Never In A Lifetime - A Sodapop X Reader

Chapter 5

Soda's POV:

When I got home, I took off my shoes and tossed my jacket on the sofa. "I'm home!" I called before going to the kitchen for a glass of chocolate milk as I always do. I love chocolate milk. I love anything chocolate related.

I hear footsteps approaching the kitchen. "Hey, Sodapop" my younger brother calls. "How was work?".

"It was good. (Y/N) came by and hung 'round for a while" I tell him. "I ought to introduce you to her soon". "Gee Soda, you've really taken a liking to this girl, haven't you?" Pony says as he pours himself a glass of chocolate milk. "What's not to like about her? She's sweet, good-looking, understanding, energetic, funny,-" "Sounds like you" Pony cuts me off.

"What?" I question. "She sounds like you, good-looking, funny, energetic, you're all of those things. No surprise you'd fancy a girl who's just like yourself, you'd get along mighty fine" He says.

It never occurred to me how similar (Y/N) and I are.

"You're right Pony.." I said slowly. "I'm always right" Pony says cockily. "Don't get big headed there, little brother" I say whiles ruffling his hair. "But don't you be talkin' 'bout her now. We're not a couple" I say. "Not yet" he grins. I give him a gentle and playful punch in the arm, and he continues to talk about school and how his day was before he heads off to finish his homework. I head to the living room and flop down on the couch. I sprawl out on it and flick through the TV channels.

*

Dinner is at the usual time. Darry made baked chicken, our favourite. Darry's quite a good cook. He asks us how our days were and Ponyboy asks him the same. Pony and Darry started getting along better after the events of a few months prior. They've stopped arguing as much. If they ever do, it's usually nothing major. I didn't like it when they fought all the time. Sometimes I'd get roped in and I felt like the middle man in a tug-of-war.

"How was your day, Soda?" Darry asks, although I wasn't paying much attention. "His girlfriend came to see him" Pony chimed in. "Hey! She ain't my girlfriend, you keep your trap shut" I snapped.

It had been a long long time since I was drawn to someone in that way. Since being with Sandy months ago, I hadn't taken a liking to any girls. I needed time before finding someone new. What Sandy did tore me apart.

Darry gave me that sort of look and playfully elbowed me. "Oh, really?" he says. "Don't start in on me now too, Darry" I said. "I've only just met the girl, don't make things awkward". "Alright, alright. But I won't be suprised if she's comin' round in the future" he says. Ponyboy had a grin on his face. "That goes for you too, Pony, no commenting. You hear me?" He nods, but I know he'll say something about it later on.

I laid in bed that night with many thoughts. "Turn off the light and go to bed. I got work in the morning" I say to Ponyboy, who's doing something at the desk. A minute or two go by and he comes over and gets into bed.

"I was finishing off the chapter in my book" Ponyboy tells me. "What's it called?" I ask. "It's called To Kill a Mockingbird, we have to read it for English class" he tells me. "I've heard of it" I tell him. "It's not a bad book. It's about racism in the 1930s. You should read it" he says. "I don't read. I get too distracted. Now turn out the light, I have work tomorrow" I say. He turns off the light and rolls over under the duvet.

A/N 01/03/2022
It's Johnny's birthday today! My friends and I celebrated with a chocolate cake, completely irrelevant to the story but I just thought I'd share it. Remember to drink water and eat some food. Stay gold <3