Part 4 – Around town with Soda

Steve was walking towards school, his hands deep in his pockets. He heard talking behind him and hurried on his steps. Then suddenly a hand landed on his shoulder. Out of reflex he grabbed the hand and pulled the guy over his head. He then put his foot down on the guy's throat to keep him still.

"Geez man take it easy will ya?" the guy said and Steve blinked in surprise. In front of him on the ground lied a guy with rusty hair and very long sideburns, he wore a black leather jacket, blue jeans and a Mickey Mouse shirt.

"Sorry", Steve muttered and let go and he heard laughter behind him and turned to see that kid Sodapop, Sodapop's older brother Darrel and Dallas were laughing their heads off.

"I never knew you could fly Two-Bit", Darry said.

"Nice move Steve", Soda said. Steve glared at him and stalked off.

"Man", Two-Bit said and rubbed his sore back. "What's that kid's problem?"

"What isn't", Dallas growled. Soda gave them a look and ran after Steve.

"I'm still mad at you", Soda said as he came up to Steve's side.

"Who cares?" Steve answered coldly.

"I think you do."

"Think that?"

"Yes."

"Look here… Sodapop or whatever your name was, I don't care about your family, your friends and I certainly don't care about whatever you're mad at me or not."

Soda just smiled and they walked in silence.

"Sorry", Steve then muttered.

"See I told you so", Soda beamed.

"Whatever."

"Aw come on doesn't it feel good to talk to someone?"

"No."

"You should do it more often."

"Really?"

"Yes, why don't ya come home with me after school and we can talk and you can apologize to my parents. They didn't mean any bad."

"No."

"Aw at least let me show ya around town."

"Why?"

"So ya want end up in trouble and maybe we can visit my job."

"Job?"

"Yeah I work at a gasoline station part time. I pump gas, stands in the shop and as a mechanic. You would make a hit there, you're good with cars."

"Whatever."

"Come on it will be fun."

"No."

"Ya know you gotta stop talk in one-word-sentences people might think you're shy."

"So?"

"Can't ya say more than one word at the time?"

"Fuck off."

"See now we're getting somewhere!"

They walked in silence once more before Steve said:

"You really are a strange kid ya know that right? It can't be healthy to be so damn optimistic and happy all the time."

"And it can't be healthy to be all pessimistic and angry all the time either."

"Guess we're a good pair then."

"What?"

"Two bads takes out each other and makes it right."

Soda laughed and saw the corner of Steve's lips twitch.

"Come on that was funny!" Soda said. "So what's your first class?"

"Music."

"So is mine, come on I'll show ya."

"Sure."

It turned out the boys had every single class together and Soda had been at Steve's side all day. He was enjoying it but Steve seemed really annoyed about it. But inside of him he felt really happy, no one had ever shown this much interest in him… without wanting to hurt or kill him. He was starting to like this kid… and trusting him.

"So ever since then Pony has been in love with books", Soda said while walking towards his, Two-Bit's and Dallas' usual table in the cafeteria. "So what's your little sister's name?"

He turned and saw that Steve had walked over to sit far away from the rest of the greasers. Soda shrugged and followed him.

"Are ya gonna follow me all day", Steve asked as Soda sat down.

"Yep 'cause you're not a social guy and what's with sitting on your lonesome?"

"No friends = no attachments, no attachments = no worries, no worries = no fear and no fear = a happy life."

"Is that some kind of Chicago math?"

"No just Steve Randle's guide to survival."

"Geez you're even worse than Dallas. Everybody needs someone they can rely on and someone to talk to."

"Whatever."

"So can ya tell me about your little sister now?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because."

"If I ask you really polite?"

"No."

"Why not and don't tell me because."

"No."

"Aw man don't go back to one-word-sentences again, we were finally getting somewhere."

"Hi Sodapop", Two-Bit said and sat down. "Hi judo master."

Steve just glared at him.

"Hi Two-Bit", Soda said happily. "This is Steve Randle."

"Oh aka the new kid, kid who beat Dallas, hubcap thief, judo master and mister Rude, I'm Two-Bit Mathews. Nice to meet ya."

"Wish I could say the same", Steve grumbled and left.

"Hey wait for me", Soda said and took one bite from his sandwich. "See ya later Two-Bit."

"See ya Soda and whatever that guy got make sure it ain't catchy."

"So", Darry asked Two-Bit in the hallway.

"Nothing much", Two-Bit answered and shrugged. "Soda seemed happy and they seem to get along. But that guy's trouble Darry. He can get Soda into an awful lotta trouble with that attitude."

"I know, but ya know, I think mom is right. Somewhere underneath that rocky surface is a cool guy. He would have beaten up Soda already if he wasn't."

"Your mom has too much faith in people."

"Maybe, but Soda are just the same."

"Well then we must make sure our happy buddy won't drown in Randle's bitter river."

School went by fast and Soda was waiting for Steve after class. He overheard the teacher talk to his "friend".

"Mr. Randle you seem to be a smart young man, but your attitude is a problem."

"I see."

"You acted nonchalant, rudely and somewhat suspicious during class. Do you want to tell me why?"

"New kid."

