Sodapop never expected someone like him to do something like that to. Hell, he never expected anyone to do something like that to him at all. He should've known something was up when he started asking all those strange questions. He should've seen it coming from the vibes he was picking up and the way the man was eyeing him.

What Soda did know was that he didn't like the feeling of the older man's hands on his wet body. And he knew that he didn't like the way he'd been taken advantage of so easily. But he couldn't help it. He was so scared. He didn't even know that could happen. Especially never to him.

But he couldn't screw everything up.

"Curtis, you've got one mean throw! And your legs are unstoppable!"

Soda finished running in his touchdown and slammed the ball down onto the end zone. Practice went as usual. Soda would either pass the ball to a teammate or run it to the end himself. He removed his gold and blue helmet and wiped the trickling sweat from his brow.

"I knew there was a reason I chose you for quarterback," Coach Ferguson clapped Soda on the back. Soda tried to hold back his smirk and be humble, but you could see the pride seeping through his chocolate brown eyes.

"Thanks, Coach. Game's tomorrow and I really wanna practice my juking,"

"I'm sorry practice is over. I gotta get home and so do you,"

"Awh, c'mon, the score was nearly tied at the last game, but Leroy got us the winning point by twisting past that one burly guy. I don't wanna be weak in any areas and risk it,"

The coach thought about it for a second then grinned.

"Tell you what, since you're so dedicated, I'll let you stay an hour longer, till six, to practice, but that's i-"

"Thanks so much!" Sodapop flashed his signature grin, his eyes twinkling. Of course he couldn't see the strange glint in his coach's eyes as he watched Soda run back to the field.

Coach Ferguson wasn't hideous. Sure, he was a middle aged man and he was a bit husky. But, he wasn't ugly. He had green eyes that seemed to have a toughness to them. A pointed nose too, and he seemed to always be sporting a five o' clock shadow. Regardless of all that, he still didn't feel comfortable with the way his teammates were talking about the both of them in locker-room.

"Hey Soda, no need to buy gas for that tuff car anymore. You can just ride Coach Ferguson's dick to school every day," Addison laughed, only in his football tights. All the other boys joined in laughing as they got dressed. He flicked his jersey as Soda.

"Ha ha, you're funny. I ought to send you in to the Reader's Digest. I hear they pay a lot for funny things," Soda mocked sarcastically.

"Oh, Coach! I could use your help getting the ball into my – ehem, I mean THE end zone," Miller teased in a high-pitched voice pretending to be Sodapop. Then Addison wrapped his arms Miller and repeatedly thrusted onto his backside jokingly.

"So THAT'S how you do it…" All the boys howled with laughter again as Soda just blushed and shook his head in amusement.

"Whatever, you guys are just jealous,"

"Yeah, golly gee! I, too, wish Coach would kiss the slobbery tip of my dick!"

"Gross. Hey guys, lay off," Steve butted in, walking out of the showers with a towel around his waist. He shook his wet hair out.

"C'mon Soda we're just messin'. But you can't tell me that Coach Ferg isn't hard for your ass," Addison insisted.

"How sweet, he doesn't mind that you have the IQ of a brick!" Miller added.

"Fuck you! And dude, you're sick! He has a wife and kids…and that's queer." Soda protested them both.

"Maybe he's an undercover queer," Addison shrugged one last time before heading for the showers.

Soda tried to brush off what everyone apparently thought was true. But it kept bugging him. Could his coach really having a thing for him? A boy? An under aged boy? Soda decided that that was ridiculous and vile. But he couldn't ignore the drop in his stomach when Coach called him into his office.

Soda sat in the chair in front of the coach's desk silently. Ferguson was pouring himself some coffee. Soda looked out the small square window on the door to the locker-room office and saw that everyone had gone home except for a few strays putting their equipment away.

"What's wrong? You look tense,"

"Huh? Oh, Sorry," Soda eyes snapped backed to his coach and he licked his dry pink lips.

"Coffee?" Coach Ferguson held the steaming carafe of black coffee out to Soda. Soda inhaled indulgently.

"No thank you, sir," Soda smiled softly.

"So, the reason I called you in here. I've got some colleges and universities that have their eye on you. They're lookin' to scout you into their school. They saw your stats from the past two seasons and liked what they saw. They want to offer you scholarships to their schools. Only thing is, you have to be passing all of your classes with at least a solid C for them to pick you up," Coach's green eyes turned stern.

