Next to Me ll Sodapop Curtis

10 ll I'm Never Nice

Sodapop ♡

Two-Bit jumped to his feet and turned to face the remainder of the gang.

"Soda and Val! I called it! Y'all better pay up!" he screamed, and everyone begrudgingly pulled out five dollars from their pockets.

"You guys were betting on us?" laughed Val, leaning into me.

Two collected his money and threw it up in the air, letting it rain down on him.

"No one else believed you'd date this goofball," shrugged Pony, smiling. He was still buried in the same novel. It was funny watching Ponyboy read, the way his eyes swept the page and seemingly changed with the mood.

"Shoot, now there's only twenty," we heard Two mutter, on his knees and searching the floor.

"Ya see, this is why we don't trust Two-Bit with cash," Dally said, holding a hand out to him and rolling his eyes. Then he turned to me and Val, grinning as he pulled the corner of a five dollar bill from his jacket pocket.

We laughed along. He and Valerie had been getting along much better lately, and I was glad. Dally was my buddy.

"I oughtta get outta here," he grumbled.

"See ya, Dal," I called as he closed the door behind him.

The rest of the gang sat around the house, as was common.

Soda and Steve were playing cards, Pony was absorbed in his book, Johnny and Two-Bit were watching TV, and Darry was reading the newspaper.

They all trickled out as the night went on, and Ponyboy and Darry gone to bed.

That left me and Val, alone.

"So how long have ya liked me, Sodapop?" Val asked, digging her fingers into the bowl of popcorn between us.

"Since the moment I met you," I replied truthfully.

Her ears got red and she smiled and looked down at her legs, which were stretched across the couch and almost onto my lap.

"I was honestly shocked you didn't realize," I admitted. "The gang was pretty aware of it, at least they must have been. Guess nobody figured you'd go for a goofball like me."

"Aw, please Soda you're adorable," Valerie smiling, the light from the TV illuminating her gray eyes.

"God, you're beautiful," I muttered.

She looked up and me and bit her pale lips, holding back a smile.

We both leaned in at the same time, meeting in the middle and closing the gap.

Sounds around me drowned out as I pulled her closer, our bodies pressed together.

Valerie locked her fingers around mine, her hands soft and delicate.

It was a wonder a broad like her was so tough. She was certainly tiny, and you'd think that she wouldn't be intimidating.

But she had a way of portraying herself as tuff and wild, and it worked.

We deepened the kiss and I ran my fingers through her perfect blonde hair.

She finally drew back, and smiled, her face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"I've felt the same this whole time, it just took me a while to realize it."

-

"What happened to you?" Valerie asked, picking up Dally's hand and examining his bruised knuckles.

The three of us, accompanied by Johnny, Two-Bit, and Pony, sat around a table at the diner. It was early afternoon, and we had gone out for lunch to celebrate Val and I's new relationship.

Valerie was wearing her hair down in loose curls, the way Cherry Valance does. I knew why too. We had crossed into the Soc side, and were trying to not be too much of a nuisance.

"Trouble with Shepard's outfit. Nothin' bad though, I fought 'em off." Dally beamed in pride, and Val dropped his hand.

Valerie sat next to me and held my hand under the table, even as we ate our burgers.

"Hey greasers. Get your filthy hair out of our diner," we heard someone call.

A blonde Soc in a madras shirt stood next to our table and snickered with his friends.

"Leave us alone, will ya?" Two-Bit growled, and Dally clenched his teeth. He was trying not to lash out, but I knew that his impulses would eventually take over.

Johnny sat on the outside of the booth closest to them, and avoided eye contact.

"What? Too scared?" another taunted.

"Leave us alone," Johnny said under his breath.

He was the smallest, besides Valerie, and I knew that he wouldn't be able to handle a fight with these towering guys. I was scared for him.

"Oh look, it talks," one taunted taunted.

"I said leave us alone," Johnny growled in reply.

A silence hung and one of the Socs smiled and raised his eyebrow.

He grabbed Johnny by the front of his shirt and lifted him. "Wanna haircut, greaser?" he growled, flipping out his switchblade. "How'd you like that to begin just below the-"

The Soc stopped to cry out in pain, and dropped the scared kid back to his seat.

The guy looked down at his hand, which was now dripping blood. Dally stood beside him.

"Ya wanna mess with Johnny then you get to talk to me," he said, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, Dal," I heard Valerie say, an admiring grin on her face.

The Soc looked away and wiped his hand across Ponyboy's shirt, leaving a rust colored stain, and then left with the rest.

Dally turned to Johnny, fixing his hair. "You okay kid?"

The smaller of the two nodded, and looked down.

"Maybe we should go," Two said and we all agreed.

"Nah, guys. I'm fine, honest," Johnny muttered, picking at his food.

"Holy shit," I heard Val say and swung around to face me. "My mom's here."

I looked around Valerie's ghostly pale figure to see her mother, and she was approaching fast.

"Don't worry, if she tries anything we'll kill her, 'ight Sodapop?" Dally smirked. She grabbed my hand and squeezed it.

I nodded and put my arm around her shoulders.

"It's my mom, she won't do anything around you guys. Just shut up and be nice." She hissed, looking behind her.

Dallas grinned. "I'm never nice."

Val's mom stood over the table and I felt Valerie clench every muscle in her body.

"Hello, Valerie. I thought I'd come and ask how you're doing."

I saw my girlfriend look up in confusion. "I'm fine."

"Good." She looked around at us and looked like she was going to say something.

"Hello, Sodapop," she said to me, and I simply nodded in reply.

"Nice to see you, Valerie."

Her mom disappeared behind her and Valerie let out a huge breath and released her death grip on my hand.

"Why was she being so... normal?" Two-Bit asked Valerie in a whisper.

"I don't know, Two. But she's up to something."

Then Valerie told us she was feeling sick, so we left.

-

A/N: What is even going on ugh. Photo to the side is totally irrelevant to this chapter btw but why not. ~Gracie