Fast Cars and Freedom

Chapter 6- Whatever She's Got

Fast Cars And Freedom

Chapter 6: Whatever She's Got

The first thing I noticed when I stepped into the Curtis house was that it was unnaturally silent. There was no overwhelmingly loud radio, cranked- up television, or any of the other miscellaneous noises that seem to naturally occur when you put lots of boys into one room together.

It was a Saturday, two weeks since I'd gone to the movies with Sodapop, so typically the Curtis home would be bustling on everybody's day off.

I stepped into the kitchen to spot a weary Sodapop slouched over the old wooden table with his hands holding his head. His strikingly honey brown eyes were fixated on a stack of mail laid across the table. He looked up as I sat in the chair across from him cautiously. "Hey, what's up?"

"I got a letter," He looked down before continuing, "It's from Sandy."

He gestured to a light blue envelope sitting at the top of the pile and, sure enough, a Florida address had been scrawled across the cover in neat cursive.

I didn't know what to say. "Are you going to open it?"

"I... don't know."

I cleared my throat, feeling uneasy. "Aren't you over her?"

"Yes," he paused, "Yes, I think so. But, I just... don't know...if I want to hear what she has to say."

"Are you going to throw it away then?" I asked in curiosity.

"No... No, I don't think I will. I just won't open it. Maybe I'll put them all away somewhere and just not think about it." His face loosened up a bit as if he was suddenly rid of a great burden.

"Good for you, Soda. That girl was no good anyway."

"Yeah..." He said absentmindedly, "I think I might have someone else in mind."

I froze as he shot me a grin. I could already feel my throat constrict.

Someone else? He's already got another girl? I'm gonna have to see him with another girl. Again. I have no doubt that he would be able to get just about any girl in town he wants, so he's gonna end up with this mystery girl eventually. Ugh.

See, if he wasn't so darn beautiful this would never be a problem.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I had just gotten my monthly paycheck from the DX, so I decided to head down to the Dingo for dinner by myself. What? A girl can only spend so much time around those boys I call my friends until inevitably going crazy.

I sat down at a corner booth beside a table full of greaser girls around my age that I recognized from when I used to go to school. A skinny waitress in a bright blue uniform came over to take my order while noisily chewing on gum. She looked like the most stereotypical waitress I'd ever seen. I ordered a hamburger and a chocolate milkshake, just like Soda and I always did when we went to the Dingo.

I sucked on my straw absently while the girls in the booth next to mine chattered away loudly. I paid no mind to their conversation until I overheard a girly voice mention a familiar name.

"Sodapop Curtis is such a doll! Just wait 'til all the girls at school hear that you got to be with him!" A petite redheaded girl said dreamily to the smirking blonde sitting across from her. Each girl giggled noisily.

"It was so great," My face curled up in disgust as I listened to the blonde's response, "He's so talented, I swear. I just know that he wants me. It's about time, too, since it's been forever since Sandy left. I don't know why he doesn't just ask me out yet." From where I sat I could see the blonde roll her caked-with-makeup blue eyes in annoyance. I was definitely starting to feel sick.