Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders.

A/N: Hey y'all. I hope you like the story so far. Enjoy the next chapter and don't be shy leaving your thoughts! Have a fantastic day!

Chapter Three

I stared at Soda for a long time. I wasn't sure what to say to him. Of course I didn't think he was settling! Did I? I mean, I knew he was happy working his job but was the gas station the best he could do? He always told me he didn't have a brain like Ponyboy. I never believed him. Soda could do anything he wanted to. He could be anything. He had such a way with people. Everyone loved him and his manners and charm. He was the most happy-go-lucky person I knew. Soda could do so much better than the old DX. Glory! I did think he was settling. I looked into his eyes. They were a rich brown and usually they were warm but now they just looked hurt. I felt an ache right below my heart. I took a step toward him.

"Of course not, Soda!" I said desparately. "I know that you're happy where you are and that's enough for me." He opened his mouth. I could tell he didn't believe me. Why couldn't it be enough for me that he was happy? It was all so simple to him. He was a greaser. That is who he was. He didn't look for anything else because he already knew who he was and what he was supposed to do with his life. Soda knew who he was and he was happy with it. I knew that. So why wasn't it enough for me? Soda shook his head. He had always been able to tell what I was thinking.

"But it ain't enough for you, Sandy." He said. "It never has been." I raised my hand in protest. I wanted it to be enough more than anything in the world. "I've always known who I am and what I can do. I'm not smart like Darry or Ponyboy. I don't have anything going for me. This is my life, Sandy. I work at the gas station. I love what I do! I love working with my hands. I feel like I put in a good day's work and at the end of every day, I love that feeling! I'm happy where I am. I'm happy with who I am. I ain't no Soc, all right? I'm a greaser. I'm from the east side of Tulsa and I rob stores and get into rumbles. I wear my hair long and I comb it back. My shoes have holes in the bottom of them and my jeans are worn through in some places. I am hated by the middle class and the rich kids for the way I look. That is who I am! And I am happy! Why can't that be enough for you? Why isn't that enough for anybody?" His voice broke. I could feel tears come to my eyes.

"Glory, I want it to be enough." I said. "I want it to be enough. I don't know why it's not." A tear spilled onto my face. "But I'm not like you. I don't know how you're happy. Because I'm not. I hate every person who walks by me and judges me by my clothes, by my friends or by where I live. I hate thinking that I'll never be able to go anywhere with my life. I hate everyone who tells me who I have to be! I'm not happy! I wish I could be. But I just can't." I saw Ponyboy in the corner of my eye. He was still holding a bowl, beating the eggs violently. "I only said the things I did because we both know that Pony won't be happy at a gas station like you or working all day long roofing houses like Darry! I just wanted him to know that he can fight to do what will make him happy. He doesn't have to settle for something that will make him miserable."

Soda walked toward me and grabbed my arm gently. His eyes had softened a little.

"Why can't you see that I'm not settling because this is what makes me happy?" He asked.

"How?" I responded. "How can you be happy?" Soda smiled.

"I have everything I want." He said. "I have a roof over my head. I have food. Heck, my little brother loves me enough to make chocolate cake for breakfast. My older brother works all day long to let us know that he cares about us. I have the best friends in the world, the prettiest girl I've ever known and I love her. I love my life! I don't need a fancy house or an office job and a college education to be happy. I wish I could make you see that." I felt another tear fall down. I loved Soda so much. That was how all of our arguments ended. He always knew what to say to make everything better, almost. I smiled.

"You're crazy." I said. Soda looked puzzled for a few seconds before he realized that I was joking. Ponyboy shook his head.

"You're both nuts." He said. Soda pulled me into a quick hug.

"You'd better watch out, little brother, it runs in the family." He said when he let me go. I let out a deep breath and walked over to the cake batter.

"I think those eggs are ready, Ponyboy." I said and we all laughed and finished making the chocolate cake.

Mrs. Curtis made the best chocolate cake. The boys tried their best to follow her recipe, but the cake never tasted the same as hers. I missed her chocolate cake. I missed her. Sodapop was so much like her. They had the same eyes and hair but it was more than that. They both loved people. Mrs. Curtis was the most selfless and giving person I had ever met. She would listen to me, no matter the time, no matter what she was doing. She always had time to help other people. And she always knew what to do. Before she died, Pony and Darry never fought, Soda and I never argued, Johnny was braver, Dally wasn't as angry, Two-Bit thought about going to college, Steve never thought about running away. We couldn't get along without her. Or her chocolate cake.

I looked down at my empty plate. There was something missing but I knew I would never figure out what it was. Soda was sitting next to me. He had changed into his DX shirt but he was still barefoot. He hated wearing shoes. He always put them on at the last second. It made me laugh. Darry had finally come out into the kitchen. He seemed surprised to be the last one up. He looked exhausted.

"You get all your homework done?" He asked Ponyboy across the table. I could see Pony tense his shoulders.

"Yeah."

"Don't forget to come home right after school. I need your help cleaning up before those people from the state come by later." Darry said. Soda grabbed my hand quickly and looked up at Darry.

"They're not thinking about splitting us up, are they, Darry?" He asked. I squeezed his hand. "We're all we've got right now." He started to say but Ponyboy stood up quickly.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" He said, loudly. We all looked up at him, confused. Darry shook his head.

"What is wrong with you?"

"You'd like those people to split us up." Pony was almost yelling. "Then you wouldn't have to worry about anyone except yourself and you could go play some football at some college somewhere and just forget about us!" Darry stood up.

"That is not true!" He said. "I can't believe you'd even think that!" But Ponyboy didn't listen. He ran into the front room and grabbed his backpack off the couch.

"I'm gonna be late." He said. I let go of Soda's hand.

"I should go with him." I said. "It's not safe for him to go out there alone. Besides, he's right, we are going to be late." Soda nodded.

"Let me come with you." He said. I shook my head.

"You don't have your shoes on." I said as Ponyboy slammed the door behind him. "And I don't want to lose him. I'll make sure that he gets to school safe and I'll try to get him to cool down. But I'll see you after." I rushed into the front room. Soda stood up from the table.

"Thanks." He said. "I'll be there to pick you up when school lets out. I'm sorry for getting upset this morning. I'll talk to you later." Darry looked from Soda to me, confused. I nodded.

"It's all right. It was my fault! Be careful at work today!" I said before I dashed after Ponyboy.