Sunburn (Stevepop)

Ch 7- The same old fight

Third person

Evie stared at Steve, her eyes darting from his cigarette, to his sunburns, to his eyes that she always loved, and then back to the cigarette.
"What?" He snapped.
"I just... Missed you is all..." she muttered.
"Hey, I'm sorry... I called didn't I?" He smiled like it was a joke, because he knew that wasn't a good excuse.
She sighed, "I left some messages with Darry and your dad."
"Yeah, well," he flicked ash from his cigarette and she winced at it, "Don' expect me to return every one of your calls when every message is askin' if I'm in jail today."
"Just quit giving me reasons to think that than!"
She noticed Sandy taking a glance outside at them, and she was immediately blushing, embarrassed.
"I haven't been anywhere near the jail in months, alright? Gimme a damn break..."
She lowered her voice to a harsh whisper.
"Come on, Steve, I know all about what kinda reckless illegal activity you and your greaser buddies get into at the dead of night!... And hell, those cigarettes are gonna give you all kinds'a lung cancers- and never wearing sunblock'll do the same to your skin! How do you expect me to give you a break? Y-you're like a child..."
He rolled his eyes at reckless illegal activitiy... His mom didn't even sound that much like a mom.
"Hey, I'm sorry you hate greasers so much, Evie! Sorry me and all my greaser friends are nothin' but trouble to you!"
This was the exact same fight they got into any other time she brought it up, but she was desperate to prove a point, and he had to defend himself.
Just then, Sandy emerged from the DX. She stared angrily at Steve, seeing this as just more proof that he is simply an abusive boyfriend. She stomped off, saying, "Let's go Evie, we're going to the movies with Kath and Sylvia."

Steve pov
I watched the two of them leaving, walking their way back to God knows where in the blistering heat. I scowled and went inside the little building. I thought about asking Soda why he'd been looking at me all day, but I figured if I brought it up he'd stop.
"What'd Sandy have to say about her mystery guy?" I asked, wiping the sweat from my brow.
"Nothing, actually, never came up."
"Ah..." I said, "That bitch..."
"Hey, that's my girlfriend you're talkin' about there!"
I stepped back in shock, "Hey Soda, in case you forgot, she cheated on you! She likely still is!..."
I was already mad since I was just arguing with Evie, so I'm probably being harsh, but at least I'm realistic.
He sighed, avoiding meeting my eye, trying to look focused on cars driving by or by the clock. 9 minutes til quitting time. He was sweating again and his hands were clenched into fists. He looks uncomfortable without a smile on his face.
"I just don't get why you're still sticking up for her..."
He muttered tensely, "You know Steve, she told me not hang out with you anymore."
"W... What?"
"Yeah! Says you're a bad influence on me, with the way you treat Evie-"
I shouted to interrupt him, "Oh, alright, I get it Soda!" I could tell my voice shook by the end of it. I slammed the side of my fist on the door as I stormed out.
"Steve, I-"
"No, no! Hey, whatever man! It's all about how I treat Evie, huh? I'm the issue there, obviously!" I was nearly screaming to drown out the shaking in my voice. I rushed away from the station. I didn't want to look back, it would be like throwing away the last bit of pride I still stood up for, but I did anyway. Tears stung in my eyes at the sight of him still standing at the door of the station, watching me go, not chasing after me or anything. He probably stayed because of the 7 and a half minutes still left on the clock. Soda wouldn't dare get in trouble with Buck, because he knows he'd just go straight to Darry about it, and he's not a risk-taker in that way.
I turned a corner quickly so I wouldn't have to look back and see him there anymore. In a frustrated sweat I walked to the bar a couple blocks away and ordered myself drink after drink. Dally always said drinking is a foolproof way to forget for a while. Hell, Two-bit hasn't remembered a Friday night since he was 13.
I didn't wanna remember thinking about loosing Evie.
Thinking that its all my fault anyway.
And that Sodapop thinks so too.
Soda is gonna leave too, after all, Sandy told him to.
He'll do it because he loves her, same reason he'd still stick up for her.
He wouldn't ever do that for me.
Even thinking about the way he kept looking at me at work. I'll bet it wasn't even me, just a shiny car or a nice pretty lady or something.

The bartender just left me the big bottle of whiskey, the kind you're supposed to use for tiny glasses, and told me to quit asking. I felt sick. The only think I was starting to forget was the burns on my arms.