A tear dripped down from Dally's eye. He looked at me. His face was filled with pain. He'd stopped sobbing. I knew why he was here. He didn't want to be here. He wanted to leave... But he couldn't.

I could tell exactly what happened:

1. After I blacked out, Sodapop went to beat Dallas's head in.

2. He showed up at Dallas's house and dragged him to our house, not explaining why. (By that point, he must have been sober and wouldn't have remembered what had happened.)

3. Sodapop dragged him up to my room to show him what had happened to me.

4. Sodapop rubbed it in that DALLY was the one who hurt me.

5. Dallas broke down crying.

6. Sodapop busted his head in for hurting me.

I'm glad that Dallas felt bad... That he's lying on the floor, in pain... That jerk deserves it...

Dallas tried to stand up, but fell back do to a pain in his side, a broken rib maybe... He deserves it...

I looked him in the eyes... How did I ever love him?...

"A-Ashley." I said, in a voice that sounded like a little kid right after a car accident. He was still bawling. "Are-are you okay?" I ignored him.

"I'm so... sorry..." he pleaded, his voice cracking with pain on the word "sorry".

"I know you are." I said, turning to him, with no emotion. "...But, what am I... I'll give you a hint, baby,..." I looked so deep into his eyes that I might have burned a hole into his sole. It felt good. "I don't forgive you..."

He understood. He looked down and didn't make a sound for a long time. When he did, he stood up and said, "Hit me." and pointed at his chest.

"I'm not gonna hit you." I sneered, wishing I could. "I can't. I don't hurt people..." I looked him in the eye, wish I could just cry on his shoulder. "Like Johnny..."

He almost smiled. "I always knew you were a great person... I care about Johnny... Because he's an innocent, sweet, caring kid... I wanted to know that he stayed safe... Johnny's my best friend... He's like a kid brother to me..."

"If you think I'm innocent," I said, standing up... "then, I might as well be a Soc." I walked past him, knocking my shoulder into his. He almost fell over. I left.

I don't know what he did from then on. I went to the store. I brought a hundred dollars with me. I didn't come back until 7 o'clock.

When I got home, the whole gang was there,... Including Dallas. They were yelling at Dally and he was defending himself. They all stopped and the room was dead silent when I walked in... They were looking at me and what I did... I could have got a cool tattoo, but, no... I did this instead... This would make Darry much more angry... But that wasn't why I looked like that...