14. Accusations

                                    

                                          
"I don't have to tell you anything, okay kid? So just drop it," Dallas snapped. Ponyboy huffed indignantly before rising to his feet. Dallas did the same, making sure to stand as tall as possible with his arms crossed threateningly over his chest. A new cigarette stuck out between his teeth.
                          
"All I'm sayin' is that you and Hannah didn't come around for like, four days. Usually, you only take off for that long if your hurt, or in jail. Then when you finally do come around, you start yelling at her by the fence and her hands are all scraped up."
                          
Dallas took a step forwards and blew a cloud of smoke into the younger boy's face. Ponyboy coughed wildly. "Are you accusing me of something Ponyboy?"
                          
"And what if I was? You didn't tell us about your sister, you never told us about new York, maybe you're hiding something else from us. We're gonna figure out what it is though, so don't you worry."
                          
Dallas scoffed while Ponyboy stormed back into the house. From the road, a black corvette soared up the street.
                          
The atmosphere was thick with tension. All four teenagers sat in the living room staring at the t.v. Ponyboy occasionally wrote in his notebook, before looking it over again with a black pen. It was mid-afternoon before Dallas finally spoke.
                          
"Hey Hannah, did Charlie ever hit you?"
                          
Her breath hitched as she stared at her brother. Pony turned up from his notebook and Johnny stared down at his lap. "Go on, tell us. They're bound to find out eventually, right Ponyboy?"
                          
Hannah scoffed. "What is going on?"
                          
"Ponyboy here thinks I hit you, that's why we didn't come over. Had to wait for the bruises to heal."
                          
Pony shifted on his feet awkwardly. "I never said that-"
                          
"But you were thinking it, weren't you?"
                          
Hannah pushed herself off the sofa. Her ankle still ached, but could now support her weight if she stood. Johnny also stood up, offering his hand for her to take if she lost her balance.
                          
"Both of you," she hissed, "calm down."
                          
Dallas smirked spitefully while Ponyboy swallowed a lump in his throat. 
                          
"What's got you two all worked up anyway?"
                          
"I know you're hiding something," Ponyboy shouted while jumping up. Dallas stood up from Darry's armchair as well. Hannah pinched the bridge of her nose.
                          
"You know what, Pony? Maybe we are hiding something. But guess what? We don't have to explain shit to you."
                          


                          
The rest of the afternoon drug on slowly. Eventually, the hellish hours finally came to an end. Ponyboy and Johnny ended up walking to the DX for some fresh air, Two-Bit and Dallas tried to balance a dozen beer bottles on the corner of the coffee table, and Soda was attempting to make dinner. The radio sang in the kitchen, guitar and drums blending with the ring of the telephone.
                          
"Curtis house, cute one speaking."
                          
Someone on the other line spoke before Sodapop gasped.
                          
"No, this isn't Darry!"
                          
From the kitchen table, Darry chuckled.
                          
"Uh-huh, I'll tell them right now. Bye-bye."
                          
Soda turned into the living room. "Dallas!"
                          
The twelve beer bottles tumbled to the floor while Two-Bit groaned.
                          
"Jesus! I'm right here! What do you want?"