Chapter One
Sodapop Curtis was sitting on the curb. He was waiting for his older brother, Darry, to pick him up from work. Steve, his best friend, had been sick that day, and wasn't able to give him a ride home. Soda thought that maybe it would be better if he started walking. He picked up his jean jacket and began to cross the street. Soda began to think. He thought about everything that the night reminded him of. Before he realized it, he was on his own front porch. He walked in, and Darry was making dinner.
"Hey, kid where ya been?"
"Waiting for you at the gas station."
"What?"
"I said I was waiting for you at the gas station, you know the one you forgot to stop at, to pick me up."
"Look Sodapop, I'm sor..."
"Soda, my name is Soda."
"Look kid, I'm getting tired of the way you're acting around here. You've stopped caring about what happens to yourself."
"Well hey, I figured no one else cared so why should I? Besides, my own brother can't remember to come and pick me up. Am I that easily forgotten.
"Soda..."
Soda stormed out of the house. He put on his jacket and walked to the nearest gas station. He bought a coke. He figured he would cool off and then go back home. It was getting pretty late, and he didn't want to be on the streets when the socs would be out and about. He began walking home, but got distracted by Steve, and his step-sister, Kat. They were fighting. It seemed to be a pretty heated brawl. Then Steve went out of control and hit Kat. Kat was on the ground crying, Steve left. Sodapop ran over to Kat.
"Kat, are you okay?"
He lifted her head so that he could see her face. She had a big gash across her cheek. She didn't look Soda in the eye, and he asked again.
"Kat, are you okay?"
In between sobs she shook her head. Sodapop took her in his arms, and hugged her. She leaned into his shoulder and cried. After a while she finally stopped sobbing. Then, she told Soda the whole story.
"I was going out with Randy, you know, Randy Lewis. Steve didn't like that, he said just because I was a soc that didn't mean I had to act like one. Steve's been drinking a lot now, and his temper has not been the best. He has flipped on me more than once, but this time has been the worst. I told him about how Randy planned to have me move with him to California, where he's going to college. Then he hit me."
"Kat, that's horrible, I'm so sorry I didn't know, I feel so stupid, I would have tried to do something."
"You're right Soda, you should have noticed."
Just then Soda pulled her into a kiss, she held back, but then let the kiss take her over. Afterwards, Soda took her in his arms.
"You know, you always have a place at the Curtis household."
"It would be great if I could spend the night there. Thanks Sodapop."
They held hands as they walked home. He opened the front door for her, and Darry was waiting for him.
"Where the Hell have you been, do you know what time it is?"
"Darry, not now!"
"Oh, yes now!."
"Darry we have bigger problems, so just leave your life out of this, and be considerate."
"Soda, if I am a burden then I won't..." Kat joined the converstaion.
"No Kat, Darry's just being an asshole."
"Excuse me..."
"You can sleep upstairs in Pony's room, he's spending the night at Kyle's house tonight."
"This isn't finished Sodapop Curtis."
"I told you my name is Soda! I'm not a kid anymore Darry, so why are you treating me like one?"
"Because you're acting like one!"
Soda stopped dead in his tracks, he looked at Darry with pure hatred.
"How would you know, you never did!"
With that he hurried Kat up the stairs, and helped her get comfortable in Pony's bed.
"So do you need anything else? If you think of something, don't be afraid to ask. I'm in the room right across the hall."
"Thanks Sodapop, this means a lot to me."
"No problem."
Soda got up, and began walking out of the room.
"Hey Soda, could you not tell Steve...about me staying here?"
"Sure."
She got up, and kissed him. Then he left the room. He headed downstairs, and got a coke. Darry came out of his room.
"Darry, I'm not in the mood to fight right now...ok?"
"Soda, I just don't know what's happening to you. You've stopped going to the movies, you've stopped dating, you spend some nights outside. You take your time walking home. You've stopped going to rumbles. You and Steve don't even wrestle anymore."
"Darry, I don't know. I just...It seems so short. I've realized that I shouldn't spend my time doing stupid things. Mom and Dad, Johnny and Dally, they've all showed me something, you can't waste it. They didn't finish their business."
"So, you think if you don't start any business, there won't be any to finish...is that it?"
"I guess. I'm gonna go to bed. G'Night"
"Night."