𝘙𝘌𝘋 (The Outsiders) ·Sodapop Curtis· [Finished]

Chapter 24

As I approached I saw Steve and Sodapop goofing off at the entrance with a broomstick and a mop, sword fighting or jousting or something. I laughed and walked towards them.

"My boys!" I cheered, "my votes on Steve!"

They looked in my direction and both looked excited, "we thought you got arrested for real!" Soda opened his arms for a hug but I didn't feel up for it.

"Good to see you, Elle," Steve smiled and put his broomstick down.

I stuffed my hands in my pockets, "I was just released from the police department."

"I'm racing tonight if you wanna come watch," Steve quickly changed the subject, "hun, I wanna drop all the legalities. All the cryin' and fighting and I kind of want my Elle back."

"Oh Stevie," I grinned, "of course I'll watch your race. I'll bring my whole gang to cheer you on if I gotta," I nudged his shoulder.

"I missed you, babe," he propped the broom against the wall and leaned against the icebox with his arms crossed, "Soda here did too but everyone knows that already. I mean I missed you overall. It ain't some apology 'cause I ain't sorry for nothin' but I missed you."

I smiled a little more and couldn't help but lean myself into him. He put his arms around me and hugged me for the first time since he found out about me and Sodapop. This could have something to do with the fact that me and Soda are now broken up too.

Soda huffed and went inside. I looked up from Steve, then looked at Steve, "what's his problem?"

"Well," Steve began, "you cheated on him so he had no choice but to dump you. He didn't want to so he kissed you at that fight, and now he's all hung up on you. Plus you ignored his hug but hugged me instead."

"Do you mind?" I stepped away from Steve.

"Go for it."

I walked inside and Soda was adjusting bags of chips on a shelf that didn't really need to be adjusted. I leaned against the counter, "I miss you too you know."

"Elle, I'm fine," he walked down the aisle touching random snacks that had nothing wrong with them, "let me work."

"Are you the one that convinced Steve to start talking to me? Cause if you-"

"It wasn't me," he interrupted. "As much as I tried he wouldn't listen to me. But this is great, huh? Steve n Elle back to talkin' again."

"What about us, babe," I walked towards him, "I want to get back together."

He chuckled, "no. You have problems, Elle. And I'm not saying that to make you mad or because I want to hurt you or anything, but you do. I love you more than I've ever loved a girl but I can't be with you until you get yourself straightened out."

"So why'd you kiss me then," I stopped at the end of the aisle.

He looked at me, "we dated for a year. I kissed you every day for a year and now we're no more. Hell, I love you, Elle. But when you're all the way off with Dal, or with some Coyote, some ManPatt or some other greaser I don't want to be with you."

"I'm not doing any of that anymore, Sodapop. I'm too focused on the east side politics to be fucking around so much anymore," I sighed and turned around. "I don't care about any other boy."

"Go be a leader, Elle," he walked towards me, "I'll see you at Steve's race." He pat my shoulder and moved around me.

-

Me and five of my Coyotes approached the backroad Steve was about to race behind. He was racing someone from the Shepard's gang. I don't really know many of them besides Tim Shepard. I know he has siblings in his gang but I don't know who they are or their names.

"Little one, how many you know here?" Camilo Smalls, one of my Coyotes asked me.

I glanced around but before I could talk, Wiley asked a question, "your ex-boyfriend, he gonna be here?"

I saw Soda standing with the rest of them, "yeah. Soda's here. I know the racer, the gang the racer is in," I shrugged and glanced over my shoulder, "be nice."

We approached the White Blades. Steve slid off the hood of the car and approached me, "our little Coyote."

"Good luck, Stevie," I sat on the hood of his car and he leaned up against it, "these are some of my boys. Wiley, Camilo, Jenson, Miles, and Axe." I pointed them out.

Soda walked towards me and I hugged him to make up for earlier. He leaned against the car in front of my legs and glanced at the Coyotes. Soda turned to me and muttered, "they ain't giving you issues, huh?"

I chuckled and brushed Soda's bangs to the side, "no problems."

"You ain't dating her anymore, bozo," Dal walked by and shoved Soda to the side. I knew Dal was messing around but Soda got mad.

"Just because Peter went to jail doesn't mean you can go back to tormenting her," Sodapop tried moving towards Dallas but I hopped off the hood of the car and nudged Sodapop in the other direction.

"Please," I looked at him and sighed, "no fights. Not with Dallas especially."

"He needs to mind-"

I brought my hand to his chin and turned his face so he was looking at me and not over my shoulder, "he's a jerk. He's trying to make you mad, babe." I glanced over my shoulder, "just go back over and talk to Steve or your brothers or something." Sodapop nodded his head and listened to me. He talked to Steve until the race started.