"Ar-are you serious. That's great, man! I mean, I'm sure I can manage to raise my D's in English and algebra. And if I start now, I might be able to bring my F in Spanish to a C. I can keep my A's in auto-mechanics and gym real easy," Soda blabbered excitedly, "Where are these schools anyway?"

"Well one is here in Oklahoma, but the better ones are in Texas and in Michig-"

"Oh no, I couldn't go there. I couldn't leave all my friends and family behind. I still need to help Darry with the bills 'cause I work part time at the DX. And watch Pony grow up n' stuff. And Sandy. Sandy's goin' to a community college here in Oklahoma. I really couldn't leave her," Soda was set in stone about this one.

"Sandy…you guys have been together for a while now," Ferguson stroked his five o'clock shadow. Soda didn't realize it was almost seven o' clock now.

Soda seemed surprised that Coach knew that fact, "Ahah, yeah almost two-and-a-half years now. I really love her," Soda's brown eyes beamed as he thought about his blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty. They'd been through so much in their time together: Sandy's parents' divorce, Soda's parents' death, Sandy's abusive ex, and so on.

"Boy howdy, that is a long time. Have you guys, uh, done anything in that time?"

"Whaddya mean?" Soda wasn't stupid, well at least not about these things, but he wanted to see if his coach meant what he thought he meant.

"You know, like intimate stuff. Has she touched you, have you touched her?"

Soda gasped and smirked a bit, appalled at his coach's crude curiosity, "Um, uh…I mean," Soda blushed and scratched the back of his head. His dimples were set deep in embarrassment, "she's, y'know, gone down on me and I've gone down on her too but that's it…" Soda couldn't believe his ears hearing his voice talk so openly about his and Sandy's sex life.

"Really?" Coach Ferguson was surprised, "But you're so handsome! And probably so horny. I'd expect you'd be putting her to bed constantly with your sun kissed skin and dreamy eyes. Heh, blowing her pretty little mind, balls deep, and fucking some girls on the side, too, if you know what I mean…" Coach smirked darkly.

Soda's eyes widened and his whole face burned, "No, that's not me! I mean I'd like to but, c'mon." Soda was getting uncomfortable talking to Coach like this. Coach smiled wide, his green eyes indenting in Soda's mind.

"Well, at least you and your girl have something. My wife barely touches me anymore,"

"W-well, you gotta be smooth about getting her to do it. You know, romantic. And do everything she tells you to do starting twenty-four hours in advance," Soda laughed, showing his teeth. Coach laughed.

"Well, I'll let you go shower. I know you probably want to get your face in Sandy's soft, blonde pussy hair as soon as possible," Soda swallowed, uncomfortable and surprised as he noticed Coach's cloudy eyes. His hands were doing something under that desk, but Soda couldn't be sure.

"Thanks. S-see ya, Coach."

He should've just showered at home. He could've, but he decided against it on account of it was more convenient to do it in the locker-room. Plus he didn't want to dirty up his clean car. Also, he selflessly decided that he and Darry couldn't afford a large water bill, so it'd be more financially conscious to shower at school. But he should've showered at home. What happened in the shower wasn't worth all of those reasons.

Soda was merely two minutes into his shower. It was already eight and a half o' clock. Darry was gonna be pissed. Well, that would be until Soda would tell him he was getting offered scholarships. Finally, school wouldn't be for nothing. He wouldn't end up like a loser like all of his past teachers predicted. Soda felt proud of himself. Darry would be too. And Momma and Pa would look down on him from heaven with admiring eyes.

He was deep in thought as he rinsed his hair and watched the suds go down the drain. He was facing the wall, when he heard some foot steps behind him. He wondered who the hell else could be here to take a shower this late. Then, he heard the light, somber sobbing of a man. Puzzled, he dropped his hands from hair and turned around.

He gasped in shock and stepped back at what he saw. Coach Ferguson was slowly walking into the showers, making it two naked males in the shower, one underage and frightened. His face was to the ground, his eyes green eyes puffy from crying. He just kept walking towards Soda.

Soda was so scared; he didn't know what to do.

"Coach, what's wrong…" Soda tested his own voice to see if it had been scared away.

He was still mortified at the sight in front of him. Everything was fine just ten minutes ago. Why was Coach in the shower naked with him?

