Chapter 15: The Talk

"Okay. See it Darry."

"Yeah."

"Okay. Take aim and…."

BAM!

The animal took off running. Darry had almost hit it. Mr. Curtis put his hand on Darry's shoulder.

"Almost had it. You were close. You two taking notes?"

Soda and Pony nodded their heads at the same time. Looking like two bobble heads.

"Okay. Soda, Darry. You two can go off separately and find some game."

"What's Pony going to do?" asked Soda.

"I think he's old enough to learn how to shoot at least one."

"Or at least hold the gun," said Soda smiling.

Ponyboy gave a mean look and then turned it into a smirk. Darry and Sodapop walked off to find some more. Before they walked off, Soda asked Darry something.

"Hey Darry?"

"Hm."

"I've been meaning to ask you something for a while. Your still friends with Paul right."

"Sort of."

"Sort of?"

"We still buddy around. Hey. I'll take that way, you can take the other way."

"Uh…okay."

Soda walked off. Darry and Paul were good friends. And he said 'sort of'. Would it come to that with him and Steve when he reached Darry's age?

Soda really didn't feel like shooting right now. He would wait a while. He was kind of worried about Steve. He knew how much of an attitude that he had. And he was just dead silent last night.

Soda sat down and leaned against a tree. He didn't feel so happy-go-lucky now. He just didn't. Friends and Family were probably the only things that bothered him greatly in this world. No matter how bad the socs treated them, Soda seemed to brighten up a lot of things.

Suddenly, he detected movement at the edge of the woods. He looked. It was just a car slowing down on the road. Soda looked at the car. It didn't look like the type of cars they drove around in the country. Soda took a harder look. The car door was opening. Then….Steve stepped out.

Soda jumped up. What was Steve doing here? Soda dropped his weapon as he headed towards the car.

"Steve! Steve! Randle!"

Steve looked around for a moment and then towards Soda. Who was coming out of the woods.

"What are you doing here?" asked Steve.

"I should be asking you that. Where were you going? Isn't that your dad's car?"

Steve was silent for a moment. Soda looked at him.

"What's wrong? You still mad about last night?"

"No."

"Then what's up?"

Steve was still silent. He looked at Soda's worried face. He couldn't let that down.

"I'm going to see my mom."

"Oh. You know where she is?"

"No."

"Th-then how do you plan on seeing her?"

"I'm going to find her."

"But you have no idea where she is."

"That's why I'm looking for her."

"That could take too long."

"So."

"Then I would miss you. You're my best friend."

Steve then looked at Soda. He knew he was his best friend, but they had never told each other. That was the first time it had come out of either of their mouths. Soda felt the same way. He surprised that it had just came out of his mouth. He really meant it. He had to tell him at some point.

"You-You mean it?"

"Yeah. We've been best friends since grade school. You've been my friend ever since I gave you that apple."

Steve smiled. He didn't know if Soda was serious or not. But that last sentence made him smile.

"I guess so. My dad was just getting on my nerves."

"Oh."

"Actually. I shouldn't be too mad. He usually gives me something when he shouts at me."

"Then what are you mad for?"

"Soda! Sodapop! Where are you!"

Soda turned around towards the woods. That was Darry calling him.

"Hey. My mom probably wants us back so we can start eating. I'll see you at home, right?"

"Right," said a grinning Steve.

He got back into the car and drove off. Soda now knew that everything was going to be okay.