Part 6

Soda's POV

The hardest part was knowing where to start. But, brilliant me, I figured the only place to begin the story was at the beginning. So that's what I did.

"Sandy and I…" I hesitated. This was so long ago, in years and memories. But it was past high time she was told. "She was my girl," I said simply, "From when I was fifteen and a half to almost seventeen. She and I were set up by my buddy Steve and his girlfriend Evie. Sandy and Evie were best friends too, ever since Sandy moved to Tulsa when she was…about six, I think. I met her and I thought she was the prettiest br—uh, I mean, girl I'd ever seen." I chuckled at the memory of the first time I met golden haired, blue eyed Sandy. A rodeo, incidentally…

"Hey Soda, there's someone Evie wants you to meet," Steve told me. I groaned. I'd met his girlfriend's friends many times, and so far hadn't been too impressed with any of them. But for some reason, Evie had made it her mission to set me up with one of them. This was number seven.

I'd been watching the saddle bronc competitions, wishing I could still compete and knowing Dad would never go for it. All because of one blasted ligament. And I was missing Mickey Mouse again.

Well, as I sighed and turned to reluctantly take part in Evie's latest "matchmaker" scheme, I was pleasantly surprised at what I saw. A nice-looking girl with blonde hair and blue eyes. She smiled and they seemed to glow. So I grinned back. Well, what else was I supposed to do?

"Hi. I'm Sandy," she introduced herself, sticking out her hand.

I shook it and replied, "Sodapop Curtis." When she heard this, her smile grew wider, but not in a mean or mocking way. She just looked interested. Curious.

"Really? How did you ever get a name like that?" Sandy wanted to know.

"My dad came up with it. Got a brother named Ponyboy," I said, not sure why I was telling her this. "So, you like to hang around rodeos?" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Evie shoot Steve a big wink. No way, I thought, I am not going to fall for her friend. I sure as anything ain't gonna give Evie of all people that satisfaction!

Now, as I stood talking to her sixteen-year-old daughter in Two-Bit's diner, I couldn't stop the grin spreading across my face. I'd been wrong and Evie of all people had been right. Of course, it hadn't turned out the way either of us had imagined…

"Soda?" Daphne questioned hesitantly. I snapped back to the present.

"Sorry, Daf," I apologized, knowing finally why I was so comfortable around her. Because she was exactly like her mother.

Daphne's POV

The story was fascinating. Better even than I'd imagined. And more real.

"Then…" Soda faltered, seeming to have reached the bridge between easy talk about his former "girl" and the hard stuff, whatever had happened to end what had been between them. I wanted to know what happened, but I understood his hesitation. What was I about to learn about my mother?

Sodapop collected himself quickly like he had back at the park. "When I was almost seventeen—no, wait. That's not where I should start. When I was just over sixteen, probably about your age, my mom and dad died."

I smothered a gasp. I didn't know about his home life, but for some reason this shocked me. Maybe it was all the things I'd been learning about my own mother recently. "I'm so sorry," was all I could think of to say.

Soda's smile was still there, just sadder this time. "Yeah," he said, and for a moment I got a glimpse of him back when he was a sixteen-year-old, just after his parents died. "So am I. My brother Ponyboy and I were taken care of by my other, older brother Darry. Money was tight, so I dropped out of school to get a job." Soda was impressing me more and more. How could my mom have let a guy like this go so easily?

"Is that why you didn't stay together?" I ventured to ask.

Soda laughed. "Nope. Sandy—your mom—didn't mind. I think she understood that I had to do it for my family. We broke up because of something that happened later. Eight months later…"

And I could only wait on the edge of my seat to hear what happened next in my mother's fairy tale. Only I knew, my heart sinking, that it would never end in happily ever after.

Oh boy! Did I ever leave you all for a long time!!! So sorry. Got wrapped up in my other story, "Not." And that's the one I will probably update more often, just to warn you all. And I know this chapter is sort of bad, and much as I hate to say it, it was a filler chapter, just for the sake of posting. I'll try not to leave you hanging as long this time, but no promises!

Reviews, please! Comments, questions, criticisms…