A/N - I never realized how addicting reviews would be. I really like to write, so when I started this, I just wanted to see if I could do it. And to a degree, I still do. But I love getting your reviews and hearing what you think of it. Please - continue. I smile and/or laugh every single time I get a little "bot" email. :)
Also, I know this story is a little slow moving. I like to illustrate with words the little things in life. I feel like there are a hundreds of stories on ff that are like, "Hi, I love you. Let's sleep together. Oh no! I'm pregnant. Let's get married, or you leave town." But that's not how real life is, or at least not for most people. So this is supposed to be realistic, or at least more realistic than that.
So yeah, I think that's all. Oh wait, I also want to thank all my reviewers, especially marsonfire for all her faithful reviews. You're amazing. Ok, that is all. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: S.E. Hinton owns the Outsiders. Incubus owns the song. I own Sam.
Ch. 8 – Anti-Gravity Love
Call you on the tin can phone,
We rendezvous at a quarter-to
and make sure we're alone.
I think I've found the way
for you and I to finally be free.
Soda's P.O.V.
Morning came way too early, but I got up when I heard Darry threaten that if we we "weren't up in 2 minutes, he was getting a pitcher of water and coming in". It wasn't as hard as it had been in the past to get out of bed; I guess it was because there was something to hope for.
I shook Pony gently to help him avoid the wrath of Darry, but there was no waking that boy up when he wanted to be sleeping. I resigned that he'd have to experience the promised water and went to get in the shower.
Now, I really like showers. I take my ditzy old time getting clean and usually stay in until someone pounds on the door because they need the bathroom. It's the only time I can really stay still if I'm awake; it's my unwind time, I suppose.
But sure as shootin', I heard Pony pounding on the door, grumbling about being wet. I smiled to myself and hurried it along, walking out with only a towel tied around my waist.
Seeing that it was seven minutes to eight, I ran to my room, hearing Steve, who I suppose had come in while I was in the shower, shouting, "Soda! We're gonna be late!" I found my pants, pulled them on, and kept looking for my shirt.
"Darry! Seen my shirt?" I called into the kitchen.
"Yup. It's in your closet, on the right."
"Thanks!" I pulled it on and buttoned it up. I finally dug up some socks, although they weren't matching and put them on. One shoe was under my bed, which I quickly put on and ran to the living room, looking for the other one.
"Shoe!" I cried, still running like a maniac. The guys looked at me from the breakfast table and smiled, pointing at the door, next to which I found my shoe sitting, like it was waiting for me.
After I was fully dressed, hat and all, I ran to the kitchen, grabbed a huge spoonful of eggs from the pan on the stove and grabbed Steve by his sleeve, dragging him toward his car.
"You know, buddy, if you're not careful, I'm gonna think you're excited to go to work or something. I couldn't think why you'd be excited to go to work. I mean, it's not as if there's anything new or fun or exciting or beautifully red-headed there," he drawled, ignoring the look of death I sent him.
"Shut up, Steve. I just don't want to get fired," I grumbled.
"Yup, okay," he replied, clearly not believing me.
We pulled into work and I was surprised to see everything closed up, waiting for us to come along. As Steve opened up the shop, I started about my morning chores, clearly disappointed. Where was she?
A minute later, I remembered her comment about only being Part-Time, and I shook my head. I ran around like an idiot for nothing. She's taking Steve's job, and he was in school last year so he worked afternoons. Maybe I'm the absent-minded one. I totally forgot.
Consequently, the day passed slowly. The day hours at work are always kind of slow, but today seemed to drag on. I kept looking at the clock, willing it to be 3 o'clock, but I suppose its will was stronger than mine, because it just kept ticking faithfully.
Pony and Two-bit stopped by at lunch again and Pony told me the story of getting drenched in bed. I had to laugh at the kid; he was so upset about it, but if he could have taken a step back, I think he would have seen the hilarity of it all too. Two-bit was just starting in with the Sam comments when Evie walked in, so I gave him a dirty look, not wanting her to know right away that I was interested in someone else. I think she was still upset about how Sandy left, and though she wasn't the nicest girl, I didn't really want to rub it in her face.
It got awkwardly quiet for a minute, like no one really knew what to say since the flow of conversation got interrupted, but then Evie spoke, surprising us all.
"So, I really like Sam. She seems sweet."
Evie was a greaser girl. She smoked more than Pony, smacked her gum when she talked, wore skirts too short and makeup too dark, wasn't afraid of a fight, and was the kind of girl that mothers warn their sons about – a little loose and a little wild. All in all, she was perfect for Steve, because he found every one of those qualities attractive. But no one, I repeat, NO ONE expected her to comment on, let alone LIKE, a sweet girl like Sam. Usually, she chews up her type and spits 'em out.
