Chapter Six: Soda and Sodapop

The first words out of Sonia's mouth to Ponyboy on Monday morning were "Anne's got a major crush on you and she made me sign an oath that we're just friends."

"Well, hello to you too, Ms. Ganguli, on this fine morning," Ponyboy replied. "I'm fine, thank you. My weekend was lovely, thanks. Yours no doubt was fine as well, I'm sure."

"Shut it," Sonia told him.

"Did she really make you sign an oath?" Ponyboy guffawed.

"Yes. I think you two would make quite a cute couple."

"Me and Anne? Two-Bit's kid sister?"

"Why not? You're about the same age, thirteen and fourteen."

"I'm fifteen, thank you very much," Ponyboy said irritably, but his heart was thumping. Sonia was sixteen, he knew. And she didn't think a year was a big age difference.

"Whatever," Sonia said breezily, and Ponyboy would have said more but the bell rang and they hurried into class.

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"Need a ride, Gangrene?" Two-Bit hollered to Sonia.

"No, thanks!" she shouted back. "I'll walk!"

"What's the point? I got room, in the trunk!" Two-Bit joked as Ponyboy, Steve, and a couple of other greasers piled into his car. "No, but seriously, I got space if you need a ride," he said more normally as she walked by.

Sonia raised an eyebrow at the six boys already crammed inside the beat-up car.

"They'll make room, right, fellas?"

"You can sit on my lap, baby," one of them stuck his greasy head out the window and grinned devilishly at Sonia.

"I'll pass," Sonia replied dryly. "Besides, I'm not going straight home anyway. I'll catch a ride later and see you later, Bit."

"It's Two-Bit, not Bit," Two-Bit said, irked. "And where're you off to anyway? Hot date?"

"Not even. I got a job." Then, while Two-Bit was reeling from that revelation, she strode away, calling back over her shoulder, "I'll be home by nine."

"Sheesh, she doesn't have to go outta her way to make me look bad like that," Two-Bit joked, but he was a bit miffed nonetheless. "Getting a job. Next thing I know she'll be head cheerleader or something stupid like that."

He glanced briefly in his rearview mirror, not checking traffic but glancing at Ponyboy. Kid was daydreaming again. Normally Two-Bit didn't think much of this, but now he wondered: What was he thinking about? Or, rather, who?

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Sonia walked the seventeen blocks to her new job. She had applied on Saturday when she had seen the HELP WANTED sign hung on the door of the DX station when Two-Bit had pulled in for a fill up. She got the job immediately. They must really have been desperate.

Apparently two teenage boys handled business afternoon and evening hours. The manager was promoting one—he had pointed out a blond boy talking to Two-Bit while the dark-haired one filled up the tank—and he needed someone to take his place at the counter.

"I just hope it won't have an effect on our female customers," he had sighed, scratching his head. "They come from as far as the West side of town, and they always seem to run out of gas right here. Then they don't leave until closing hours."

Now, Sonia pulled her new work shirt from her backpack as she approached the station and pulled it over her t-shirt as she entered.

"New help?" the blond one at the counter beamed at her. His nametag read "Sodapop." If he ran the counter, then Sonia could see why the DX got so many female customers. He looked like a movie star.

"Yeah," Sonia said awkwardly. "Uh, hi. I'm Sonia."

"Not according to your shirt, imposter," Sodapop teased. "Sun alley?"

"It's Sonali," Sonia gently corrected his pronunciation. "But people just call me Sonia."

"Why?" Sodapop asked. "Sonali's pretty. Like you."

Sonia flushed pink. "An overstated compliment, but thanks. And most people seem to find the prettiness of it wears off when they can't pronounce it. Sonia's easier on most Americans."

"You're Indian, right?" Sodapop said. When Sonia nodded, he stuck out his hand. It was grimy with oil, but Sonia shook it anyway. "I'm Sodapop," he said. His smile never seemed to switch off. "Welcome to Oklahoma. Two-Bit was telling us about his stepsister from India. Is your dad really maharajah of Delhi, and does he really have eighteen wives?"

He was perfectly serious. Sonia's jaw dropped. "W-what?" she stammered.

"I thought it was only Two-Bit joking, but you can never be to careful. Where're you really from?"

"Philadelphia," Sonia said, still recovering from his statement. Two-Bit, she decided, must've taken one crack too many in the head while fighting. Either that or he was on crack.

"Well, anyway, welcome to the DX, here's your station," he leaped nimbly over the counter, "Don't let anybody steal anything, if they try to there's a gun taped under the cash register. Oh, and here's how you work the soda machine in case anyone wants a drink."

He showed her how the individual taps worked. "Sprite, Pepsi, Coke—whoops!"

The tap from which he sprayed Coke must have been broken, because a jet of the sugary brown liquid shot out and smacked Soda in the face and splattered Sonia before he turned it off.

"Guess that one's broken. Sorry," he said sheepishly, mopping off his face with a dirty rag. When he had finished, his nose was smudged black.

"It's okay. By the way, are you Ponyboy's brother?"

He seemed pleased. "You know Pony?"

"Yeah, he's in my English class."

"Oh!" A light bulb went on in his head. "You're that chick he was talking about!"

"What?"

"You guys and Two-Bit going out Friday night? Man, I'm so sorry about your mom," his comprehensive look was swept away by one of compassion. "I know how it feels."

"It's okay," Sonia said. "Ponyboy speaks very highly of you. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Sodapop laughed. "You don't have to get all uptight, teacher-y on me, Sonali," he said. "If we're gonna work together, you gotta chill."

Sonia tried to do so. She slouched somewhat and said, "Uh, okay, whatever dude. Whatever's sharp with you, I'm down with that. I ain't no breeze."

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's Philly slang," Sonia sighed. "Never mind."

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"Met your girlfriend today," Soda told Pony. "She's tuff enough, but she's gotta loosen up a little. Sounds more like your kinda girl, Darry," he laughed.

"Funny," Darry muttered. "I got better things to do than squandering my valuable time acting on juvenile impulses and engaging in unlawful and licentious behavior."

There was a pause as Soda digested this. "I have no idea what you just said," he said finally. "But I'm sure it was intelligent. Pony, pass the salt."

"But, you're eating an apple," Ponyboy said even as he passed the shaker to Soda.

"Yeah, and your point is?"

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"What do you think my chances with Ponyboy are?" Anne asked.

Sonia wanted to scream. It had been a long day, she had just finished her homework and she wanted to sleep. But the thirteen-year-old that was responsible for the pink nightmare he was living in wouldn't shut up.

"A million to one," Sonia yawned. "Good night."

"Is that in my favor or against?"

"In. Good night."

"What does he think of me?"

"I haven't asked. Good night."

"What does he—?"

"Good night!"

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