!!TW!! The R slur will be in this chapter, there will be warnings before you see it.
"They're just words, It's nothing to get worked up about."
Summer of 1964
Soda and I decided to go to the park together. We haven't been able to spend a lot of time together lately because of school and it was finally the beginning of the Summer.
We were sitting on the park bench, catching up on everything. We were talking about many things and it felt good to talk to my best friend again.
"I'm gonna go use the bathroom in that store, I'll be back." He said, pointing to the store and running off. He knew how I felt about being alone, especially with the rise of attacks on Greasers.
Two Soc girls walked over to me. They looked kind of intimidating. I kept my head down, but the began to speak to me anyway.
"Oh look, it's the dumb dyslexic girl." The first one said. I kept my head down, just ready to take it.
"Oh, what does this mean, what does that mean?" The second one began to mock.
"What comes after 5? 8?" The first one responded They both laughed. I was fighting to hold in my tears.
!!!WARNING!!! USE OF THE R SLUR!!!
"She's actually ret*rded.
!!!WARNING OVER!!!
I wonder if she'll do anything if we just-" The first one pushed me, shocking me quite a bit. I didn't want to fight back. I would just get hurt worse in the end. I just got up and took a few steps back.
"She's like a dummy, she doesn't fight back." The second one said.
"She is a dummy." The first one replied. I was about to break down right there. The words they were calling me, the jokes they were making, it hurt.
I felt so small compared to them. In reality, I'm the same height, around the same size, but I felt so much smaller. They were like giants who were able to do what they wanted to me, without a consequence. I wasn't brave enough to defend myself.
"Read a book, won't ya?" The second girl said.
"Shut up." I mumbled, tears stinging my eyes. They threatened to come out, but I held them in.
"What did you say?" The first one asked, pushing me harder than she did the first time, causing me to almost fall backwards.
"I said shut up, just leave me alone."
"You must be as dumb as a doornail if you think-"
"Hey!" I heard Soda's voice call out. I sighed with relief, but I wanted to hold in my tears even more now, not wanting to cry in front of him.
"Oh hey Soda." The first girl said. Both their attitudes changed.
!!!WARNING!!! USE OF THE R SLUR!!!
"What are you doing hanging out with this ret*rd, anyway." He looked at the two girls in shock, I again, wanted to cry, but just didn't.
!!!WARNING OVER!!!
"Elle, let's just go..." He put his arm around me and pulled me close to him briefly. He let me go once we were far from the girls.
We didn't say much to each other for a while. I knew Soda was pretty uncomfortable with what he walked back to. I was too hurt to say anything without crying.
I sniffled, struggling to keep the tears in. They just slipped out at this point. I couldn't hold them in any longer. Soda noticed quickly.
"Oh, Elle." I still didn't want to let myself cry, but it just came out.
"It's okay, you don't have to hide it from me." He spoke softly, giving me a hug.
"Elle, you're alright, shh, it's okay." He assured me. I still cried, holding him tight like my life depended on it.
"Come on, let's go home." He lifted me up, and he gave me a piggy back ride. We used to do this all the time as kids. He appeared to be getting tired though.
"I can walk the rest of the way." I said, still sounding upset.
"Nope, not gonna do that." He said, I could tell he was smiling, just by how his voice sounded. I couldn't help but to smile in return. I still hugged him tight as he carried me. Truth be told, I was still incredibly hurt.
The words replayed in my brain and I began to cry again. Not as much as the first time, but enough for me to not notice where we were.
I was in my own thoughts, thinking about the whole situation. Why are people so mean? Why can't they just leave each other alone? And leave me alone.
We made it to the door and it opened for us immediately. Darry must've seen us from the window.
"Oh my god, what happened?" He asked, quickly clearing everything off the couch for me.
"I went to use the bathroom and some kids came up to her, saying rude stuff..." Soda trailed off, not wanting to say anything else. He set me down on the now empty couch. I wanted my mom.
"I want my mom." I said.
"She's not here, our mom is though." Darry said, kneeling down next to the couch. He was always so protective of me.
"Darry, call Mrs. Miller, and I'll get mom." Soda said, leaving the room. Darry got up and did as told. Mrs. Miller is my mom. Miller is my last name. I tried to drown out the phone call, I didn't want to hear it.
Mrs. Curtis was walking quickly to me. She knelt down beside the couch and began to rub her hand against my head in a loving way. I was still crying a little bit, I don't know why words hurt so much, but they did.
They're just words, I told myself. It's nothing to get worked up about.
Darry and Soda were there with me too. Soda kept saying sorry for not being there, but Mrs. Curtis, Darry, and I kept saying that it wasn't his fault.
"These things happen Soda, you can't always be there when they do. They said some very not okay things, and you did what I always taught you, walk away." Mrs. Curtis said.
Darry wasn't doing much. All he did was stay there in case he was needed. He wanted to make sure I was okay.
"I'm sorry for making such a fuss." I said.
"There's nothing wrong with feeling upset. They were very rude." Darry said.
Let me tell you, once Dally heard what happened, he ruined both of their reputations. I don't know how, and he won't tell any of us how.
Published January 31st, 10:02 PM
1069 Words
YOU ARE READING
Evermore | Sodapop Love Story | The Outsiders
Fanfiction"Elle, why? Are you not happy here? Am I doing something wrong...?" His voice seemed to break when he was asking that last question. "No, it's not you." I was taken aback. "Did I do something to make you think that?" I asked, feeling pretty shitty. ...
