Thank you Jamea, Tonyboy, EmmaHermione1fan (I LOVED Goblet of Fire, I think it's brilliant! I'm probably going to see it once again because that's just how great that movie is! How did you like it?) and Sodasgurl4ever for reviewing! Sorry if I haven't updated in a while, I've been busy with college!

12 – No one like him

On Sunday morning dad and I went to church, he sat with his acquaintances and I sat with Sophie, as usual. The priest welcomed us all, as usual, and the choir started to sing, as usual. Everything was the same as every other Sunday. But I was different. I hadn't seen Soda for almost a week and I was feeling different. Like a part of me was missing.

Sophie elbowed me. "You've been avoiding me lately, what's the matter?" she whispered.

"Nothing…" I muttered. Sophie stared at me like I was nuts, so I had to admit: "Okay, there's something, but honestly, Sophie, I'd rather not talk about it…I don't feel like chatting." I muttered.

Sophie nodded. I could tell she was mad at me, though: she was my best friend and we had always told each other everything, every stupid little thing ever happened to us during the thirteen years of our friendship. That is…until Soda and I got together. After that, I had started talking less to Sophie and I had started feeling more uncomfortable around her, because she didn't understand. She couldn't understand why I liked Soda that much. Julian, her boyfriend, was completely different: he belonged to the middle class, like us, and he was a very ordinary guy, not much different from everyone: he didn't stand out in the crowd. He was nice and everything, but he wasn't special. I never understood why Sophie liked him that much. But maybe when we fall in love…each one of us tends to think our crush is special and other people are plain ordinary.

I didn't pay much attention during the priest's sermon. I wanted to, but I hadn't slept well and Mr. Glass' voice made me feel even tireder. As dad drove home, he asked me if I was feeling alright. I lied and said yes. I said I was going to Sophie's house in the afternoon, since lately we hadn't spent much time together because of me going out with Sodapop.

Of course, that was another lie. In the afternoon I was going to see Lewis. I didn't want to tell dad because it didn't feel right, to me, that I could see my brother and dad couldn't see his son. Every night, before falling asleep, I prayed for dad and for my brother. Lewis wouldn't listen to me, but maybe God would make him understand he didn't have to act like he was always right about everything. Maybe God would make him understand he and dad weren't so different, after all.

"Hi, Sybil!"

"Hi, Lewis…" We sat at a small table in some café and ordered something to drink. "How are you? Have you found some job?" I asked him then.

"I'm okay, and no, I haven't found anything yet…enough about me. How do you feel?"

"Fine."

Lewis kept staring at me till I gave up: "Okay, I'm lying, I don't feel well at all, I miss Soda and I wanna see him so bad I think I could die anytime now." I admitted.

"So why don't you tell him?"

"What?"

"That you miss him, so you can go back together. In my opinion…well, you can't be sure the kid isn't his, but if you like him so much and you trust him, you should stick to his words…and time will tell."

"I thought you'd tell me I should leave him alone and that he's not good enough for me…" I was astonished. Lewis was the kind of guy who never acts nice toward people unless he knows them. But he was speaking in favor of Soda now. I hadn't told Lewis my boyfriend was a Greaser, though. If Lewis knew, he'd probably tell me I should break up with him.

"Because I want you to be happy and it doesn't look like you'll be if you don't get back together with your boyfriend…Soda. Weird name…"

"I know, it's so unique!" I smiled. "You should see him, Lewis…Soda's real handsome, every girl falls for him, but he's not a playboy or anything like that…he's funny, cute, nice, he's…" I started rambling about Sodapop. After a while, Lewis laughed. "Why are you still here? Go talk to him!"

"Now?" I didn't feel ready.

"Yeah! What are you waiting for?"

"Alright, I'm going…but…I should go home and change clothes, maybe…"

Lewis sighed. "Do you want me to drive you?"

"No…I came by bike, remember? I'll just go home now…change into some nice clothes…and then I'll go look for Soda…" I pondered out loud.

My brother smiled. "I'll see you soon."

