"It's just a concussion," I groaned as I pressed a bag of ice to my forehead. "I'll be fine!"

"I don't care! Now turn back around," Darry instructed.

I huffed dramatically and rolled my eyes. "Fine," I gave in and turned back around to face the wall. I pulled my knees into my chest and continued to hold the cold ice bag to my forehead. It burnt like frostbite and numbed my skin.

After Dallas unlocked me from the handcuffs, we walked back to the Curtis house. As soon as the three of us stepped into the house, Darry, being the strict father-like figure he is, scolded Ponyboy for being missing for so long and then me for 'looking like I got hit by a truck.'

Ponyboy and I told Darry that Bob, Randy, and the rest of his soc friends jumped us and beaten us up pretty good. He could've guessed that last part just by judging us from our looks though.

Ponyboy had a decent-sized cut just below his chin. The bleeding had ceased awhile ago, leaving a dark, red trail painted down his neck and staining his purple shirt. He'd probably be sore for the next couple of days for the punches he received in the face and chest.

Although I didn't look as bad as I did when I first got to Tulsa, after the scuffle with that New York cop, I didn't look great either. My nose had definitely turned purple from bruising when Bob punched me and it throbbed profusely. The bleeding from my nose wasn't as bad as the bleeding from my cut, which would leave behind a pale, white scar that lined the side of my jaw. It didn't really bother me that much. I just considered the wound to be an added on piece to my collection of scars.

"Stop rolling those damn eyes," Darry scolded. "You're going to get dizzy and make the concussion worse."

I scoffed and turned back around to face him. "That's not even possible," I exclaimed.

Darry pointed at me. "Turn back around!"

"This is so stupid," I muttered irritatedly as I, once again, turned back around to face the wall.

Darry refused to take Ponyboy to the hospital because he was worried that they would think he wasn't watching out for his brother. He feared that the doctors would call the police and have them send Ponyboy to a boys' home. Darry also made the argument that Ponyboy's injuries weren't too severe, so he'd be okay in about a week or so.

He told me that I should probably get checked out by a doctor, and offered to take me to the hospital. I declined the help, but Darry wouldn't take 'no' as an answer, and drove me to the hospital anyway. The doctor looked into my eyes and ran multiple memory tests on me, informing me that I had a mild concussion.

After Darry was made aware of the news, he took me back to his house and placed me in the corner of their living room with a bag of ice to hold against my head. Darry instructed me not to watch tv, smoke more than a pack of cigarettes, or talk too much. I was already failing two of those tests.

"We're not just gonna let those socs get away with this though, right?" Steve asked.

"This isn't the first time they've jumped us," Sodapop added, a hint of anger in his voice.

"I know," Darry said. "And that's why I called for a rumble."

"When is it?" Steve questioned.

"Tonight," Darry said. There was a chorus of cheers and chatter from the boys.

"Yes!" Two-Bit exclaimed excitedly. "I've be looking to kick some soc ass."

I turned around and tossed the ice bag beside me on the floor. "What's a rumble?" I asked the group, confused.

Darry sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's a fight between the greasers and socs."

"Yeah, something to get the mutual hatred out of our systems," Two-Bit said jokingly.

A mischievous smirk found its way onto my face, but before I could say anything, Darry cut me off. "And something that you're not coming to," he said strictly.

I frowned. "Oh, come on!"

"Doctors orders," Darry shrugged.

"More like your orders," I grumbled, crossing my arms with another eye roll.

"Look, Diana," Darry sighed. "You can come next time."

"Whatever," I scoffed.

"If you want.. I'll stay here with you." Johnny spoke quietly. I glanced up at him and half-smiled.

"Ponyboy is staying too," Darry stated. The said boy didn't object, either because he knew it was an argument he wouldn't win or he genuinely didn't want to have to fight again today. I assumed it was a little bit of both.

Everyone said their goodbyes and left the house in a hurry except for Johnny, Ponyboy, and me. Two-Bit grabbed two bottles of beer for himself on the way out, and joined the rest of the gang as they paraded outside and onto dark street, screaming and jumping in excitement.

I stood up abruptly, a mistake that caused my vision to become spotty and my body to tilt with dizziness. I reached for the wall behind me and steadied myself as an intense headache clouded my mind painfully.

"What are you doing?" Johnny asked.

I ignored his question and walked over to the window, peaking through the curtains to see the boys still out front of the house. "Hey, Ponyboy," I said, turning around to face him. "You got a back door?"

He nodded slowly, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion. "No.. but there's a window in my room that leads you outside."

"Great," I smirked. This was too easy.

I walked passed Johnny and Ponyboy, who were both very confused as I made my way to the room Ponyboy and Sodapop shared. I shuffled through the dark bedroom, accidentally stepping on small piles of clothes as I walked around the bed. Like Ponyboy had mentioned, there was a window on the side of their room that lead to the backyard.

