The Smallest Curtis
Chapter One
Sodapop Curtis stared blankly out into the late night. He loved the cool nights in the middle of July where he could just sit outside and relax. No one was there to bother him. No one was there to push him around. No one was there to fight him. It was just he. All by his lonesome, only to Soda, he didn't feel alone. Memories shielded his loneliness. In his mind things and people and places came into view. It was like a movie…only it was his life.
Summer of 1962
"School's out!" cried Steve Randall as he ran into the small gas station known as the DX. Behind the counter that stood in front of him sat his best friend, Sodapop Curtis. Soda was leaning back reading a magazine and drinking a Pepsi.
"Did ya hear me, man? School's out!" Steve cried once more.
Soda looked up from his magazine. A small grin tugged at his lips before he jumped up and cried, "Woohoo!"
"That's right!" the boys smacked fists. Only one of them felt a sense of sadness at the moment. But he would never show it. He was Sodapop Curtis. He was the happy-go-lucky-boy with the good looks and the sweet charms. Why was he sad? Well maybe it was because his parents had just died a little over three months ago. Maybe it was because he had to work instead of going to school, which was something he had wanted to do. But there was something that was making him sad. Was it the fact that his best friend had something to be happy about and he didn't?
"Soda!" cried a small voice. Instantly both he and Steve looked towards the door to see a small little girl trying to open the big heavy door. Soda walked over with a huge grin on his face and opened the door for his younger sister, Sophia.
"Hey Soapy," Soda picked her up and planted a huge kiss on her chick. A smile enveloped the girl's face as she laughed while Soda spun her around.
"Hi, Pepsi," she laughed as he set her down. The two had their own little nicknames for one another.
"How was your very-last-never-to-be-had-again-last-day-of first grade?" Soda asked making her sound very old. Sophia (known as Sophie or Soapy) only grinned her huge white-toothed smile.
"Utterly fabulous," she replied in an adult sounding voice.
"Sophie Curtis!" cried a boy's voice. Sophie's face instantly turned pale as she turned to face her older brother, Ponyboy. His face was red with furry and his forehead was burning with perspiration. "I told ya to wait for me!"
Sophie's face looked scared. She knew that her brother would never do anything to her but that never stopped her baby-act. "I'm so, so sorry, Pony!" she cried, "I was gonna wait but then I saw Stevie drive by and I decided that I didn't wanna sit there and wait for ya to stop talkin' to Johnny. So I left."
Pony sighed. He knew that his sister was just excited for school to be over. Walking over to the counter he took a sip of his older brother's Pepsi.
"Do you forgive me?" Sophie asked still keeping her baby-face on. Pony nodded in reply causing the little girl to screech with happiness. "Oh I love you, Pony."
Soda and Steve laughed. This was typical Sophie behavior that made everyone laugh. "C'mon, Sophie!" Soda called "Steve wants to show ya the new car we just got today." Smiling, Sophia trailed behind her older brother and his friend-leaving Pony to mind the register.
"This is amazing!" Pony could hear Sophia cry from the back garage where the cars were kept while they were being worked on. He laughed to himself. Looking out the front door of the DX he could see a group of Socs sitting in a red convertible waiting to be served. "Soda!" Pony cried, "So people are here!" Pony failed to mention that they were Socs.
"Comin'," Soda cried as he ran out the garage with Sophie in his arms. Seeing that there was socs sitting in the car he set her down and pushed her to go back inside.
"Can I get a fill?" a tall boy asked. He looked to be about Soda's age and had dark curly hair and soft green eyes.
Soda obeyed the boy's orders, quickly opening the tank and filling it. A soft grin matted his face in hopes of trying to hide his anger that they were on Greaser's turf. If Sophie weren't watching from inside Soda would've had an angry look on his face.
"Thanks, Grease!" the boy cried handing him a one-dollar bill. The four kids in the car laughed hysterically. Why? It was just a stupid name? What's so funny? Soda nodded at the boy as he sped off down the rode. Walking back into the station he found Sophie and Pony looking through a few car magazines.
"Y'all ready to get?" Soda asked. His shift was over in five minutes and he was ready to get home and sleep. For him, work started at ten and ended at five. That was a long day for a boy of sixteen.
