Yours Truly

Chapter One

(edited nov 2, 2020)-(redited Mar 29, 2021) hey guys! so here's my plan: I'm editing this so it can be how I first imagined it. If you have read all the way through the whole thing, I suggest you reread it because there are big events that are happening soon! Thank you all for the love and support! x alysflowers 

As I walk down the empty street, I notice a butterfly fluttering about. It seems like it wants me to follow its path. "Where are you going?" I laugh. The butterfly's wings flap around, leading me in different directions. Soon enough, the insect lands on the tip of my nose. "What are you doing?" I ask, knowing that I won't receive an answer. It flies away after a minute of dead silence, leaving me alone once again in the middle of the road. Just then, I notice several boys glancing my way. They whistle and cat-call at me, but I pay them no attention. Why would I give them satisfaction? I smirk to myself and run off toward the DX. My mom needs me to pick up her stuff. Why did I find them all attractive?

I was almost halfway there when a little red car stops me in my tracks. They are Socs of course. "What do we have here?" Bob, a Soc, says. "I think it's a little wannabe Greaser girl. A dirty one too," adds Randy, another Soc. "Let's see... There are many, many things we can do with you," Bob snarls. I start to panic, my brain foggy, as I realize that they definitely are going to harm me. I dart away from them, but it was no use. Randy grabs me by my hair and yanks me toward him. "Where do you think you're going, little lady? Hmm?" he coaxes.

"Leave her alone!" a voice shouts. The voice came from a boy, around seventeen, decked out in a DX uniform. Damn! I could have made it inside. The boy stands right in Bob's face and spits right on him. He waves at Randy to let me go, and he follows orders. Once the car drives down the street, the boy runs up to me. "Are you okay?" he asks. I nod my head and read the small tag on his shirt. "Is that your name?" I smile. "Yeah. It's Sodapop. Sodapop Curtis," he flushes and bows.

Sodapop takes me inside and asks if I can tell the whole story from the very beginning. "So I was walking down this street, following a butterfly. And I saw these boys were staring at me." Sodapop cuts me off, "How many boys?" he asks. "Probably about five or six of them. All at one house." Sodapop answers quickly, wasting no time, "That's my house. I live there with my brothers Darry and Ponyboy." I can hear a car pull up outside. "Ponyboy?" I give Sodapop a strange look. He nods and gestures for me to carry on.

"Anyway, I ran down the road toward here. I thought I was about halfway when those Socs stopped me. But I wasn't, I was right outside in the parking lot. Then they were threatening to do bad things to me, you dig?" I sigh. Sodapop nods. "Then you came outside and spat in Bob's eye." Sodapop smiles, it held a warm and genuine tone. "How old are you?" he asks, adoration in his eyes. "I'm fifteen. What about you?" I answer. "I'm seventeen," he mumbles. I look down at my watch, which reads 8:32, "I have to get home. My mom will kill me for staying out so late!" Sodapop's face whitens as he says, "I'll walk you home. But first, what is your name?" I smile, "It's Astra. Astra Sanders."

I open the door to my home, my mother standing in front of me, arms folded. "Where were you and why are you home so late? I would have called the police if you were even a second later than now! You are lucky that I have not grounded you yet! I can't believe you right now!" she fumes. "I was getting your things. If you wouldn't yell at me, I would have given them to you already." Her face relaxes, "Oh, well. Dinner is on the counter waiting for you." She walks away with her hips swaying.

The next morning, I hear a slight tapping on my window. I lift the blinds, and to my surprise, I see Sodapop. I open the window and ask, "What are you doing here Soda?" His eyes light up as I say his name. "I wanted to see if you would go to the Nightly Double with me tonight?" he slightly smiles. "Sure, Soda. That will be fun!" I reply.

"Come on!" Soda exclaims, folding my hand inside his. "Soda," I say, waiting for him to realize that I haven't gotten dressed yet. "Oh, I'm sorry," Soda sighs, his face reddening. I pull him into my room and catch him off guard. "Astra, what on earth are you doing?" Soda questions. "Just stay here for now. I'll get changed in the bathroom," I answer. Soda nods his head and starts to gaze around my room. "Okay Soda, I'll be right back," I say. "Mhm," his voice fades as I leave the room.

I stand in the doorway with Soda staring at me. "Soda... Soda? Are you okay, Soda?" I attempt to pull him from his gaze. "Oh, sorry. Was I staring?" he asks. I laugh, "Yes Soda. You were, but it's okay." His lips curve into a small smile, with his cheeks not blushed whatsoever. "Ready to go?" I ask, waiting patiently for Soda to answer. When I turn around, Soda is already climbing down my window. "Oh," I mumble inaudibly. I start to climb down it as well. "Do you need help?" Soda asks, already on the ground. "I've done this before, you know," I snap. "Oh, sorry." I roll my eyes and whisper inaudibly, "I'm sure you are."

"I think you're beautiful, Astra," Soda says. I wrap my arms around his neck, and he wraps his arms around my waist. I stare deep into his eyes, and I promise you that I can see his dreams. "Soda," I whisper. "Yes?" he gulps. "You've been so nice to me, you've complimented me, and you've been like nobody else has before. Thank you," I say, and hug him. Soda hugs me back. I laugh and break his gaze. Soda laughs too, and it is the most beautiful laugh. Soda is definitely the happiest person alive. Once our laughing fit finishes, we walk to the lot. "Soda? You've never really told me about yourself," I say. "Well, I live with my brothers Darry and Ponyboy, but the gang is usually always at our house. That would be Two-Bit, Steve, Dally, and Johnny. I, um, just broke up with my girlfriend Sandy. She was with someone else and me at the same time," he says. You could tell he was starting to cry. "Soda, you'll be alright. You see, you'll find another girl. She'll be perfect for you, and you'll be perfect for her. You will get over Sandy, and maybe you'll even forget about her," I reassure him. Soda turns to me and gives me another hug. My fingers lace through his hair. This is the one time he doesn't have it all greased up. "You will be alright," I whisper before pulling away. Soda glances at me and says, "I'll be alright." I smile. I know that he will be okay, and he does too.

The Nightly Double wasn't that far away from the lot. Soda and I have been walking around all day.  We constantly stopped at different places, but we walked the distance anyway. We had left all our worries behind. For the time being, Soda had forgotten about Sandy. "You know what, Astra? You make me happy. No, not happy, ecstatic!" Soda blurts. My face reddens, and Soda moves closer. I shrink down a little. I was getting a little self-conscious. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna try anything on you," he says coyly. I look up and see Soda turning his head away. Was he looking at me? I turn my head, not caring what he's up to. Soda grabs my chin and slams his lips onto mine. I push him away. I felt utterly disgusted. I stand up and walk away from Soda. I climb over the metal fence that surrounds the outdoor theater, and I wind up going home. I creak open the door and slip inside. I find my mother at the kitchen table. "Hey, mom. Sorry I was out all day. I was walking around, and I went to the Nightly Double," I whisper. "Okay, sweetie. If you want dinner, it is on the counter," she replies. "Thanks, mom," I say. 

A/N: This chapter is now edited! Let's power through it together!