Fresh Start -Sodapop x Reader

Black Lace

You
          I jumped closer to Soda the second I heard my name, looking over towards the garage opening. There he was, standing in the opening of the garage. It'd been almost a month since I had seen those short, dirty-blond curls and gold-green eyes. I gasped and examined him and his shocked face, which slowly morphed into a smirk. He stepped forward, and I pushed myself away from Soda, reaching out a hand to greet him reluctantly.
          Instead of taking my hand, he swooped me closer to him, hand on my back, and pulled my chin up to look at him. I remember him doing this as a greeting whenever he could tell I was in a bad mood. But I wasn't in a bad mood, and I knew what he was trying to do.
          "Looking as fine as ever, baby-girl," he whispered to me.
          "N-nice to see you, too, Tom." My eyes widened at his proximity.
          I felt something push me away from him, and I looked to see Soda pulling me close to himself, wrapping a hand around my waist. "Calm down, buddy. Here for ya' car, eh?"
          Tom coughed and brushed off his shirt. "Yeah, I am. Fixed already, huh? I figured I'd have to wait a while."
          "We had another guy working on it with me-- my buddy, Steve-- so it got done in half the time."
           "That's good." He looked at me. "(F/n), how've you been? Since you moved and all, we got out of touch."
           "Yeah, sorry about that," I said bitterly. "How are the boys? Are James and Robert good? David?"
          "Yeah, they're all fine. They're down at this malt shop called 'Way Out'. I told them to wait while I went went and got the car."
          "Really? Oh, uh, what brings you all to Tulsa?"
          He took a step forward again. "We wanted to see you. Especially me."
          "O-oh, I see. Well, I have a shift to finish. I get off in an hour or so. Do you want me to meet you all there after? Maybe I can bring Soda, here?" I patted the boy's chest and looked up at him with a sweet smiled.
          "Oh, sure. That'd be great. And after that, we could... catch up-- just you and me?"
          Soda stepped in for me, "I think you oughta grab your car. We've got a lot'a work to do, and we need to open up that space." He pointed to the red Mustang in the lot, and I let out a breath when Thomas looked away from me.
          "I guess. Thanks for the help, Grease," he teased, setting some money down on the hood of the car Soda had been working on. "I'll see you at the Way Out, (F/n). The boys'll be looking forward to it."
          "I-I'm sure."
          We both watched as Thomas ambled off, that smug, ostentatious spring in his step. He got into the car and drove off, and I let out the longest, heaviest sigh of my life. Soda and I both stayed silent for a moment. He was holding me closely against his chest, his hand still on my waist, twiddling the hem of my shirt between his fingers. I clutched the fabric on his chest and leaned my head against it.
          "Soda, thank you so much."
          "I-- uh, no problem, I guess. What was that all about?"
          "That was my ex-boyfriend, Thomas. Captain of Roosevelt High's football team in Minneapolis, star athlete of the school, by far the best looking of ever boy in that place-- but a total asshole." I groaned. "We dated for six months or so. I was on my way to his place to tell him I had to move to Tulsa; I caught him in his room... with my best friend. The rest of the two weeks I spent in Minneapolis, he tried to steal me back, saying it meant nothing. I can't be mean or cold to him, though, since he's friends with my best guy-friends. They're on the football team together back home. I don't think they ever new he was cheating..."
          "I know the feelin'," Sodapop replied.
          "Listen, Soda, I'm really sorry for roping you into this. I don't want to be alone with Thomas at all. Knowing him, even if he thinks I have a boyfriend, he'll still try to win me back. He was only with me because I was good eye-candy-- not to mention the fact that 'every hotshot football star needs a dancer girlfriend to satisfy him,' according to my friend David."

Sodapop
          I looked down at her, quirking an eyebrow. "Dancer? You dance?"
          She shook her head and stepped away from me. "Danced. I dropped the sport when my mom died. Didn't you know? Look at this." (F/n) then grabbed her ankle, pulling her leg up as straight as a stick, over her head. It looked so effortless and powerful.
          I blushed like mad, thinking about the flexibility required to be able to do that. I masked my embarrassment with a grin, saying, "W-Wow, that's something. I think Two-Bit can do the splits. You should challenge him to a gymnastics contest sometime. I'd pay to see that."
          She smirked, releasing her leg. "I might have to arrange that soon. I should get back to the counter."
          "Yeah, probably."
          (F/n) then went on her tip-toes and planted a kiss on my cheek. My eyes widened, and she giggled. "Thanks for being my fake boyfriend, Sodapop. It's much appreciated."
          I nodded, gulping slightly, as she walked back into the shop. The second the door closed, I collapsed onto my knees, a total blushing mess. I silently screeched a "yes" and held my hands up to God. (F/n) can put her leg over her head! And she just kissed my cheek!
           "Sodapop?" I looked towards the garage entrance once I heard my name. "You alright?
           The whole gang, excluding Darry and Two-Bit, was standing there, looking at me funny. Steve was with them, too, meaning he was off of his lunch break. I grinned and stood up. "You don't even know."
          Dally came up to me, slinging an arm over my shoulder and gesturing to my grin. He spoke as-a-matter-of-factly, "Here, my friends, we see the look of a man who is, in fact, getting it tonight. Now, Sodapop, would you care to enbrighten--"
          Pony corrected, "Enlighten--"
          "--Enlighten us on your magical future late-night adventure?"
          I shook my head, looking down at my feet. "I'm-- I'm not. I just..." I chuckled. "(F/n) can put her leg over her head, she kissed my cheek, and I get to be her fake boyfriend until her ex leaves town."
          "And she wears black lace underwear~" Steve added, holding a finger up in the air.
          Dally looked at me. "Ol' Dollface? You gotta be kiddin' me."
          "That makes me uncomfortable..." Pony shifted slightly, his ears turning red.
          I pushed Dally away from me, grinning. "Would y'all stop that?"
          I wanted to be the only one to imagine (F/n)-- let alone see her-- like that. I wondered if her in black lace would become a sight for my eyes only soon.