𝐝𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 ➳ 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞

07 | apology

But I missed you more than I thought I would.

Me and Steve have been 'dating' for a week now, I felt something strong for him, and I wanted so badly to admit it to him. But I knew it was too early for that. I didn't wanna give him the pleasure that he won me over so quickly.
Steve would kiss me in front of people, usually people would say they thought we were so cute together, but we weren't and we both knew that.

Soda wasn't the same since I kissed him, I really did hurt him. But I knew he didn't make me as happy as Steve did. Today was a warmer day than usual, considering Christmas was in two weeks. That gave Steve the perfect opportunity to take me to the park.

I waited silently for him to show his face, he took forever to show up but he did. Which surprised me a whole lot.

"Hello darling." He kissed my hand, which made the butterflies in my stomach flutter quicker than before.
"Hey." I said shyly, wrapping my arms around my stomach, it sure was frigid considering that it was supposed to be warm today.
Steve leaned in and kissed me, all the way to my collarbone. I didn't say anything, because I secretly enjoyed it more than I would've thought I would. I guess Steve could tell because he trailed his mouth past my collarbone.

"You know you love me." He smirked up at me, kissing my cheek. I shook my head, my face was red from the feeling of his closeness.
"I don't." I said quietly, walking away from him so I could think quietly for a minute. I didn't want him to see how flustered he made me feel.
"You do." He said into my neck, wrapping his arms around my waist.
"No." I shook my head, in fear that he could tell I had fallen for him to fast. Besides, this was all an act from him-right?

"Steve?!" I heard an angry female voice from behind us yell, I turned around abruptly, hitting Steve in the face with my ponytail.
"What do you want, Heather?" Steve snapped bitterly, for some odd reason, he was more attractive at this moment than I've seen him in the longest time.
"You're cheating on me!" I saw tears roll down my cheek, which made me crack a smile.
"Because you're ugly and worthless, now run along broke bitch." I sneered, bringing myself closer to Steve. I could see the utter disbelief on Heathers face, which made me smirk more.

"What she said." Steve breathed in shock, shooing her away. Heather sobbed into her hands and ran off in the other direction. Steve looked down at me, a smile creeping onto his lips.

"That's my girl." He hugged me, I sighed shakily into his shoulder, I just yelled at an innocent girl-what's happening to me?!

"I shouldn't have done that." I say.

"Yes you should've! She's cheating on me anyways." He shrugged, I smiled up at him and had the sudden urge to kiss him, but he did that move for me. Our lips didn't detach for a long time, I wanted so badly for this to be true again, but a girl could dream.

Steve

I loved her more than I thought I did, I wanted to be with her for the rest of my life. But she didn't feel the same way about me, or did she? She was sending mixed signals.
This was all a bet anyways, so there was no hope in praying for her to love me for real.

"I wish you could love me again." I sighed.

"Me too." She breathed heavily, departed away from our closeness. I yearned for her touch again, but I knew she didn't wanna be close to me now.
"You don't have to do the bet anymore if you don't wanna." I say, starting off in the other direction. But she stopped me.

"I want to, honestly." She assured me, smiling up at me. Her smile always made everything alright. So I believed her.
"I'm glad you do." I said to her, she sighed and walked off.

"I'll see you at the Curtis house." She said, walking off in the opposite direction of where Heather had went. Man, I sure did love her.

Soda

My two best friends, the only friends I had left-were gone and couldn't stand me anymore. She kissed me, only to get over Steve. He didn't visit anymore, he hated me and I didn't know why he did. Darry was at work as usual, I didn't go to work today since it was winter break.

Ponyboy was home, in our room reading whatever it was Ponyboy read every day. I supposed it was that Gone With the Wind book since that was the last memory he had of Johnny.
Ponyboy and Johnny were best friends, like me and Steve had been. And now they were both gone, Johnny was dead and Steve couldn't stand me anymore.

The door creaked open, revealing Deirdre.
"Deirdre?!" I said, alarmed. Not knowing if I should run up and hug her, or stand in place where I was.
"Soda." She breathed, running over to me and throwing her arms around my neck, behind her, there stood Steve. My best buddy, he nodded at me then looked away.

"Hey." I said shyly, I looked back at Steve, and he looked at me. Suddenly, I needed my best friend. I ran up to him and hugged him tightly. We both started to cry into the other shoulder.

"I thought you'd never show up again." I said in relief, my voice shaking.
"You're my best buddy, of course I would." He smiled at me, Deirdre was looking at us with smiling eyes. We both hugged her tightly, I didn't know how much I really needed this hug until it happened.

I hadn't hugged them both at the same time in a long time, and to be honest, I really did need it.
Dally and Johnny may be dead and gone, but they'll never come back. And there's nothing we could do about it. Johnny was sensitive but strong, he killed a soc and ran away with my little brother, he even saved little kids. Johnny wasn't weak, he was strong.

Dally died as a hoodlum, but he was gallant, just like Ponyboy told me Johnny had said he was. Dally was just a kid, his life had been messed up when he was stuck in New York. And now his messed up life was over, he was free.

I would stay strong for the both of them, they'd want me to. I'd stay strong for my best friends, because they needed me to be.