I smiled back and hurried outside. My house wasn't far away and it took me only five minutes to get there by bike. Dad was out, so I didn't have to explain anything and quickly changed clothes, put some perfume on and ran downstairs. I closed the front door and started locking it…

"Sybil?"

I turned to see who it was. And I felt something inside melt. "Soda…"

"I'm sorry…" he simply said. He was standing near the gate, which was obviously closed. I reached him and tried to smile, but failed miserably. Soda started to talk. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Sybil, but I didn't feel like telling you about Sandy because…she's my past. I don't like thinking about my past… but I truly hope my future will be with you."

He sounded so romantic…a tear fell down my cheek. "I shouldn't have gotten so mad at you, Soda…you know…I shouldn't have listened to Seth…"

"What?"

"He told me about Sandy…and he said you got her pregnant…but since he's an idiot, I shouldn't have paid attention to him…I'm sorry…"

Soda made a face. "I guess he wanted revenge after the rumble, since he got it pretty bad."

"Why didn't you tell me about the rumble? If you had…I would have understood…"

"Are you sure?" Soda eyed me carefully.

"Well…maybe not… But from now on, we really must be honest with each other…okay?"

Soda nodded slowly. "I guess…I need to tell you something else."

I took his hand: "Let's go inside."

We sat in the living room and Soda started to tell me about two of his best buddies, Johnny Cade and Dallas Winston, who had died the previous year. He told me about Ponyboy and Johnny running away because of that Soc who got killed, about Dallas helping them, about Johnny dying because of the injuries he got after he and Ponyboy had rescued some children from a church on fire, and about Dallas dying because he couldn't stand anything anymore after Johnny's death.

When he finished speaking, I felt like I knew Dallas, a seventeen year old guy hardened beyond caring, and Johnny, a sixteen year old kid who looked younger than his age, afraid of his own shadow. And I felt sad, extremely sad, because those kids didn't deserve to end up like that. It wasn't their fault they had grown up on the wrong side of the town, it wasn't their fault they had horrible parents, it wasn't their fault life had been so harsh on them.

"I told you about Johnny and Dally, Sybil, because…those days were also the days when Sandy left and so it was even harder, for me, to face that situation…than it was for Darry or for Two-Bit or for Steve…"

I couldn't imagine Soda's pain. I told him and I said I was sorry, that he didn't deserve to suffer like that. He managed to grin: "Let's don't be sad. I'm happy now you're with me…"

I could tell he was up to something. "What are you thinking about?"

"Do you have plans for this afternoon?"

"No, why?"

"Come with me, then!"

Before I knew it, Soda and I were standing in some huge room filled with people who were dancing happily. I turned to Soda to ask where we were, but he just took my hands and exclaimed: "Come on, let's dance!"

"What? Soda, you're crazy, I can't dance!" I replied.

"Everyone can dance. And this is country music, what do you worry about?"

He was right. Country music was being played and everyone was dancing in a funny way. I figured I could do that, too, even if I felt so embarrassed. But Soda just grinned and helped me. He was amazing. There was no one like him, that was for sure.

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Even if Soda and I had talked and I had decided it didn't really matter he hadn't told me about his ex girlfriend, I still couldn't help but think about her sometimes. I thought Soda should have loved her a lot and I wondered if he'd ever love me the same way. I thought that was beyond my understanding how that girl could have betrayed someone like Sodapop. I wasn't mad at her or anything; I actually felt sorry for her, since she had gotten pregnant and had had to leave. I wondered what would happen if she came back with the baby and asked Soda to forgive her and get back together, because she loved him deeply. I wondered…

"Sybil?"

I looked up: "Did you say something?"

"No, I was just staring at your beautiful face…" I grinned at Soda's words. "And I couldn't help but notice you seem lost in your thoughts…" he added.

"I was just…" It wasn't right to bring up the Sandy topic. It would only make him feel bad. "…thinking… about my best friend's suggestion…"

Soda listened to me, so I went on: "You saw her once, her name's Sophie, remember? Well, she said we could go out together…you, me, Sophie and her boyfriend…I'm not so sure about it, though…"

"You want us to go out all together?" Soda asked.

