BACK AND FORTH (𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘺)

three

"So you took Ponyboy out last night?" Sodapop leaned against the counter and chuckled quietly at Steve's look of annoyance.

"Oh yes. We had an amazing date. He even kissed me!" Steve said in a high pitched, girly voice.

"I'm sure." Sodapop laughed. "Seriously though, y'all can't stand each other. What made the two of you decide to go to the movies, alone?"

  "Well..I don't know. No one else was home, so I figured maybe we could go out and have a good time. Problem was I didn't really know what he wanted to do. I thought the liked movies,"

  "He doesn't like drive in movies as much. According to Ponyboy, they're mostly beach movies with no plot." Soda said.

  "I'll have to remember that."

  "What, y'all are going out again?"

  "We made plans again. Kinda like a do over since last night wasn't really the best." Steve sighed. "I really want next weekend to go better."

  Soda eyed him. "Why is that, Steve?"

  "Christ Soda! Can I not be a good person?" Steve groaned. "Why does everyone think I'm trying to kill the kid?" He chuckled, but deep down he knew that Soda was suspecting something.

  "Hey I didn't say none of that." Soda laughed as well and gave him a pat on the back. "I'm just giving you a hard time."

  Steve glanced outside and saw that a car had pulled up. "I better go pump their gas." He mumbled and quickly left. How the hell had he managed to make both Soda and Pony suspicious after just one night?

  This is why he had pretended to hate Ponyboy all of these years. If he even looked at Ponyboy in a slightly longing way, his two older brothers would surely kill him. They'd do anything and everything to protect him, and fighting Steve because he was a boy looking to "turn Pony queer" was surely a reason.

  After the car left, he sighed and kicked a rock across the parking lot in frustration. He knew that Ponyboy wouldn't like guys, and most certainly wouldn't like him if he even did. He wasn't looking to date Pony, simply because he knew there was no possibility of that happening.

  Maybe if they were closer then he'd feel different. He already knew that he didn't mind gay people, so that was a start at least. I just gotta get to know him better. He told himself. Then I can give myself a fair judgement.

-

"Hey Sodapop," Soda and Steve heard pony call from the kitchen once they walked inside.

"Hey Pony, you making dinner?" Soda asked as they walked into the kitchen.

"Yeah, figured I could help out Darry tonight. Two-bit was over a little while ago, but he said he had a date tonight and wouldn't be staying for dinner."

  Soda frowned. "A date? With who?"

  Pony shrugged. "Steve, you staying?"

"Oh, uh, sure. Thanks." He yawned and sat at the table, laying his head down. Soda left to take a shower, leaving the other two boys alone. Steve silently cursed, not wanting to make a fool of himself again.

"Long day?" Pony asked, making Steve lift his head.

He was surprised that he had been spoken to, since before last night they made sure to ignore each other. He decided to just be happy that Pony had said something, and answer him. "It was long, but not too hard. I'm just pretty tired, 'cause I've been thinking a lot today."

"You've been thinking? That's unusual." Ponyboy giggled lightly, a sound that made Steve's cheeks turn pink.

  He looked down to hide the blush. This was the third time Pony had caused Steve to get embarrassed in just two days. Stupid crush. He shook his head and cocked an eyebrow. "Yeah, yeah, because it's so surprising to hear that I've got a brain." He stuck out his tongue at pony, who laughed and did the same. Steve watched him continue to make dinner for a few minutes before speaking again. "Say pony, you like to read a lot right?"

  "Sure do."

  "Well how 'bout I take you to a book store this weekend? You can show me your favorite book and I'll try to read it."

  Ponyboy turned around and grinned. "No kidding? That'd be a lot of fun! Although my favorite book is pretty long, I doubt you'd have the patience to read it."

  "I could try. Like I said, I have a brain, you know." Steve rolled his eyes. The two of them heard the door open and Darry came strolling into the kitchen.

  "Hey boys. I'm surprised you're here Steve. I didn't hear Pony yelling at anybody." Darry chuckled and patted his back, before giving Pony a hug and thanking him for cooking dinner.

  "Geez, everyone seems to think I'm just a hot head who liked to yell at poor Ponyboy."

  "You're a good kid, Steve. Otherwise I'd have kicked you out a long time ago." Darry yawned and stretched. "Where's Soda? I need him to help my back. Pulled a muscle today.." he grumbled and sat down.

  Ponyboy began making every bodies plates, and Steve jumped up at the chance to help him. "I got it Pony." He said and began scooping out mashed potatoes onto the plates.

  "Oh, thank you." Pony said, somewhat confused.

  "Anytime." Steve smiled at him, an intentional smile, for the first time. Ponyboy smiled back, and Steve felt his chest tighten a bit, and his stomach felt like it was being tickled.

  At dinner he droned out almost every conversation, except for the short amount of time whenever Pony talked. He would make a point to listen and react accordingly. Anything to change the way Pony viewed him. He wanted to be more than just Soda's best friend who treated Pony terrible.

  Gotta start somewhere. He made eye contact with Ponyboy and smiled again, and Pony smiled back, again.

Wow another chapter! I guess my writers block is starting to disappear!