"Yeah," I started hesitantly, not exactly sure of what to say. "She's really nice. She had dinner with us yesterday and I think everyone likes her." I looked around for some support, still unsure of the situation.
Two-bit and Pony nodded and grinned silently, while Steve took the opportunity to whisper something in Evie's ear that made her grin from ear to ear and they soon walked back to the shop.
Pony, looking at his watch, decided it was time to go and pulled Two-bit toward the door.
"Pony, wait." He stopped.
"What, Soda? I've gotta go."
"Do you think I should ask Sam on a date?" I asked sheepishly.
"Sure, but seeing as how you just met her yesterday, you might wanna wait a few more days. Or weeks," he added absently. "I gotta go. Bring her again for dinner. Or we can go to the Dingo or the Double this weekend. See ya!"
He pushed Two-bit, who was opening his mouth to say something, and left, leaving me with what I considered a good suggestion, and I was still thinking on it when Sam walked in a few hours later.
"Hey, Sam!" I said, smiling.
A blush crept up her cheeks and stayed. "Hey, Soda."
I walked with her back to the employee's break room, and noticed as she put her jumpsuit on over her clothes that she had still forgone all hair products, putting her hair up in a ponytail, but had brushed a little makeup on. Not too much; if I hadn't been looking, I probably wouldn't have noticed it, but it made me feel better, thinking of the extra time I'd spent on my hair this morning with Pony still banging on the bathroom door.
"I'm glad you're here," I said, breaking the silence.
"Well, it is my job, you know?" She said, a little flirt in her voice. "Plus," she went on, "there's this really cute guy I met yesterday, who has an awesome group of friends. And he's here, so I figured it would be worth my while."
"Oh? Who's that? You know his name?"
"Steve," she giggled, and ran out of the room.
I chased her down the hallway and grabbed her, toppling to the ground over her in a mess. See, some people can get away with things like that. They can topple and land perfectly placed over their prey, creating a romantic moment, but not me. Nope. I knocked my head on a cart in the hallway and landed flat on my chest, knocking the air out of me. She was on her butt, laughing, and I laid on the ground, trying to regain a regular breathing pattern and nursing the beginnings of a very big headache.
She was still giggling a minute or two later when the bell rang, telling us there were customers. Realizing, I wasn't getting up to get it, Steve walked out the door and saw us in a heap on the floor, Sam still laughing. "Don't worry, guys. You stay right there," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'll get these paying customers."
"Ok, Steve-o, have fun!" I said, finally getting to my feet. When we stood up, she noticed a quickly-forming lump on the side of my head and immediately stopped laughing.
"Soda! I didn't know you whacked your head. Go sit down, I'll get some ice," she said, suddenly very worried.
I went to the front room and sat at the register, waiting for her to come back with ice. When she did, I stuck it on my forehead, taking advantage of her close proximity by putting an arm around her waist. She smiled, clearly not bothered by my forward move, and I returned with a trademark grin.
"Sam," I started, taking note that we'd spent 15 minutes fooling around in the hallway. "I have a question for you, before you scamper off to work with Steve."
"Ok, shoot."
"Would you maybe like to go out on Friday night? I was thinking of going to the Dingo for dinner and then to the Nightly Double, a drive-in movie theater in town. Pony and Two-bit will probably come and Evie and Steve might come too. Darry usually stays home, but I was thinking it might be a good time to get to know us better." I stopped, realizing that in my nervousness, I was babbling.
"Well…" she began, looking a little less happy than she had a minute ago. "I would love to, Soda. I really would. But there's one problem."
My heart sunk. No problems, I thought, no problems! Things are going well.
She went on. "My brothers are kind of protective and probably wouldn't like me going out with a bunch of guys they don't know in a strange town. They might lock me up if I even asked them for permission." She smiled, and I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding.
"That's no problem at all," I countered. "I'll just meet them."
"Ummm…okay?" She said hesitantly. "Well, I guess you could come over for dinner, if you'd like. Tonight and tomorrow are probably pretty busy, but Thursday would probably work. We get off here at 5 so, maybe 7ish. I'll have to check with them of course."
"Thursday at 7 sounds perfect to me." I said agreeably, then put on a goofy mean face. "Now go get to work!" I growled.
She laughed and walked off toward the garage to join Steve. Taking a minute to rub my sore head, I stood and stepped outside to take care of some customers just pulling in. Lordy, I thought, if all my problems were that easy to take care of, my life would be charmed.