𝘙𝘌𝘋 (The Outsiders) ·Sodapop Curtis· [Finished]

Chapter 33

Sodapop's POV

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Elle walked away from me and as she did so, Wiley tried following her. I got even more upset and grabbed his wrist. "Leave my wife alone, man. She doesn't need you."

Wiley laughed out loud, "marrying you was her mistake, Sodapop. She ain't your wife anymore and that's on you."

"This is your fault! If she hadn't been sleeping with you on the side none of this would have happened!" I told him in front of the whole gang. We heard "oos" coming from different areas of the room.

Wiley got angry, "I've never even thought about her like that! Me and her are just friends and I'm sorry you got jealous of us spending time together, but she hasn't cheated on you. She loves you and as much as a I hate that, it's true."

"Bullshit. She cheated on me so much as kids, what makes me want to believe she didn't do it with you? You spend the most time with her."

"Because she's having your kid. If me and Elle slept together, don't you think there'd be some suspicion that the baby is mine? You're gonna divorce Elle for whatever reason, but don't blame it on me." Wiley finally walked away to find Elle in the back rooms.

I glanced around the room at the Coyotes staring at me, then walked out the door, stuffing Elle's ring into my pocket. I'm angry at myself. If I didn't think her and Wiley had something going on, It'd be a dream to raise her kid. But now she's pregnant and in my mind, it has a possibility of being Wiley's kid.

I walked down the street, flipping a blade in my hand and not knowing where to go. She wants me out because Darry told her I'm searching for places. I mean what's the use in going home anyway? We aren't the same. Come to think of it I can only think of one time we slept together in the past three months because of the frequency of our fights. Yes, I usually cause them and they're usually about Wiley, but still. If they're telling the truth and they haven't cheated on me, the kid must be mine and lord I'd love to be in its life. I want that kid to call me dad, not whoever she gets with after the divorce.

I was lost in my thoughts as I roamed the streets. I hadn't noticed fellow Coyotes waving at me as I walked and I hadn't noticed how far I went into he east side. When I finally came to, I seen the horribly torn up houses and rugged trailer houses. I glanced around for a moment and seen a dog. Perhaps a stray, but in this neighborhood you never quite know. This is East Side Terror territory. After the Key Men, no gang tried messing with us except for this gang. They don't mess with Elle because everyone knows she's in it with the cops, but they love jumping us.

I kneeled down and let the dog come to my feet. I stroked its matted fur and a smile came to my face as it's tail wagged. I felt hands on my shoulders suddenly and jumped away from the dog. I turned around to see Nate Brumley. A sigh of relief came over me suddenly and I felt lucky that it was a friend, not a East aside Terror member.

"I seen you walking this way, man. Elle wouldn't want you over here especially not alone," Nate pat my shoulder. "What are you doing this far anyway?"

I glanced around and definitely felt the eerie presence of the poorest of poor folk. I crossed my arms and finally let my eyes land on Nate. "Elle and I are getting a divorce." I muttered and began walking back towards the Middle East side of town.

Tanner tailed right behind me, "gee, man. I just heard you got her knocked up. What the hell happened?"

I stuffed my hands into my pockets, "have you heard anything about her cheating on me? With Wiley at all?"

"No, man. She's talked to my gang the other day about how she's changed from when she was a teenager."

I nodded my head and took a deep breath. "Thought so."

Once we got back into our part of the east side, Nate walked away and wished me luck with Elle. I again got lost in my head as I walked home. I don't want to do this with a Elle. I don't want this divorce but I feel it's something we need. I'll always love Elle and I'll probably regret this when I'm 2nd to whoever she remarries. My kid will see him as his dad and I'll just be... in the dark. My kid won't know my brothers as uncles and wont know my friends as the only people who helped Elle when she wasn't in the Coyotes.

When I reached home I went inside and seen Elle sitting on the couch. We made eye contact. I walked towards the dining table and began sorting things into stuff she could keep vs what I'm taking with me. It's unspoken, but I'm definitely sleeping on the couch tonight. Elle put the tv remote down and walked towards me. Her eyes were puffy from crying and the only thing she did was wrap her arms around me. I leaned against the table and wrapped my arms around her as well.

I listened to her sob quietly. Our breathing synchronized at one point and the room fell silent. It led me to think about the divorce entirely. It happens every time her and I have a good moment. The divorce is in place to fix me and her before we hate each other. But in moments like this I can't help but know it's a big mistake. The divorce was filed months ago which means the finalization should be soon. She isn't bringing it to court or fighting it but she definitely could go without it.

Elle wiped her eyes as she pulled away from me. I kissed her forehead and she walked away from me, into our bedroom to probably go to sleep. I didn't fall asleep until later but I slept on the couch.

-

At the time there was overwhelming tension between everyone. I soon figured out that I was wrong the whole time. Elle never cheated on me with Wiley, or at all while we were together this last time. Since me and Elle never considered ourself husband and wife after that whole pregnancy situation, I moved out. Since I moved out, apparently Wiley was over more often. Wiley talks to Ponyboy and Pony talks to me. I got told that Elle only ever talks about me still. Wondering what I'm doing, thinking about if I'm gonna be there for her baby. Her and Wiley don't even think about hooking up. Ponyboy made me feel real bad about the whole situation and made me apologize to Wiley for accusing him. Me and him never became friends or anything close to that but we were finally civil.

Elle and I never hung out. If we were both in the Coyote house we are usually on opposite ends of the room. It doesn't happen often because as her stomach grew, Wiley ended up being voted on as temporary leader in place of Elle. The gang decided the house was no place fit for a pregnant lady so Elle took more shifts at work and Wiley spent more time at her house to fill her in. The girls seemed so much happier with Wiley as leader but it was obvious everyone missed Elle's leadership. She has away of being nice and mean to everyone at the same time. She's like her brother. She knows how to rule.