street fights

positive side

Tessa's POV

"Why are you all looking at each other like that?" Dallas asked.

"Do you have any family who made food for you?" Ponyboy asked.

"Ponyboy!" Mrs. Curtis scolded.

"No, it's ok. I have a half sister, but she never made anything and she moved out a while ago. She lives with her friends now." I rolled my eyes. "I don't know my dad and my mom just never made meals for me."

They all looked sorry for me.

I hated it.

"It's really no big deal, though. I survived. And quite frankly, I don't know any different. So it's not that bad." I said with a fake grin.

"Well, you're always welcome to eat with us." Mrs. Curtis said. She changed the subject quickly and focused on school.

We finished eating and the Curtis' went and did their thing and it was just Dallas and I. "Dally, I didn't even think about school." I muttered.

"I was just not gonna go back."

"But I kinda want to. I mean, don't ya think? At least be enrolled?"

"I mean, I guess it's your choice, but we don't even have anybody to get us enrolled."

I sighed. "Yeah, you're right. I feel like it'll get boring ever once in a while without it."

"Tessa, we're in a whole new city with brand new friends who fight for fun and brand new places to go to. I feel like we'll be ok for a while."

I grinned. "Yeah, whatever. But we also can't stay here forever. I mean, eventually there gonna want their house to themselves again."

Dallas thought for a second. "How about we split up, drive around, and see what we can find."

"Alright. Let me brush my teeth and change my clothes. Then we'll head out."

I quickly got ready and we both went outside. I took the left and he took the right.

After I turned left, I found my way to town. It wasn't anything like New York. It still had some tall buildings, but no sky scrapers or loads of people walking around.

I almost liked it.

Hell, maybe I did like it.

But it still kept me from finding a place to stay.

I found my way around and I eventually got to know the town a bit more. I saw a school and I didn't really care what Dallas said. I wanted to go.

I stopped for lunch at a restaurant just outside of the downtown area.

It felt weird eating by myself. I always eat with Dallas. At least most of the time I did. But I dunno what it was. After yesterday, I felt like everything was different.

I left and decided to head back to the Curtis'. I found nothing. There was nothing I could find. And I can't just buy a house. I'm too young.

I got back and all those boys were there again. "Hey, Tessa." Sodapop said.

"Hi." I muttered.

"Where'd you head off to?" Darrel asked.

"Dallas and I separated to find a place to stay. I found nothing, but maybe he had better luck than I did." I said, throwing my keys in my bag.

"Guess what?" Dallas asked walking in right behind me.

"What?" I asked, hoping for the best.

"I found us a place to stay."

I gave him a confused look. "You're kidding." I muttered.

"Nope. Ran into a guy and asked me to be his rodeo partner tonight and he'd give me a place to stay."

"Shut up! That's awesome." I said with a smile.

"Yep. Now get your stuff together cause we gotta get over there." He said picking his stuff up.

I grabbed my backpack and looked at the boys trying to get a read of what they thought of all this. They all just gave me a blank stare.

"Alright. I'm following you." I said turning on the bike.

He sped off and I followed quickly behind him. We drove around until we pulled up to a tall building on the outside of town.

"Bucks?" I asked.

"Yeah. That's the guy I met. Names Buck. He owns this place."

"But this is a night club. A bar. Where will we be staying?" I asked.

"Follow me." He said walking up the steps.

He walked in like the place was his own and I saw some older guy behind the bar. "Hey, Buck. This is Teresa." He said.

"Hi." I mumbled.

"Nice to meet ya. Dallas, be down here at 5 tonight." He said going back to whatever he was doing.

I sighed as I followed Dallas up the stairs. We walked up to this room and he opened the door.

"Here we are." He said.

I stood in the room in shock. It was a small dusty bedroom above a bar.

I really tried to think on the positive side, but man was it hard. This was awful. It smelled awful, looked awful, and was an awful location.

"You look concerned." Dallas said.

"What? No. I'm just- uh... it's just not what I expected. But y'know, it's great for now." I said trying to keep a positive mindset.

"Good, cause it's gonna be our place for a while."

I tried not to let my disappointment show.

I don't know what I expected, but this was not it.

Dallas and I unpacked a few of our things and he must have noticed how silent I was.

"Look, Tess, I know it's not ideal, but you gotta know I'm trying my best here." He said, quietly.

"I know. And I'm glad you are. It's just different than what I expected. But hey, it works for now. It's great. I promise."

I think I meant that promise. I hope I did. I knew he was trying his best. I knew he was gonna do what he had to do.

So I just had to be thankful for it.

And I was.

Think positively. I have a place to stay and I successfully got away from home and made new friends.

Just. Think. Positively.