In the morning Tiffany woke up to the smell of pancakes. She got dressed and went into the living room. All three of the guys were sitting at the table eating pancakes and drinking coffee. They turned around and all eyes were on Tiffany. "Good morning," she said shyly. Soda grinned, "Join us for breakfast."

"Thanks, but I need to make a phone call to find out if the flight is going to be arriving soon."

"Go ahead, the phone is right there."

After Tiffany made a phone call, she turned around and said, "The flight arrives at 5 p.m. tonight."

"Oh, we still have time," Soda grinned, "how about the movies?" He wondered briefly if the person she was meeting was a boyfriend or something, and felt conflicting about it. He wasn't entirely over Sandy but this girl seemed nice she seemed different somehow.

Tiffany looked thoughtful, "I don't know if this is a good idea."

"Of course it's a good idea," Soda poured syrup on his pancakes, "what are you going to do? Sit at Buck's the whole day? Let me take you to the movies, there is a special - silent movies with Charlie Chaplin, it should be fun."

'Ok, you talked me into it."

"So," Soda said once they were in the car, "it's a little weird to go during the day we usually go in the evening but it should be fun."

They arrived at the drive in shortly. The movie was really funny, and they both laughed a lot. Tiffany seemed to relax, and wasn't so shy and self-conscious anymore. On the back of his mind Soda wanted to ask her if the person she was meeting was her boyfriend, but he couldn't bring himself to ask.

When it was over Tiffany turned to Soda, "thanks for bringing me here, it was really fun." She was twirling a strand of her hair around her finger.

"Beats sitting at Buck's" Soda grinned.

After the movie they went back to the Curtis for a couple of hours. When it was time to go Soda said, "Let me drive you." So they got the luggage, and Soda drove Tiffany to Buck's. Soda pulled up to Buck's. He grabbed her suitcases and brought them to her room. There he saw a guy waiting for her. He looked like he was in his mid forties. Soda sighed in relief - this surely can't be a boyfriend.

At that moment Tiffany walked up to him, "Hi Andy I missed you." He gave her a peck on the lips, and Soda just stood there startled. The guy was twice her age. Soda put the luggage down and started walking out of the room not saying anything to Tiffany.

"Hey wait a second," Andy called after him. Soda turned around – "here," Andy placed a dollar bill into Soda's palm, apparently he thought Soda was a luggage boy. Soda put the dollar in the pocket and awkwardly left the room.

Upset Soda went downstairs and got a drink. In a few minutes he saw Andy and Tiffany enter the room. They didn't see him. Andy went straight to the bar. He looked over the menu and said to Buck, "I see fried chicken is only in the afternoon, but we need it now."

"This is only lunch special we don't have it in the evening." Buck sounded rather annoyed.

"I'm sure that's so," Andy replied in an irritated voice, "but just tell your boys to fry one for us" then he pulled out his wallet and took out a $100 bill and carefully placed it on the counter in front of Buck. Buck literally grabbed the money. "Your order will be done soon," he blurted out.

"Oh," Andy continued, "what kind of music are you playing here? Some southern bumpkin's music? Here, put this in," he gave Buck a tape, and Buck put it in.

Gees, who does he think he is? Soda thought. In the meantime Andy was waving the busboy over. "Hey, clean up that table by the window and put flowers and a candle on it for God's sake. This is the ugliest place I've ever been to." Soda finished up his drink and left the place frustrated.

On the way home Soda's thoughts were gloomy, how could she – he's twice her age, he caught himself thinking. He tried to convince himself that he didn't care, he didn't even know the girl. But he liked her, and he couldn't help it but feel that way. After the whole mess with Sandy this was the first person he actually liked and wanted to get to know her to see if something could develop. The guy, Soda thought, seemed very conceited – the way he held himself and how he gave Soda a dollar.

The following day was Sunday. Soda was not working. He woke up, and his thoughts drifted to Tiffany. How could she stand to be dating such an old guy? Soda thought. Then Soda considered that maybe he should just forget it. But something inside told him that he wanted to get to know her better. He had no appetite, and didn't eat almost anything at breakfast. He asked to borrow Darry's truck, and went to Buck's in hopes of seeing Tiffany there. On the way there he called himself every stupid name available, but continued driving.

Buck's was surprisingly crowded. Maybe because it was Sunday, Soda thought. Tiffany wasn't there. Soda considered going to her room, but decided against it. "Hey, are you going to just sit there or order something?" Buck yelled. Soda ordered a drink and some appetizers. He didn't have appetite, but forced himself to eat just to be doing something. Finally, he decided that he should leave. Just as he was getting up, he noticed Tiffany walk into the room. Andy was not with her. Soda's heart skipped a beat.

Soda almost ran to her. "Hi Tiffany,"

"Hi Sodapop," she smiled.

"Where's your boyfriend?"

"Oh, he had some business to take care of."

"So you are here alone?"

"Yes, and I'm kinda bored. So I thought I'd go down see what's going on here." "Oh, you don't want to know what's going on here, trust me," Soda chuckled. Then added, "I have a better idea. There is a place I know, let me take you."

"What place?" she sounded intrigued.

"You'll see."

"Ok, sure." Soda realized that his behavior may seem a little creepy, but she didn't take it that way, and he was glad.

