TACENDA // Sodapop Curtis

Lover Boy

"You comin' back?" My father asked as I walked inside the house. My mother was in the armchair, looking at me also. Vivian was curled up in the couch, she looked like she had been crying. Her eyes were red and puffy, I could see a few makeup stains on it.

"Are you staying?" I asked my mother. She stood up and looked at me. "Madeline, when I went off-" I cut her off. "Ran off." I corrected. "I knew I always loved your father. I just didn't want this life. So I had an affair I regret and went on my own way." she said. I didn't believe her. Not one fucking bit. She was lying. "So you are staying." I stated. She nodded. I scoffed. "Fuck you, Monica." then I strode past her into the office where I kept all the horse papers.

I grabbed the three binders and put them underneath my arms. I wasn't about to let my mother take my entire life. I had my whole future in front of me. I had everything I needed in front of me. She just wants to take that away from me. No fucking way. I will get what I fucking deserve.

I walked to the Curtis household and sat down at their table, opening the binder with a cold face. I took out the transferring papers and started printing and signing my name on all of them. They're all mine, and I will take them. Ill take them even if I have to buy my own goddamn stables.

–

"We're home!" Soda said, mostly sarcastic and him and Steve walked in. I bet they wern't expecting me to be sitting in front of the table, writing my name over and over again. Soda's smile slowly faded and he leaned over me, looking at what I was doing.

"Whatcha doin?" he asked. "Getting my shit back from my mother." I mumbled, flipping another piece of paper over and starting on the next. "Have you been here the whole day?" he asked. "Yep!" I popped the p, not even looking at him as I continued to fill out the paper on one of my horses.

"Cmon," he grabbed my forearm, but I didn't move. "Cmon Maddy," he attempted to pick me up so I could stand on two feet. He put his arms around my waist and his face in the crook of my neck. Naturally, I leaned into him also. "Youre really warm," he said. I rolled me eyes.

"What's going on with your mom?" he asked. "She's staying." I mumbled. "What are you gonna do?" he asked. "I just got a really good deal on four horses, might be able to get my own place." I mumbled. He looked up at me and smiled. "I'd be able to come over to that place, right?" he winked. I pushed him off me with a smile and sat back down. "Yeah, of course. You'd be the first one there." he smiled at that.

"Do you think you could get me a good deal on a car somewhere?" I asked. "Yeah, this guy came into the shop today, said we wanted to sell his car for like 500 bucks. Its crazy." he said. "Is it bad?" I asked, he shook his head. "Nope, perfect condition." he told me, then looked at me funny. "Why?" he asked. "I needa go down to Amarillo, sort some stuff out." he nodded.

"Whats his name?" I asked. "What?" Soda responded. "The guy, whats his name?" I asked. "Uhm, Harold Jennings," he sounded uneasy. I closed the binder and shoved the undone papers on top. "Please dont touch that, ill be back in an hour." I tapped his cheek with my hand and started going out the door. Of course Soda had to follow me.

"Youre just going to up and buy it?" he asked. "Yep!" I said, looking for an address in the address book on the phone stand. "He lives like hald a block away." I told him, then I started walking. "Maddy," he walked beside me. "Is your mom really that bad?" he asked. I let out a muffled laughed. "Yes. I wish I could never see her again." that just made his eyes sad.

I knew Soda wouldn't take that the right way, he would do anything to see his mom again. Or dad for that matter. My dad, well, he ain't the brightest in anyway. And letting my mother stay? Hes got to be out of his goddamn mind. She's a cheater. Theyre divorced. Theyre fucking divorced and it should stay that way. She's a psycho.

"Soda, I know you think her comin' back is good, but it ain't. My dad will just think everything is perfect again, then she'll leave. The last time she left, he almost blew his own head off. If im not there, I don't have to go through with it again." I looked up at him, he was hanging his head as he listened to me. "Just please understand where im coming from." I gave him a little side hug and he returned it with a small smile.

"Mr. Jennings?" I asked. "That's me, what can I do for a pretty girl like you?" he asked. He didn't say it creepily, he was like an old grandpa that everybody loves. "I think you know Soda here from the DX, he said somethin' about you wanting to sell a car." I asked with a smile. "You wanna buy it?" he asked, I nodded. "Yes sir, I can write ya a check right now." his face lit up at that.

"Please, come in." he let us into his house. "So you wanna buy my Old T-Bird?" he asked. "I've been trying to sell that thing forever. I cant get anybody to look at it! I knew Soda here would do me some good." he told me as I started writing the check for 500 bucks. I didn't really know if that was good or bad, but if it needed fixing, id call Steve.

"Thank ya Ms. Shelby!" Harold told me as he handed me keys. I smiled and thanked him, then started walking towards the DX. "Why so quiet?" I asked Soda, he shrugged. "Just thinkin' about Sandy." he mumbled. I just stayed quiet, not really knowing what to do about his thinking.

He opened the DX Garage and I hopped in the driver's seat of the car. I turned the ignition on and backed it up, closed the garage and started going down one of the roads. Soda just gazed into the sunset, not really saying anything. It was unlike him. He was usually happy, go lucky and sweet, not he was just silent and I didn't know why.

"Take a left up here." he told me, which I did. I went a few miles until a got to a dead end. It was a nice dead end, all the tree's were clearing a path for the sun to set, it was beautiful. Ive never really been that much of a sunset person, ive always liked the stars. The stars are what I look forward too.

"Somethin' on your mind?" I asked, he nodded. "You," he said quietly. I smiled a bit. "What about me?" I asked. He shrugged. "I dunno, Ponyboy just said somethin' about you." he started picking at his cuticles, making the skin come off and making more of his nail shine. He has really pretty hands, like the rest of him.

"Do you really not like me?" he looked over to me, my mouth was slightly open and my eyes were fixed on his. "Was the kiss two years ago an utter turn off from you? Because I cant stop thinkin' about it." he told me. I couldn't really find the words to tell him how I felt, I just felt like an asshole.

"Was the date nothing?" he asked. "Soda," I grabbed his hand. He shook his head. "Sorry," he whispered. "With everything your sayin' man," he sniffled. "When you and I were 14, at that rodeo, I thought id never see you again. Now, two years later you come back and god," he took a deep breath. "Im in fucking love with you Maddy!"

I didn't say anything, just quickly pressed my lips to his, shifting myself to straddle his waist. He ran his fingers through my hair, quickly taking the rubber band out for my hair to fall over my shoulders. He grabbed the sides of my face and deepened the kiss, making me not ever want to let go. He sure was a better kisser than two years ago.

He pulled back and I looked him in the eyes, they were filled with lust. "You got better," he pushed a stand behind the ear of my smiling face. "I could say the same for you, Sodapop." I smiled down at him. God he was so fucking beautiful.