I was in the car with Brad, we were listening to The Beatles and singing on our way home from hanging out with friends at the diner. He had this big grin on his face as he was driving and I just watched him.
I had met Brad a couple months earlier at a party. He had just gotten out of a bad relationship with another girl. I didn't personally know him, but girls everywhere were onto him now that he was single. I couldn't blame them though. He was cute. He had hazel eyes with long eyelashes, and infectious smile, and a boyish face that was just overall attractive. I just figured he wouldn't go for a girl like me.
That was before everyone left for the big game and about 10 of us were left sitting around a campfire. Me and Brad just got to talking. Talking about everything under the sun. He wasn't just a pretty face. He was a nice guy, with a great taste in music and books and everything else. He was genuine, and friendly. The kind of guy I'd always dreamed of. We had so much in common it scared me. I went home that night on cloud nine.
We saw each other in school a lot, and before I knew it, he was taking me out to hang out with his friends, to meet his family, to talk more and more, to buy me ice cream and take me bowling. We were best friends, but I wanted more, and I knew he did too.
"Hey, I'm going to stop in here for a Coke before I drop you off, want one?" Brad said, pulling into a DX station.
"Sure, can I come in with you?" I asked him.
"Of course. Come on!" he smiled at me. I got out of the car and followed him, blushing when he held the door open for me, like the gentleman he was.
We went to the refrigerator in the station and he grabbed two Cokes, than cruised back up towards the register. I usually didn't go to DX's, not for a particular reason, I just didn't.
I barely paid attention to the guy who rang up our drinks and gave us the price.
"It's on me," Brad smiled, passing over a dollar to the cashier.
"Thanks," I just smirked back at him.
He yawned. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom, quick. Will ya wait for me?"
"Sure thing." I winked and he laughed.
I turned around to get our drinks.
"Thanks." I said to the boy.
"No problem."
Than I actually looked at him and was momentarily taken aback. He was strikingly handsome. Not cute, but attractive, in a movie-star kind of way. Blonde hair, brown eyes, a chiseled face. He looked tired, my age...vaguely familiar actually.
"Hey, do I know you?" I asked, than realized how bad that sounded. He probably got that all the time from girls. I tried to think fast. "Did you go to school with me?"
He scanned my face for a bit, than his tired eyes lit up. "Yeah, I did." he said in a relaxed, easy-going way.
"Okay, yes. You looked familiar."
He gave a half-smile. "I'm Sodapop Curtis."
"Sodapop!" I exclaimed. How could I forget about him? The dreamy guy every girl wanted, even though he was considered him a greaser. He dropped out of school last year. That Sodapop. I bit my lip. I always heard he dropped out to support his brothers after their parents were killed in a car wreck. Poor thing. He shouldn't have been working late like this. It was nearly 11 on a Friday night. He should be out with friends, or sleeping.
"That's me." he yawned.
"My name's Lucy. Lucy Jensen." I introduced myself.
He stuck out his hand over the counter, smiling gently. "I remember you, Lucy. You were in my gym class."
"Oh gym." I laughed, embarrassed. Gym was I too much work trying not to get sweaty. I always failed gym. But I mean, who needs gym? I always ate healthy and got exercise, anyways. I still did.
He smiled politely. "It's okay. You aren't the only girl who doesn't like gym."
I just laughed. "Sodapop, what have you been up to lately? I never see you around."
"Uhh, well, I quit school to help my older brother Darrell help out with the bills. I've been working. Actually, its usually more during the day. I took tonight's shift because no one was able to do anything, and just didn't want to sit home alone." he explained.
Thank gosh, that was good to hear. "Oh, well how's that going?"
"Good, actually. Good." he chuckled.
I heard footsteps and looked over my shoulder to see Brad in his letterman jacket and faded jeans approaching.
"Well," I grabbed the Cokes and smiled "It was nice meeting and seeing you, Sodapop. You take care, alright?"
"It was, and I will, Lucy. You too." he shouted after me as Brad took me by the arm outside back to his car. We spent the rest of the ride home drinking our Cokes and joking around.
I thought about Soda for a little that night. I felt bad for him. I remembered I'd heard some bad things about his friends this month. His younger brother went into hiding after getting into a murder rap. Than their two friends Johnny Cade, who was in my grade, and Dallas - Wilson, was it?- died. I remembered the nasty things people said about Johnny Cade, but honestly, I knew him from some of my classes, and he always just seemed quiet, shy, uncomfortable and out of place. Like he just needed someone to be there for him. I could never imagine him the way everyone was talking about him - like a hood.
But people could surprise you I guess, and end up being nothing like the person you though they were.
