Best Friends.

A Sodapop Love Story.

As I walked out the door, I began crying harder. We have had fights many times before, but calling your best friend a whore just isn't right. I guess it didn't help much that I had cursed his girlfriend out just hours before. I guess I should explain everything about myself, my best friend, and the fights. So, here it goes.

My name is Christina Nicole Mason, but most of my friends just call me Tina, or Tine. I am sixteen years old. My curly caramel colored hair goes right past my shoulders, and people tell me I have the most beautiful dark blue eyes. I am about 5'8". I actually like being tall, while most of my friends that are girls want to be shorter, or enjoy being short. I weigh only 150 pounds, which is considered the healthy weight for my height. I don't think that I'm pretty, but many people tell me I am. Although I don't think I'm ugly, I don't see why people think I'm beautiful. I am considered a greaser, and I don't want to change that. I've had my fair share of boyfriends, but that doesn't mean anything when there's only one guy I want.

Sodapop Curtis is my best friend. Since the age of eleven, we've been inseparable. Soda and I met at school when we were in sixth grade. We quickly became friends, and have been since. I wouldn't change the bond Soda and I have for the world. Recently, Soda started going out with a girl named Haylie. Haylie isn't your average greaser girl. She's like a soc in a greaser's body. She expects so much of Soda, that I think she forgets all of the things he does girl her. I have liked Soda since the age of thirteen. I wouldn't mind him going out with Haylie as much if she treated him right. I know I could. I just don't want my best friend getting hurt. There's nothing that would hurt me more.

My home life isn't very good. My mother died three years ago, and my father is a drunk. He doesn't have a job, but my brother and I do. My brother is nineteen years old, living the life of a father. Although we both have jobs to pay the bills, he takes care of everything. I would be lost without my brother. My father doesn't beat us much, but does nothing but use the money we earn for alcohal, and yell at us any chance he gets. When this is going on, my brother is always the brave one to stick up for us both. I guess that's why I would be lost without him.

Anyway, it all started on a cold, snowy day.

As Soda and I walked back to his house, I felt the cold, melting water run down my neck. I turned around only to see Soda laughing, holding two snowballs.

"Soda!" I yelled, ducking as he tossed another one in my direction. I shrieked as one hit me square in the face.

I gathered enough snow in my hand to make a snowball, and threw in at Soda. It hit his arm, and he jumped. I laughed and started running towards his house as he ran after me.

I laughed as I ran into the door and was tackled to the ground by Sodapop immediately.

"Having fun?" I heard the all too familiar voice ask. I looked up at Haylie and rolled my eyes, as Soda got up off the ground to give her a hug.

"We were just messing around." Soda told her, softly.

"Well, stop 'messing around'. I don't like how much time you two are spending together!" Haylie told us.

"Listen, Haylie-" Soda began, but I cut him off.


"Ya know what, bitch? It isn't your job to tell me and Soda how much time we can spend together! If you think that then you can go jump in front of a bus! You're such a slut that you need all of your boyfriends focused on only you at all times! How about you fuckin' shut up before I fuck you up!" I shouted.

Both Soda and Haylie looked more then shocked.

"Christina! If you think I'm gonna let you talk to her like that you're nuts! Maybe we do spend too much time together! Go be a whore somewhere else." Soda yelled.

"Soda, I thought we were best friends! How can you be my best friend for five years, and pick that slut over me! You've only known her for three months!" I said quietly.

"Well, we're not best friends anymore, Tina. Bye." He said, walking towards his room.

"Yeah, I guess we're not, and I guess we never were! I wish I never met you! I've put up with all of your crap with girls, and friends. But I never expected you to turn on me down. I hate you."

Soda started crying right there. In the middle of the living room. He completed his walk to his room, and stood in the doorway staring at me as tears dropped onto his shirt.

Now it was my turn to look shocked. Tears formed in my eyes and I was speechless. I stared at him with utter amazement. But How could he say that? I am most certainly not a whore. A whore is what you would call Haylie. What made me most sad was that he said we're not best friends anymore. I looked at him one last time before walking out the door, and his life.

-Two Months Later-

-On the Phone with Darry-

"Just come over. It's Soda's seventeenth birthday, and he misses you. You know he's sorry about what he said." Darry told me.

"Dar, I know you say that, but I want to hear it from him. He chose Haylie over me! After being best friends for five years, he still chose her. He called me a whore, and basically said he didn't want to be around me. I'm not gonna just be all happy and show up for his birthday pretending nothing ever happened, and I said some harsh things to him. He won't forgive me. I told him I hated him Darry." I told him. Tears began o form in my eyes.

"Tina, you know Soda and Haylie broke up, and I don't even want to mention how many nights Soda stayed up crying. He really misses his best friend, Tine." Darry was saying.

"I don't know Dar. I don't feel right. We're not best friends anymore. We're not even friends." I said, as more tears slid down my cheek, and landed on my open diary filled with pages of how much I missed Soda and how much I love him, as a friend and more.

"At least come for Pony, and I. We really miss you, and this will be Soda's first birthday without Johnny and Dally here. Please." He said, sounding teary himself.

I began crying harder as I thought of Johnny and Dally. I missed them.

"Fine Dar, I'll be there in an hour." I told him, thinking over and over, about how stupid I was being.

"Great! See you then." He said, and we hung up.

I began to get ready as I continued to think about Johnny and Dally. Two of the best friends a girl could have, but I still loved Soda and gave him all the friendship, and love I could give. Look what that got me.

-5:00 PM-

-At the Curtis House-

I knocked on the door. A minute later Ponyboy opened it. His eyes filled with happiness once he saw it was me. I loved Ponyboy as a little brother, and treated him like one, too. He opened the door wider, and I stepped in.

"Hey, Pony!" I said, smiling brightly. I haven't really talked to Pony much since me and Soda had our argument. I only talked to Darry on the phone.

"Hey, Tina! It's been awhile." Pony said giving me a hug.

"You look all grown up, Pony." I told him, and he smiled.

I looked around, and saw Darry in the kitchen making dinner and Two-Bit on the couch watching TV.

"Hi, Two-Bit!" I said happily as I walked farther into the living room.

Two-Bit looked up. "Tine!" He yelled, hugging me tightly. I laughed.

Darry came out from the kitchen, hugged me, and then told me he'd be out when he finished making Soda's birthday dinner.

"Where is Soda, anyway?" I asked quietly, looking into the kitchen.

"He's out with Steve. He'll be back in a few minutes." Pony told me. I nodded and focused my attention on the TV.

A few minutes later the door slammed. I looked up to see Soda and Steve taking their shoes off. Steve noticed me first.

"Tina!" He shouted, Tackling me to the ground in a hug. I smiled.

"Hey, Stevie!" I said. I look up only to see Soda staring at me with hurt in his eyes.

"Hi Soda. Happy Birthday." I said, before he went to his room slamming the door.