2:00 AM// S.C

Chapter 3

The song  for this chapter is  "Vision of Love" by Mariah Carey.

Sodapop's POV:
Today's October 8th 1967, my birthday. Turning 18 was a big deal, both for me and the gang. I could hear all of the commotion in the kitchen and living room  as I was taking  a shower. I chuckled at the thought of all of them running around the place like chickens with their heads cut off. Just as I was leaving the steamy sanctuary that had warned me to my core I heard Ponyboy yelling, "Soda don't come outta the bathroom til' I say so ok?" "No problem Pony!" I yelled back.

10 minutes  has passed and I have already brushed my teeth and in the process of getting my shirt on. I decided to keep it casual for today and wear a black shirt under neath an open flannel button up and a pair of dark jeans. "Ok Soda you can come out now!" Darry yelled. I jogged out into the living room and was immediately greeted with the sight of balloons and streamers littering the walls and floors as everyone in the gang looked at me expectantly and yelled "SUPRISE."

I laughed as they pulled me into a big group hug, "You guys really know how to make a guy happy." "I was just worried that you wasn't gonna listen to me and just come flying like a bat outta hell  to see what the fuss was about." said Pony. Ponyboy was looking more like a man these days, he grew taller and has gotten a lot stronger within the two years it's been since mom and dad died. Thinking of them gets me in a depressed state of mind and looking at my older brother Darry doesn't really help in feeling better. He's the spitting image of our father, the same personality, same looks, same build it was almost ironic that Darry always preferred Mom. Darry had done  an amazing job at taking on the parental role but image tried to make it seem like it doesn't affect him. That I don't notice his tired eyes and his withered face which seems way older than his 23 years of age. He doesn't think I notice his ever dropping shoulders as he groans out to Ponyboy to give him a massage. No he just doesn't seem to notice.

It was around midday by the time all the festivites had calmed down, we had chocolate cake with a fudge icing on top that Darry had made and I was AMAZING, everyone get going back for seconds. Then Two-Bit was trying to get me to enter a drinking game with him on a bet that he would win. Needless to say Darry was giving me a look to not even try it. It was around an hour after that when Steve and I decided to go to the drag race what everybody was talking about around Carmichael Road.

By the time we made it there the cars  where at the starting line as a blonde greaser girl in hot pants  stood in the middle of them ready to signal. As we weaved our way through the crowd I could just barely hear Steve yelling, "Soda them cars look like they can really haul ass!" "Of course they do Steve, you see how souped up they is?" I exclaimed. Steve and I lived for things like this, the thrill of it and the sheer beauty and horsepower on  some of these cars is enough to drive a car fanatic insane.

The blonde pulled out the rag from the back of her shorts signally the race had begun, the greaser and the doc where neck and neck but at the very end the snapshot showed the soc had more of an edge on him. At that point I wasn't really feeling the atmosphere of the tracks and was ready to leave. "Hey Steve I'm gonna have to catch you later, I'm ready to go." I said. "Yeah Soda it's fine enjoy the rest of your birthday man." He said while giving me a hug and our signature handshake and with that I was off.

Louisa's POV:
It was around midnight when I had decided that I was going to take a walk through Greenwood  with one of friends who I had met earlier this week. I've been in Tulsa now for a few weeks now and I'm really starting to get adjusted to it, I talk to my parents almost all the time and it really breaks my heart sometimes I think that we where so farther distance wise than we had ever been before. "Hey Louisa, I think imma head back home, you gonna be cool by yaself?" Said Juanita. I smiled softly and replied "Yeah I'll be fine I'm just gonna take a quick trip to the store and head back home." With that we said our byes and parted ways. As I continued to walk I noticed a figure in the distance and as it grew closer I realized it was the mystery boy from the store. In that moment I forgot all about the milk, my mind could only focus on one thing and that was him.

We stopped and examined each other, he was the first one to break the silence by saying "You know pretty lady I  never got your name." "It's Louisa." I said in monotone. "Mines Sodapop." He said with a proud smile on his face. I looked at him blankly with a "foreal?" Look on my face. "I know it's a weird name but my dad was an original person." He explained while scratching his neck. "Oh." I replied, I was just about to walk off when he said "It's my birthday today, I turned 18." I smiled at him "Happy Birthday. He smirked at me and leaned closer, "Don't I get anything for my birthday this year?" 'Oh two can play this game' I thought maliciously. I sauntered closer to him with my hips swaying, he watched with eyes wide as I placed a kiss right on his cheek leaving a kiss mark with bright red lipstick. Visibly intrigued he said, "You know your playing with fire." I laughed and said, " Well maybe I want to get burned."

A.N:  Hey guys! So school just started for me this Monday and I really wanted to get this update out for you guys and I just want to thank each and every one of you for reading , voting and commenting! It means a lot and I hope you continue to give my book a chance! 💗

OceanWaves242

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