A week or so later, Soda and Steve were sitting on Soda's front porch. The sun was beaming down on them. Soda looked up to the blue cloudless sky, and squinted. The air was dry. It's too humid. Wish there was a breeze. Soda thought to himself. His mind drifted in and out of different topics as him and Steve sat in silence.
"Can't wait until we break up from school! Three days left!" Soda exclaimed.
Steve looked up at him in shock. "Soda, you hardly ever go to school anyway. What's such a big deal? I mean, if you cared, you'd be there now."
"Yeah I know, but it just means that we can chill out with everyone all summer. It will be sweet. And our two weeks off from the DX starts then. And Darry's got two weeks off and we will get to see Tori and Kirsten all the time. Just think about it Steve, Dally said Buck won't be back for a while. So he will be having plenty of parties!" Soda sat back with a smile on his face thinking about how much of a fuss he and Steve had made about getting their holiday off the DX at the same time. He laughed to himself thinking about how useless the summer staff would be and how he would be off sitting in the sun while they were sweating to death under a car! Ha!
Steve broke Soda's thoughts with a rather abrupt comment. "Hope Kirsten finishes work early so I can get a buck."
Soda looked at Steve rather shocked. "What? Steve! Where do you propose you will have sex like? Cause you're not doing it in my house!"
"I know I'm not. I don't care where we do it but I know her folks aren't in till after seven tonight, but she's agreed to do a shift at the hospital, she's gonna try and finish early though. Anyway, isn't it about time you shag Tori?" Steve looked right at Sodapop.
"Well, I've only been seeing her nearly two weeks that's not a long time and we're taking things slow." Soda said.
"Soda, no offence but if you know the rumours about your chick, and I know you do, she will guess you're a virgin if you leave it any longer." Steve turned and faced Soda. "I'm just saying, what you were saying, perfect time the summer."
"Steve. She knows. I told her. At Dally's party."
"What? But Soda, you didn't have to. It took you ages to even tell me and we've been best buddies forever! Next you'll be telling me you love her and you're getting married." Steve was in shock. Why did Soda tell her? It took him ages to tell me. He let me believe that he had had sex with at least three girls before he told me. "Shoot, you must really like her huh?" Steve thought out loud.
"Yeah, I guess I do." Soda looked back up to the sky. Why was Steve making such a big deal out of it? Guess its cause I normally don't want anyone to know. "Darry still hasn't rang Lucy. He said he's trying to play it cool. But I've seen him go to the phone with her number and go to dial but hang up instead."
"He's dumb. What's the point of getting someone's number and not calling them? She obviously wants to go out with him." Steve said looking at the pavement.
Soda sighed, "Geez, it's hot."
"Yeah I know. It's too hot to do anything." Steve looked around. The street was empty. His legs were sticking to his jeans.
Later that night, Darry, Soda and Ponyboy were sat in front of the T.V.
"Hmm, this is nice." Darry stated, glancing up at the clock.
"Yeah well, it's only six O'clock." Soda said. "Where is everyone tonight?"
"Well, Steve's at Kirsten's isn't he? And Johnny's going to the nightly double with Dally and Two-Bit." Ponyboy replied.
"Why aren't you going? " Soda asked his younger brother.
"Because Darry said I couldn't go." Ponyboy looked at Darry angrily.
"Why's that Dar?" Sodapop asked anxiously.
"Oh, I just thought it would be nice us three spending time together. Plus Pony's got school tomorrow." Darry said, thinking to himself; the real reason I don't want Pony to go is because, after Sodapop meets Tori, I will be left in all night by myself, and I will have to sit and dwell on whether or not to ring Lucy.
"But Darry, Ponyboy always goes to the movies on a school night. And it's the last few days before summer vacation, so what difference does it make? Sodapop enquired.
"Oh, I don't know. You're right Soda. Ponyboy you can go. Sorry." Darry glanced down to the floor.
"Thanks. Well I better get going. They're meeting at The Dingo first for something to eat. Later guys. Don't worry I wont be late." Ponyboy stood up and looked in the mirror. He started messing on with his hair.
