Chapter 2
Christmas
Disclaimer: As usual, I don't own any of the original Outsiders characters. Just Alyssa, Kaley and now Amber.
The year went by pretty fast, and soon it was Christmas. School let out, and Darry came home that day with news.
"Kaley wants to know if I can go to her house for awhile?" He said, bursting through the door, dragging snow in as he did.
His mother looked at him. "Well, if you want to Darry, I suppose it's alright. Has she asked her father?"
"No, her father isn't going to be home. She has a babysitter that stays with her for most of the day. Her dad isn't home much."
"Well, did her babysitter say yes?" Mrs. Curtis asked, smiling.
"She asked last night, and she said it was fine, as long as it was ok with you and dad." Darry said.
"Well, I have no problem with it, and I think your father will be fine with it too. So, yes, you can go. But don't be home late." She said.
"Thanks mom!" Darry said, hugging her, and running back out the door.
Mrs. Curtis sighed, and began wiping the snow off the floor. Soda came into the kitchen where she was, and asked. "Where's Darry?"
"He's going over to a friends house." She said.
Soda gave a pouty look. "Why can't I have a friend over?" He asked.
"Soda, you went over to Steve's house the other day."
"Yea, but I want a friend to come over here and play. I want to ask Alyssa to come over, she's never been here before." Soda said, hanging off the counter.
"Get down off of that." His mother scolded, and Soda dropped off.
"Well, can I? Please mommy? I'll be really good, I promise!" Please!" He pleaded, giving his mother the puppy dog eyes.
"Well…go ask your father." She said.
Soda rushed out of the kitchen, and came bursting back in minutes later, with a huge grin on his face.
"Daddy said it's ok, so can I?" He asked.
His mother looked down at him and smiled. "Alright, you may have Alyssa over tomorrow, ok?"
Soda jumped up. "Yea!" He shrieked. "Thanks mommy!" He ran out of the kitchen and into the living room, where Ponyboy was playing with some blocks.
"Oda?" Pony said, as he was just learning to say his brother's name.
"Guess what Pony!" Soda said, sitting down next to him.
"Hat? Pony replied.
"No, not a hat, Pony. Mom's letting me have a friend over tomorrow to play!"
Pony didn't understand this, but he thought it was great anyway, and playfully hit Soda in the head with a block. Soda laughed, and walked out of the room.
The next day, Soda and his mom went to pick up Alyssa. When they got to their house, Soda got out of the car. "Let me go to the door myself mom."
His mom nodded, and Soda ran up the walkway and to the front door. He knocked, and soon the door opened. A tall girl stood there, who looked to be about Darry's age. Soda figured that it was Alyssa's sister, Amber.
"Alyssa, your friends here!" She called.
Alyssa came bounding down the stairs, and out the door with Soda. They walked down to the car, and hopped inside. Pony had come with them, and when Alyssa got in, he made a noise from his car seat.
"Oh, is this your brother?" Alyssa asked Soda.
Soda grinned. "Yup. That's Pony. He don't talk much, but he's learning."
"He's pretty cute."
"Dad says he looks like me when I was that age." Soda said proudly.
"I bet you're gonna grow up to look like a movie star Soda." Alyssa said laughing.
Mrs. Curtis laughed from the front seat.
They drove on until they got back to Soda's house. As soon as they got inside, Soda showed Alyssa his room.
"Do you like it?" Soda asked.
Alyssa looked around at the colorful room. Soda had his bed in the corner, and his walls were multicolored. He had a big picture of a horse on his wall.
"Who painted your room?" She asked, sitting down on the bed.
"My daddy did." Soda replied. "He asked me what color I wanted, and I couldn't decide, so he told me he'd do all of them. I helped too. I did all the red and green. Cause those are my two favorite colors."
Alyssa smiled. "My favorite color is orange and blue. But I like red too."
"You don't like pink? I thought all girls liked pink!" Soda said, surprised.
Alyssa gave a disgusted look and shook her head. "No, I don't like pink. It's ugly."
Soda sat down on the bed next to her. " Do you remember anything about your mother?" He asked.
Alyssa laid back on Soda's pillow. " Not a lot. She died when I was a baby. I remember that she used to sing to me, before I went to sleep. My dad doesn't talk about her a lot. He says that I remind him too much about her, and that every time he looks at me, he sees her. I guess it makes him sad."
"I don't know what I would do if my mom died. Or my dad. I love them both a lot, and I don't have any grandparents, so I don't know where we would live. I mean, who would teach Pony how to tie his shoes when he's older? Dad taught me and Darry, and he says it's a tradition. I don't know what that means, but I guess it means if he doesn't teach Pony, something bad will happen."
Alyssa laughed. "My daddy said that when I'm old enough, he's going to take me to the cabin that him and my mom used to go to before I was born. I've never been there, but he said, that's a tradition that him and my mom used to do, every year."
"Where's the cabin at?" Soda asked.
"I can't say the name. It's too hard. It's by a lake or something." Alyssa said.
Soda and Alyssa played for the afternoon, and soon, Mrs. Curtis came in and said it was time for supper.
Alyssa sat by Soda at the table, and Darry sat next to Alyssa. Pony was in his high chair, and was having fun throwing his spoon on the floor and making his mother pick it up. Finally, she got so tired of picking it up, that the next time he threw it, she left it on the floor. Well, Pony started to bawl so loud, that finally, she picked it up and put it back on the table in front of him. Pony never threw his spoon again.
After supper was over, Soda's mom told them that it was time to take Alyssa home. Soda wasn't too pleased, but Alyssa calmly agreed, and they got back in the car, and drove her home.
When she got out of the car, Soda walked her up to her door again, and just before she went inside, he turned to her.
