Chapter Five

Of course it may sound funny that in the first place I said Soda was my childhood enemy and I couldn't stand him; and after, I got really sad because of what he said.

When we were little, we fought almost everyday. He used to say I was the stupidiest ugliest girl in the neighborhood. That went on until we had, uhm, 12 years old, back in 1962, five years from now.

I remember the day we made our peace as if it was yesterday. Sodapop had a horse named Mickey Mouse, only if it wasn't his, actually Mickey Mouse belonged to the farm where Soda worked. Well, whoever was Mickey Mouse's owner, everybody knew that it was a mean horse. The only person Mickey Mouse obeyed and liked was Soda, they knew each other very well and loved each other.

One day Soda went to work and Mickey Mouse weren't there. Soda called his name, looked for him all over the place and couldn't find him anywhere. Then he had the great idea of going to the administration office and ask the farm manager what was happening and where was his horse. The office was empty, so Soda started to look at the horses files. In Mickey Mouse's file there was stamp in which he read the word "SOLD".

That day I went to the Curtis' place with a big slice of apple pie mom had cooked. I knocked the door and no one answered. Actually I tried to play polite knocking on their door, cause it was always open anyway. I saw a light coming from inside and decided to go in.

My first stop was the kitchen, where I left the pie. The door that led to the boys' room was half opened, so I looked inside. Soda was sitting on his bed, staring at his shoes and, amazing thing, he was crying. I felt sorry for him, maybe because never before I would've thought that boy could cry.

"What happened?" I finally decided to ask.

He looked up just to murmur an "none-of-your-business", his words intercalated with sobs, and then looked down again.

Oh boy, that irritated me. After all I was the one worrying about him, and all he could do was being a jerk. I was about to tell him to go screw himself, but then I thought about our mothers who were like sisters; about the two of us knowing each other and living in the same neighborhood since we were born. Maybe it was just about time for us to stop acting like bawling babies.

I sat beside him and said:

"I brought a big slice of apple pie mother made, do you want some?"

He hadn't time to answer. I ran to cut us a piece of it and then went back to his room and handled it to him. I could hardly believe when he thanked me.

We ate quietly. As for me, I'd already done too much, now it was his turn to make a move, I mean, if he was really interested in being my friend. If not, I could do no more.

"Do I look like a stupid kid bawling like this" he asked me.

"You don't look like a stupid kid. You are a stupid kid" I grinned and kept on talking "no, I'm just making a little fun of you, Soda, as you always did to me. In fact, I'm kinda relieved to see you crying."

"Are you out of your mind?" he shrieked

"Hey, calm down. Its just that before I thought about you like an idiot who wasn't capable to feel. Now I know that you do feel. It's a good thing, ya know"

"I've been like this, I mean, kind of emotional, my entire life, Susan" he sighed. "Do you live in another planet or what?"

"Oh, come on. You have never showed before. Well, at least, you have never showed *me*" I replied. "Now I know the reason why Pony is always saying that you're probably the greatest guy on earth. But how should I know that, if you never showed me?"

"Yeah. You're right, I guess. I'm sorry"

After I accepted his apologies, he told me about Mickey Mouse. He was right, it was better not to talk about it to anyone, except maybe for Pony, because his parents could be resentful since they probably would never have money enough to buy Mickey Mouse for him.

I asked him please, please, please, to cheer up. I told him Mickey Mouse would always be his. I told him a lot of things which I don't quite remember now. He cried a lot. And suddenly, Sodapop Curtis, the greatest enemy I've ever had, was hugging me and crying.