to us because we were the youngest. He had to be tough with the other boys.

"To be fair Dallas, you did tell everyone at first that she was just your side bitch." Johnny starts and Dally whacked his knee playfully

"Ey, watch your mouth kid - Don't want you to pick up on my cussin'"

"You sure cuss good Dal."

Dally cocked a grin and nodded, leaning back on the sofa.

"I don't miss her." he shrugs.

We didn't need his confirmation to be sure he didn't miss her. He probably didn't even love her. But we sat and listened, like you're supposed to do for your buddies.

"Don't you two start messin' around with girls - they fuck you up." He states, looking up at the ceiling while he spoke.

Against my better judgement, I would have reckoned that Dally was the one that messed Sylvia up. Why else would she want to run out on him like that? Sometimes it was scary being Dallas Winston's friend, so I could only imagine what being his intimate partner would be like. As much as he was decent to us guys, to the rest of the world Dally could be pretty cruel.

He's my buddy sure, but I don't always like him.

Johnny said that I didn't really know Dallas good enough to judge him like that. Just because he'd been to jail for just about everything, couldn't possibly mean that he's an overall bad person. Me and Johnny talked about this once, and he brought up that whats legal and whats right are actually two different things. I didn't really get it at first, Johnny isn't great with words but my my is he a thinker.

After I had thought about it too, I started to get what Johnny meant. In a given context, the law, and what is lawful doesn't always correlate with whats just, and whats right. I'd argued that jumping soc's the way Dally did was neither lawful or right. But then came in Johnny with his alternative logic.

"Right, but if you think about it - Dally is just angry...they have everything so if Dal jumps em, takes about ten bucks - they didn't really lose much. Dal's gotta eat you know."

I could see his point but I couldn't say I agreed.

"Dal don't got a job, them soc's all do."

Johnny thought. Then he spoke.

"Dal can't get a job though...since he was ten no one ever gave him a chance - and if you think someone is going to employ someone who's been to jail you're crazy."

I digested that.

Dal first got arrested when he was ten. Even before that, there was no good influence in his life. The system never bettered him or gave him a chance. They saw a troublesome kid that they needed to punish and lock up. They didn't see the bigger picture. So once Dally got arrested once that was it. In his case, all he ever got told he was was a criminal. I suppose then, thats what he became.

I was always trying to psycho-analyse Dallas Winston because as a person he was so dense. Perhaps thats why relationships never worked out for him, no one really knows him. Just as Johnny had said.

Wondering briefly about Sylvia too, I sat on the floor and blew a smoke ring. Did she understand Dallas? Was she scared of him? Did she ever love him? I knew that she hadn't had the best life either so maybe she was just another dense person that no one really knew.

I think, I think too much.

"Did you lover her...ever?" Johnny asked quietly, making Dal scoff.

"Fuck no, but I did like having her around."

So that was all? Company?

"Head was phenominal too." He shrugs, snickering when he made me and Johnny cringe and groan again.

"Sorry kids."

"Please never talk to us again about your sex life." I said, shaking my head.

"You sure you're allowed to know that word?" Dally teases, now he and Johnny were snickering.

I rolled my eyes. "Very funny."

If Dally only liked having Sylvia around, he shouldn't be so bummed out. He could quite easily find another girl. Girls around here loved him actually.

But maybe Sylvia was special in some way.

We let him rant, and when he was done he got up and looked at the time, nodding for Johnny to get up too so they go off to Buck's and get drunk.

"Leaving me on my own?" I grumble. And Dally just said "You'll be fine."

When they were gone I dragged myself upstairs, finishing off some homework. I could barely concerntrate though. Darry said I let my mind wander too much and he sure was right.

I wondered about the inner workings of Dallas Winstons mind and came to the conclusion as I slept and drooled over a history essay - that I among many, do not understand.