Sunburn (Stevepop)

Ch 9- The date's going great, thanks for asking

Third person
Steve couldn't stand seeing Sodapop when he showed up. Being so sad made him really frustrated too, and trying to drown his feelings in old whiskey obviously didn't work. He sobbed, and poured his heart out to some sweet sober lady that looked uncomfortable, but polite enough to listen. He barely noticed when the sun set, but he made his way to a payphone and called Two-bit to pick him up.

"Steve's at that bar across the street from that park-the one with all the oranges, he needs a ride. Doesn't sound too hot," Two said to Dallas and Kathy with a chuckle.
"What are ya gonna do?" Dally asked with little interest.
"Leave him there to rot, obviously," he said sarcastically, "Kaths, come with?"
"I dunno, I'm really into this movie..." she said, staring at the shirtless actor on screen.
"Well somebody better go with this kid, make sure he doesn't just head inside and get plastered right along him him," Dal looked at him, "Two-bit Mathews doesn't call for a ride, he just becomes tomorrow's headline."
Dallas showing he cares about you sounds just like a threat, Two thought.
Sandy stood, "I'll go! Steve stumbling around after drinkin' himself dumb, that's somethin' I wanna see!" she laughed.
Sandy herself has had a bit to drink, and for once Two-bit hadn't had a drink all night. He liked spending time with Kathy and her friends, and usually completely forgot he could be drinking to have more fun. But he felt he regretted that decision through the barely-5-minute-long drive, when Sandy kept hitting on him. He knew she was cheating on him, but he would never think she would carelessly cheat with anybody around.
She kept telling him he's cute, at one point specifically telling him he's cuter than Sodapop. He didn't even do anything and he still felt bad!
Sandy's hand rested on his shoulder, it was so warm he could feel it through his leather jacket. If it were anybody else he'd jump to this kind of shot, since he and Kathy weren't in a super committed relationship anyway. A pretty blonde, significantly shorter than him, thought to be sweeter than any chocolate in the world, flirting like any other greaser girl does. But never a friend's girl, he couldn't do that to Soda. He drove faster, laughing and playfully denying all of her advances. Once they made it to that familiar bar, he jumped out of his car in a second a rushed to Steve's side.
"Hey buddy, long time no see! Hey, order me a drink, will ya? Thanks," he patted his shoulder and raced to the pay phone.

"Darrel Curtis, who is this?"
"Darry! Hey! How are things?"
"Two-bit?? What's with all the noise?"
"The date's going great, thanks for asking! Put Sodapop on the phone!"
Darry was confused and hesitant, but called out to Soda.
"Hello? Steve?" Soda was naturally nervous.
"No... Look who's all excited to talk to Steve, eh? What's with-... Agh, nevermind, Soda..."
He explained what happened with Sandy throughout the car drive over. People underestimate him, but Two-bit never lies to his friends. He jokes that he never learned how to lie, even though that's obviously not true-he just prizes honesty and he won't admit it. Obviously he lies to his parents, to bartenders, to cops, to teachers, and whoever else, but he doesn't lie or keep secrets from his friends. Problem is he can learn things out about people quick, and he can get things out of them easily, so because of him nobody is really allowed to have secrets.
Soda thanked him for telling him and again for not fucking her, and asked if Steve was okay.

Two-bit brought Steve back to the movies with Dally and the girls, and he sat next to Evie. She was excited to see him, especially after Two's concerning "doesn't sound too hot" comment. He hadn't had any more to drink after Soda left, so he'd lost a bit of his buzz and was considered to not be a terrible guest for the movies. He was mostly just really quiet. Evie rested her head on his shoulder and whispered cute things to him, that he could barely put the effort into comprehending. He leaned forward and kissed her, and she ignored the faint taste of alcohol in his mouth for a moment to appreciate this, because she missed him more than she thought. As much as she didn't like his reckless behavior and his friends, she loved their kisses more than anything in the world. By the time the movie ended, the two of them had walked off the premises and were making out while leaned against the gate. At one point it had gotten so hot and heavy that she had to disconnect their lips just to catch her breath.
All too suddenly he said "Hey Evie?"
Even if most of the alcohol had worn off, he didn't really figure that this wasn't the time to start asking questions. And obviously he was drunk enough to not really like her and still kiss her anyway.
She planted kisses on his jawline and neck and mumbled "mm-hm?"
"Are you thinkin' of runnin' away?" He asked, now not even looking at her, just gazing into the distant night.
She stepped back and giggled nervously and questionably, "Uh, well I might have been."
To tell the truth, she'd thought about it a lot. The only thing that kept her from running off to the countryside was having a boyfriend in Tulsa, but she didn't have much of a reason to stay for him and she knew it. She even had a date set to leave, and it was nearing. She told him that too, mostly because she thought if she said enough to answer his question that he would drop it and they could continue their business. But after she told him that he just muttered that the movie was going to be over soon and that they should get back before somebody started checking tickets. Of course Dallas didn't have tickets, and Two-bit wouldn't either if the girls weren't there, but he tries to look good in front of them by paying.
So they rejoined the group. Sandy was asking Evie about if Steve tried anything funny with her, and Steve went to talk with Dally. He would have much rather talked to Two-bit, since he thought Two was the only person that knew about his disinterest in Evie, but he was with Kathy. So in a half-drunk random decision he told Dal he wanted to break up with her. Luckily for him, everyone but Sodapop already knew, so it didn't come as a surprise.
More than anything he just wanted to go back to the Curtis house, he wanted to be rid of the situation, and though he wouldn't tell Dally, he just wanted to be around Soda. He was still mad at what he said about his problems with Evie, but nevertheless he loved him. He was having a tough night and he really just wanted to be in his company.
Dallas told him not to worry, and walked back over to Evie and Sandy just before they loaded into Sylvia's car to go home. Steve couldn't even pay attention to what he was saying to her because of Two-bit's joking around next to him.