አcan you keep it down? áŠ
All her life, Sherri Valance had been good. She got good grades, she was captain of the cheer squad, she was in all honors classes, she was dating the pretty soc with a future full ride to whatever college he pleased, but she wasnât truly happy. She lived her life in accordance to how she believed her parents would want, doing what she thought would get their attention. When Cherry realized that just wasnât going to happen, it was too late to really break her habits. It wasnât until she met Dally Winston that she realized there was much more to life than school, cheer, and Bobby.Â
Dally was like bitter coffee in the morning, a shot of whiskey with no chaser. Heâd sooner throw a punch than talk through an issue, and he was everything Cherry was always taught to stay away from. Perhaps thatâs why when he came up to her that night at the drive-in, despite her best efforts, she was drawn to him. The dangerous glint in his eye, the smell of cigarette smoke clinging to the leather of his jacket, the brazen way he touched and flirted with her, all of it drew Cherry in like a moth to a flame. She lost the game before it began and when Dally set his sights on her, she was his. Everything she thought she wanted, shifted as quickly as the tide once Dally strolled into her life all mischievous smiles and bloodied knuckles.
                âI hope I never see him again, if I do Iâll probably fall in love with him.â
The words had been said in jest to her best friend, a rowdy brunette that was a greaser in every way but name. They shared a laugh but Cherry kept to her word. She was lost to Dally as soon as he strolled up to her in the library, and the moment his lips met hers in the diner? Cherry was in love. Sheâd yet to admit it to him, to herself even, but she was irrevocably in love with Dallas Winston. Maybe thatâs why now, as she worked in the library putting books back on the shelves, ignoring Dally as he trailed behind her, touching and kissing and distracting her in ways that set her body aflame, she wasnât the least bit bothered. When Bobby had tried to do the same, Cherry had chewed him out so bad that he hadnât come back for a second try. Dally, though, Dally was persistent.Â
âDally!â The name fell from her lips in a loud whisper, accompanied by a giggle that only he seemed to draw from her. Ribbons of red twisted around his finger as he toyed with her hair, a Chesire grin replacing his usual scowl as he pressed her up against the side of the bookshelf. âDally Iâm workinâ,â she whined, though her eager lips continued to press to his as he leaned in to kiss her. Petite hands moved to his chest, pressing lightly against him so he would pull back, a fond smile spreading along her crimson painted lips. âYouâre distractinâ me.â
He didnât know what love was. He had never seen in personally, he didnât grow up with a father who loved him, taught him how to play ball, taught him how to change the oil of his truck⊠his mom wasnât in heels and pearls and loving her life, she didnât make Sunday roasts and she didnât pinch his cheek and send him off to school with a bagged lunch. His idea of love was a six case of beer, a broken condom, and a squeaky hotel bed. Despite the stereotype, his father was the one who stuck around, and his mother was the one who left town, Dally didnât even have a picture of her to know what she looked like⊠and his father wasnât much of the sharing time, some days Dally figured heâd forget his motherâs name.
Love wasnât real. It was all corporate bullshit that the media put out on a special day to make stupid girls swoon and flip their skirts up in hopes the boy pile-driving them would buy them roses on that special day. But for some reason Cherry made him actually wanna give into that bullshit. Roses, chocolates, diamonds, everything clichĂ© that was meant to be given to the girl of his dreams was something he wanted, he wanted to spoil her, to make her feel loved, to let her know that despite what others might say, Dally loved her, more than anything, more than he understood.
Often he found himself sneaking into the library despite the previous banning that had been placed on him, he couldnât help himself, he couldnât stay away from his girl⊠it was hard enough getting to meet up with her, her coming to his place wasnât safe, and him going there raised to much trouble⊠so sneaking around in the public library was their only place, and he honestly didnât mind it too much.
He stood behind her, watching as she put book after book away, her eyes scanning shelves in complete concentration, though he broke that when he threaded his fingers through her fiery curls, shushing her when she exclaimed, leaning in to kiss the base of her neck, nuzzling against her skin and humming when she murmured she was working, his mouth moving to find hers, soft and sweet and warm⊠everything he loved about her started there. Her lips painted cherry red to match her name, and her beauty spread from there all the way down to her cherry red painted toes as well. She was his beautiful girl and he couldnât get enough of her.
âThatâs my job Cherry,â He murmured, his fingers tightening in her hair as he reached to pluck the book from her hands, setting it back in the cart and moving to rest it on her hip, leaning down to nuzzle her nose, kissing those lips again, âIâve missed you, you work too much⊠thatâs my job you know.â