Next to Me ll Sodapop Curtis

13 ll You're In a Relationship, Not Blind

Val ♡

I paced the floor, running my hands through my hair and gnawing on my lip.

"What the hell does that mean?" I screamed, kicking at the couch while trying to hold back tears.

"What does what mean?" asked Dally, entering the room. He gripped one of Darry's beers in his hands.

I explained the story to Dally, Johnny, and Pony, while sitting on the couch with my head in my hands.

"Soda ain't cheating on you." Pony defended his older brother matter-of-factly, but i knew he was only 14 and he loved Sodapop more than anyone else.

Dally slammed his beer down and stood. "Okay, let's go."

"Go where?" I asked, wiping away a tear.

"We're going to pay our pal Sodapop a visit. And then I'll see whether or not I have to beat him senseless." He was already half out the door.

The three of us scurried behind him and I sat in the passenger seat of his car.

"What if we run into Tim Shepard?"

"Then I'll beat him senseless too," Dally responding, grinning roguishly.

"Why do you care about me all the sudden?" I snorted, leaning back into the seat.

"I've always cared about ya, princess."

"Well it didn't seem that way when we were goin' out."

"Yeah, well that's why we're not goin' out, ain't it? I knew that I wasn't a good boyfriend."

I retorted, "I believe we aren't goin' out because I rejected you."

"That too."

I heard Ponyboy whisper to Johnny, "Should we be here for this?"

The older of the two just shrugged.

"Well, I was a rotten boyfriend," Dally mumbled, not looking at me because he was focused on the road.

I wanted to say something like, "Yeah, you got that right", but I didn't.

We sat in silence until we pulled into the Dingo.

-

Sodapop ♡

Steve grinned recklessly as he stared at the waitress, who was walking away from our table.

The girl, Carolyn, wore a metallic mini skirt and a bright pink blouse, normal attire for the workers at the Dingo.

I rolled my eyes at his childishness and sipped my Coke.

Two-Bit whistled. "That is one fine broad."

The three of us sat at a table at the Dingo. No one else who was supposed to come hang out seemed to show.

There was music playing, and a large group of teens getting drunk.

"C'mon Soda, you're in a relationship, not blind," Steve encouraged, and I sighed.

"She's cute," I said, which wasn't a lie. She had dark brown, almost black hair that fell shoulder length, and was tall with blazing blue eyes.

Two-Bit and Steve sipped their drinks, which they had undoubtedly spiked with something.

Steve was acting drunk already, slurring his words and nearly grabbing at the waitresses as they walked by.

"Pull yourself together," I hissed at him.