Chapter 6

Almost fifteen minutes later, Ponyboy came strolling into the house; with a smile pasted on his face. Soda said a quick remark, but it didn't seem as if Pony heard that either. He just walked on back to his room. Sodapop just shook his head, smiling also, at his little brother's state of mind.

Later on in the night, Darry came walking in as Sodapop was cleaning dishes. As Darry, took a glance inside of the kitchen, his face showed confusion.

"Did Pony cook?" he asked.

"Nah. I offered to clean the dishes for him."

Darry shook his head at his younger brother's statement.

"I've told you Soda. You keep doing his chores for him and he'll never learn responsibility."

Soda laughed as he stacked a plate on top of another.

"You sound just like Mom."

Darry looked at Sodapop for a while. Soon enough, as much as he tried to hold, a grin of his spread across his face.

"Too bad I look like Dad. Either way, you can't do his work for him forever."

At that statement, it reminded Darry that Soda would have to go to Vietnam. It had been on his mind all that morning. As strong and upbeat as he seemed last night, he was hurt. It was the worst blow that he had ever received ever since the police appeared at the front door to inform him and his brothers of their parent's demise. Soda seemed not to have the same thought currently, but Darry was sure that it had crossed his mind constantly earlier that day.

"Besides," started Sodapop. "Pony's talking to girls now."

Darry lowered his eyebrows and Soda proceeded on.

"When Steve dropped me off, I caught him and a girl talking sitting on the porch talking. He didn't even notice us come up."

"Hm," said Darry as he walked into the living room and fell into the armchair. His body had been aching and he had been standing in the kitchen long enough for his legs to object.

"Have you seen her before?" Darry yelled into the kitchen, but now too loud knowing that if Ponyboy wasn't asleep then he could be eavesdropping.

"Nope," Soda replied back. "I haven't reached any conclusions, but I'm guessing she was middle class or something. She didn't have on anything Soc-like."

Darry didn't answer. He just gave it more thought. A girl that no one had ever seen before. It sounded too peculiar. He didn't know that many female greasers in town in high school, but Steve, Soda or at least Two-Bit would know her. He came to the decision that she must be middle class.

"She's pretty cute too," said Soda walking into the living room.

"Yeah. I just hope this doesn't do anything to his grades."

"Oh come on Darry," Soda nearly yelled with a smile as he collapsed on the sofa. "He's already gotten into private school. He should be okay from now on."

"Not exactly. He doesn't attend it until the end of this semester, so he has to keep his grades where they are. And even so, the scholarship only lasts for one year. He has to do excellent in his first year in order to get another one."

Soda didn't bother to reply to it. He instead stretched himself out on the couch. Normally if one of the other boys did it, he would have demanded that he get their feet off the couch. But Soda was an exception since he always walked around the house in his stocking feet.

The next day continued on as normal as Sodapop took the morning shift of the DX, since Steve was attending school. That day he had to work the cash register, which is awfully boring during this time of day since the usual customers are senior citizens and middle aged people who often scoff at the way Soda slouches in the morning. But this certain morning was different.

As he tiredly rested his head on his hand at the register, he heard the bell ring at the front door, signaling that a customer had just walked in. His boss had already gotten on to him about that so he fixed his stance to prepare for the customer.

This customer turned out to be a female. A cute one at that, a nice tall brunette. After she obtained herself a coke she walked to the Soda to purchase her beverage. When she approached the desk she looked Soda right in the eye.

"How are you doing?" he asked as she handed the correct amount of money to him.

She only smiled at him. With a slight, "Hm," she took her coke and walked out the door. Sodapop stared at her backside as she stalked off. He really wasn't the one to be conceited but that was the first in a long time that a girl did not answer him. Was it his breath? No, he always brushes after he eats.

It didn't stop there. Later on in the day, two girls, supposedly from the high school since school ended about thirty minutes ago, walked in and giggled at him. Now this was more like it. That's happened before and the outcome turned out to be very good. As they walked up to the counter, Soda stated,

"You both know you're looking you're best this afternoon."

The two girls looked at each other and then back at Soda. Then one remarked with,

"Aren't you taken?"

They both laughed and sat the exact money down for two Pepsi's and walked towards the door. At the same time as they were exiting, Steve was entering. Steve and the girls caught each other's eyes as they were proceeding their. The girls looked at each other once again and then laughed their way into the parking lot.

"What was up with that?" asked Steve as he walked towards the door to the garage, his DX shirt hanging over his shoulder.

"I don't know. Something's wrong, Steve. That's been happening all day today."

"Well maybe Two-Bit will know something about it. He damn-near bugged me all day today. Some tale about how he needs to see us at your house."

Soda only shrugged.

"I guess we'll see tonight."

After closing time, Steve drove to the Curtis household as usual; with Soda in the passenger seat. As they walked up the porch, they expected to see Two-Bit lying across the couch. And as soon as he sees them he will jump up and tell them whatever news he had.

But much to their disappointment, Ponyboy was on the couch talking on the telephone. Soda and Steve looked at each other. Soda laughed while Steve shook his head.

"Do you think he's running late or something?" asked Soda.

"Give him a call," said Steve as he walked into the kitchen.

Steve looked through the refrigerator, hoping to find a case of beer. He had forgotten that Darry no one in that house drank beer. Darry and Soda never had and he knew Darry would get Pony so bad if he caught him drinking. Slightly disgusted, Steve walked back into the living to see Sodapop hanging up the telephone.

"Is he coming?" asked Steve.

Soda just shook his head.

"No one picked up the phone."