Thanks to Degrassichick (I'm glad you liked my story back in the day, too!) and Tonyboy (you're one of my most loyal reviewers!) for commenting the first two chapters!

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Sodapop (God only knows what I'd do if I did), nor any other characters…S.E. Hinton does. This disclaimer is meant also for the previous 2 chapters where I forgot to put it because I'm dumb. :-P

3 – The New Job

Sodapop was right: they were looking for someone in that huge store close to the DX station. When they hired me, I was so happy I could barely keep from screaming. I reached Sophie instead and told her the great news. She couldn't believe I was going to work in the East Side just because I liked a guy.

"He's not just some random guy!" I replied. "He's Sodapop…he's the most good looking, sweet and cute boy…"

"Sure. I wanna see him, remember?"

I rolled my eyes. "I start working next week, anyway. You could come sometimes."

"Yeah, and maybe you could tell Sodapop you work there, so he'll come by too."

"Sophie! He probably already has a girlfriend…" that thought hit me hard as I pronounced those words. "And he doesn't care about me…I'm nothing special."

"Are you blind? Do you need some mirror?"

"Sophie, just look at you and then look at me: I've got boring blonde straight hair and stupid blue eyes, and I'm so pale…you're tanned, your hazel eyes are beautiful and so your wavy dark hair!"

"You're out of your mind! Do you know how many people would want to have your blonde and long hair?" My hair almost reached my waist. "And hazel eyes suck, blue eyes are much better! And it's normal to have fair skin when you're blonde…"

"Sodapop's almost as blonde as me, but his skin is much more tanned."

"You'll drive me crazy with this boy till I'm alive, huh?" she sighed.

I just couldn't take my mind off Soda all week long, till I finally started working in the store. My father wasn't too happy about it, at the thought of me working in the East Side, but I reassured him: all I had to do was staying inside,in a place full of customers, not in some small dark street. He eventually gave up. I was a bit nervous the first day of my new job. Lots of Greasers would come by and they just made me so nervous. I didn't like them at all, I still thought they were hoodlums, all of them but Sodapop. And I didn't see him the following day. Nor the third day there.

The fourth day I was sure I wouldn't see him that soon anymore and I was quite upset. As soon as I arrived at the store, I went unpacking books and putting them on shelves.

"You got my advice, then!"

I turned around. Soda was there. "Hi, Soda!" I smiled.

"Hi! I didn't think you were serious with the idea of coming to work here…"

"Why not?"

"I don't know…I thought you weren't the East Side type."

"But I'm not a Soc."

"I know, it's just…" he shrugged.

"Did your brother find a good book?" I joked.

"I think he got something called… The Holder in the field…"

"The Catcher in the Rye?" I suggested.

"Yeah, that one! You know it?"

"I bought it too. I have just read the first few pages, though…but it seems a pretty good book."

"Pony hasn't read much of it, too. But I think he likes it. Well, he likes reading a lot."

"I understand. I like reading too."

"Really? I'm left out then!" he laughed. "I never open a book!"

"Why?"

"Well…I don't know, it just bores me to death…I can't stand to sit still that much…"

"Maybe you just haven't found the right book yet."

"It can be." Sodapop nodded. "But probably I'm just dumb…"

"You don't look dumb. And I bet you aren't."

"Thank you!" he grinned. He was irresistible. I didn't know how I could keep from touching his beautiful face. "If you have any problems with guys here…let me know, okay? Some Greasers are pretty tough."

I nodded: "Alright, thanks!"

"No problem! See you, Sybil!"

"See you, Soda…"

He left and I stood there, dumbfounded. I had just had another whole conversation with him! His good mood just radiated. It was amazing.

The rest of the week flew by. On Friday I finished my duty at dinner time and got outside: some guys were standing there, smoking and cursing, and I thought they were probably close to some fight. I tried to hurry and reach my car, but I saw someone familiar, and I couldn't ignore him: "Ponyboy?" I exclaimed. He was standing there, with those guys, but it looked like he was the one they were mad at. In fact, they had formed a circle around him.

He looked at me: "Hi…" he muttered quietly. I could tell he was looking for a way to escape that situation, so I motioned for him to come over: "I'll give you a ride home!"

"Why don't you mind your own business, broad?" some of those guys asked me.

"It's my business what you're doing to Ponyboy." What else could I say?

A guy suddenly pronounced my name: "Sybil! What are you doing here?" He meant "in a place like this", obviously.

"Seth?" I wasn't sure if it was him. It was dark and I couldn't see him very well, so I stepped closer and saw it was really Seth Tucker, one of my schoolmates.

"Of course it's me! You know this hood?" he pointed at Ponyboy, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

"He's no hood." I retorted. "Why don't you go home? This is not the area you live in. Come on, Ponyboy."

Ponyboy reached me and I whispered to him: "We'd better hurry before they change their mind. I don't want to be obtrusive, but you and those guys obviously aren't friends…"

"No, you're right." He seemed embarrassed. We got into my car. "You know…I could have handled them pretty well if only I had had a switchblade or something…" his voice trailed off.

"What?"

"Well, it's not like I go around stabbing people, but…it would have scared them off." He insisted.

I nodded. "We're lucky I knew that guy, or I don't know what would have happened." Then, noticing Ponyboy's gaze, I quickly added: "It's not like I know him well. He just goes to the same school as me…he asked me out some times but I never agreed to date him." I explained, hoping I wasn't sounding too conceited.

"Thanks…" Ponyboy finally said.

We were silent for a minute, till I realized I hadn't even asked him for directions. "So…where do you…"

"Just turn on the left here, and then on the left again…I live over there." He pointed some house to me. It didn't look big from the outside. But it looked nicer than lots of other houses around there.

I stopped the car. He thanked me again. As I was saying goodbye, the front door opened and Sodapop came out. "Pony! Where were you? Dinner's almost ready! Whose car is that?" he came closer and saw me. "Sybil?"

"Yeah, it's me…hi, Soda…" I was feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Did you give Pony a ride home? Thanks."

"No problem…" I thought Soda would get mad at his brother if he knew about the fight, so I added: "It's my fault if he's late, we started chatting…about…The Catcher in the Rye, cause we both love the book…and we didn't notice time flew by." I lied. I didn't know I was that good at making up stories that quickly.

"I see!" A grin appeared on his handsome face.

Ponyboy looked at me. I smiled at him, hoping he'd appreciate that I had lied for him. But he still got that worried look on his face. Soda noticed that too, cause he asked him: "What's the matter, little bro?"

"Well…Sybil, you've got a flat tire…"

"What?" I thought he was kidding. I got off the car and glanced at the one Ponyboy was pointing at me. I cursed. Sodapop and Ponyboy looked at me, impressed by the words that had just escaped my mouth. "Sorry…I…I'm a bit mad…" I apologized. "How come I didn't notice about that?"

"I think we were too busy…chatting." Ponyboy answered. He probably was right. I was too concerned when we were into the car to notice that. Even because I'm so absent-minded sometimes. I sighed. What was I going to do?

"I think you should stay with us for dinner…then I'll drive you home." Sodapop piped up.

"I can't…I mean, I can't bother you, your family…I…"

I protested for a while, but no matter what I said, Sodapop insisted I stopped there. I gave up, since it wasn't like I despised being close to him, and we all entered the house together.