Coach continued to hobble towards Soda's tense, lean body. He reached Soda and stood for a moment. Soda's big brown eyes just watched in shock, his thick lashes fluttering every once in a while, testing to see if this was still reality.

Coach placed his shaky hands on Soda's shoulder and squeezed so tight it hurt, and Soda winced. Every once in a while he'd let his sobs become louder, and then quiet, then loud again. He rubbed up Soda's wet shoulders to the sides of his face and pulled Soda's handsome face towards his. He skimmed his lips across Soda's eyes, and then his smooth nose, then his flushed cheeks, and he stopped on his moist lips and pushed forward a bit.

"I love you," He heard Coach say. Soda felt it more than he could hear it.

Soda blushed and sucked in a breath. He was frightened still and couldn't get himself to run. He didn't know what to do for some reason.

Coach's hand rubbed down Soda's arms to his hands and he laced their hands. He trailed kiss down Soda's jawline to his neck, and Soda's Adam's apple bobbed. He licked lightly across Soda's chest.

"Touch me," Coach said, crying green eyes locked with terrified brown.

Soda's heart quickened and, suddenly, he felt sick.

"Coach…" Soda tried solemnly.

"Touch me!" He yelled now. Soda got really sick when his hands were forced onto Coach's dick.

Coach began to thrust into Soda's calloused hand. He closed his eyes and moaned, still crying.

How didn't Soda notice how sick Coach was before? What was wrong with him?

"Uh…uh, uh…Soda. I love you,"

Soda felt him progressively hardening in his hand. He felt his strong throbbing. It rivaled Soda's heartbeat.

"Soda! Ungh!," Soda blanched when felt Coach's cum saturate his leg and his own flaccid penis.

Then, Coach began to get down on his knees, still sobbing. Soda knew what was planned when he aligned his face with Soda's dick.

"I-I'm sorry, I-I can't…!" he pleaded loudly and ran out shortly after.

He was almost afraid that Coach would follow him. But he just began to sob louder.

"Soda! Please…help me,"

Soda ran out of the locker-room. He was still naked, soapy and wet, and there still some remnants of Coach's cum on his inner thigh. Adrenaline rushed through his blood like never before as he shakily and hastily dressed in the parking lot.

It was dark out, and the crickets were chirping. It was probably nine now.

He wiped Coach off of him with his socks and he got soap all over his clothes.

After he was dressed, he ran, leaving his car. He just kept running and running, using his surplus of adrenaline to fight the fatigue. He thought back to the jokes that were made earlier. He bet his life they wouldn't think those jokes were funny anymore if they knew what happened.

What did I do wrong?

He wondered what he did to deserve what happened.

He reached a tree in a park way too far away from his house. He slid down the tree and began to cry into his hands. He didn't know when he was going home, but he didn't care. When he told Darry that he was being scouted, Darry would be proud. And everyone would be proud. Momma and Pa up in heaven would be proud to see their son wasn't obsolete and an airhead.

He couldn't tell anyone what happened. They'd think he was sick for allowing what happened to happen. He needed to get those scholarships. He needed to be someone. Not some idiot grease monkey working at a gas station.

"I can't screw this up, I can't screw this up!" Soda cried aloud into his hands.

His thoughts were blurred and he didn't know what to do. He was so lost now.

"I ca – I can't screw this up," he mumbled as he passed out leaning against the tree.

After midnight, Darry went out to search out for his middle kid brother in his truck. Ponyboy somehow managed to fall asleep despite how on edge and anxious he was about Soda's disappearance.

Just when Darry was about to give up, he spotted the sleeping form of a distressed young man's body.

He got out of the truck and walked over to Soda. He noticed his shirt was on backwards and his hair had dried soap in it.

He decided then he wouldn't ask questions 'til morning.

He woke up to the sensation of strong arms wrapped around him in bed. He began thrashing about violently in their vicelike grip.

"Soda? Soda, calm down, it's me. It's Darry!" Darry promised.

Soda couldn't help it anymore. He began to sob into Darry's shoulder.

"Oh, Darry…" He cried miserably, "Darry, why? Why me? I'm sorry, I didn't know what to do,"

"It's okay, I got you, it's gonna be alright," Darry consoled him, "Shh, it's alright, little buddy,"

Soda relaxed into the embrace of Darry and softly cried

Everything turned to darkness.

The last thing on his mind was how excited he was to tell Darry about his scholarships tomorrow morning. Darry would be proud. Everyone would be so proud.