street fights

earrings and drugs

Tessa's POV

I woke up and sighed as I got up to get ready for my day. The day before the rumble. I walked downstairs and Dallas was eating leftovers from the fridge.

"Hey, Dal." I muttered, rubbing my eyes.

"Morning, doll."

"What's the plan for today?" I asked.

"Same as usual. Wanna head over to that new Dairy Queen? I've been wanting one of their sandwiches."

"You're already eating breakfast." I said with a laugh.

He shoved the last of it in his mouth. "No I'm not."

I grinned and gave him a playful eye roll. "Alright. I'll be ready in twenty." I said walking back up the stairs.

"Alright. I'm gonna clean this place up a bit."

I quickly got ready and laid back down on the bed. I jolted up when I felt a poke in my back.

"Ow." I muttered.

I turned around to see what it was. I picked up the small hoop earring from the blanket.

I looked at it closely before I could even realize it was an earring.

But I didn't wear earrings.

I've never had my ears pierced.

Why would this be here...

"Tessa, you ready to go?" Dallas called out.

"Y-yeah. Just give me a second."

I went to hide the earring under Dally's pillow only to find something more shocking.

I lifted it up to see a bag full of white pills.

No...

No... no... no...

This can't be happening.

I felt my world start to cave in around me.

Dallas was doing drugs.

Some other girl was in my bed.

What is going on...?

"Tessa?" He called out again.

"Just a second!" I yelled.

I shoved the bag back under the pillow and quickly shoved the earring in my pocket.

I ran over to the door and Dallas opened it the same time I did. I let out a squeal when I saw him.

"You ok?" He asked.

"Y-yeah. Let's just go." I mumbled.

We made it about halfway down the stairs before I couldn't keep my mouth shut any longer.

"Are you ok?" I asked.

"Yeah." He said, more like a question.

"Oh..."

"Why are you acting squirmy?" He asked.

"I-I'm not. I dunno. I'm just tired."

He left it at that.

But I dunno what was worse.

The earring or the bag.

-

Today's the day. The rumble. The day we get to have it out with those damn Socs.

Dallas and I stuck around Bucks for a bit and he was acting weird all day. I couldn't figure out why, but he just was.

Was it something I said? Or did?

Does he know I found those things?

I had other things to worry about, though.

We walked towards the Curtis' to get everyone together.

I kinda knew nothing about this rumble. I mean, who's gonna be there? How many people we got?

Nothing.

I knew nothing.

"Alright, everyone ready?" Steve yelled.

"Woo!" Everyone yelled.

"Wait, why are we leaving so early?" I asked.

Everyone stopped at the door and looked back at me.

Darry looked at the guys. "Did no one tell her?" He asked with a tint of anger.

"Tell me what?"

The guys all focused their gazes towards Dallas. He looked around and sighed. "I couldn't." He said quickly.

"What's going on?" I asked. 

Dally sighed and walked up to me. "Doll, you aren't fighting tonight."

"What! Why not?" I asked.

"You just got hurt. I don't think it's a good idea."

I felt the anger rise inside of me. My first instinct was to punch him in the nose and make them take me.

But I had a better idea.

"Oh. Ok." I mumbled.

The guys all stood there like statues. "You're ok with staying here?" Ponyboy asked.

"Yeah, as long as ya don't mind me raiding your fridge." I said with a fake laugh as I walked towards the kitchen.

"Run before something explodes!" Two-Bit yelled.

The guys all ran out the door and I knocked the vase off the table.

How could they do this to me?!

But I had to act quickly.

I ran around the back streets to find the Socs. I knew they were lurking around somewhere. The greasers always like to get their early and the So s like to arrive fashionably late.

I saw their mustangs up ahead and grinned. "Hey, guys." I said walking up to the car they were all waiting in.

I knew a few of their names. Bob, Randy, David, and Hunter. The rest I couldn't tell ya.

"No funny business before a rumble." One of them said.

"No, I know. I actually have an offer for ya." They all shifted their attention towards me. "I wanna fight with you guys."

They laughed. I rolled my eyes. "Is this some kinda joke?"

"Nope. The greasers told me I couldn't fight with them; so, if they wanna play it that way I'll fight against them."

"Prove it." Randy said.

I rolled my eyes and quickly tried to think of something. "Dallas Winston and Tim Shepherd. They both go for the guys who have red shirts. I dunno why, but they do."

They all looked at each other.

"Darry tries not to leave Ponyboy's side and Ponyboy and Johnny stick together. Separate those three and their done for."

They all gave me a hesitant look.

"Steve and Two-Bit just go wild. Although there's more of a method to Steve's madness. I couldn't tell ya what, but there's something to it."

They still didn't believe me.

"Sodapop starts lower. He goes for the legs to knock ya out. Then he goes for your upper body. I know it sounds odd. But I swear, it's the same thing every time."

They all kinda looked at each other, but I was out of things to tell them.

"Get in the car." Randy said after looking at Bob. I grinned and hopped in the back. "But if you so help but turn on us, don't think we won't hesitate to knock ya out. Just cause you're a girl means nothing."

"I wouldn't think about it." I said with a grin.