"Wake up Tali," a voice said as it shook me awake. "Wake up. We're here." the voice spoke again. I opened my eyes and was staring into the sapphire blue one's of my older brothers Paxton. I sat up and looked at my surroundings. So...this is Tulsa. I thought. I got out of the car and started unpacking my things. I was walking up the steps when I dropped my suitcase full of breakable picture frames.
"Oh damnit," I cussed. That had my pictures of mom in it.
"Here, let me help," a voice said. I wheeled around and stood face to face with the cutest boy I'd ever seen. "Hi. My name's Sodapop Curtis." he introduced himself.
"My name's Tali. Tali Adders. Where'dya get the nickname Sodapop from?" I asked.
"Nup. Soda's my real name. Even says so on my birth certificate." he said while he started picking up the frames. "My dad was a real original person. I even got a younger brother named Ponyboy." he continued. "So where'dya move from and who with?" he asked.
"Oh, I just moved from Newark New Jersey with my dad and older twin brothers." I explained starting to pick up the wood frames.
"New Jersey? What are you doin' way down here?" he asked, puzzled.
"Well...my dad got transferred down here to manage a DX gas station." I spoke. Soda's eyes lit up.
"DX? That's where I work!" he exclaimed. At that moment my dad and brothers came out of the house. I stood up and put the broken frames in the suitcase. Soda did the same.
"Dad, Paxton, Parker, this is Sodapop Curtis." I introduced him. Soda put his hand out. Dad took it first.
"Tony Adders," he said shaking Soda's hand.
"Paxton," he all but growled. Paxton is very protective of me. My whole family is, but when my last boyfriend broke up with me, Paxton broke his jaw. Parker took his hand and shook it.
"Parker," he nodded.
"Sodapop Patrick Curtis. I live in the house right over there," he said, pointing to the house right across the street and over a couple. "Sir? Would it be alright if Tali came to my house to meet my brothers and my friends?" he asked, turning back around to face my dad.
"What about your parents?" Paxton piped up.
"Oh, um...my parents died in a car crash about 8 months ago. My older brother takes care of me and a younger brother now." he sighed, looking at his shoes.
"Oh, um, I'm sorry. I didn't know." Paxton whispered. He actually looked sorry. My dad looked at Soda and then back at me.
"Sure, but have her home by 11 o'clock." he told Soda. He nodded.
"Thank you sir." he thanked. I hugged my dad and said bye to my brothers. As we walked back I started talking.
"I'm sorry about your parents. I just lost my mom and almost lost Parker about three months ago. That's why he has that big scar on his arm." I explained.
"I'm sorry." he replied. As we walked up the stairs I could hear the unmistakable sound of wrestling. "Okay. Now my brothers and friends are loud and crazy, and they can be rude sometimes, and we've never had a girl in our gang before." Soda warned me.
"Oh, so I'm apart of the gang already?" I asked, jokingly.
"Well, if ya wanna be." he replied, and with that he opened the door