"Geez, Pony you look fine! You're getting as bad as your brother here." Darry laughed.
"Hey! I'm not that bad." Soda playfully dug Darry in the ribs.
"Oh yeah? So what's gonna happen in an hour or so when you go to meet Tori? You not gonna be doing your hair? And checking yourself out?" Darry laughed.
A short time later, Darry and Soda were still sat in front of the T.V. Darry was repeatedly glancing up at the clock.
"Shoot, what's up Darry?" Soda stared at his brother. "And don't say nothin' because I know there's something up. You're not staring at that clock every five seconds for no reason."
"It's just, last week when I got Lucy's number." Darry's skin turned a crimson colour.
"Yeah…"
"I can't ring her. I don't know what to say. I'd feel stupid." Darry glanced up at Soda and quickly returned his glance to the worn out carpet.
"Do you like her?"
"Yeah. Course I do. I can't stop thinking about her. But I'm scared to go in to see her at work. And I can't ring her. I've tried Soda I really have but what if she doesn't actually want to go out? What if it was some sick joke?"
"Darry. Hold up. She asked you out. She gave you her number. She asked you to call her. Of course she wants to go out. If you don't feel comfortable on the phone. Go in buy that magazine again, and ask her out!" Soda shook his head at Darry. Sometimes it felt like Darry was the younger brother, Soda smiled.
"Oh, I don't know. I haven't had a date since before Mom and Dad died so I wouldn't know what to do."
"Jesus, Darry. Get a grip. Just be you. You don't have to do anything." Soda jested.
"I guess. Right, I will go to the store and buy the magazine tomorrow."
"Yeah. Cool. Darry? Why don't you just buy a magazine you're actually gonna read?" Soda enquired.
"What? Well then she might have forgot who I am."
"Trust me Darry. Lucy knows who you are. Who could forget you when your friends got mixed up with tampons and sweets!" Soda laughed.
"Thanks Soda that makes me feel a heck of a lot better." Darry sarcastically remarked, his eyes flittering towards the clock again. "Shouldn't you be getting ready?"
"Shoot, yeah. Better go and do my hair and change my shirt!"
"See you are worse than Pony!" Darry laughed.
Half an hour later, Soda arrived at the park where he was meeting Tori. He was leaning against a post supporting the rusty old swing.
"Hey," Tori smiled as she approached the swing.
"Hi. What you been up to?" Soda kissed Tori's lips. "Wooah, I got goose bumps there!"
Tori laughed. "I've been over Shelly's for a bit. Steve came over Kirsten's so I thought I better leave."
"Ha, yeah! You going to school tomorrow?"
"Yeah, I have to. Especially with me stopping at Kirsten's house. Her Mom's not too keen on missing school."
"Ah, Tori, I miss you when you're at school. I had nothing to do all day today." Soda looked at Tori. His eyes were so deep and compassionate.
"Ah poor baby. Maybe you should go to school tomorrow if you miss me that much." Tori teased.
"Ha! Don't think I could. It's so boring. Plus I've got work in the morning. I have got an hour or so for lunch I could come and meet you for a quick kiss if you liked?" Soda looked hopeful.
"Yeah, I've got dance before lunch. So you could meet me at the dance studio?" Tori suggested.
"Yeah I will. So you didn't tell me you were a dancer?" Soda was intrigued.
"Yeah, that's cause I'm not. It's just one of my subjects at school. I like it but I don't think I'm that good." Tori laughed.
Back at the Curtis house, Darry was sitting alone reading the paper when Steve came in the door.
"Hey Darry. Is Soda in?" Steve said grabbing a coke and sitting down.
"No. He's not he is out with his girlfriend. And the others are at the nightly double."
"Oh, so why are you sat in the house by yourself? Why didn't you go to the movies?" Steve quizzed.
"That's because, I've got things on my mind. And I didn't want to get back to find you with cum stains all over my house. You hear me?"
