𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐕𝐎𝐈𝐂𝐄, Sodapop Curtis

4

•~Grace's P.O.V~•
Chloe stayed with Two-Bit watching Mickey Mouse, while Soda and I went on a walk. It was just starting to get dark, and I could still remember the feeling of being jumped.

"Don't worry about the Socs. There hasn't been any trouble in years." I smiled, I was glad something good came out of all that mess.

Soda told me earlier that he wanted to talk with me. I wasn't sure why but the feeling of him and me being alone together made my skin crawl. I was partly afraid of the paparazzi showing up again, or photographers taking pictures of us and making things worse for me when I went home.

I dreaded going home that day, especially since I had hung up on Jeremy and angered him more. He'd never come to the Curtis House to pick a fight with me though, he was afraid of the gang. If only he got to meet Dally.

I really missed Dally. If there was anything I could do, I would go back and sacrifice myself. Maybe they'd stop shooting once a random girl got shot.

He would've loved Chloe. Sometimes, she had his attitude and she mouthed off a lot to Jeremy. She was still a good kid though. I was sure that Dally would've loved to teach her more sassy phrases or comebacks.

"So what do you wanna talk about Soda?" I asked as he kicked a rock on the ground.

"I wanted to talk about that guy, your boyfriend Jeremy?" I furrowed my eyebrows and nodded.

"Yeah, what about him?" I asked.

"He seems a little off to me, ya dig? Like how he was yelling at you when you got in the car." I felt embarrassed that he saw that.

"You know, he wasn't always a jerk." I chuckled. Soda and I sat down on a bench in the lot. The same lot that Ponyboy and Johnny fell asleep in that very fateful night.

"What do you mean?" I smiled and looked down.

~Flashback~

I was eighteen and living in a girl's home at the time when I met Jeremy. He was snuck in, and he played a lot of instruments.

One day I was singing a song I'd made because I'd seen a poster about going on a T.V. show where they pay you a ton of money if you win for a special talent you have.

Jeremy came inside my room and said my voice was beautiful. He asked if I wanted to be with him on the show. He'd play the instruments and I'd sing. I agreed.

After about two months of doing this show, we won a ton of money and we were both now 18. It was on my 18th birthday that he asked me to be his girlfriend, on live T.V.

We started doing more songs and got a producer and a house, and we started doing interviews. It was great for a while. It had only been the recent two years that he started acting like this.

~End of Flashback~

"What do you mean, acting like this?" I looked back at the Curtis House. The wind combed through my hair.

"I should really get Chloe and go back, it's probably past her bedtime." I stood up, as did Soda.

"You know, I realized after you left that you liked me." He said quickly as we walked back to the Curtis House.

"Yeah, I did." Putting a bit more emphasis on the word 'did'. I wasn't sure if I was trying to tell Soda I didn't like him like that, or if I was trying to convince myself I wasn't in love with Soda.

I fought with myself every night, even when I started dating Jeremy, that I knew I loved Soda. I thought I'd never love anyone ever again. Yes, I knew I love Soda. The love I felt for Jeremy was nowhere near the amount I loved Soda.

"Y-Yeah, I think I did too." He opened the door and I walked through the door, trying not to look as surprised as I felt. Chloe's eyes fluttered closed as I picked her up.

"I'm gonna head home and put Chloe to bed." I chuckled as she grabbed a fistful of my shirt in her hands. She did that when she started falling asleep.

"We'll see you tomorrow Grace." Darry smiled. Two-Bit looked at me as I walked to the door.

"Love you, bye Grace!" I smiled to myself and turned.

"I love you too." And I walked out. As I climbed into my car and watched Chloe sleep in her seat I dreaded being home. I thought about what would happen.

I was glad that Chloe was a heavy sleeper.
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Word Count:799