I stood up quickly my left hand instantly smoothed down my hair while my right hand brushed off my skirt. I couldn't believe after three weeks Dally was actually standing in front of me. I didn't know what to say or do, I realized that I hadn't answered Dally because he was just standing there waiting for my answer.

"Yes, I was deep in thought" I said quietly glancing at Dally before focusing on the ground.

"How've you been Rach?" Dally asked quiet lighting his fag I had missed the smell of those. I didn't like them, but anytime I smelled them I always thought of Dally.

"I've been okay. How are you doing?" I asked Dally hesitantly

"Good, I've been good" Dally said after a second.

"Where are you headed?" Dally asked looking around

"I'm going to the cemetery to visit my Grandmother" I told Dally quietly

"That's good Rach, that's real good" Dally said with a small one sided smile.

"Sorry to interrupt but we have to get going. If we stay any longer Darry is going to be mad" Soda said popping up out of know where. I hadn't even notice that he wasn't with us. I was just so absorbed in Dally.

I nodded even though I wasn't sure if I could walk away from Dally. Soda seemed to sense my indecision and put his arm around my back to lead me away. I started to follow but then I stopped and turned around ready to go after Dally only to find Dally was standing a few steps away from me right where we had been talking.

I shook off Soda's hand and walked back towards Dally, stopping right in front of him.

"Dally….." I started to say and then I trailed off realizing I didn't know what to say.

"Yea Rach?" Dally answered me not helping me at all. Taking a deep breath I started to speak again.

"I..well..we" I started to say only to stop because I didn't even know what I was trying to ask him.

Dally remained silent just watching me struggle with all of my thoughts.

"I haven't seen you in a while?" I said with a slight question as I failed at asking anything about our relationship.

"I've been around" Dally said evasively and with that one statement my hopes died.

"Oh okay" I said with fake understanding.

Dally said nothing he just stood there watching me.

"Well I have to go" I said quietly holding back tears. I turned and started to walk back to Soda noticing the sympatric look that graced his face.

"I'm sorry Rach I didn't know that, that was going to happen. Every time I see Dally he's always asking about you" Soda said consolingly giving me a one arm hug as we kept walking.

"It's okay Soda" I said once we reached the cemetery. I hadn't realized how lost in thought I had been until we arrived at the cemetery. The cemetary wasn't that far from the Curtis's home, that slightly brightened my day knowing that I would be able to visit with my grandmother more often.

Soda walked me up to my grandmothers stone before talking again.

"Are you going to be okay here by yourself?" Soda asked hesitantly

"Yes Soda I'll be fine, go head and get to work" I said realizing how late it was getting and remembering that Soda had to work in the afternoon. Stopping to see Dally had taken more time that I had thought, the day was mostly gone.

Soda stared at me for a moment longer before he gave me a big smile and hug, the protective kind. That hug flashed me back to before our fight and even though Dally and I were over, I felt like everything might be okay.

"I'll see you at home" Soda said as he headed across the cemetery towards his work.

Suddenly left alone staring at my grandmothers grave I was overcome by the realization that she really was gone and I was never going to feel her arms around me again.

It was a hard truth to accept. One that I wasn't going to be able to fully get over in one afternoon.

"HI Grandmother…"I began sitting down in grass.

It was just before dusk when I started to leave the cemetery for the Curtis's house. I hadn't meant to stay for so long. But once I started talking I couldn't stop and it felt like my grandmother was still with me. Just talking about everything and for once not worried about offending anyone or being embarrassed was so freeing.

I walked home feeling lighter than I had in months. I was ignoring the situation with Dally, because I just didn't know how to feel or what to do. I walked along glancing up at the stars when suddenly someone grabbed my arm and whirled me around.

I was terrified.

I started erratically hitting who ever had grabbed me.

"Dammit Rachel stop" Dally said loudly letting go of me

"Dally" I said grabbing my chest in fright and stepping back

"Why did you scared me" I said calming down.

"Everyone is looking for you" Dally said in a tense voice.

"Why?" I asked stupidly

"Because you were late getting home, everyone was worried" Dally explained

"Then they called you?" I asked trying to understand how he had gotten involved after our strange conversation this afternoon.

"I was already there" Dally answered.

"Oh why?" I pressed curious if he would answer.

Dally didn't answer just started walking back towards the Curtis's and I was quick to follow.

Ten minutes into our journey Dally stopped suddenly and turned to face me.

"I was there to talk to you. But no one was sure where you were." Dally said quietly lighting a fag. I let the smell once again surround me as I realized what Dally had said. He had been there to talk to me.

"Why were you there to talk to me?" I questioned lightly

Dally didn't answer instead he started walking again. I had no choice but to follow but my mind was racing with trying to figure out what Dally would have come to talk about.

I wanted to think happy thoughts but from the way he was acting my thoughts drifted to him and Sylvia being back together.

"Are you and Sylvia back together?" I said voicing my thoughts without thinking.

"Why would you say that?" Dally asked standing still, not turning around.

"Because of the way you've been acting." I said hoping for a response.

Dally didn't say anything and didn't turn around. I decided that I didn't want to find out this way. I just wanted to be home, at the Curtis's.

I started walking ignoring Dally and his strange attuitde tonight. If he was going to tell me about him and Sylvia he was going to do it where I was comfortable with my family.

Oh I thought to myself I just thought of the Curtis's as home. Suddenly I didn't feel so alone in the world. It didn't seem so much like against the world. It was my family and I against the world and that made me smile.

Suddenly I was ripped out of my thinking by Dally grabbing my arm and whirling me around. Before I could say a word Dally brought his lips down to mine.