YOU HAD HISTORY CLASS TOGETHER sophomore year. him and his best buddy steve randle sat beside you and you would often help them with the assignments. steve was like an older brother with his overprotectiveness and snarky comments. soda on the other hand, you admired safely from afar. sure you would talk but, you were always too nervous to even drift from the topics of casual conversation.
you remember the day steve told you that soda had dropped out. your heart sank at the words and you were in a sulk for weeks after. no more sneaking glances at him, or hearing his sweet laugh.
it was winter again. the air was crisp and the breeze was harsh as the movie house let out. they had showed some new romance film that you had read about in the paper. love was something that you've always yearned for. it was utterly and undeniably beautiful in your eyes.
you cut through the back of the movie house as you picked up your pace and turned down the alley towards your street. you felt your body shiver and you wrapped your sweater around yourself tighter. soon the only sounds echoing through the alley were your shoes hitting the pavement, and the howl of the wind. pop bottles and trash littered the alleyway as you passed the backside of the dingo, laughter streaming out of the slight opening of the door.
you stop abruptly. right in the middle of the pathway ahead of you is a limp body. someone was turned over and groaning so low and ugly, that it sounded as if they were dying.
your heart quickens as you step closer, your nerves going like crazy. it was probably some wino who had too much to drink. but you just had to be sure.
¨sodapop?¨
the boy from your history class had been badly beaten. his face, cut up and already bruising. his right eye had been socked in, a dark purple color already forming at the base of his eye socket. he only groaned in response as he held his rib cage.
¨oh soda, who did this to you?¨
you whispered, slowly bringing your hand to his face. his eyes flutter open to reveal his frightened blue eyes as he stared up at you.
¨come on, i got you.¨
you carefully wrap his arms around your neck as you grab on tightly to his waist, pulling him up as he leans his weight onto you. he winces in agony as he breathes heavily in short and quick intervals.
¨it's okay soda. we'll get you to my house. you'll be okay¨
you reassure the both of you as you start to slowly walk down the alley.
-
"are you feeling okay?¨
you ask, shutting your window as a light rain shower started, the sky growing darker as the thunder clouds rolled in from the distance.
¨i'm sorry- that was such a horrible question to ask. of course you're not okay. you just got beaten up for god's sake.¨
a low chuckle comes from the boy as he watches your from your bed. you walk over and sit next to him, alcohol wipes and bandage wraps in hand.
¨who did this soda?¨ you say softly. you start to wipe his cuts. he hums as you brush over them. a knowing sting, with every swipe.
¨some socs. i was just about to leave the dingo. steve was supposed to walk back with me but he wanted to stay with some girls. i don't even really know what happened y/n.¨
¨well, at least you aren't dead. they really did do some damage though. do your ribs hurt?¨
you question, lightly bringing your hand to his side. he winces at the sudden touch.
¨jesus soda, you'll have to go to a doctor¨
¨no, it's just some bruising, i can feel it. it's okay y/n you've already done enough by bringing me here. won't you get in trouble with your folks just for having me up here?¨
¨no they're out for the weekend.¨ you mumble, your concentration on cleaning his face. your hands brush his greased hair back as you look down at him worrisome.
¨i'm feeling pretty okay y/n, you don't have to hover anymore.¨
you couldn't help but blush, embarrassed at the realization.
¨i'm sorry¨
¨don't be. thank you for all of the help. i would have been out there in the rain if you hadn't been there.¨
he smiled warmly as he patted the open space next to him. you couldn't help but smile back as you scooted in beside him. it was quite for a while, only the sound of your breathing and the steady rhythm of the rain hitting the window.
¨why'd you drop out, soda?¨
¨why? did you miss me y/n?¨ he teased, with a cheeky grin on his face.
¨of course i did,¨ you admit honestly, ¨but why did you?¨
your eyes looked over at him now. it's funny how he could still look so gorgeous, even after those socs got him.
¨well, i guess school really wasn't my thing, you know? my brain isn't wired like everyone else's. i can't just sit there at a desk for 7 hours. i would rather be fixing cars all day.¨
¨what made you see school so differently?¨
he shuffled now, repositioning himself so that his body was facing yours. his legs brushed up against you and you tried your best to keep your cheeks from reddening.
¨i guess... the death of my parents. why should we do things we don't love? everybody acts as if we are guaranteed tomorrow when we aren't. we can die any second of any-day, and we just go about everyday as if that isn't the truth. ¨
¨wow, soda i never really looked at it that way,¨
you reply. your eyes meet and for what seems like hours, you just stare into each other. it was like some kind of trance or something. you couldn't look away for the life of yourself. a loud clap of thunder pulls him away as you both look to the window across the room.
¨soda, i think you'd better stay the night. i can't walk you over to your house in this weather¨
¨are you sure y/n? i don't want to be anymore of a burden¨
¨you're not a burden sodapop curtis.¨ you say with a smile.
he smiles back, stretching out his arms above his head. you pull out a small blanket and carefully lay it across soda before sitting back in your spot next to him.
¨soda, do you believe in true love?
he raised his eyebrows in amusement as he opened his mouth to speak. the whole night was spent talking in whispers about the wonders of life, and how you both wanted to spend our futures.
-
the night was warm. summer had just begun and every window in tulsa was wide open including yours. your clock reads 2 am and you know that you're going to have a visitor soon.
wack, wack, wack!
the signal. you throw off your sheets and walk over to your window.
¨soda-¨
the boy climbs in through the window.
¨hi beautiful,¨
he whispers, giving you a quick peck on the lips.
¨this is for you y/n"
he grins handing you a rose. you bring it to your nose in amusement.
¨hmm- it smells wonderful! mrs. daniels rose bush?¨
you giggle. with every visit soda always snaps off a flower from one of your neighbors yards. dozens are sprinkled across your bedroom from other visits. you place the rose on your night stand, pulling soda onto your bed before kissing his lips.
¨i missed you,¨ you mumble, tracing your fingers across his neck.
¨you just saw me this morning!¨
he laughed. you grin warmly up at him.
¨i know but i still missed you,¨
sodas hands grip your face gently as he brushes his thumb over your cheek and brings his lips to yours. your arms wrap around him almost out of instinct as you sigh into the kiss. you smile against him before pulling away.
¨i am so glad that those socs jumped you that day, sodapop curtis"
¨what?!¨
"or else we wouldn't have gotten to know each other!" you laugh.