DON'T DREAM IT'S OVER | SODAPOP CURTIS

THREE

Soda's POV

     The heavy doors shut behind me. The walk home was kind of a far one, and it didn't help that it was beginning to rain.

     I never liked crying in front of new people. I cry in front of my brothers sometimes, and I cried once in front of some of the gang but not like this. I don't know why this Alice girl was talking to me either; now I got a whole lot more to be worried about.

     Did Alice hear any of our fight? Is she gonna talk? Who is Sandy gonna live with? Will she be okay? Will she hate me? Or does she hate me? Are people gonna find out?

...who's baby is it?

     🌻

As soon as I opened the door, Darry slammed his newspaper down and began to come towards me.

     "Where the hell you been, Soda!? I was starting to get worried. You can't be out all late like that anymore, I can't even call the cops."

Darry never scared me like this when Mom and Dad were still around. Darry's much more strict than they ever were.

     "Soda, what the hell's on your face? Did someone jump you? Where were you, I can't be worrying like this anymore I've got a whole lot of work to do and I don-"

     "Darry, something happened at the DX.  I was leaving my shift and some soc got out his car and was yelling at me. I told him to back off and go back to his side of town or I'd hit 'em, but he got to me first. That's why my face is like this. Steve helped me get him though." I didn't like lying to Darry. I don't like lying to anyone, but if he knew where I really was instead of work he'd get mad at me, anyway. I don't want Sandy to have more trouble to deal with, too. I'm not puttin' her business out like that. Even if she did break my heart, I could never.

"Alright Soda," he sighed.
"Go ahead and get to bed. I told Ponyboy to stay in there and sleep so he wouldn't be worrying too much, but he was sure worked up."

I slid my shoes off and left them next to the door, and tossed my socks and shirt in the laundry basket for Darry to dry before work again. I was about to head to my room but I noticed my hat wasn't with me.

"Darry, have you seen my DX hat anywhere?! My boss is gonna kill me if he finds out I lost another one!" I panicked. Knowing my luck lately, I'll probably lose my job too.

"Hey, quiet kid. Retrace your steps. Did the soc take it or somethin'? Did it blow off in the rain?"

"No uh... Never mind I know where it is.. thanks, Dar. I'll get to bed now."

"Night Soda."

"See ya Darry."

     I opened my door with a little creak and tip toed in. Ponyboy was laying on my side of the bed facing the window.

     "Hey Pony, you awake"? I whispered as I sat on the edge of the bed making sure not to startle him.

     "SODA!" He yelled, immediately jumping out of bed and into my arms.

     "I was so scared Soda, I wanted to go out and look for you but Darry said it was too dangerous for that. Soda I was so scared please don't ever do that again I didn't know if we lost you, too." He said, muffled into my shirt.

     "Hey kid, it's okay. I'm here, I'm all okay." I wasn't okay, but I didn't want Ponyboy to be worrying any more than he already has been.

     "Hey look at me." I softly told him, lifting his head from his chest, and gently wiping the tears off his face.

     "We gotta get to sleep now okay? I was gonna surprise you but, tomorrow I'm gonna come pick you up for school and we can get some ice cream, or somethin' alright? You'll be ok."

     He looked away from my eyes, went back to my chest, and nodded in approval as I was still sitting on the edge of the bed.

     "Now I gotta get changed Ponyboy, but I'll be right back here, I promise." I had to practically peel him off of me so I could leave. When he looked up, I turned my head so maybe he couldn't see my bruise on my face.

After putting on my dry clothes, I took my towel and dried my hair off from the rain. I saw my bruise, that had turned red and dark purple.

"..Soda?" I gasped as I saw Pony in the reflection.

"... what happened to your face?"

"Come here, kid." I said, as I walked back to our room, claiming my side of the bed again.

"You can't go tellin' Darry or anything, but it was Sandy. She hates me for some reason. She broke up with me too... she's pregnant... but it's not mine... it's not my baby... she got real mad at me for being happy and trying to help but she hit me instead. That was it." I could feel my tears itching to fall, and my lip began to quiver.

"Geez Soda... I'm sorry. Are you alright?"

"No, but I'll be fine. But don't go around telling people this, understand? I don't want you to get in some trouble or something."

"Alright." He turned away from me because he could hardly stand to see me cry.

My eyes stung every time I blank, and every time I blank, the pain reminded me of my Sandy. My Sandy that doesn't love me anymore.

     We laid in silence, our thoughts being enough to keep our minds busy. My mind darted everywhere from earlier today to only twenty minutes ago when Darry was yelling at me. So much can change in only a day.

"Hey Pony, does some Alice girl go to your school? She wears a green ring and she's on the cheer team. She's a soc too."

"Yeah, I know Alice. She's real nice most the time. When she's not with her friends at least. She doesn't like sayin' hi to me around her friends or anything. But she's just like me too. Why?"

"I think she has my hat. Could you ask her tomorrow for me? I'm gonna need it for work the next day."

"Sure, if I can catch her. How'd she get ahold of your hat?"

"I'll tell you at ice cream tomorrow. Go on and get some sleep kiddo." I whispered as I turned in the bed and fell into a deep sleep.