𝐂𝐀𝐍'𝐓 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐏 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 :: 𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘱 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴

𝘪 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬

𝗶 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 - 𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿
❝ i think i'm falling in love ❞

steve and soda had taken nicolette's mercedes out for a test drive, she had gave them the permission to take it out as long as the car came back in its original form, she's the kind to be a freak over smashed cars.

the radio was loud and clear for those who didn't want to hear jailhouse rock blasting through the open windows. soda rested his elbow on top of the frame with his fingers tapping against the roof of the car, steve was having the time of his life as he continued driving a car that belong to a soc, and that it wasn't stolen.

"attention to all males between ages 18-26..." the staticky radio spoke, steve raised the volume a little louder. "there is an ongoing war between the u.s and vietnam, now if you please, we need you men to come and help serve for our country, no matter who or where you are, we need you."

"soda, aren't you 18 next month?" steve cocked his eyebrow at soda.

"i ain't leaving for war steve, i got nicole and i ain't losing her." soda shook his head.

"oh come on, soda, it's just a crush." steve scoffed.

"it's not just a crush, steve!" soda snapped. "i love nicolette, more than how much i loved sandy, i'm not gonna give up my opportunity to be with nicolette over some war. believe me, i do love my country but not as much as i love nicolette, so just back off."

"damn, let's see how much you change once nicolette finds out about sandy." steve snickered.

"shut up, just shut up!" soda demanded, steve kept his mouth shut.

the whole car ride was a living war in soda's mind, he couldn't stop thinking about nicolette crying over him going to war and her also crying over what him and sandy in the past, especially sandy being pregnant.

steve had officially returned to the dx with a frustrated soda storming back into the dx, soda was stopped at his tracks when his eyes spotted a girl in a light green skirt with a tucked in blouse, a bright white smile escaping her lips.

soda immediately wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her off her feet. "what are you doing here? i thought your shift ended at 5."

"i just thought i'd come and surprise, it's my day-off, sorry if i haven't told you that." nicolette looked down at her white glossy heels.

"once my shift is over, you wanna come over to my place and hangout with the gang?" soda sled with his hands attached to her waist.

"yeah, pony stopped by and ask that question, he wanted to show me a new book he discovered in the library this morning." nicolette giggled, clutching her mini purse in her hand. "i'm actually going to run some errands but i'll be back by 5, is the car ready?"

        "right, yeah, steve's got it all settled down in the garage when you're ready." soda softly chuckled, still worried about the war and his birthday.

        "alright, see you later then." nicolette shares a peck on his cheek, making him blush.

        as soon as her little heels click onto the pavement outside, soda rushes to the back of the counter where he finds stacked letters and newspaper articles sitting by his chair. one was for steve with the good old american stamp on it, the other 7 belonged to sandy; all unopened and returned.

        soda quickly realizes the letters were from him and that they were the ones he sent to sandy before meeting nicolette, guilt was his immediate response to the mess. he feared that nicolette would find out about the letters he sent to his ex-girlfriend, feared that she'd leave him like sandy did.

        on the other hand, nicolette was having the time of her life by just going through the shops for bows and dresses, giving out every little penny to the poor, and even just dancing with the random hobos on the streets to the beatles or beach boys.

        "steve come in here!" soda called from the back.

        "what's up, soda?" steve asks while wiping the grease.

        "you got a letter, from america." soda scoffed.

        steve was aggressively opening the letter, only to pause in shock. "i got drafted."

        "no, can't be. it's only been a few hours, right?" soda yanked the letter, he couldn't believe the writing printed onto the off-white paper.

        "i leave on your birthday." steve had the shaky hands.

        "we're gonna figure this out steve-" soda was cut off by a pissed steve.

        "it's not gonna be easy, soda! if they choose me then they'll find you, and you know damn well you don't and can't leave nicolette. like you said in the car, you ain't going to war no matter what."

        soda just sat there on his knees, thinking about nicolette and how upset she'd be if she found out soda was going to war too, what if she kills herself when i die in vietnam? steve shook his head before walking back to the garage, soda was now dumbfounded.

now he knows what people mean when things don't last forever...