"I know it can be hard to fit in on a new place. But please try to fix that attitude of yours until next time okay?"

"'kay."

Steve came out and started to walk off and Soda ran up to him.

"So…" he said.

"So what?"

"Wanna come with me around town?"

"Sure."

Soda showed Steve everything he needed to know and they'd been talking about everything and anything from cars to Elvis and even animals at one point. Then they got to the DX.

"This is where I work", Soda said happily. "Come on let me introduce ya to my boss."

"Why?"

"Don't ya want to work with cars?"

"Yes but…"

"Then this is the best place to start."

They entered the shop and found Soda's boss.

"Hello there Goody", Soda said smiling.

"Sodapop I've told ya hundreds of times to stop calling me that name", Goodman growled. "Who's this?"

"Steve Randle, meet Arnold Goodman aka Goody, Goody meet Steve Randle."

"Nice to meet you", Goodman said and took Steve's hand.

"Same", was all Steve said.

"Steve here is a wiz at cars Goody", Soda said. "Do ya still have that part time work available?"

"In a matter of fact I do. Are ya interested?"

"A little", Steve said.

"Well think about it and call me or ya can tell Soda and he'll tell me. Now shoo I have work to do."

The last place they visited was the Dingo and they sat down to eat a burger.

"Miley", Steve said after a while.

"Huh?"

"My sister name is Miley, she's eight years old and loves to play and dance. She's almost as happy as you and is for the moment visiting her new friend Alan, at least she should be. And it's mostly because of her we're here now."

"Oh why is that?"

"In our old hometown things were pretty rough, wait it was really rough. I bet ya been reading about it in the papers. It's a warzone over there. Anyway the state told my dad that they would take me and Miley away if we didn't leave the place and moved somewhere else."

"Well I hate to tell ya buddy", Soda said and took a zip of his coke. "But ya left one warzone and ended up in another."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, you see those guys glaring at us", Soda asked and Steve turned his head. "And I bet ya noticed that the cafeteria is split between two major groups and that people keeps yelling things to us."

"And those owning a 'stang or a Corvette acting as if they are better than us?"

"Exactly, those people are called socs, the rich kids, the west side jet sets and spoiled brats. They have fancy cars, listen to the Beatles and wear madras. We, you and I, and the guys looking like us are called greasers. We're the east side lowlife, the poor guys that listens to Elvis and were black leather jackets and jeans. We're in war with those bastards and almost every day someone, a greaser or a soc is being jumped by their opposites."

"Well if they try to jump me they'll end up in more trouble than they can handle."

"Don't get too cocky they often gang up on greasers."

The boys were walking home when suddenly a black Mustang stopped in their way and six socs came out.

"Going somewhere greasers", one of them asked.

"Right through you if ya don't move", Steve growled.

"Oh lookie here guys", another soc said. "It's the new kid and one of the Curtises."

"Let us just pass guys", Soda tried. "We haven't done you anything."

"Hell no", the soc said. "We wanna see what kind of fighters you are."

"Works with me", Steve said and pulled out a switchblade from his back pocket. "Who's first?"

"Get them!"

Soda fought back as good as he could, but it was too many of them. Two of them held him down and the other was about to kick him when he disappeared from view. Suddenly Soda heard a scream in pain and four socs ran towards the Mustang. Soda saw that they were all badly cut on their arms, one had a cut on his face, one on his leg and they were all badly bruised.

"That guy is crazy let's go!" one of them yelled and the socs holding Soda down let go of him and ran.

"You okay Sodapop", Steve asked and offered Soda a hand up. Soda took it and then stared at Steve. He had no mark on his face and his switch was dripping blood.

"Yeah, thanks… Man I've never seen someone run so fast. What did ya do?"

"Cut them up a bit." Steve shrugged. "No biggie I use to do worse things."

"Where did ya get that switch?"

"Took it from a guy at the Dingo. Well it's been a blast Sodapop but I gotta go now."

"Bye Steve, and it's Soda."

"Okay, bye Soda."

Soda entered his house and his mom was over him at once asking why he had bruises on his face and why his shirt and trousers were so dirty. Soda explained that he and Steve had been walking home when they got jumped. Soda also told her how Steve had drawn them off.

"He's a good fighter mom", Soda said. "And I think I'm starting to get to him. He might even start at the DX!"

"That's good dear."

"Yeah at first today he only talked in one-word-sentences but as the day went by he started to talk more and more. But as soon as someone else addressed him he put up that hard surface again and only said one word again."

"I think it would do that boy good to eat dinner with us and see how a family is supposed to be and what it feels like when someone is being nice to him." The phone suddenly rang. "I'll get it. Curtis residence this is Mary. Oh hello, oh it's okay apology accepted, we didn't mean anything by it. Yes he's here. Hang on a second. Soda it's for you it's Steve."

"Hi man", Soda said happily. "How the heck did ya get my number?"

"A phonebook smarty", Steve answered.

"I heard ya apologized to my mom."

"Whatever, listen tell your boss Goodman."

"Goody."

"Whatever, that I want that job."

"That'll be great man see ya tomorrow?"

"Sure."

Soda smiled, he was starting to get to this kid.

TBC