laughter filled the air. the smell of popcorn wafted through the air, and the movie before you continued on. your feet crunched against the gravel, wettened from the rain a day prior. the two - dally and ponyboy - led the way further and further into the crowded parking lot. each car you passed seemed to be another happy couple, another few girls, and you are pretty sure you saw a whole van of dogs. tonight, dally had brought everyone to chill around at the drive in theater. it hadn't seemed so bad.

that was until you settled behind two girls. everyone was keen to mind their own business - other than dally. instantly, he was flirting with the cherry-haired one. his words echoing in the quiet area. you and ponyboy shifted uncomfortably as she spat out insults. dally, the boy he was, couldn't take a hint.

you respected dally to some degree. and, who wanted to mess with him? however, this was getting out of hand. your tongue was heavy as you watched. at one point, dally had set himself beside her. it took only a few more seconds of that before someone spoke up.

"knock it off, dally." you realized moments after it was you who was talking. the 2 girls' head swiveled toward you, as well as ponyboy's. dally's slowly turned, like an anger man. and, he were sure he was. the air thickened instantly. hardening with dally's anger.

"what'd you say to me?" his words were sharp, daring. "what'd you say to me, you punk?" you weren't sure when the last time dally had spoken to you like this. normally, you two were attached to the hip. but now, dally's anger felt blade-like. and blades are dangerous to anyone.