seventeen

—

"you don't get to just forget things like that without punishments. you're grounded. no more going out unless i say otherwise" darry says, sending me to my room.

i walk in angrily and slam my door. i don't have much to do, but luckily pony brought me school work that i had missed, so i guess i'll be busy with that.

honestly, i'm quite hungry, so when i hear dallas leave, i walk back out of my room and grab a biscuit from the kitchen then go back to my room.

i sit at my vanity as i eat, looking through all the papers.

i literally have no idea how to do any of this. it could take hours.

i rest my head on my hand, and begin reading over the papers, doing whatever they tell me to do.

—

it's now nearly 4pm, i've taken a few breaks, but they didn't last long cause i didn't really have anything to do, and i just want to get my homework over with.

i sit at my desk, continuing to do english homework. i'm interrupted by knocking on my window.

i walk over lazily, moving the curtains out of the way. i'm greeted by a somewhat beat-up dallas winston.

my eyes widen, and i quickly open my window. i don't quite want to let him in, but he invites himself inside anyway.

"what the hell do you want? what did you do to yourself?" i ask angrily, folding my arms.

he walks past me, bending down into the mirror on my vanity and checking himself out. i shut the window as he does so.

"your stupid little fucking boyfriend decided to jump me" he says, running his fingers along the wound on his cheek.

i assume he's lying, and that he's just saying that because he's mad i was with him. "yeah, sure. keep it quiet, i'm grounded because of you, you piece of shit."

he looks over at me with narrowed eyes and furrowed eyebrows. "i'm serious, curtis."

i scoff "why would he jump you?"

"hell, maybe because of whatever you told him i did last night."

"well good. you deserve it. you're real shitty for that, dallas. now get out of here, don't expect me to clean you up" i say, motioning my hand toward my window for him to leave.

"watch your fucking mouth," he says, wiping the blood from his nose "i don't expect you to clean me up. i just wanted to let you know."

"do you think that would make me fear him? or not want to be around him?" i ask, trying not to shout.

"of course not. i beat his ass real good after i got him off of me" he says with a smirk. "i just wanted you to know that he goes around jumping people."

i feel my anger rise even more "are you serious? where did this happen?" i ask, worried about devin. he's very tall, but he's very very lean. not much muscle.

"park" dallas answers bluntly.

i immediately open my window and run out, going toward the park.

—

as i run toward, everything floods back about what happened with dallas.

it's like i can see him falling from the hill again as he got shot. i can see the police cars piled everywhere, i can hear the gangs screams as they ran down behind me.

i try to get it out of my mind and i run up the hill, finding devin sitting on the park bench.

he's not super messed up, but it's obvious he's in pain. "oh my god," i say concerned as i sit next to him.

he lifts his head from his hands and looks at me "annalise?"

i put my hand on his face, examining it. he flinches when i accidentally hit a cut.

"i'm so sorry" i whisper. "do you want to go to the hospital? what can i do to help you?" i ask.

he sighs "i just wanna be with you," he says through slurs, barely having the energy to talk.

i cant drive him to his place, so i decide to take him to mine. "you have to walk, okay? i'll help you the best i can.."

he nods and gets up, we walk slowly to my house. "you know who did this right?" he asks.

i hum, wanting to talk about it when we're home.

it took quite a bit, devin was really struggling.

once we get there, i sit him on the front step so i can go talk to my brothers.

"annalise!" darry shouts "i thought you were in your room. you're grounded, remember?"

i nod "yes, but i had to help a friend-"

"you don't get to leave this house without asking me" he says sternly.

"damnit! would you listen to me for once?!" i yell, tired of all his rambling.

he doesn't say anything, he just stares angrily, waiting for me to continue talking.

"it was devin. he got in a fight, he's not doing great so i brought him here, he's outside" i say as i walk back, opening the door.

darry, pony and soda follow behind. darry comes out the door with me and pony and soda watch from inside, peaking out the door.

devin gets up as quickly as he can, startled by how big darry is.

i grab his hand, telling him it's alright.

"i'm- im devin ellis" he says stuttering, putting out his hand. darry shakes it slowly, unsure of how he feels.

"come on in, boy" he says stepping to the side. i help devin inside and sit him on the couch.

"would you two stop standin there and be useful?" i say to soda and ponyboy. "get a rag and some alcohol, bandaids if we got any."

they scurry and do as i ask. i sit next to devin and put my hand on his. he's very obviously quite nervous.

"how'd this happen?" darry asks, sitting down on the living room table in front of the couch.

he clears his throat awkwardly "uh- dallas winston,"

"dallas?" darry asks cutting him off. devin nods.

"i mean- it's my fault, i shouldn't have tried to fight him-"

"you tried to fight dallas? you're quite the fool," darry says as he damps the towel with alcohol that he got from soda and pony.

"he doesn't need a lecture right now, darrel" i say "i'll do it."

he moves and i sit in his spot and lightly dab devins face. he takes it pretty well.

i bandage some cuts and then i'm finished. darry has him ice spots that he feels he needs to.

"you can stay here tonight, dinner will be ready soon" darry says, walking into the kitchen.