𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 , 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬

sixteen.

MADELINE WINSTON

the front door squeaks as i push it open. soda's head spins around at the sound of it, "hey," he scoots over to make room for me on the front steps. "what're you doing up?"

"couldn't sleep." i sigh, the screen door slamming behind me. i join him on the steps, taking a seat beside him. "what about you?"

"couldn't sleep." the corners of his lips tug into a smirk as he uses my exact words.

his gaze drops to the ground as he sits with his elbows propped on his knees, fingers interlaced with each other. it's a little past midnight, a soft breeze drifts by every few seconds.

"how ya feeling?"

"a little better. i'll probably be sore for a week, but that's all right."

"it's not all right, mad. that shouldn't have happened to you today." he shakes his head as he stares off to the street in front of us.

"you seem to only get into fights with steve. how'd you luck out on that?" i tease.

"i've had my fair share of soc fights, believe me." he chuckles. "just not as much anymore since i dropped outta school."

"why did you drop out?" i ask.

"'cause i'm dumb."

"no you're not."

"the only two classes i was passing were gym and auto mechanics. i thought i'd be better off working full time at the DX, that way i could help bring in some money to help darry pay the bills. plus my girlfriend—" he says, but stops himself short.

"i didn't know you had a girlfriend." my voice comes out softer than usual.

"well she's not ... anymore, i guess. she's pregnant, and it's not mine."

"gosh, i'm sorry, soda." i frown.

"i was gonna marry her anyway, even though the baby's not mine, but she moved to florida. she won't return any of my letters either."

"you shouldn't be with someone who doesn't love you the way you love them. you deserve better than that."

"what about you?" he changes the subject. "any boyfriends back in new york?"

"not really." i hum.

"what does that mean?" soda laughs.

"there was this one guy—he'd walk me home after school, pick me up when my dad was drunk and had people over. we'd sleep in his car some nights. being with him, on the street in a cold car in the winter was somehow so much better than being stuck in that house with my dad."

"sounds like a boyfriend to me."

"we only started seeing each other after dally got locked up, and thank god we did because he was friends with dallas. dally would've lost his shit if he ever found out."

"you don't talk to him anymore?" soda asks.

"he got locked up too a few months ago. i tried calling him a few times, but he never picked up. i guess he's still there, either that or he's back on the streets doin' god knows what."

"you shouldn't be with someone who's in jail." he teases, nudging my shoulder with his, but i can tell he really means it.

"i think every guy i know, or knew back home was in jail at least once ... or twice." i laugh. "you shouldn't be with someone who cheats."

"yeah." his eyes flick away from mine and his leg begins to bounce as he taps his foot against the concrete step.

i stand up, "night, soda."