Next to Me ll Sodapop Curtis

7 ll That Little Bitch Sabotaged My Cocoa

Val ♡

Soda was changed and ready for work a few minutes later.

"Uh, Sodapop? You walk right by my house on your way to the DX and I need to grab some stuff, so maybe I can come with you?"

"Sure, and let's get breakfast too 'cause I'm starving."

"You're always hungry," I snickered, and he laughed.

I changed into my clothes from yesterday and we started down the street.

The ground was wet from the thunderstorm the previous night, and the dripping trees gave the effect of rain in the otherwise sunny day.

We entered a small shop that sold doughnuts and bagels, and we sat down across from each other.

"What can I get y'all?" asked a flirty brunette waitress.

Her red shirt was tied up so that her stomach was exposed and she wore a white bandana in her hair.

"Two sprinkled doughnuts and two hot chocolates please," Soda ordered, not looking up.

"You got it, doll," she winked at him and I rolled my eyes.

Soda and I talked for a minute while we waited for our food, and when it came, the girl placed it on our table with a note tucked under Soda's plate.

The waitress sauntered away. "What was that?" I asked.

He shrugged as he showed me the note, ten digits neatly written on it.

Something that felt like anger hit me hard.

"Are you gonna call her?" I questioned nonchalantly while biting into my doughnut.

"I don't think so, seems kinda desperate."

Soda sipped his hot chocolate and I lifted my mug and did the same.

"Ow!" I screamed as the boiling liquid hit my tastebuds.

"Too hot?" asked Soda, concerned.

"Yeah, and it tastes awful too." I scrunched up my face and pushed it away.

"Mine ain't too hot, and it tastes fine," he replied, confused.

My face turned red. "That little bitch sabotaged my cocoa!"

Sodapop laughed. "Here, I'll trade ya," he grinned.

"Let's just take our doughnuts and get outta here."

"Are we gonna pay?" Sodapop asked as I stood.

"Nah."

-

After escaping the shop, we reached my house only a few minutes later.

"Uh, Valerie. There's people in your driveway," Sodapop pointed out.

A white truck was parked in the gravel and a burly man was unloading boxes.

Carrying a few, he went inside the house.

"My mom said there'd be people movin' in," I whispered.

"Well, whatdaya think she did with your stuff?"

"I dunno."

My room wasn't too high up, and I remembered how fast Dally got to my window.

"Sodapop, lift me up there."

He grabbed my hips and hoisted me onto his shoulders so I could just barely reach my windowsill.

Using all of my strength, I pulled myself up and looked in.

"Ha, she left all my stuff in there!"

My window was open from the day before, and I slid in.

"Soda, catch!" I called. Convenient for me, my clothes were already packed away. I hoisted it out the window and he caught it.

Then I started grabbing other items, like photographs and a few books.

"Okay, that should be good," I replied, and began to climb out.

"I gotcha Val!" Soda called, dropping the bag.

Suddenly, the doorknob began to shake and I screamed as I lost my balance and tumbled out the window.

I fell onto the ground harder than last time, and pain jolted through my body.

-

Sodapop ♡

Valerie laid on the ground, her perfectly straight blonde hair covering her face.

"Val?" I asked, coming closer and dropping to my knees.

She moaned, and looked up at me with her light gray eyes.

"Are you okay?" She didn't reply, closing her eyes and shifting around.

Cuts were present on her face, which was white as a ghost.

I scooped her up into my arms, and she leaned into me.

"You're gonna be okay," I whispered reassuringly, however it was mostly to myself.

My house was only about a mile away, and we were there in ten minutes.

Darry and Pony were on the couch, Dally leaning against the wall, smoking.

My older brother was yelling at Dally to take it outside, but was being ignored.

"Guys, help! What do I do?" I asked. In a panic, Val fell a few feet onto my floor.

"What the hell happened?" Darry yelled.

"She fell out a window."

"Again?" snickered Dally. "Jeez, how many times can that happen to a person in 24 hours?"

"Not the time, Dallas! We need to do something!"

"Whatever, you guys can come in the truck," Dally offered, flicking his weed out the window.

I sat with Val in the back while Dally took off down the street, far over the legal limit.

-

A/N: This chapter was long wow. ~Grace