They pulled up to a small, circular building, and Soda prompted for Tiffany to go inside. As she entered, she realized they were in a shooting gallery. There were various targets such as plastic ducks, frogs, bears and other stuff. There were rifles and guns available. "Ever been to a shooting gallery before?" Soda asked, following Tiffany inside.

"No, never." She closed the door behind her.

"Well, this is your chance." Soda took a rifle, aimed and got one of the plastic ducks. Then he also got the bear twice in a row.

"You are good," Tiffany sounded impressed.

"Now you try," Soda prompted. She took the rifle from him. She aimed, but she didn't get the target. She tried a few more times, and each time she missed. She laughed. Soda got the aim a few more times and got a big white plush teddy bear as his prize. He gave it to Tiffany. "I'm a little too old for that but I'll take it," she laughed.

They went towards the exit. There in the corner Soda noticed a photo booth. "Shall we?"

"Oh, I don't know my hair is messed up." Soda grinned, "Your hair is fine."

"Oh, I dunno," she said again.

"C'mon" Soda chuckled, "you are no fun."

"Alright, alright," she smiled. They entered the photo booth. "Smile," Soda grinned. She smiled in spite of herself. The last moment Soda grabbed her hand. They walked out and grabbed the pictures. "Oh," Tiffany cringed, "I look cross-eyed."

"What are you even talking about?" Soda laughed, "You look great." She didn't reply, and there was uncomfortable silence.

Once they were in the car Soda turned to Tiffany and asked carefully, "may I ask what's going on with you and this oldie?"

She frowned, "I love him." Now Soda frowned. She hesitated a moment then said, "I live in a tiny town in Iowa. We only got one gas station for the entire town. Andy was in town on some business. He is from Florida. I was waitressing at a diner. He showed up every day for two weeks just to see me. Then he asked me out. Said that he will take me to Miami with thim. And I thought what else is waiting for me in this life. So after he is done with business here in Tulsa he is taking me to Miami with him."

"May I ask what business he has here?" She shrugged, "I don't really know, I don't interfere with his business. He made me promise not to ask questions, and that is fine with me. I don't really care to know." Soda was thoughtful again. The way Andy was acting at Buck's the other day showed that he thought much of himself.

As they entered Buck's Soda spotted Andy right away. He was sitting at the same table by the window where he had been sitting the night before. He spotted them too, and waved them over.

"Hi Andy," Tiffany took a seat across from him, and Soda was just standing there awkwardly ready to leave.

Andy furrowed his eyebrows, "I've been waiting for you for half an hour." Half hour, Soda thought, that's nothing. He made it sound as if he had been waiting forever. Tiffany looked down. "I'm sorry Andy." This was ridiculous, Soda thought. She looked as a school girl who did something wrong, and was apologizing to the teacher. Soda felt anger rise up inside of him. "You weren't here," she continued in the same apologetic tone of voice, "so I went to the shooting gallery with Sodapop."

"Sodapop?" Andy raised his eyebrows in confusion.

"Oh," she said, "this is Sodapop Curtis." Andy still looked confused.

"My real name," Soda supplied. Andy still looked mad, then his expression softened a little. "Well, sorry for the dollar the other day."

"Oh, it's nothing," Soda scowled, "do you want it back?" He didn't even try to keep the sarcasm out of his tone.

It was late when Soda got home. He took his shoes off, and went straight to his room. Darry, who was reading the paper in his recliner, lifted his eyes. "Well, hello to you too."

"Hi," Soda merely nodded.

"What's wrong?" Pony, who was watching TV, turned to Soda.

"What do you mean what's wrong?" Soda frowned.

"Well, you walk in, you don't say hello, you look miserable. What's going on?" Soda hesitated, "it's the girl…"

"What girl?" Darry perked up, and Pony looked curious.

"The one that stayed here the other night. I really like her."

"So, what's the problem?" Darry sounded puzzled.

"Yeah," Pony added with a smile, "you are not the one to have problems with getting a girl. They are drawn to you as bees to honey." Soda hung his head. He looked devastated.

"Hey what's the problem?" Pony said, turning the TV off.

"She's with someone else. And he is twice her age, and he is a real jerk, but he is loaded, and in two weeks he is going to take her to Miami."

Pony was thoughtful for a moment, "Is he a soc?"

"Dunno, I'm gonna ask Tim to check who the hell this guy is. He's staying at Buck's, but he is loaded. If I had to guess he's from some gang in Miami. He has some business here in Tulsa, but Tiffany doesn't know what it is. He had her promise not to ask questions." Soda looked hopeless.

"Were you with her just now?" Pony asked.

"Yeah," Soda replied, "Took her to the shooting gallery, her boyfriend had to take care of some business so she was all alone. Here," Soda took the photo they took at the photo booth out of his pocket.

"You look cute together," Pony smiled. Soda grabbed the scissors and cut the picture into a small circle. "I'll be right back." He went into his room, but was back in a minute – "what do you think?" He turned to face Pony and Darry, the picture now made into an earring clip on. Pony chuckled, "what if it rains, it will be ruined."

"Hm," Soda looked thoughtful for a second, "I haven't thought of that." Then he smiled, he seemed to be in a lighter mood now. "Why does the only person that I actually like have to be with someone else, she said she loves him."