Steve's face was blank. "Darry, what you talking about? I wasn't gonna have sex in your house."
"I know you're not. Over my dead body. Where have you been?" Darry asked finally looking up from his paper.
"Just been over Kirsten's house."
"Is she your girlfriend now?"
"No. We're just friends." Steve grinned.
"What did you do at Kirsten's house?" Darry looked at Steve awaiting an answer.
"You know, stuff…"
"What sort of stuff?"
"We, you know, had sex and stuff."
"But you're not going out with her."
"Yeah, so."
"I hope you were careful Steve. I mean you don't know the dangers of having unprotected sex." Darry's face was serious. He folded his paper and put it on the brown wooden table next to the settee.
"What? Course I do." Steve laughed. He was starting to wish he had just gone home.
"Steve, I know you're not my brother but, you've been Sodapop's best friend an awful long time now and I sorta feel responsible for you. So I think… Steve. Your fly is down." Darry stopped and looked at Steve. "Pull it up Steve. I don't wanna see your boxer shorts!"
"Geez, I'm going to." Steve stood up and pulled up his zip. He sat back down onto the settee. "Darry, you really don't have to feel responsible for me."
"Be quiet and listen. What I'm about to tell you is real important. It's more useful than anything you will learn at school or the DX. This lesson's about life." Steve looked confused. Had Darry lost his mind? " Do you know how to use a condom?"
"Yeah. I used one tonight didn't I?" Steve retorted.
"I don't know Steve. I wasn't there. Thank goodness. A condom is like, well it's the difference between getting a baby and a disease and enjoying sex without any strings attached."
"Right Darry. Do you know where Soda is? Cause I'm gonna head out now, I think you've lost it." Steve murmured as he approached the door cautiously.
"Fine, Steve I'm only trying to stop you from ruining your life. Soda's out with Tori. Don't know where he's gone."
"Okay well I'll catch you later." Steve opened the door and left.
Around eight am the next day Soda was already working at the DX. Steve didn't start till twelve. He hated working by himself especially early in the morning. No customers to talk to and nothing to do. Suddenly the bell on the shop door rang and in walked Tori.
"Hey. I just thought I'd drop by before school." She said. "Kirsten was working again and I feel a bit awkward staying in when she's out."
"No trouble. It's nice, I could do with a bit of company." Soda stood up from the comfy brown chair behind the counter and walked towards Tori. He pulled her in and kissed her passionately.
The door opened again.
"Opps, not disturbing anything am I?" Lucy, the red head from the store, was standing there in her uniform, clutching her car keys.
Soda and Tori parted. Soda spoke quickly trying to avoid any awkwardness.
"Hey Lucy. Course not. Was just talking about you…"
Lucy cut in amidst Soda's sentence. "Oh my God! Tori Jamison! Is that you? Shoot! Haven't seen you in ages. How you keeping?"
Tori turned and instantly recognised Lucy. "Hi. I've been keeping good. How about you Lucy?"
Both girls were excited to see each other. Soda was confused. How could Tori know Lucy?
"Sorry to interrupt but what did you want doing to your car?" Soda asked before Lucy had a chance to reply to Tori.
"Just the tyres pumping up." Lucy handed her keys to Soda and sat down on a seat in the shop. She gestured for Tori to join her.
Sodapop looked towards Tori, he pulled a confused face, she shrugged her shoulders and he hurried out of the room. Tori would have to be going to school soon, Soda thought to himself; how did she know Lucy?
Tori sat down beside her friend.
"So, how are you?" Lucy asked. "I heard you've moved out of your house."
"What? Yeah I'm okay. Just another argument with John. Who told you that?" Tori asked curiously.
"I'll give you three guesses but you'll only need one. That little shit, John's son. He was mouthing off the other week when he came in the store with a friend. He's such a jerk."
"You working down at the store now?" Tori asked, not at all surprised who had told Lucy.
"Yeah. Shoot, take it you still like Sodapop then?" Lucy asked looking towards the door.
