hot chocolate [sodapop curtis]

CHP. 6

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CHAPTER SIX
SHELF/SODAPOP
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As Sylvianna and I were walking home, we decided to stop at the DX and grab a coke or something. We went up to the door and opened it, the bell ringing to notify the person working the register, but there was no one there. I looked over to my left and saw James looking at magazines and I freaked out.

"Sylvie, don't say anything, but James is right there," I whisper and just as he was about to turn around, Sylvia shoved me onto the floor behind a shelf. I land on my hands and knees quite painfully. She turned to the end of the shelf and pretended she was looking at something (which ended up being condoms haha) and I started to crawl to the back room. I stealthily opened the door and slid inside. It was really dark, the light was clearly broken and I saw a tall figure in front of me.

"I'm sorry, lady, but you're not allowed to be back he-" I covered his mouth and interrupted him with an aggressive. "ShhhHHhHsH!" He moved my hand off his mouth and quietly said, "Excuse me?" sassily. I groan lightly and bit my cheek.

"Okay, look, dude. I caught my ex-boyfriend cheating on me a whoppin' two days ago and he's out there and I really don't want to see him right now so can't you just let me stay here until he leaves?" I plead desperately. He walks towards a wall and walks into it. He sighs and I (very noticeably) giggle. He grumbles, "when are we going to get this light fixed?" and opens the door, peeking outside.

"James cheated on you? I thought he was a really good guy." He closed the door. I sighed.

"Yeah, well so did I. Look where trust gets you." I lean against the wall and sigh, trying not to cry. A couple tears fall down my cheek. I only let them fall because it was nearly pitch black in here and he wouldn't be able to see. That was until he looks around the shelf and pulls out what looks like a flashlight and shines it in my eyes. I squint and quickly cover my face up, not wanting a random guy to see me at my worst.

"Hey, hey, hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you upset. Don't cry, please," he said, taking a seat beside me and placing the flashlight in front of us. I tilt my head, suddenly realizing he resembles - or rather Ponyboy resembles him. That same look in their eyes when they saw I was sad.

"You're Ponyboy's brother?" I ask.

"I am. You know him?" He asked tilting his head to the left. I nod.

"Yeah, I met him on the bus about half an hour before you bought me the hot chocolate," I say, smiling at the memory of his charming smile as he reached out to hand me the cup. "It was right after I broke up with James." My smile faltered and I wrapped my arms around my knees.

"Are you alright?" He asked, even though he knew the answer was no. But when have I ever been known to express how I really feel?

I dab underneath my eyes, not wanting to smudge my makeup. "I'm okay, really. Just a bit annoyed, I guess." I laugh painfully. "I just- I feel bad for leaving her alone out there." I say, earning a confused look from him. I hear a distant "Casey" come from outside and I crawl over to the door quickly.

"Casey, he's gone now." I see Sylvianna looking around for me. "Casey, you know I hate magic tricks, come out already." I laugh.

"Hey, Sylvia." I stand up and walk out of the door.

"Oh my god, next time please don't let me look at condoms for two minutes. The guy at the register kept looking at me weirdly," she said, grabbing my hands. I only laugh at her more and she lets go of my hands and turns away.

"I'm sorry, no, come back, my love." I say sarcastically, reaching my hands out to her. She laughs and turns back around.

"I don't see a guy at the register." I look around for someone and see hot chocolate guy walking out of the back room after grabbing what he was in there for.

"Oh, right!" I say, grabbing him by the shoulders and pushing him over to Sylv. "This is hot chocolate guy." Sylvia smirks.

"Ooo, he's cute!" She says, and he seemed unbothered by this. He 100% has to have girls melting at the sight of him constantly, so this was probably nothing to him. But regardless, he grins and winks at her. He turns to me.

"'Hot chocolate guy'?" He asked. I pursed my lips and laughed awkwardly.

"Yeah, I didn't know our name so you've just been 'hot chocolate guy' for a few days," I say with a small smile. He smiled back and said, "Sodapop."

I crinkled my eyes brows and Sylvianna said, "Shelf." I turned to look at her.

"What? I thought we were naming things that we see..?" She said, it turning into more of a question when it reached the end. Hot chocolate guy laughed.

"No, that's my name. Sodapop Curtis." Sylvia snorted and I smacked her upside the head.

"You're lucky. It's not nearly as bad as when I first told her about Ponyboy. She was wheezing on the floor. I thought we'd have to go to the hospital," I say with a smile. "But I like your name. It's different. I know six people, at least, with the same name as me," I say, not realizing I hadn't introduced myself.

"Oh, right. My names Casey Rose." I hear Sylvianna quietly laughing in the background, still, but I ignore it. She gets over it after a second and calms the fuck down.

"That's a very pretty name, Casey Rose," He said with a charming smile. And in a brilliant burst of confidence, I respond with, "Really? Well if you like that, you should hear my phone number." Sylvia grabs my shoulders and drags me backwards.

"Okay, Casey, I think that's enough for today, nice meeting you Sodapop!" She yelled while dragging me out the door. I waved goodbye quickly before she dragged me out of sight, and the only thing I could think of was if I would see Sodapop Curtis again.

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fun fact: my first love was actually marshall lee from adventure time lmao