"What's up with you and that chick, Soda?" Steve asked as he shuffled the cards and handed them out to himself and Soda on the Curtis's kitchen table. "Whatcha mean?" Soda asked. "I mean you've been seeing her an awful lot. You really like her huh?" "She's great!" Soda said not looking up.

"Did you ever find out how old she is?" Steve asked. "Twenty eight." Soda said softly studying his hand of cards. "She's Twenty eight!?" Steve yelled. "SHHHHH!!!!!" Soda said. "Darry'll hear you."

"Oh, sorry." Steve said. "Just keep your mouth shut, ok?" Soda said. Steve nodded in agreement, the number twenty-eight still in his head. Wow, that was almost over ten years older than them! "Gosh, Soda. I was thinking more like twenty-two or something, but twenty-eight…" he repeated softly.

"Twenty-eight what?" Pony asked coming out of his room. "Nothing." Steve said quickly. Pony looked disappointed but left him alone about it. He sat down on the couch to watch TV. Soda was never home anymore and Pony hated it. He always went out at night. "Hey, Soda." Pony asked. "Yup?" Soda said still studying his cards to decide what his next move would be.

"You going out again tonight?" Soda shook his head. Ponyboy smiled. "Tuff." Soda laughed slightly, understanding that Pony probably had been missing him since he was never at home anymore. He jumped up and tackled his little brother.

"Hey lemme go!" Pony screamed as Soda jumped on him and tickled him until Pony was crying with laughter. Finally Soda let go and they both lied breathing hard on the floor.

"Soda, are we gonna finish this game of cards or not?" Steve asked annoyed. "In a minute, Stevie." Soda said. "Fine." Steve said. "While you two nuts lie on the living room carpet I'm gonna go have a smoke." Steve walked out to the front porch.

"Soda?" Pony asked. "Yeah?" "Do you miss Dally and Johnny?" Ponyboy said softly. "Yeah, of course I do Soda said. I miss them more and more every day. We all do."

"Soda are you gonna go away?" Pony asked. "Ponyboy what are you talking about?" Soda laughed. "I mean, when you grow up and have enough money and stuff. When you're twenty or something. It isn't that far away and I don't want you to leave." "Pony, I'm not gonna just pick up and leave. What are you talking about?"

"I'll probably move out of the house eventually when I get older but I'm not gonna leave Tulsa or nothin if that's what you mean." Ponyboy suddenly smiled. "Good." He said giving Soda a hug. "You worry to much, you know that kid?" Soda hugged back.

"I don't worry as much as Darry." Pony said. "Yeah, you do." Soda said. "You just don't worry about the same stuff as him. Half of the stuff you worry about shouldn't be bothering you."

"I can't help it." Pony said. "I've just got a lot on my mind."



****************

Soda was always happy. In fact Darry thought he was acting a bit… over happy.

"Sodapop, what have you been up to?" Darry asked on Saturday morning at the breakfast table. "Whatcha talking bout, Dar?" Soda asked while smothering his eggs in jelly. "Oh, please don't let him know." Soda thought

"I'm talking about why have you been going out almost every single night, why do you always wanna use the truck, and the main thing I wanna know is were that came from?" Darry pointed to a red mark on Soda's neck. "It's nothing." Soda said. "Just a um…" "A hickie." Darry finished for him. Soda nodded.

"So why didn't you just tell me you had a date instead of saying 'uh, I'm meeting a friend?' " Darry asked.

"You'd mind me dating if you knew how old she is." Soda thought to himself. "I dunno, Darry. I just didn't want to." Darry sighed not understanding.

"So are you feeling better about Sandy then?" Darry asked. Soda shook his head. "Not really. Maybe just a tiny I guess." "Well you need to move on." Soda sighed. He hated it when Darry said that.

"The way you've been sulking around for the last six months isn't healthy." Darry continued. "It just makes you depressed." "I'm not depressed!" Soda said. "Now you aren't." Darry said. "That's what I'm saying, Sodapop. I'm happy for you. I was getting worried and it's good to see you smiling again." Soda gave Darry a cheesy grin.

Ponyboy who had been silent the whole time decided to join in the conversation. "Is she nice?" "Yeah, she's real nice." Soda said.

"Well why don't you have her over here for dinner some time?" Darry asked. "Uh, maybe." Soda said. She didn't look really old but she didn't exactly look anywhere near his age either. Besides, he didn't want her to see his house. Compared to her house theirs looked like a junkyard.