Disclaimer: We don't own the Outsiders.
SodapopXPonyboylover: I loved, absolutely loved/adored the last chapter Hollster09! Great job! Sorry it took so long for an update peoples. (And thanks as always to our awesome beta EternalBookworm)
The next day was like agony to Sodapop Curtis and I wasn't liking it one bit.
"Soda, snap out of it!" I yelled. Soda had gave me such a bewildered look that I couldn't help but blame the kid for putting Soda in this state. Whatever that brat had done now, it was really playing a number on poor Sodapop. "He's gonna be fine, okay? The doc's even said so. Come on, man, you gotta get back to work before our boss skins you!"
"Yeah, sure," he mumbled, but I couldn't tell if it was sarcastic or not. I walked away, shaking my head. Sodapop worshiped this kid too much, and what does the kid do? He goes and lands himself in another bad situation. I think he's doing it for attention.
"Hey Randle!" I looked up at our boss. I gulped, thinking he was about to yell at me for Sodapop's behavior.
"There's a customer over there that needs an oil change. Well, you gonna go do it or not!" he demanded when I just sat there looking at him.
I shook my head to snap myself out of it and said, "Yes sir."
"Good. Now get to it," he said, and walked over to Sodapop. I think he was about to yell at him, but I couldn't be too sure, and besides – I could get fired for not doing my work.
"Hello sir," I said. The man looked up at me from his spot in the car, judging. By the look on his face, I could tell he wasn't in the mood to play games.
"All right then," I mumbled to myself, and set to work. He didn't even say 'thank you' when I was done, just paid and left. Idiot, I thought.
"Hey Steve!" I heard Sodapop shout.
I turned around to look at him, and saw that he was pointing in the opposite direction. "Your girlfriend's here!"
Girlfriend…oh no.
I turned slowly to see Evie all but running towards me. She had the strut of a girl with a purpose. Her dark curls were bouncing and her green eyes were flaring, but it was cute, sorta. She stopped right in front of me, her eyes searching mine. I didn't even know how to react.
"Hey Evie!" Sodapop yelled, running towards us. I almost sighed.
"Hey Soda," Evie said in a flat voice, still looking at me. From the corner of my eye I saw Sodapop frown.
"Um, I guess – I mean I think I have a customer…over there! Bye!" I would have rolled my eyes, but Evie was still staring into them and I figured that would be a little weird.
"So," she stated. I didn't know what to say. What could I say?
"I'm not leaving you," I promised her, knowing in my heart I might regret this. Tears formed in her eyes, and soon she busted out crying.
"Hey, hey," I whispered, pulling her into a hug. She sobbed into my shirt.
"I didn't want this to happen!" she said in between sobs. I stroked her back comfortingly.
"It was a mistake," I said, then regretted it instantly. She glanced up at me, tears staining her cheeks. She looked like she was about to say something, but I jumped in first.
"I didn't mean it like that. It's not a mistake, it's just. I mean, we didn't mean for it to happen, you know?" She nodded, then rested her head against my chest again. In the distance I could see Sodapop smiling slightly while he made a motion that I would never repeat, and I rolled my eyes freely.
From over Evie's shoulder I gave him the finger. He just laughed and walked away.
"Steve."
"Yeah?"
"You're really gonna be there?"
"Evie," I said, staring directly into her eyes. "I will not abandon you or our baby when it's born." Evie was about to say something else, but Sodapop rushed over.
"Steve, take over my shift again. I just got a call saying Ponyboy woke up!"
"But I thought he wasn't supposed to wake up for a few more days!"
Suddenly Sodapop turned serious. "That's what's worrying everyone. His body hasn't had time to fully recover. They think something's wrong."
"I always knew that kid was a little off," I said, trying to make it sound like a joke, as much as I thought it was the truth.
Sodapop smacked me on the back of the head, kissed Evie on the cheek, then ran off in the opposite direction yelling, "Thank you!"
"You know, I never said I would take over his shift," I said. Evie just laughed between tears.
So this was a short chapter. Surprise! Evie's pregnant with Steve's baby!
Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Does Ponyboy have something wrong with his brain? (That sounded mean) Will he be okay? Or have a whole new chain of bad events happened? Please review and tell us what you thought!
