Fold (Dallypop)

Chapter Nine: Salty Red Soup

A/N: I'm sorry this is late. The last few days have been a complete hell for me. But here it is, chapter nine.

(Soda's POV)

As the warm hues of the setting sun painted the walls of our living room, I eagerly set the table for a family dinner. The enticing aroma of my red chicken noodle soup wafted through the air, a testament to the effort and care I had put into the meal. I couldn't wait to share it with Darry and Ponyboy, hoping to bring a sense of comfort into our often tough lives.

"Hey, guys, dinner's ready!" I called out, feeling a surge of excitement. Darry and Pony entered the room, their expressions a mix of curiosity and skepticism as they took in the steaming pot on the table.

"What's this, Soda?" Darry asked, eyeing the soup with a raised eyebrow.

"It's my special red chicken noodle soup. Trust me, you'll love it!" I replied, a confident grin on my face. I ladled the rich, flavorful mixture into bowls, eager to witness their reactions.

Pony took a cautious sip, his initial skepticism giving way to a nod of approval. "It's not bad, Soda," he admitted, which earned a surprised smile from me.

Darry, however, remained wary. He poked at the broth with his spoon, squinting as if deciphering some hidden message in its depths. "I'm not so sure about this," he mumbled, casting a skeptical glance my way.

"Just eat it." I said proudly.

It wouldn't kill him to try and eat the soup. I mean, look at Ponyboy, he liked it. Why couldn't Darry like it? Was he still mad at me? He was just being a grumpy pants.

"I don't-" Darry spoke up.

"Try it, please?"

Darry sighed and took a slurp of me beautiful soup. He didn't say anything and kept his stoic expression. But he continued to eat it so it must've been good.

***

It was a quiet dinner, a too quiet dinner. What was wrong with everyone? The gang has been acting really weird these past couple of days. Except for Stevie, he's always weird (but I love him).

Despite the delicious distraction, the undercurrent of tension in our home lingered. Darry couldn't let go of his concern for Pony's slipping grades.

"Ponyboy, your history teacher called me today..." Darry announced. The words no one wants to hear come out of anyone's mouth.

And the conversation escalated into a heated argument. I tried to mediate, offering words of reason, but my efforts only seemed to fuel the flames.

"How come you're not always on Soda's back!? He's the one who dropped out!" Pony yelled.

I froze. I leaned back in the my chair, staying quiet.

"Soda still had responsibilities, Pony. It's not like he just dropped everything to slack off!!"

I felt my breaths quicken. My chest fell up and down in uneven motions. I was ready to cry, I was. But I held it in. I was supposed to be the okay one. The one who didn't have any problems. No one believed I had problems...

"Enough!" I suddenly snapped, surprising even myself. The room fell into an uneasy silence as both Darry and Ponyboy turned to me, wide-eyed. "I'm sick of you two always dragging me into your arguments. Can't we just have a normal dinner without all this drama?"

My outburst hung in the air, and I immediately regretted it. The hurt on Pony's face and the surprise in Darry's eyes were like a punch to the gut.

"I just wanted us to have a nice meal together, but it's always about your problems," I continued, my frustration bubbling over. "I dropped out because I couldn't handle the pressure, and I don't need it thrown in my face every time you two start bickering."

Silence engulfed the room, and I could see the regret in their expressions. I slumped back in my chair, realizing I had let my emotions get the best of me.

"I... I'm sorry," I mumbled, the weight of my words sinking in. Dinner was no longer the comforting moment I had envisioned.

I bolted from the dinner table, desperate to escape the suffocating atmosphere in the room. My footsteps echoed through the hallway as I rushed to mine and Pony's bedroom, slamming the door shut and locking it behind me. The cool breeze from my open window offered little peace as I retreated to the corner, my back against the wall.

The weight of my outburst sank in, and the tears I had been holding back began to stream down my face. It wasn't supposed to be like this. I just wanted a peaceful dinner, a break from the constant issues in our lives.

The muffled voices of Ponyboy and Darry reached my ears, their concerned tones seeping through the wooden door. "Soda, open up. We need to talk," Darry urged, his usually stern voice softened.

I buried my face in my hands, the weight of my actions crashing over me. I didn't want to hurt them. I just wanted a moment of peace, a moment where I wasn't the one being pulled into their problems.

"Soda, please," Pony's voice was laced with guilt. "We didn't mean to upset you. Let us in."

But I couldn't bring myself to face them. I felt like a failure, trapped in the corner of my own room. The sobs came in waves, uncontrollable and relentless.

Darry's attempts to open the door grew more persistent, accompanied by Pony's pleas. "We're sorry, Soda. Let us in so we can talk it out."

I remained silent, hoping they would give up and leave me alone. But deep down, I knew I couldn't avoid this confrontation forever. The room felt smaller, the walls closing in as my emotions spiraled out of control.