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Sodapop Curtis was friends with everybody. That’s just the way the world works. The sky was blue, broccoli was disgusting, and everybody loved Sodapop.
Everybody except Dallas Winston.
Dal had never actually said it out loud, but Soda knew in his heart that the only member of the gang who didn’t like being around him was Dallas.
Why? It was a mystery.
Soda was a good friend. He always had Dallas’s back, even when Dal was clearly in the wrong. He always made extra breakfast in the morning if he noticed Dal had spent the night on the Curtis couch. The last time Dallas’s dad was back in town and really started laying into Dal about something, Sodapop had gone over to his house to help Dal pack his things into the car so he could stay with them for a while.
Hell, he had even visited him the last time he was in jail.
So why did Dallas hate him so much?
Sodapop was running that question back and forth in his mind that night at work. Steve cut out early a couple of hours ago because he had a date, so Soda was the only one there to close up shop.
He was leaning against the counter, absent-mindly bobbing his head to the quiet rock and roll playing from the radio, when he heard the little bell chime from above the door.
“Just so you know, we close in nine minutes!” He called out as friendly as he could. Not that he was watching the clock or anything.
“Hey.” Soda looked up at the hard voice, surprised to see Dallas strolling over to the counter. Speak of the devil and he shall appear. Or, well, think of the devil in this case.
“Oh, hey Dal. What’s up?”
“Got any of the stale chips you stash behind the counter, or am I gonna have to steal some?” He grinned one of his wicked smiles and pushed the hair out of his eyes.
“As an employee, I’m going to have to ask you not to steal from us because if it happens during my shift, it comes out of my paycheck.” He reaches his arm down behind the counter. “But, as your buddy, here.” He pushes the bag toward him. “Don’t say I never did anything for ya.”
“Oh please, you do plenty. If anyone has my back, it’s you.”
“Just a good friend is all. What are you doing here so late at night?” Although they lived in the same neighborhood, the DX was a 30 minute walk from their houses, and Dallas didn't have a car.
“I was just passing through and wanted to see if you needed some company or something.”
“Oh.” That was unexpected. Soda needed a minute to think of what to say. “Well thanks. That’s really cool of you.”
“Don’t sweat it. Just being a good friend is all .” Dallas hummed innocently and took a seat on the counter near where Soda was resting his elbows.
Okay, that made it official. Dal was up to something. There was no way he was being that nice just to be that nice.
“Dude, I’m gonna be real honest with you, and I need you to be real honest with me, okay?” Sodapop glanced at the clock. Six minutes left of his shift. “What’s going on for real? Why are you here? Need a ride when I get off work? Need a place to lay low for a while? Are you in some kind of trouble?”
“I. . . no. I’m not in any trouble. Not yet, at least. Who knows, though? The night’s still young.”
“I'm being serious, man. I can’t have you pulling some crazy shit on my shift. I can’t lose this job.”
“I’m not trying to pull anything, I swear! I was just over at your place. I noticed you were the only one not there . . . I thought I’d come over to keep you company.”
Oh. Well now Soda felt like an asshole. Also, that was the nicest thing anyone had said to him in a long time.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed the worst.”
Dal laughed. “No, I’m actually flattered you assumed the worst. I’ve worked hard to build that kind of reputation.”
Sodapop rolled his eyes, then stopped to glare at Dallas. “Wait a second. I thought you said you were just passing through.”
“I am?”
“You just said you were at my house. That is not ‘just passing through’ . ”
Dallas paused. “Okay, I lied. I wasn’t passing through. I was at your house, but it's just so boring without you. I’d rather hang out with you in this musty-ass gas station for 10 minutes than be with everyone else for an hour. You’re like my favorite person in the gang.”
Soda was dumbfounded. “Wait, say that again, but slowly.”
“ I came over to hang out with you, dumbass. ”
“Awww Dal, you do care about me!”
“What? Of course I do, man. I literally just said you were my favorite person in the gang.”
“I thought you hated me.”
“Why would I hate you, Soda?”
“You hardly ever smile at me!”
Dallas started laughing so hard, he had to slide down from the counter.
“I hardly smile at anyone, Soda. I didn’t even smile at my own mother when I was a kid. I told you, I worked hard to build this reputation.”
“So. . . you do like me. Just, say it again so I can be sure.”
“Sodapop Curtis, yes. You are a cool person and I have no beef with you.” Dal looked at the clock. “It’s nine. Ready to go?”
Soda put his arm around Dallas’s shoulder. “Stevie is going to be so jealous when I tell him that you’re my bestie now.”
Dallas rolled his eyes as he helped Soda lock up the DX. “That’s gonna break the poor guy’s heart. We should tell him together.” Sodapop laughed and Dallas smiled. That’s just the way the world works, he guessed. The sky was blue, broccoli was disgusting, and everybody loved Sodapop Curtis.