Midnight Cigarettes ; The Outsiders fanfic {UNEDITED}

34.

Elliot's P.O.V

• June 26th •

It was hot out most days now. Johnny had healed up, but he still had some scars. A big one on his cheek and a smaller one on his forehead. He would probably have them forever.

It was summer now, school was out. I didn't drop out yet, truth is I'm a bit scared to for some reason.

Steve, SodaPop, and I were on a break at the DX when Ponyboy walks up to us.

"Hey Ponyboy, you alright?" Soda asked, concerned.

"Right after y'all left. Darry's yelling at me again" he rolled his eyes and plopped down beside Soda. "He can't stand me".

"Hey, you know that not true. Darry loves ya, he's just concerned about you is all." SodaPop tried to assure him.

"Yeah well he sure has a weird way of showin it" Pony grumbled.

I looked over to Ponyboy and half-smiled "Soda's right Pony".

He shrugged "oh Ell, happy birthday by the way" Ponyboy smiles softly.

"Awe thanks kid" i nodded.

"Finally older than SodaPop" he teased Soda.

Soda look unamused "yeah, yeah only by a few months" he pointed out.

I chuckled "what is it with you guys wanting to be older than your girlfriend?" I rolled my eyes.

"A guy like to be dominant Elliot" Steve pointed out.

I shrugged "SodaPop? dominant?" I grinned.

"Hey, I can be ... dominant" Soda furrowed his eyebrows.

"Mmhhh sure babe" I snickered and stood up from the roller stool I was sitting on and went to walk back into the DX.

Before I walked in a white mustang pulled into the DX and I already knew who it was. Did he remember it was my birthday? He had to have.

I smiled to myself and turned back, walking out of the garage and walked quickly over to the car.

It turned off and the door opened, revealing Mason.

I walked over and hugged him as soon as he got out of the car.

"Happy Birthday Ella" he hugged me back, and looked down to me smiling.

I pulled back and looked up at him "you remembered?".

"Of course, I wouldn't forget my best friends birthday" he grinned, ruffling my hair lightly. I had started wearing my hair down since Soda had told me he liked it that way.

I swatted his hand away "what are you doing here?" I wondered "just came by to tell me happy birthday?".

"That, and I wanted to see if I could take you out tonight. Like on a birthday dinner or something".

I smiled softly "Mason I really appreciate that and I'd love to sometime soon, but tonight I'm spending my time with Soda, my brother, and the rest of the gang".

"Alright, well how about I come back by tomorrow and we can go somewhere after your shift?".

"That sounds great, thanks for coming by Mason" I nodded.

"While I'm here, I got a gift for you" he said and opened the car door, pulling out a small package. He handed it to me and I carefully took it.

I unwrapped it to a small box. I opened the box to see a bracelet with a few charms on it. A charm of the Statue of Liberty, a small star, and a pair of angel wings.

I smiled down at the bracelet "Mason ... you didn't have to".

"I wanted to, i saw those charms and they reminded me so much of you." He smiled and took the box from me. He lifted the bracelet out of it and softly grabbed my hand, clipping the bracelet around it.

"This is just ... too much" I sighed.

"No, it's perfect" he nodded and pulled me into another hug "I'll see you tomorrow Ella" he said and kissed the top of my head.

"Bye" I said softly as I watched him get into the car and drive away.

I walked back up to the three guys who were now staring at me. "What?" I asked.

"What'd he give you?" Ponyboy asked.

"A charm bracelet" I answered, holding out my wrist.

"That's nice" Soda said, he looked annoyed for some reason.

I shrugged it off this time "thanks ... well I should probably get back to work" I nodded and walked back into the DX.

~*~

We walked home in almost pure silence. I knew something was running through Sodas mind and I had to ask him.

Once we walked up to the Curtis's house, Steve and Ponyboy walked in but I held Soda back.

"Are you okay?" I asked softly, grabbing the sides of his blue DX button up.

He looked away "I'm fine" he shrugged softly.

"No ... you're not tell me what's wrong" I urged, I hated when he did this. I thought we agreed we would tell each other when something bothered us.

He looked back at me and shook his head "I'm. Fine."

"Bullshit" I called, letting go of his shirt.

He licked his lips and ran a hand through his hair.

"Why won't you just talk to me" I winced, crossing my arms. I know he couldn't see my expression, it was already very dark out.

"You deserve so much better than me" he said softly.

"Huh?" I asked confused.

"You could be over there with that Mason guy. Living without fear of the Socs jumping you, knowing you didn't have to worry about anything. You deserve someone like Mason" he shrugged.

I had never struck Soda as the type to feel this way. He's always confident around me. "I'm sorry, I'm confused. Why would I want Mason? Where is this comin from?"

"I'm not perfect for you. You deserve someone better" he calmly said, jamming his thumbs in the pockets of his jeans.

"I don't want perfect, SodaPop. I want you, if I wanted Mason I wouldn't be with you." I tried to reason with him.

He shook his head frantically and crossed his arms "I don't wanna drag you down. I work in a gasoline station for Petes sake. You could be doing so much more."

"What the hell is wrong with you? How could you possibly be dragging me down? Soda if I wasn't happy I wouldn't still be here." I scoffed.

He got defensive "is it so bad that I want better for you?".

"It's so bad that you think that I'd really want someone else" I laughed bitterly as I walked closer to him.

He stayed in the same spot.

"I don't want perfect SodaPop, I want you! You are better for me okay".

He pulled me to him by my waist "I'm sorry ... I guess seeing him look at you the way he did today -".

"Soda I don't care about how he looks at me. I care about how you look at me, Mason was my best friend in New York. He's nothing more to me okay. I love you and only you" I said softly, grabbing two fistfuls of his shirt.

"I love you too" he sighed again, hugging me and laying his head on mine.

I hugged him back but soon looked up at him "we should go ahead inside" I pointed out.

He nodded and let go of me, talking a hold of my hand as we walked into the the house.

"Hey, happy Birthday Elliot" Darry smiled to me.

"Thanks Darry" I smiled back.

"Hey, happy birthday!" Two-Bit exclaimed, popping one of those part poppers.

"Thanks" I chuckled.