"Diana, where are you going?" Ponyboy asked. Him and Johnny had followed me into the room, and we standing beside me as I unlocked the window.

I paused and turned to face them. "What does it look like I'm doin'?" I sighed and pointed towards the window. "I'm escaping!"

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Johnny mumbled.

Ponyboy nodded, agreeing with his friend. "Yeah, Darry's not gonna like that."

"Well, Darry's not in charge of me," I stated. Ponyboy and Johnny shared a look before I turned back around and pushed the window open.

Although Darry and I were good friends, I'd never let someone boss me around. I respected him and enjoyed hanging around him, but I'm still my own person. Concussion or not, I'm going to do what I want.

The window slid open with ease. I bent my knees to fit through the small opening, sliding one leg out and then the other. After I was through, I hopped down onto the grass carefully. My eyes glanced back to Ponyboy and Johnny, who had their heads peaking out of the window, their expressions still nervous. I chuckled and then sent the two boys a thumbs-up before walking around to the front of the house.

The rest of the gang must've already left because I didn't see them in the street anymore, meaning that I was in the clear. I waltzed over to the Curtis' gate. " 'Stay here,' my ass," I mumbled with a cocky grin.

"Didn't Darry tell you to stay here?" Dallas asked from behind me. His sudden presence caused me to jump slightly.

I turned around and watched as he walked down from the deck. I folded my arms across my chest. "I thought you guys already left," I replied, ignoring his question.

"I stayed back," Dallas shrugged. He now stood right in front of me.

"Why?" I said, voice laced with confusion.

Dallas shrugged. "I knew you'd try and come."

I sent him a sly smirk, which he returned as he grabbed my wrist. I looked down at his hand on my, eyebrows creased curiously. "Hey, what're you doing?" I asked him. Dallas didn't answer though. Instead, he reached into his jacket pocket with his free hand and pulled out the handcuffs I was wearing earlier. My eyes widened when he wrapped one cuff around my wrist, clicking it shut. "Woah, woah, woah- Stop that."

I tried pulling my hand out of his grasp, but he had a tight hold on my wrist. Dallas moved my hand over to the side of the chainlink fence, and locked the other cuff onto the metal. "What the fuck?" I exclaimed as I tried tugging my hand away from the fence. "Is this some sort of joke?"

Dallas shook his head and hopped over the fence easily. "No, but now that I'm thinkin' about it, it's kinda funny."

"Well, it's not for me so let me go!" I demanded angrily.

Dallas chuckled as he said, "No can do, doll." He began walking away, down the street.

"Wait!" I called after him. "What if I get cold?" Dallas paused and turned around, walking back over to me.

He took off his denim jacket and tossed it to me. "There," he said. I caught the jacket with my free hand and draped it over my shoulders sloppily.

Dallas turned on his heel and swaggered away again into the darkness, and this time he didn't come back. I stomped on the ground with an angry expression glued to my face. "Damn you, Dallas Winston."

»»——⍟——««

Distant laughter echoed through the streets. My eyes darted towards the sources, and I saw the gang walking back to the Curtis house.

The boys looked awful. Each of them were littered with multiple cuts and bruises on their face, while their knuckles were split and bleeding. I did take notice of the smiles though, which made me come to the conclusion that they had won the rumble.

I pulled the latch on the gate open, and walked backwards, opening it for them. "Welcome back, assholes," I said sourly. Their happy exteriors faltered, and guilt consumed everyone's faces, except for Dallas'.

"Look," Darry started. "I'm sorry I made you stay back."

"If it makes you feel any better, Darry got socked in the face," Two-Bit added with a laugh. Darry rolled his eyes and pushed Two-Bit into Steve.

I cracked a smile. "Okay, that makes me feel a little bit better."

The boys filed into the house, leaving me and Dallas outside. I held my hand up as high as I could. "Ya gonna let me out of this or am I spendin' the night locked up?"

"Alright, alright," Dallas huffed. He made his way towards me and reached into the right pocket of his denim jacket that I was wearing. I watched with wide eyes, completely dumbfounded, when he pulled out the key to the handcuffs.

"Wait, what?" I exclaimed. Dallas pressed the key into the handcuff around my wrist, unlocking it for me. "I had the key the whole time?"

Dallas nodded. He glanced down at me, meeting my eyes. "I was hoping you'd figure it out," he stated with a small smile. I think this is this first time I'd seen him smile instead of smirk. "Guess you're not as smart as I thought you were," he teased.

I pushed him playfully and rolled my eyes. "You could've gave me a hint or somethin'," I stated.

Dallas chuckled softly. "I'll have to take you to the next rumble."

"That only seems far," I said with a nod and a smile.