TACENDA // Sodapop Curtis

Car Fun

"I have a check, Madeline Shelby." I told the clerk as I pulled the check out of my pocket and slid it too her. "Did he add an extra zero on the end?" He laughed. I narrowed my eyes at him, looking at his mustached face harshly. "If you knew how a check worked, you would see that at says how much its worth below the numbers." I told him. He nodded and got my paper out.

"How old are you exactly?" he asked. "Im gonna be seventeen next week." I told him. "Ahh. Planning something big?" he asked. I shook my head. "Nope, just me and a couple friends." I told him, he nodded. "Well, have a good day, Madeline Shelby." he told me as I got my receipt. I nodded and left.

I walked into the DX with a smile, Steve and Soda were working on the same car. "That was quick, it ain't even two thirty yet?" Soda said. "Why? Gotta date?" I asked. Steve left the garage because somebody walked in, Soda just smiled at me. "Speakin' of dates, go out with me tonight." he told me. That just made my cheeks red.

"Oh yeah? Where?" I asked. He shrugged. "Wherever you want. Movies? Dancing? The lake?" he threw out a couple suggestions. "Movies? You can actually sit through one?" I asked. I could never sit through a movie without talking about it as it went on. "Ill sit through one for you." he told me. "Movies it is." and he made it a done deal.

–

I didn't change or anything, I didn't plan on going back to my house anytime soon. "Alright, be home my midnight." he pointed at Soda. "And no tango in my truck-" "Darry!" Soda cut him off, I just laughed. "Dont worry about it Darry, this one ain't gonna do nothin'." I messed Soda's hair up as he walked out the door. "Make sure Mav dont do anything stupid, would ya Pony?" I asked the younger brother who was currently balled up with my dog. He gave me a thumbs up and I left.

"Really wanna go to the movies?" he asked, I shrugged my shoulders. "It aint my favorite thing," I told him. He smiled. "Good." he walked over to Darry's truck and got in, I got in beside him. He drove off a little ways, then into the really bad part of Oklahoma. Like the part where all the hoods are.

"Here," he tossed me a biker jacket with silver shit on it. "Whats this for?" I put it on. He took his shirt off and put on a leather jacket on his bare torso. Man he looked fucking hot. He wore a cross underneath his shirt all the time, that just added onto the attractiveness. "Were at a drag race, sweatheart." He winked at me and got out. I followed him.

"Do not take anything from anybody, the drugs are dangerous." he said as we were starting to approached a fire with a bunch of people around it. "Sounds like fun," I told him as we approached the people. Everyone cheered as they saw Soda, I mean, I would too.

"You bring a date?" a man asked, looking at me. "You know it, Rick." he put an arm around my waist and held me close to him. I mean, I didn't mind of course. "Alright, who am I gonna beat tonight?" he asked, walking around to a guy leaning against a Mercedes. I kinda wanted to laugh at the sight. I hate Mercedes.

"Youre my competition?" The guy asked smugly, walking over to us. He eyed my up and down, getting a good look at me. "Hot date." he told Soda. I furrowed my eyebrows, but decided to shut my mouth. "Smokin' hot, I know." he told the man. Soda obviously knew what he was doing, and im enjoying ever second of it.

"You wanna ride with me?" he asked as we walked over to a polished black Dodge Charger. "What?" I asked. "Do you wanna ride with me? Its real fun," he said. I didn't really answer him, I just looked at him in shock. "Cmon," he said. "Alright." I hopped in the convertible along with Soda, he slowly drove to the starting line.

"We got a couple minutes," he stopped the car, I just sat there, wondering what would happen. "Ain't nothin' gonna happen, I do this all the time. Just with Steve." he said. I smiled. "I bet Steve is real fun here," I sarcastically said. "He's mostly annoying, getting the others riled up and wanting to punch his lights out. Its kinda funny." he told me. I smiled. Sounds like Steve.

"Three... Two... One..." then the latexed lady slammed the flag down and Soda floored the gas. I held onto the side of the car, not feeling like getting thrown from 20 feet in the air. We were already up to 60 miles an hour in the first five seconds, what the fuck.

"He's comin' up on your left," I yelled over the wind. "Thank you!" Soda turned towards the left, causing the Mercedes to slow down. The race was three miles, we're at the halfway point. He pulled up the emergency brake and spun around in a hurry, flooring the gas to get back. This was the shit that made my adrenaline go through the damn roof. It was fun and hell.

We passed the finish line, I swear I was holding my breath the entire minute we were driving. Soda hopped out of the car. Holding out a hand for me to get out. I took it and walked with him to the crowd, everyone was cheering for him. Plus there was a bucket of money at the end, so Soda took it and we started to leave.

We got into Darry's truck, we both immediately took off the jackets. We looked goofy in them and we knew it. "Damn that was fun," he breathed, looking at me. He was all sweaty and his torso glistened, how was he so hot all the time. "You are a better lookout than Steve though." he par my thigh and started Darry's truck.

"Here," He handed me folded bills. "What?" I asked. "Just shove them down your shirt or something, so Darry dont see. He'll yell at me if he finds out ive been doing this again." he told me. I giggled at that. "The sweet and innocent Soda having secrets? Who knew?" I said as I put the bills in my bra. "Innocent Soda?" he asked. "Never heard of him." he opened my door for me and got out.

He slipped a fresh t shirt on before walking into the house. Ponyboy and my dog were asleep together, Darry was also asleep. "Wanna sleep in my room? You'll have to be on Pony's side." he told me. I elbowed him and he smiled. "Whatever. He wont be mad, will he?" I asked, he shook his head no. "He dont like the bed anyways."

I changed into the sweatpants I had and laid down on the opposite side of Soda, crossing my arms over my stomach and looking up at the ceiling. "I had fun tonight Soda. It's been a long time since I've had fun." I looked over to see Soda smiling his ass off. Expected.

"I'm glad you had a good time." He told me. I smiled. "Goodnight Soda," I said while turning my back to him. He just let out a small laugh. "Night Maddy." he said, then turned off the side table lamp and went to sleep.

–

"Maddy," Ponyboy poked my shoulder at like three in the morning. "Maddy," he repeated. "What?" I asked. "Can I have my spot back?" he asked me. I just let out a small laugh at that. "Yeah Pony, you can have your spot back." I got up and patted him on the back. "You and my brother did... ya know," he asked. "No Pony, I dont like him like that." I lied. Dammit, I just lied to his little brother.