"Yeah, he's a doll. I've been going out with him a while now. How do you know him?"
"Well I don't. I just sometimes bring my car in. Everyone knows who he is. But the other week, he was in the store, all of them were. His older brother, Darry, I gave him my number. He hasn't called. How old is he? I think he thinks I'm too young." Lucy looked sad. "I'm trying not to think about it. I, at least, expected to see him in the store though." She sighed.
"Really? That was you? Soda told me about it but he didn't say it was you. Guess he didn't know I knew you. Huh. Darry's real nice to me. He's probably just getting cold feet. I'm sure you'll see him again. I think he's about twenty one something like that." Tori shrugged.
"Oh I don't know. It's confusing."
Soda walked back into the shop.
"There you go all done." Soda walked over to the cash register.
Lucy paused. "Tori, where you staying at the minute?"
"At Kirsten's house. You got her number?"
"Yeah I have. Maybe I could give you two a call and we could catch up?" Lucy suggested.
"Yeah that would be good. Maybe you could come to one of Dally's parties." Tori smiled.
"That would be cool." Lucy paid Soda, said goodbye and left.
Soda looked at Tori, waiting for an answer.
"Well, what happened there? How do you know Lucy?" Soda asked intrigued.
"She used to live on my block. Kirsten and me used to dance with her. She's the year above us, but she was a drop out. Her mother died so she had to move to a different neighbourhood with her father and get a job. It was a hard time for them. I didn't know she was the girl who gave Darry her number. He should have called her she's really nice." Tori glanced at her watch. "Shoot Soda, I better get going. You still coming at lunch?"
"Yeah. I'll see you there. Bye." Soda reached for Tori and kissed her.
It was lunchtime and Steve had just arrived at the DX.
"Steve I gotta shoot, going to see Tori for a bit. I'll not be long okay?" Soda quickly explained.
"Yeah okay. See you soon." Steve said as Soda sped out of the shop.
Soda arrived at the school. It had been a while since he had been there. He walked towards the dance studio passing a group of his teachers who remarked something about how it was nice to see him in school. Yeah right as if I'm actually in school to work, Soda thought to himself as he approached the dance studio door. Music was still playing from inside the studio. He opened the door and glanced inside. Tori and a few other girls were still dancing. Soda's eyes lit up. They were glued to Tori's figure. She looked elegant and sexy.
The music stopped and the class was over. Tori walked towards the door and paused when she saw Sodapop.
"Hi. You're early." She smiled. "Give me a few minutes to get changed."
"Yeah okay." Soda was stunned.
Tori emerged from the changing rooms, and moments later she and Soda were sitting in the nearby park eating lunch. Ponyboy was walking by with a dark haired friend.
"Hey Sodapop, Tori. What you two doing tonight?" Ponyboy asked happily.
"Hey Pony, I don't know what we're doing tonight. Why?" Soda looked at Tori then at Pony, wondering why his brother was asking him.
"Just wondering because Darry's going on a date so the house is empty. I was going to go to The Dingo with a few friends but if Darry's going out, I was wondering if I could invite them over?" Pony asked.
"Well, I don't know Pony. It's not really up to me anyway. It's up to Darry. Can't see him being too pleased with a group of kids in the house who he doesn't know. And anyway, who's he going on a date with?"
"That red head from the store. Can't remember her name. I went home for lunch and he was there. He was singing. Seemed pretty happy. I guess I'll just go to The Dingo. Well Bye." And with that Ponyboy and his friend disappeared.
Soda turned and looked at Tori, "So I got a free house tonight if you want to come over? It can just be you and me. I'll cook you a meal or something if you like?"
"Really? Can you cook?" Tori asked surprised.
"Yeah. I can, well it never turns out the right colour but it still tastes pretty good." Soda laughed.
"That would be nice. Just us two." Tori smiled, and thought of how romantic it would be. "Yeah Soda, I would really like that."
"Good. That's sorted then. I'll have to double check with Darry but it will be okay. Just come by about seven."