Part 2 – In auto mechanic

Soda loved this class; working with cars was one thing he loved. Today the teacher was gonna challenge them. He'd taken an engine from a truck apart and they were gonna put it together again. The only problem was no one in the class had any clue how. Suddenly the door opened and the new kid came in. Everyone stared at him immediately.

"What are ya looking at", Steve spat.

"Ah you must be Mr. Randle", the teacher said and looked through his paper. "I've seen here in the papers from your old school that you're really, really good in this subject."

Steve shrugged.

"So let's see what you can do, help the rest of the class put this engine together."

Steve walked up to the table and laughed out loud.

"Ya gotta be kidding right", he asked.

"No, I want you to put it back together so it's functional, I want it to sound like a kitten."

"Okay", Steve said and rolled up his sleeves. Then he got to work, the other guys were looking at him with interest, Soda was amazed that how quick the guy was working. Halfway through class Steve declared that he was done and the teacher laughed.

"No you're not", he said. "It won't fire up."

"I know, that's because you took away the part that should sit here", Steve pointed. "But I did some rewiring and readjusting. Try it."

The teacher laughed and did to his surprise the engine started up and purred like a kitten.

"What… how… you…" the teacher stuttered out and the guys laughed. "Right… eh seems your old teacher was right."

"Whatever", Steve shrugged.

"Well then you can all eh leave for today… class dismissed."

The pupils sheered and Steve got some pats on the back and Soda walked up to him.

"Seems there is someone in here with just as much interest in cars as me", he said and smiled.

"Whatever."

"I'm Sodapop Curtis." Soda held out his hand and Steve took it.

"Steve Randle… Sodapop's yeh nickname?"

"Nope."

"What an original name", Steve snorted.

"Yep", Soda said happily and smiled and Steve just had to do the same. "Wanna have some lunch?"

"Nope." Steve walked outside and Soda followed him from a distance. He saw Steve walk up to the cars parked at the school. Steve was looking the socs' over with a sly smile. He crouched down at one of them.

"Hey", the car's owner yelled. It was Paul Holden. "What are ya doing?"

"Looking", Steve answered calmly and rose. But Soda noticed something strange with the car. One of the hubcaps was missing.

"Wishing ya had a tuff car like this eh", Paul asked and smiled smugly.

"Nope. I was just wondering… is it supposed to be a hubcap missing?"

"What?!" Paul looked at were Steve was pointing. "Give it back grease or else!"

"Geez you're stupid, as if I could hide a hubcap in my back pocket." Steve walked around the car and then over to another. "Lookie here… seems as someone liked your hubcap better than his own."

"What", Paul ran over and saw his hubcap on another car. "I'm gonna kill Mark!"

With that he stormed off and Steve smiled, muttered sucker and crouched down at Paul's car again and put back the stolen hubcap. Soda was just staring at him but Steve wasn't done yet. He walked up to the cars Soda knew belonged to the Sheppard outfit.

"No, no, no", he heard Steve mutter. "Those hubcaps shouldn't be there…" Soda stared as the new kid removed the hubcaps from the cars more silently than anyone else he knew. Steve then changed the hubcaps on the Sheppard outfit's cars with two cars from the River Kings and Brumley boys.

"There", Steve said and brushed off his hands. "Much better." He then walked into school and Soda just stood staring.

At lunch Soda joined Two-Bit and Dallas at their usual table and today they were joined by Tim and one of his gang members. Soda looked over at the table furthest away from them and the table Dallas was glaring at. Steve was sitting there all alone.

"Let it go Dallas", Two-Bit said. "The kid got ya fair and square."

"It maybe was square but it sure as hell wasn't fair", Dallas grumbled.

"What do ya mean?"

"Since when is it allowed, in this town, to carry a heater to school? I felt it in the inner pocket of his jacket." The others at the table turned wide eyed and then turned to stare at the new kid.

"That's why I went easy on him", Dallas continued. "I didn't want him to blow my head off with it."

"Ya sure ya just aren't making it up", Soda asked. "I mean this guy seems kinda cool."

"Believe me Soda that guy is trouble."

"That's what most people say about you and Timmy here", Two-Bit said.

"SHEPPARD!" The shout made everyone turn their heads towards the door as the leader of the River Kings entered the cafeteria.

"What have ya done Tim", Dallas mumbled.

"How the hell should I know?" Tim answered.

"Sheppard ya bastard", the River King said as he came up to them.

"What is it now George?" Tim asked.

"You or some of the bums in your outfit changed my tuff hubcaps to your ugly ones and put mine on your car!"

"What?!" Tim exploded and looked at his gang members. All of them looked as shocked as he was.

"It must have been your gang", George continued. "I found your hubcaps on Ollie's car too."

Ollie was the only one of the Brumley boys attending to the school regularly.

"Who the hell did it", Tim yelled at his boys.

"Not me boss", one said and the others shook their heads.