"Maybe…" I mumbled. I didn't want to annoy Soda.

"Let's go out together then!" he grinned. "You've met my friends, why shouldn't I meet yours?"

"Really?" I asked. Soda nodded and I hugged him. "You're the best, Soda!"

"Because you don't know me." Someone ironically said. I looked up. "Hi, Two-Bit!"

"Hi, Sybil! How are you doing?" Two-Bit grabbed a bottle of beer and sat in front of Sodapop and me. We were in the Curtis' living room and before Two-Bit had entered the room, Soda and I had had the whole house to ourselves. Darrel was at work and Ponyboy was practicing for track runs at school.

"I'm great, thanks! What about you?"

"Okay. Wanna drink some?" he showed me the bottle.

Soda rolled his eyes. "Two-Bit, are you drunk already?"

"I'm always drunk, Sodapop Patrick Curtis! You should know by now!"

"Patrick?" I piped up. "Your middle name's Patrick?"

Soda made a face. "Yeah…I know it's not tuff at all…"

"Oh, I love it!" I grinned. "I've always liked the name Patrick!"

Soda grinned too. "Really?"

"Really…"

We kissed and Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow. "Let's play a game."

"What kind of a game?"

"You have to guess what Darry's and Pony's middle names are."

"What? I'll never guess! It's impossible…" I protested, before Soda intervened: "Two-Bit, you're getting annoying. Watch Mickey Mouse."

"Alright. What are you going to do?"

"I'm home!" Ponyboy announced slamming the front door. "Hey everyone…hey, Sybil!"

"Hi, Pony!" I smiled at him. He was a real cute kid. Of course, he was Soda's brother. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure…" Despite his answer, Ponyboy looked doubtful.

"What's your middle name?"

"Huh…Michael. Why?"

"Ponyboy Michael…how cute! It suits you!" Ponyboy's ears reddened. "I only asked because Two-Bit wanted me to guess yours and Darry's middle name."

"I don't think Darry would want anyone to know his middle name, Two-Bit…" Pony said. Two-Bit ignored him, because he was focused on watching Mickey Mouse on TV.

I wanted to know what it was, but Soda and Pony wouldn't tell me unless I told them mine. So I did. "Iris."

"Iris?" Ponyboy repeated.

"I bet it was your mother's name." Sodapop grinned.

I looked at him: "How did you know? I mean, yeah, that's my…that was my mother's name…"

"I could just tell. I can read people's mind, actually…"

"Can you? What am I thinking right now?" I giggled.

"You're thinking…Sodapop Curtis is the greatest guy in the whole world…" he joked.

"You're a true wizard."

Soda and I kept on chatting, while Ponyboy and Two-Bit watched Mickey Mouse on TV. I spent a real great afternoon. But when Soda drove me home, I was welcomed by a phone call of Lewis. Dad wasn't home. If he were, and if he had answered, I'm sure Lewis would have hung up.

"What's up, Lewis? Have you found a job?" I asked my brother.

"Yes, I have!" he sounded happy. "Why don't you come on over? We can have dinner together, when I'm finished here…"

I glanced at the clock. "Okay, I'll tell dad and then I'll come…what time should I be…wherever you're working?"

Lewis told me the place he was working in and the time I should reach him. Later, I said goodbye to my father and left.

Lewis was working in Tulsa's biggest mall; more precisely, he was working in some huge shop which sold both men and women clothes. He had to look after the men's ones, obviously.

"Hey, Lewis!" I greeted my brother. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay! Do you wanna buy something?"

"No…not today. Listen, Thanksgiving is in a couple of weeks…will you come home? Dad and me, we would be happy to celebrate with you…" I said, looking at him.

"Sybil, you'd be happy to celebrate with me. Dad wouldn't be."

"But Lewis…"

"You know I'm right. Hey, do you know Seth? He works here too."

I turned around and saw Seth Tucker, staring at me with a huge grin plastered on his face.