November 9th, 1967
6:00 P.M.

Dallas left the diner and was left to decide between going back to "Buck Merrill's Noise-A-Rama," lone it for the night, or drive over to the Curtis house.

He chose Curtis and walked over to the phone booth across the street, cigarette in hand.

Dallas: I figure I could get one of em' to write that letter for me... I have to sound salaried or I'm not gettin' that apartment.

He rang their house phone and Ponyboy picked up.

"Curtis residence," the boy said, a slight drawl in his voice.

"Hey Pony, it's Dally."

"Hey! Are you comin' over tonight?"

"Yeah. I have something to ask you..."

"Well?"

"Could you write a letter for me?"

"Only if you get me an' Two-Bit chocolate cake. Hud's on the television, so you can watch it with us...then I'll write it."

"You and yer Paul Newman." There was a pause.

"Fine! I'll stop at Sipes to get you two that cake," Dally chuckled.

"You can have some of that cake too you know, it's your birthday after all."

Dallas: Crap. They remembered?

"Yeah I guess."

"What's it for anyway? The letter, I mean," Ponyboy took interest in why he needed to write a letter in the first place.

"It's a response to someone lookin' for a roommate. I need to move into a real place so I gotta sound professional."

"Oh, well alright then. And get us our chocolate ca-"

He hung up and ran back over to his car, lighting a cigarette on the way. In a few minutes, Dallas arrived at Sipes Food Market.

*Ding*

A little bell rang through the entrance of the store as the boy walked over to the revolving Lazy Susan. He asked the baker at the counter to pick up two chocolate cakes.

"That'll be twelve dollars, sir."

Dallas: Twelve dollars? For two cakes? Well this better be worth it...

He pulled out his wallet and counted out two fives and two one-dollar bills.

Dallas: I figure, Pony might as well have some extra motivation... I'm sure more cake will do.

He laughed slightly at his own thought, and the baker looked at him strangely as he put the cakes in two boxes.

"Anything else, sir?"

"Nah."

Walking out of the grocery, he put out his cigarette on the standing ashtray next to the door.

Dallas walked back to the car and sped over to the Curtis house.

6:22 P.M.

When he walked up past the gate and up the steps, he saw the glow of the television through the door. The familiar voice of Paul Newman echoed through the rickety building.

Two-Bit turned around first.

"Heya, Dal!" enthusiasm filled the house, just as Sodapop stepped out of his room and through the hall.

"You got us cake?" He was elated, eyes of leather matching his very boots.

"Not for you, Soda," Dally said dismissively , expression bitter.

The room turned cold for a moment, the only noise in the house was Hud Bannon yelling on the screen. The shorter boy's face fell as the taller one's rose to a grin. Dallas chuckled.

"Only kiddin,' there's enough for you too."

"You gotta stop pullin' my leg like that."

"Fine... Now where's yer typewriter, Pony?" his attention turned to the youngest one of the room.

"Oh, uh, in my room, but could we have cake first?

"Yeah."

They divvied up the chocolate cakes into small portions, saving some for when Darry got home, and some to bring over to Johnny and Steve. At this point, the warm kitchen blended their voices together, going on and on about the decadent treat.

"Alright we have enough for two each," Dally explained.

"Happy Birthday, Dal," Ponyboy was elated, simultaneously handing him a square paper plate. The cake almost melted into the cardboard, leaving an oil mark on the disposable.

"Yeah, an' a Happy New Year!" Two-Bit snickered.

Dallas: How funny...

"Thanks, Dal," Sodapop said, getting himself a second slice.

"No sweat," Dallas replied.

"Are ya sure you wanna save these for Randle and Cade?" Two-Bit was eager for a third.

"Don't forget Darry," Soda added.

"I mean, they don't have to know, right?" Two-Bit shot back.

When they were done, Ponyboy led Dally to his room to get the typewriter. When they walked in, Pony checked his hair in the mirror.

After everything that happened two years prior, he just wanted to forget it at first. Yet as time passed by, he realized that he appreciated the bond him and his friends had made. Ponyboy also found he actually liked having his hair bleached.

Following those events, Dally wanted to forget it to. Mostly, he just wanted to turn his life around. He figured the best way to do that would be doing things the legal way. The whole gang encouraged him to do so, as this would likely keep him away from jail... they didn't want him to do something stupid.

Pony reached under the bed and pulled out an aqua Smith Corona typewriter.

Last year, the boys chipped in to get Ponyboy a typewriter for Christmas. After reading his English assignment, they spent months pooling all of the paper money and spare change they could find. The gang felt as though he had the best chance out of them all, and encouraged him to write.

"So what am I supposed to do now?"

"I need to answer this ad... someone at the Vandevers is tryin' to rent out part of their apartment!" Dally exclaimed as he sent his arms upward for dramatic effect.

"Really? So you're asking me to answer the ad, then?" Ponyboy didn't know why he was excited, he just matched the older boy's emotion in the moment. Then a wave of confusion passed.

"Wait, a part of it?"

"Yea... So can ya help? I kinda know what to say but I can't make it sound good. I know you're the writer of the gang so I thought you'd like this stuff."

8:45 P.M.

They spent the next hour going back and forth on ideas of what to say. A couple of drafts were made, but they agreed on one in the end. Ponyboy folded the paper and put it in the envelope, writing his address so they could get a reply. Then he added a little smiley face on the left side. Dallas nodded in approval, mostly just tired from having to make so many copies of the same letter.

"Not too professional and not too casual."

Silence filled the room for a few minutes. Ponyboy grew uncomfortably. Dallas nodded.

"So you like it?" Pony asked.

"Yeah, I think it's perfect."

this is so much fun tbh. give me more requests lol (i do take a while to update but it's worth it i swear    ?) i had a bit of writer's block so this used to be a filler chapter,,, but then i changed it completely so uh,, no more writer's block sksksksksk

also this isn't a steve household rip