Forever Love (Sodapop Story)

Chapter 18

School ended and I passed all my junior year, all I had left was my senior year and it was only a half day since I had enough credits. It was perfect, the past two months I have been working a lot saving money to get a house. Now, it looked like by the end of summer I would be able too. 

After school I went to work like everyday, after when I got off I walked home exhausted. When I got home I walked in and Soda was laying on the couch. "Hey." He smiled and sat up.

"Hey." I smiled and sat down beside him leaning to him. 

"Tired?" He asked. I just nodded. "Do you want to celebrate it being summer?"

"No, I start working full time tomorrow, I just want to go to bed." I shook my head and got up heading to our room. About a month ago we changed up the sleeping since Johnny was showing up a lot more, Pony now slept with Darry while Soda and I shared his room. So if Johnny did show up he could have the couch.

"Are you sure?" He asked following me. "I had a great idea planned." 

"I'm really tired." I shook my head. "Sorry." I shrugged and grabbed my clothes so I could go take a shower. 

"It's fine." He mumbled and left and went back to the couch. I went and took a shower then went back to our room, I got ready for bed and laid down. A little while later Soda came in. "Can we talk really quick before you go to bed?" He asked. 

"Can it wait until morning?" I asked half asleep. 

"It's already waited weeks. Alex, please." He sighed and sat down on the bed. 

I sat up and looked at him. "Okay what?" 

"Why do you always seem to be avoiding me?" He asked. 

"I'm not, I've just been really busy." I shrugged. 

"So you can get a house and avoid me even more?" He looked at me. "We've barely talked at all the past month, we haven't gone out on a single date or done anything together hardly. I convinced Pony and Darry to switch rooms so I could talk to you more and it just seems like we talk even less." 

"I work almost as much as you, I go to school, I have homework. Sorry I'm growing up and trying to make a life for me rather than just working at a dead end job." I yelled. He just looked at me. "Soda..." 

"Well then grow up and stop staying here." He got up and slammed the door as he left. 

I sighed a bit and got up and followed him, he was in the kitchen hanging onto the back of a chair, his knuckles were white. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it." I spoke quietly. 

"But it was all true, you think you can do so much better than me, you probably can. Might as well start now." He headed to the door. "When I get back I want you gone." 

"Sodapop Curtis." I looked at him and grabbed his hand "Please, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, it's been really stressful and I feel bad that I'm still here, I'm trying to move out so I'm not in your hair anymore. I want to get a place for us." 

"Maybe you should look for one just for you and get it soon." He pulled his hand away. 

"Why are you being such a jerk?" I looked at him. 

"Because it's the only way to get your attention apparently!" He yelled. "I've been trying for weeks to talk to you, I plan really great dates and you always say no. Tonight I thought since it was summer you would finally agree so I planned out something really special and you won't even think twice about it!" 

I bit my lip as tears started forming in my eyes, Soda had never yelled at me before. "I'm sorry, I didn't know. I had been focusing on work I just haven't been paying much attention to anything else I guess." I looked down still trying to hid my tears. 

His voice soften a bit. "Tomorrow night let's go on a date and I don't want you to tell me no if you plan on staying with me." 

"Now you are threatening to break up with me if we don't go out on a date?" I asked. 

"Well it's been long enough of us dating without a date so yes." 

"What if I have to work?" I bit my lip. 

"Figure it out. If you don't want to go, you still might want to get off so you can have the night to pack." He crossed his arms. "I'm going to go for a walk, go to bed, I'll stay on the couch so I don't wake you." He walked out. 

I sighed and started to call other people I worked with to get my shift covered. I barely slept that night, I was so upset I let things get this bad between us. The next morning when I woke up I wrapped a blanket around me and went out to the living room. "You are already awake." I said when he looked at me. 

"Yeah." He shrugged looking back at the tv. 

"Umm what are we doing for the date?" I asked. 

"Deciding if you want to go or not on what it is?" He snapped at me. 

"No I want to know what I should wear." I bit my lip. 

I saw him faintly smile but it quickly went back to a straight line. "Just want you normally wear is fine." 

"What time are we leaving?" I asked. 

"Going to go work until it's time to go?" He snarled again. 

"Soda I'm trying here. Will you give me a break?" I sighed and looked at him. 

"I've been giving you a break for months." He gritted his teeth. "I want to leave at 2." He added. 

I nodded and went back to our room, I didn't know how this date was going to go, so far I didn't have much faith in it but you never know. I slowly started to get ready, I had a couple hours. He said what I just normally wear but I tried to dress up a little bit more, I made sure my hair and make-up looked really good. 

I went out and sat on the couch, it sounded like Soda was taking a shower and that way after he could get ready too. At least he had that much faith in me, he was at least getting ready. I knew tonight was going to be a make or break it with Soda and I really hope it worked out for the best.