Pony and Sophie nodded in unison as they gathered their things and headed towards the door. Soda walked around the garage, "I'm leavin' Steve!" he cried waiting for some kind of reply.
"Okay, man! See ya tomorrow," he replied from under the hood of a truck. Soda revealed a soft smile and walked outside to meet with his little brother and sister. The two looked eager to get home and start their summer vacation.
"Ya ready?" Soda asked as they began to walk home. Luckily the three only lived three blocks from the DX otherwise Soda would have to give Sophie a piggyback.
As the three walked they talked of what to do for the summer and of things that might happen. Soda knew that Pony longed to go take a drive through the country. But what Soda also knew was that Pony expected to see their mother and father there. Pony lived on that dream…
"Pepsi?" Sophie asked as she walked in the middle of her two brothers.
"Yea, Soapy," Soda replied looking down at his four foot two sister.
"Why did you send me inside today when those people in the nice car showed up?" she asked. Pony and Soda shared a glance. They knew that she was speaking of the four Socs that had showed up earlier at the DX.
"Uh…because," Soda tried to think of something to say. "Because I didn't want them customers to try and steal my little sissy!" Soda cried as he picked up her small body and spun her around. Sophie laughed and laughed.
"Home at last," Pony sighed as he walked through the big fence gate that guarded their tiny house. Soda and Sophie took their time getting in the door. Both of them loved to play around and be silly.
"Where y'all been?" Darry asked as they entered the living room. He was standing over the stove sniffing at a pot and turning the heat down a bit. Soda laughed at his tight white shirt that covered him making his muscles stick out more.
"Work," Soda said flatly as he got out two glasses. Sophie went to the fridge to get the chocolate milk. The four Curtis children loved chocolate milk. But only three of them loved chocolate cake. Sophie was the outcast. She hated chocolate cake but loved chocolate ice cream. Why? That was just the way it was.
"Last day of first grade," Sophie said casually as she watched her older brother pour the chocolaty liquid into her cup. Soda could see her eyes grow with excitement. Sophie loved to come home and drink chocolate milk with her brothers' home.
"That's right!" Darry cried. "Today was the last day of first grade. How was it?"
Sophie shrugged, "Just like kindergarten only without the cupcakes." All three brothers laughed at her remark. "What's so funny?" she played her baby act. Soda knew that she was growing too old to be acting that way but she was still only seven.
"You are, sweet pie," Darry grinned as he pulled out plates for Pony to set the table with. Sophie grabbed the forks and knives setting three extra places. Two Bit, Johnny, and Steve would all be joining very soon.
Sophie sighed and sat down on her seat at the table. Pony sat down next to her telling Soda and Darry about his last day of school. But of course, Sophie was bored with the conversation. She hated he brothers blabbing on and on about stupid adult talk. She liked it better when Two Bit came over and watched Mickey Mouse with her.
"Hello, Curtis family!" bellowed a voice from the front door right before it slammed, only to be opened and slammed two more times.
"TWO BIT!" Sophie cried running up to him. Besides her three brothers, Two Bit was her favorite guy in the world. He would watch her and play with her and take her places. Sophie loved him.
"Soapy!" Two Bit cried as he picked her up and swung her around. "Wasn't today your last day of…what was it?" Two Bit pretended to think, "One hundredth grade?"
Sophie laughed, "No, silly! Today was my last day of first grade." Sophie put on a big proud grin and stuck her chest out a bit just to show how old she was.
"WOW!" Two Bit cried, "That's even better than one hundredth grade!" he said shaking her tiny hand. Sophie nodded proudly as she shook with a hard grip.
"Y'all ready to eat?" Darry asked placing a big pot on the table. Two Bit through Sophie over his shoulder and sat her down next to him. Soda and Steve sat down next to one another while Pony and Johnny sat down across from the four. This was the average dinner that went on in the Curtis family residence. And this was the glue of the family…
I know, I know I should be working on my other story but please let me explain: I've had this story in my mind for quite a while and until I get it out and on paper I cannot update. But now that it's here I can, lol! Anyway I hope y'all liked and my other story will be updated soon, promise!
Disclaimer: I do not own any Outsiders character but I do own Sophie!