Saturday morning, Nessa wake up I little after noon. She walked up the stairs, made herself a peanut butter sandwich and starts eating eat while she was slowly walking. She wanted to see Soda and Steve. She wasn't sure to find them at the DX but even if it was a fifteen minutes walk to get there, she took the risk of walking for nothing… When she finally arrived, the place was full. Was it the price of the gas that was lower than usually? There were mostly girls… So maybe was it because of Soda… maybe Steve too.

Nessa was about to enter the parking of the station when the cars slowly starts to leave and she saw Soda standing on his hands on a wooden box. He made a back-flip to be back on his legs. Steve followed him by walking on his hands. They both seemed really happy that day.

'' You should work in a circus instead of a Gasoline station! '' Nessa told them, propping herself on the wall of the building.

'' oh, thanks. '' Says Soda, taking of his cap and inclining his head in a theatrical manner.

'' How's your sister? '' Steve asked and a car entered the parking.

'' She okay '' Nessa says. Steve smiled and walk to the car. It was Evie and two other girls, surely some of her friends. They starts talking…

Soda put back his cap on top of his head and says:

'' You remember this? '' He looked for some thing in his pocket and showed her a necklace. Well, it was only a false 'dragon' tooth attach to a chain.

'' Yes… '' She took the thing in her hand. Darry had made it for them…Then she was about eight or nine years old and they though it was a real dragon tooth… It wasn't so far in time but how it seemed young and stupid to believe in that now. '' Where did ya find it? I tough we had loose it…

I found it in the hole under the tree… ''

The hole under the tree was the place where they used to play sometimes. It was just enough big for four or five little kid to enter. Quite big but not very high as she remembered.

''You remember where it is? I'm totally sure that even if I had that tree in front of me, I won't remember that it's there.

Yes… ya want me to show you after work? ''

Nessa accepted… '' Can I wait here? I'll 'oversee' your work… '' She says mockingly.

''Yeah, sure… '' Soda says with a grin. ''If ya want but you'll get bored. '' he add and go back to work.

(…)

'' You think I'll be able to enter this hole? '' Nessa asked, looking at the little entrance.

'' I can so I can't see why you couldn't… '' Soda answered and jump in. '' See… It's bigger than it seem. C'mon, it's easy as one, two… ugh, what's after? '' He says, joking.

She sat on the edge of the hole and looked down. Finally, she jumped in and realized that it was really bigger than she remembered. She couldn't stand up but it was just enough big to sit and not be to squeezed. It was hot and humid and it was a little hard to breath since there was only a hole for air exchange.

Soda starts looking for something on the ground. He hit something that sounded like wood. He hit it again and opened a trap from where he took a little box. Inside, there was a good amount of money.

'' I also found that… There's lots of money in it…

Yeah, Ponyboy and I had an arrangement… We were trying to get enough money to buy Mickey Mouse for you. '' Nessa says and sat on the ground.

He turned to her with a surprise look on his face.

'' What did he told ya about Mickey Mouse!

Only that it was 'your' horse and that he got sold. Why? Is there something else I should or shouldn't know?

No… '' He looked at the money for a moment. '' That's crazy… all of this for a horse.

No, for your horse. ''

Soda gave her the money and sat beside her.

'' I guess these are yours. ''

Nessa put all coin on the ground and starts separating in two piles.

'' This place is amazing. '' She says, putting half of the money in the box and half in her pocket.

She gave him the box.

'' This is for you… not enough for a horse but…

oh, thank!… Ya want me to show you some where better than here? ''

She shakes her head up and down. Soda got out of the hole easily and helped Nessa to do the same. As she was almost out, an old woman passed by. She looked at them with wide eyes and she walked away as if they had insulted her.

'' She though it was strange to saw us coming out of that hole, right? '' Nessa says

'' Maybe… Who know what can happen in that hole...? '' Soda answered and laughed a little at the woman who had almost disappear at the next corner.

'' I have to be back home for the supper so that let us only about an hour… let's go. '' Soda starts walking fast, close to where they have been after the rodeo.

'' Where are we going? '' Nessa asked, simply following.

He didn't answered… Only continue walking. They walked about ten minutes in the forest to finally arrive to some kind of cave. The entrance was just a little too small but once inside, it was as high as in a house. All brilliant grey rock and they could hear something that sounded like a tiny water fall. The ground was like a 'soft river rock rug' and in the middle was a thin water source. The only light was coming from little holes in the ceiling and the place was unbelievable.

'' How did ya find that place? '' Nessa asked and walked to the end of the cave. She touched the wet wall and felt warm water flowing on her hand.

'' It was a pure chance… Darry, Pony and I were walking by here a couple of year ago… We've lost our ball and found it close to the entrance. '' He sat on a big flat rock just beside the source. Nessa did the same, on the other side of the source.

'' that's cool. '' She says and took off her shoes to dip her toes in the water.

'' I guess so. '' Soda answered and had a crazy smile.

'' Stop looking at me like that… it's scaring me! '' Nessa says but she was smiling.

'' Really? '' He gives a kick in the water to splash her.

'' What did ya just did? '' She says, competitively and splashed him back… and they were stuck in a water war. The water was just a good temperature and they quickly became totally wet.

They were both lying on the ground, breathless and laughing. Nessa raised, sat beside Soda and leans a little over him. Her mother as once told her that rain (or simply water) was making boys look like better than they already are… Right now, she was ready to believe it.

'' Can I tell you something? '' She asked with an unsure voice. He raised a little and hold himself on his arm. '' Yeah, sure. '' Soda answered.

'' Well… it's about my mother. The fact is that she isn't really my mother.

what is she then? '' The young man asked with lots of surprise.

'' That's why I'm trying to figure out. She told me something about money and that she didn't want to let Christine and I alone with my father. She's always saying that something hurt… her arm, her back… It's scaring sometimes.

You think he hits her? '' He says with a sorry look.

'' Maybe… And that would explain why she stay with us. She don't want it to happen to us. Because she could be far away from here, she told me that too. I'm not sure, she was in a delirious mood when she was talking about all of this. She seemed so sad when Christine was in the hospital. '' Nessa felt her eyes filling with tears but didn't want to cry. Soda gave her a comforting hug.

'' I'm sorry… '' the young women says and tried to smile.

'' Why? '' Soda asked, a little lost.

'' I'm not right to tell you all my problem in exchange of your kindness.

It's okay. '' He told her and smiled. '' Every one got pain at least once in his life and you need to talk about it…let me tell you, I know. ''

''You got painful experience too? '' Nessa asked. It was kind of a impossible for her to imagine how a guy like him could have any pain.

'' Yes, like anyone, why not? ''

She looked at him and then at the ground.

'' I dunno, I guess the painful Soda his hiding far, far away the happy Soda everyone like. ''

He got up and seemed a little unsure.

'' Hey, I'm only saying that you don't look like having a lot of problems and if you got some, you hide them really well.

Yeah, I know. '' He says and starts walking around.

'' You're doing something next Saturday?

No, why?

What if I got my turn to show you some place? ''

He accepted and they decided to met at the Curtis's. She just needed a refresh on the address but she remembered where the house was.