"Hey maybe it was the socs to make us fight each other", Two-Bit piped up. Soda glanced over at Steve's table and saw the guy smirk satisfied. Dallas followed Soda's gaze.

"I know who it was", Dallas said and rose.

"Dallas", Two-Bit asked and saw him walk over to the new kid. "Now what is he doing?"

"He's going after the new kid again", Tim said.

Steve saw Dallas Winston come his way and just continued smirking.

"Are you the one changing the hubcaps?" Dallas growled.

"Nope, I thought you just wanted your ass kicked... again."

"Ya cheated, you had a gun."

"Oh this?" Steve took out a gun and Dallas flinched but when he looked closer he saw it wasn't a gun. It was a piece of metal, probably from some car engine looking like a gun. "Bad excuse."

"Why you little", Dallas grabbed Steve's collar and pulled him off his chair. "I'm asking you again… Did ya switch the hubcaps?"

"Yes", Steve said and skulled Dally so this fell backwards. "Cars look tuffer now."

"Hey", Two-Bit said as he came over with Soda in tow. "Come on you two stop fighting."

Steve just shrugged and left.

"You okay Dally", Soda asked.

"It was that guy who switched the hubcaps", Dally growled as he was helped to his feet. "He said the cars looked better now."

"They kinda do", Soda said.

"Shut up Curtis", George said. "I'm gonna get that kid."

"Try", Two-Bit said. "He wiped ol' Dally here."

"Seriously?"

"Yup."

"Damn it."

Soda walked outside school after last class and saw the new kid, Steve, lean against the wall.

"You didn't make such a good first expression", Soda said and walked over to him. Steve just shrugged. "You can get into awful lotta trouble if ya mess with the Sheppard outfit or the River Kings."

Steve just shrugged again. "They are really tough guys but they fight fair. You're not really a hood are ya? Or maybe you try to be." Steve just shrugged again. "Ya like it here in Tulsa?" The new kid didn't answer. "Ya don't say much do ya Steve?"

"Did ya want anything… Curtis?" Steve asked annoyed.

"Not really."

"Then leave me the hell alone."

"Whoa calm down man I'm just being friendly."

"Oh yeah but I'm not after friends."

"Ya should, it's always good to have someone who watches your back."

Steve just snorted.

"Where ya from anyway", Soda asked. He got no answer. "Are ya from Oklahoma City?" Still no answer. "Do ya have any siblings?"

"What's it to you?" Steve snapped.

"Touchy, touchy", Soda said and smiled. "I was just asking. So what do ya like beside cars?"

"None of your concern."

Soda laughed. "So do ya live with your folks or an uncle maybe?" Silence. "Grandparents?"

Steve just took out a cigarette lit it and started to smoke.

"Geez you're worse than Johnnycakes", Soda said and chuckled. "Ya don't say much do ya?"

"Better keep your mouth shut."

"Me or you?"

Steve actually chuckled at that. They were silent for a while then Steve spoke.

"Chicago", he said.

"Huh", Soda asked.

"Where I'm from. Chicago."

"Oh that's why you're so rough and tough. It's almost as bad as New York over there."

"Ya could say that again", Steve said and chuckled. "A lot of violence, ya get to learn the right tricks to get into as little violence as possible. Therefore the gun shaped metal in my inner pocket." He showed it for Soda and then put it back. "Ya have to blend into your environment and not take any crap from bastards like Dallas Winston and ya have to be hard, rock hard."

"See now we're getting somewhere!" Soda smiled and Steve chuckled again.

"Soda", a voice said and both jumped. "Who's this?"

"Oh hi Darry", Soda greeted his older brother. "This is Steve Randle aka the new kid or the kid that kicked Dally's ass."

Steve snorted.

"Nice to meet you Steve", Darry said and held out his hand. "I'm Darrel Curtis, this goofball's older brother."

Steve took the offered hand but didn't say anything.

"So how do ya like it here in Tulsa?"

Steve shrugged.

"Where do ya live?" Darry continued.

Steve just looked away.

"Do you have any siblings?" No answer. "Are ya living with your folks?" Silence. "An uncle maybe or grandparents." Steve still didn't say a word. It was if he was a clam, shut off to the world.

"He's not talking much is he", Darry asked Soda who laughed.

"Nope he isn't. I told him he's worse than Johnnycakes."

Steve looked at them sideways, threw away his smoke, put his hands in his pockets and walked away with a low "see ya".

"Aw man I was finally getting somewhere with him", Soda complained.

"That kid's strange", Darry said. "So little buddy ready to head home?"

"Yeah just waiting for Dallas and Two-Bit."

"Here they are", Darry said as the guys walked over to them. "Hey, you guys know anything about the new kid?"

"Only that I want to kick his ass", Dallas said and they started walking.

"I heard he's been to jail all his life and was just let out", Two-Bit said. "I also heard he shocked the teacher in auto mechanics."

"He did", Soda beamed. "I was there."

TBC