Sunburn (Stevepop)

Ch 8- The bar across the street from the park with the orange tree

Soda pov

"Where's Steve-o?"
Two-bit was inspecting a series of scabs on his hands, Darry kept telling him to quit it or he'd make him get a cast on his arm.
"Kaths said Evie 'n' your girl are joinin' us on our date, are you guys coming?"
I snapped out of my trance of staring at Two picking at his hands. Either he's just a master of distraction or I'm especially stupid right now.
I cleared my throat, "Uh, no we're not."
"So I got four dates?" He laughed, "A record! Thanks man," he patted my shoulder endearingly.
With that, he and Dallas headed out the door. Then the house was insufferably quiet. Johnny was sitting silently next to Ponyboy on the couch while he read, and Darry in the kitchen was whipping up some food for him. No doubt he hadn't eaten anything all day. I stood awkwardly in the middle of the living room, waiting for a floorboard to creek.
"How was work, Soda?" Johnny perked up.
I shrugged, "Eh... But Sandy came by."
He groaned immediately at her name.
"She's still seeing you?" Ponyboy asked me.
"Yeah... You heard?"
"You know Two-bit can't keep a secret," Darry chuckled, handing a plate of food to Johnny.
He kept Steve's secret though, didn't he? Or did he just keep it from me?
"Oh shit, Steve...!" I muttered, suddenly remembering him.
I headed straight for the door, I heard Darry call out "Hey, Soda!... Be back by midnight, dammit!" as I ran. I only got so far before I realized I didn't know where I was going, and I'm not the best runner around. I'd only left work an hour ago so the sun wasn't gonna be down for another hour or two. I wandered back to the DX, and followed the path that I saw him stomp off by. At a certain point though the path just brought me farther and farther from anything recognizable.
A really big orange tree across the street from a bar.
I vaguely remember seeing it a few times before when I had to pick up Steve from that bar, when he's too drunk to drive himself and too late to walk home. It's not like he goes there all that often, every time I see that orange tree it looks different, but now that I think about it, it's worth a shot. I swung open the door and the smell of cheap beer and sweat knocked the wind out of me.
"Steve...!" I kept calling out into the thick bar air.
To my surprise, I found him there. He sat at a bar stool running a hand through his thick hair over and over again. A few of those complicated twirls fell lazily over his eyes, which returned a certain attractiveness about him that I suddenly can't help but notice and admire.
I slumped down in the seat next to him and leaned over, "This place could really use a cracked window."
"Soda...?" He looked up at me, squinting.
"Yeah!" I smiled. I don't know why, but it wasn't until he actually said my name and looked at me that I calmed down and felt really happy again. "C'mon, lets get outta here, I hate bars like this."
"Yeh, whatever, get outta here, I'm fine..."
I rolled my eyes, "You're just gonna call me in a couple hours anyway. C'mon, I think we oughta talk about...-"
"What? Talk about what?" he snapped, "Ya know what, I can call Two. This is stupid...!"
"Come on man, he's on a date, don't drag him away from-"
"From my girl! He's on a date with my girlfriend! I oughta drag him away!"
I chuckled lightly, "Man, one second you haven't loved her in months, and now she can't even join her friends for a movie?"
Yet again I found I didn't understand Steve and his temper. He doesn't know what he wants, and I don't think he cares whether he gets what's good for him or not.
He was quiet for a second, took a long swig from his bottle on the counter, and sniffled loudly. Drunk and crying, what a sight.
"Man, just leave, woulda? I'll get home, I promise... I don't wanna go with you..."
He spoke barely louder than a whimper. A part of me aches to see him like this, talking to me like this... He keeps doing stuff that just makes looking at him hurt. This is a damn nightmare.
"Hey, Steve, I'm really s-"
He hopped up, cutting my apology short. He keeps interrupting me too! I just wanted us back to normal, more than anything in the world.
His eyes were glossy with tears, they shined in the neon light of the signs that hung around.
"I gotta spell it out for you, man?! I don't want you here and God knows you don't wanna be here! Do yourself a favor, okay?!"
I watched him for a few moments, and finally reluctantly left the building. The second the door shut behind me I wished I hadn't. I'm not a bad friend, I shouldn't leave my buddy, angry, drunk, and greasy, at this part of town alone. But I don't think I could stand seeing him like that much longer anyway. I hope he gets home safe-he better not call Two-bit to pick him up!