"Am I supposed to kiss you or something?" He asked, shyly.
Alyssa looked surprised. "Why would you do that?"
Soda ducked is head down. "Well, Steve told me that he saw his brother kissing a girl when he took her home, so he said that I should do the same thing."
Alyssa smiled, and she could feel her cheeks turning red.
"Well, if you want to you can Soda."
Soda gulped, and leaned over. He very gently kissed her cheek and then hurried back down to the car, leaving Alyssa at the door.
When he got back in, his mother turned to him.
"She's a nice girl Soda."
Soda nodded, then leaned up towards his mother.
"Mommy? Why do people kiss each other?" He asked.
Mrs. Curtis smiled sweetly from the front seat.
"Well Soda. Sometimes they do it to show affection, or love. Other times, they do it to greet one another."
"Why do boys kiss girls?" Soda asked.
"It depends on how old they are Soda." His mother replied.
"Well, Steve's brother kissed a girl, and he's in high school."
"It was probably because he liked her then. When you get older, sometimes you do stuff like that to show a girl that you like her." His mother said, glancing at Soda in the back seat.
Soda was contemplating this, and finally, he spoke up. "Well, I like Alyssa, so does that mean I should kiss her?"
His mother didn't answer for a second, then turned around when they came to a stop sign.
"You like Alyssa as a friend, dear, but sometimes, when boys get older, they start to see girls, and like them differently. They might date, and sometimes they'll even get married, like your father and me. But, you're far too young to like a girl like that."
When they got home, Soda went up to his room, and found Darry sitting outside the door, reading a book.
"What are you doing up here Darry?" Soda asked, sitting down beside him.
"I'm bored, and I was wondering if you wanted to do something? Maybe like, play ball outside, or anything like that." Darry answered.
"Maybe Darry, but I have t talk to you about something first." Soda said, looking up at his big brother.
"What's up little man?" Darry asked.
"When do you think that a boy should kiss a girl?"
Darry laughed. "What are you talking about Soda?"
"I mean, mom told me that when people get older, sometimes they kiss girls. When do you think I should kiss a girl?"
"You shouldn't kiss a girl until you're older than me! You don't understand what it means to like a girl yet Soda."
"I like Alyssa." Soda replied.
"Yea, but not like that, Soda. I mean, really like a girl. Not just as a friend. You'll figure it out when you're a teenager, then the fun will really start."
"How do you know that? You're not a teenager yet." Soda said, sticking his tongue out.
"Closer than you are. You're only five. I'm ten. I'm only three years away from being thirteen." Darry said, pretending to slap Soda's tongue back in his mouth.
Soda jumped up and ran down the stairs laughing. He almost tripped over Ponyboy.
"Watch it buddy. You're gonna get yourself hurt." Soda said, kneeling down beside him.
Pony reached up and hit Soda on the top of the head, and laughed.
Soda ran out into the kitchen, and jumped where his mother was standing.
"Is it Christmas yet?" He asked
His mother let out a sigh. "Not yet dear."
He started hanging off the counter again. "How much longer?"
"Get down off the counter! I've told you already. Don't make me get your father."
Soda jumped down quickly. " How much longer though?"
"Soda, there's still five days until Christmas. I swear, if you ask me everyday, I'm going to get your father to stick you in the chimney!"
Soda laughed, and ran out to find his father.
"Hi daddy." He said, running outside.
"Hi Soda. How's it going?" His father asked, picking him up.
"Is it Christmas yet?" Soda asked.
"Something tells me that you've just came from asking your mother, haven't you?"
Soda hesitated. Then, he gave a sly grin, and nodded.
"I thought as much. What do you want for Christmas this year, Soda?"
Soda thought for a minute, then responded. "A horse"
His father laughed. "Well, I don't think you're going to get a real horse, but maybe we can find you a toy one, or something like that."
Soda smiled, and jumped down out of his father's arms.
When Christmas came, Soda ran in to wake up Darry really early.
"What do you want Soda?" Darry asked groggily.
"It's Christmas! You have to get up. Come on Darry!" Soda said, getting up on his bed, and jumping up and down.
Darry groaned, and pushed his brother off the bed. Soda landed on his feet with a thump, and soon, they could hear Pony making some noises from the next room.
"Alright, alright I'm getting up." Darry said, sitting up.
Soda ran into his parents room, and jumped up on the bed.
"Wake up mommy and daddy, it's Christmas."
His father rolled over, but his mother sat up, and went to go get Pony.
"Come on daddy. Get up!" Soda persisted, shaking his father.
"Ok Soda. I'm awake, please stop jumping." His father said, taking a hold of Soda's arm, and sitting up.
They went out into the living room, where the Christmas tree was lit up, and the presents, as few as there were, were lined up underneath. Soda ran immediately to open his, and Darry went to sit behind him. Pony was squirming in his mother's arms, and she finally put him down, and he walked over to the tree. He grabbed at the gifts, and Soda picked up one that had Pony's name on it.
Pony pulled at the paper, and finally, having a lot of trouble, passed it to his mother to open for him.
Soda had no problem opening the presents, and when he got to one of them, he got so excited after opening it, that he began bouncing up and down all over again. He held it up for everyone to see.
It was a toy horse, but it was huge. About half the size of Darry. It was a stuffed animal, and it's a good thing, because Soda was squeezing the stuffing out of it.
His parents laughed, and looked out the window. The snow was falling, and their children were laughing.
Darry even looked happy as he opened his presents, and Pony had succeeded in getting the paper off, and was now prancing around holding a new toy truck.
Soda stopped jumping, and turned to his parents.
"So, now what?"
Well, that's that chapter. More to come. Please R&R!
Jess