Never In A Lifetime - A Sodapop X Reader

Chapter 1

Soda's POV:

I stretched as I got up off the couch. I was asleep for about an hour or two before, although I was woken up by Ponyboy, my younger brother, asking if I wanted to go to the diner with the gang. Some of them decided to go chill and get some food there. I chose to go as I was a bit hungry and in the mood for fries.

I made my way to the bedroom to freshen up a bit. I changed my t-shirt and splashed water on my face to wake me up. Taking my flannel from my bed, I went back to the living room where Ponyboy was waiting for me.

"Who else is going?" I asked. "Me, you, Johnny and Steve," he said. Johnny was Pony's best buddy. The two of them were always together. Johnny's a really nice guy. He's shy and timid, but never means any harm. He has it quite rough at home. His dad beats him, and his mother neglects him. I feel real bad for him. Steve's my best friend. I've known him for a long time. We're much like Pony and Johnny in ways. Steve works with me in the local DX station, fixing up cars.

"We should get going, Steve and Johnny'll be waiting for us," Pony says.
I nod, and we leave the house. The two of us live with our older brother, Darry. He was at work at the moment. He's always working. We weren't able to afford putting him through college, so he's working two jobs to support the three of us. When our parents died last year in an accident, Darry took on the responsibility of looking after us. I dropped out of school and work too. I work full time at the gas station with Steve, although Steve only works part-time. Now Darry's working hard to send Pony to college. Darry used to be a lot less pressured before Mom and Dad died.

We're walking down the street when somebody comes up behind us, slapping us both on the back. "Well if it isn't the Curtis boys, where are we off to?" The person says. I knew immediately who it was. It was Keith Mathews, Two-Bit as everyone calls him. He was another one of us greasers. He was known for being a bit reckless, but we all were at times.

"Ow, that hurt" Pony said. "Sorry" Two-Bit mumbled. " We're off to the diner with some of the gang, you want to join us?" Pony tells him. "I picked the right time to go for a stroll, I wouldn't mind tagging along" Two-Bit says. "Johnny and Steve are meeting us there"

The three of us walk to the diner together. Two-Bit had his arms hung around mine and Pony's shoulders. We met Johnny and Steve at the entrance.

"Took you guys long enough" Steve remarked. "Nice to see you too, Steve," Ponyboy said. "Oh, hi Two-Bit. Didn't know you were coming, " said Johnny. "Hey Johnny. Met these two on a stroll and decided to tag along. " Two-Bit grinned.

We went inside and ordered. I got a portion of fries with a coke. Everyone was engaged in some light chit-chat, but I wasn't paying much attention. I was watching a girl over at another table in the far corner. She was a beautiful girl. She was with people I assumed to be her friends, and they were all laughing and having a good time.

"Soda, what are you lookin' at, man?" I heard Steve ask. I felt my face reddening as I turned to face him. "Oh, eh, nothing." I said. "God, Soda. You're gonin' red, " Two-Bit said loudly. He must have seen me watching the girls and was trying to tease me about it.

Pony looks at me. "You have actually, you ok?" He asks. "You're brother's fancying some broads over there," Two-Bit butted in. "Oh shut up, Two.." I say.

Two-Bit gives me a grin. "Starin' at girls, won't let you live that one down for a while." And with that, he starts up another conversation with the rest. I roll my eyes at his statement. I wanted to get to know that girl. She looked pretty, real pretty. I ain't never seen no one like her before. She had (H/L) (H/C) and gorgeous (E/C) eyes.

The pretty girl looked over at me and I turned away, taking another swig of my coke. 'God Soda, stop staring at her' I thought to myself. I tried to engage in the conversation that was happening beside me, but I felt embarrassed after Two-Bit teasing me, so I decided to just listen. They were talking about going to see a movie tonight. I can't sit still long enough to watch a movie through fully, I get bored quite easily. I took another fry when Steve asks, "You coming with us, buddy?". "I think he'd rather pry on girls like a creep." Two-Bit teases. "Shut it Two-Bit!.. yes, I'm coming." I say angrily.  He seemed to be well amussed, and I wasn't happy about it.

We continued to talk and finish our food until it was time to go. We all paid for our own orders and then left.
Late evening was approaching, and it was getting a bit cold. We walked back to the house to wait while Two-Bit got his car. Not long passes before he pulls up.

We get to the drive-in, and by then, it's really dark out, the only light source coming from the movie and dim street lamps down the road. A good while into the movie I was getting a bit uninterested in what was happening. I started fidgeting with my shirt and looking around when I spotted a familiar face in the darkness.

It was that girl. And she didn't look to be paying much attention to the movie either.