Fresh Start -Sodapop x Reader

Broken Wrist

Sodapop
I hadn't seen Strawberry for a week. Even so, I was doing the one thing I said I wouldn't do: I kept carrying around her book. I took it to work with me, laying it on the desk while I fixed cars, and I left it on the stand next to my bed when I went to sleep. I had it in my backpack whenever I carried one, since my bag was generally full of smokes and a ton of granola bars. It sounds weird, I know, but I felt like the book was a magnet that was slowly drawing (F/n) towards me. I mean, I only wanted her to get the book back, since the margins were covered in notes that looked important-- though they were of little significance to me, someone who hasn't even read a word of the book.
But I guess that magnet trick worked on Saturday. I had the day off, you see, so Ponyboy, Johnny, Dally, Steve, Two-bit, and I were all strolling down the street, heading towards the drive-in. The moon was slowly rising, and the chilly air was blowing through my flannel. Pony and Two-Bit were both smoking, and so I tried staying clear of the smoke. I don't always avoid those cancer-sticks, but I just wasn't feeling it right now. Two-Bit was joking around about something that happened. I looked up and saw a few Socs talking to a girl at the corner of the street.
"... And so I'm stitting there, barbecue sauce on my titties," I hear Two-Bit say, making me dart my head towards him.
"What the hell?" I asked, my eyebrows contorting in confusion.
"You should have been listening. Like I was saying-"
We all turn our heads when we hear a feminine voice call, "Hey, back off. I asked you to leave, I don't wanna go with you all."
"Awe, she's fierce, I see," said one of the three boys swarming around this girl.
Sensing trouble, the gang and I headed towards the corner where the broad was.
It was good ol' Strawberry being backed into the wall of Sam's Drugstore on the corner. The Socy boys were surrounding her like a pack of wolves, and one of them had rested a hand on her hip. I clenched my fists and bounded towards the closest one. I don't know why I was so angry, I just was. I grabbed the boy's knit-blue sweater vest, turning him around, and socked him on the nose. I'm not normally a fighter, but I couldn't hold back.
"Soda, what the hell!?" Pony called out. I was about to reply when another Soc punched my face.
I huffed in pain and rubbed my jaw. "You shouldn't go touchin' broads that don't want your filthy hands on 'em, you white trash."
"And you shouldn't go sticking your nose in places it shouldn't be, grease." I saw his fist flying towards my face, but Two-Bit caught it and punched him back.
Then Strawberry, eyes brimming with tears, smacked him from behind so he landed on his stomach. It was then I noticed the red cast around her arm.
"Shit, that hurt!" she cried out, gripping her casted wrist.
The Socs all began to scramble away, and I heard Pony and Steve and Dally starting to holler and whoop at them. My hands were still in fists of rage, but they loosened when I felt something warm cling to my torso. I stumbled back a little and looked down, my eyes softening.
"Thank you all so much," Strawberry said, her face buried in my chest.
"It ain't no problem," Steve replied cooly. I could tell he was feeling tuff, helping to play the hero and all. I knew he liked that whole idea.
I pushed (F/n) off of me and leaned closer, grabbing her chin and checking for any cuts. She didn't seem fazed by our proximity. "You get hurt?"
"No, but I arm's a little sore from smacking him. It did the trick though, didn't it?" She grinned, glancing over at Ponyboy.
He nodded excitedly. "It sure did! Them Socs'll think twice before bugging you, as long as you got that thing on."
"I hope. Where are you all headed?"
"Down to the drive-in. How 'bout you, Doll Face?" Dally stepped in.
She smiled at him, impervious to the nickname. "Same place. May I walk with you guys?"
I nodded. "Sure, come along. Strawberry, this is my brother, Pony. Dally's the one that called ya' 'Doll Face'; Johnny's got the smoke, and this dud's called Steve." I gestured towards Steve, who was wearing a stupid grin. "And this's Two-Bit."
"It's lovely to meet you all. My name's (F/n), but Sodapop has taken to calling me 'Strawberry'," she said oh-so-properly, with that sweet little northern accent.
"Well, well," Dally said, "Sodapop, what you doin' hangin' around a Socy girl like this?" He lazily, yet playfully, slung an arm over (F/n)'s shoulder, to which she chuckled.
"We met at the gas station where Soda works." She pushed his arm away and stepped closer to me as we began walking again.
"Speaking of," I grabbed the book out of my backpack, which was stuffed with candy and Cola bottles, "you left your book at the station."
She took it from my hand and gasped. "I've been looking all over for this, thank you!"
"No problem."
We turned a street corner, and Ponyboy spoke up, "Can I ask, (F/n), what happened to your arm?"
"Yeah, you didn't have that when we met."
"I was climbing a tree in the park, to read, but I grabbed on a branch and it broke-- along with my wrist. I guess peaceful places to read here in Tulsa seem far and few."
"That ain't true. There's a nice hill just a few blocks from the high school. I outta take you there some time."
"I know that hill, I can take her," I swooped in.
Ponyboy shot me a confused frown, which went unnoticed by (F/n), since she was gazing down at her broken arm and rubbing it gently. "Sure, I guess," Pony said. I gave him that look that said I was interested, so he nodded and grinned lightly.
We eventually got to the drive in and found our spots. I gave (F/n) a box of Starbursts to share, soon finding out that they were her favorite candy. I wasn't really paying too much attention to the movie, I didn't even know what it was called. But (F/n) didn't seem to be paying much attention either. She was talking to me, so I hope she wasn't dividing her attention too much. I was getting tired of whispering our whole conversation after a while, so I gently leaned over towards (F/n).
"Hey, this movie's borin', wanna get outta here?"
She looked at me with a subtle grin. "To where?"
"I know this place; it's mainly for us greasers, but I'm sure no one'll care if you're with me." I grinned and pointed to myself with my thumb, making (F/n) giggle. I looked over at Pony, who was sitting on my other side. "Pony, Strawberry and I are gonna hit up The Dingo. We'll see you and the guys back at home, 'kay?"
"Got it. Try not to get jumped," he whispered back.
I nodded and gently tugged on (F/n)'s hand pulling her off of the stands. We walked through the dark parking lot, full of couples kissing and cuddling each other. I grimaced slightly. I've always hated seeing couples being all lovey-dovey with each other, yet I don't mind being like that myself. A little hypocritical, I know.
(F/n) and I stepped through the large hole in the fence, since heading out the back was faster. The walk to The Dingo was only ten minutes; and it wasn't until we were just about to walk in that I noticed (F/n) and I were still holding hands. I felt my face flush, but I didn't let go until we actually entered. She didn't seem bugged.