Next to Me ll Sodapop Curtis

18 ll Depressed and Potentially Drunk Dead Weight

Val ♡

My doctor cleared me to go home a few days after I woke up.

Darry came and drove me back to the Curtis house, silence the whole way.

I chose not to tell him and Ponyboy about the incident between me and Soda, because I figured it would only upset them more than they already were.

Also, I had nowhere else to go, and if Soda and I were broken up, I might end up on the streets.

It was pretty quiet for the next week or so, with Darry at work and Ponyboy at school. When they were home, they just moped around and hardly left their rooms.

When they were together, they only sniped at each other until Ponyboy stormed out of the kitchen and Darry and I lost our appetites.

I visited Johnny as often as I could. He was getting a bit better, being awake more often, and the doctors said that there was a good chance that he would make a full recovery. He was the only thing that kept me going.

I'd still never visited Soda, telling Darry and Pony that it was too hard.

On Friday, I was sitting on the porch twirling an unlit cigarette between my fingers.

I heard footsteps and glanced up to see Dally on the path to the house.

"Darry around?" he asked.

I shook my head no, and he came closer. "Ponyboy?"

"They're off seeing Soda," I whispered, biting my lower lip to stop the tear that threatened to fall.

"You miss him, don't you?"

I let out a long shaky breath. "I don't know."

On one hand, I missed him like crazy, but on the other hand I didn't want to see him.

I guess the reason I couldn't visit him was because I was scared. Scared of falling back in love with him when he may not love me anymore. Falling back in love with him while he was still asleep, and may never wake up.

"Well you're not just gonna sit here and feel shitty, are you?" Dally asked, shrugging.

"That's the plan," I muttered softly.

He paused, before sighing and saying, "Come to a party with me."

I looked up. "Why? You'll just have to drag depressed and potentially drunk dead weight around all night," I mumbled.

"C'mon, you need to get outta this quiet depressing place. It'll be good for ya."

I frowned, before finally agreeing. I ran upstairs and changed into jeans and a different top.

After doing my hair and makeup, I threw on my leather jacket and ran out to meet Dallas, who was already waiting outside.

The party was at Buck's, as were most in this town, and I hopped into the passenger seat of his car as we drove down the street to the bar. Music was already blasting throughout the house.

Hank Williams. Gross.

I followed Dally inside, who seemed right at home. He stayed in a room above the bar almost every night, since his dad kicked him out.

The party was filled with girls dancing in tiny dresses, the incapacitating smell of alcohol, and people passed out on the couches. And we had just gotten there.

Dally sat down at the bar and I next to him. We both received beers, which I downed in a minute or so.

We mindlessly chatted for a while, before walking over to join a drinking game with some other guys.

It was funny watching the boys' reactions when I won, and they had to pay up. They refused to hand over the cash, and I played it innocent before swiping it as the drunk boys walked away. Dallas smirked at me, drinking his beer.

Fifty dollars richer, I sat down on one of the couches. I was feeling tipsy at this point, and had to blink rapidly to keep my vision straight.

But Dally's plan was working. The party, and the alcohol, were causing me to think about Soda less and less.

Dally came to sit next to me on the couch. "What did I tell you?"

"You were right," I smiled, rolling my eyes.

"I'm always right, shortie."

Some kids sat around us, and we got into a game of blackjack. After about an hour and three more beers, I felt ready to pass out.

I could tell that Dally was too, barely able to get words out. I didn't even comprehend the fact that he had his arm around me, and I didn't mind.

All I could hear was muffled laughter and music blasting, and could barely make out the words that were flying out of my mouth.

We were all hammered, and I could barely think straight.

The music seemed to be getting louder and louder by the second, and we had to scream to be heard.

"I can't hear ya. Leggo upstairs," he slurred. I followed him up the stairs, a beer in my hands.

"Is this where you sleep?" I asked, looking around. He nodded and shifted his body weight against the wall.

"Why do you dig Soda so much?"

The words that came out of his mouth alarmed me.

"Dunno," I replied. "Just do."

He glanced down. "What would you do if he never wakes up?" I still don't know if Dally knew what he was saying, because the words were so thoughtless and strained.

"I'd be sad... I guess."

"Would you go out with someone else?"

"Yeah, I mean, why not?"

Dally shrugged his shoulders and stared at me. "I dig you."

"What?"

"Don't play dumb, Val, you heard me."

Dally was drunk, is all I could think. He didn't mean any of that. I'd been with him before and it didn't work out. He never even really liked me.

While my drunken state was trying to make sense of his words, I felt him throw himself against me. And I didn't try to stop him.

My beer went crashing to the ground, and that's all I remember.

-

A/N: Do you hate me yet?

Salarie or Vally???