Chapter 10

                                    

                                          
After I left Kelly's house, I headed towards the DX. When I showed up, I could tell it was rush hour because almost every girl and their mother was there. I had gotten so used to seeing the same girls faces come in and out that I knew they were there to see Soda. I could tell he was getting tired because he started pushing all the girls away from him, but one girl in a pink buttoned up shirt and blue poodle skirt wouldn't budge. I could faintly hear their conversation. She looked at him and tried to speak over all the other girl's voices, "Don't you think i'm cute?" He gave her a pity look before answering, "I'm sorry... you're pretty and all, but I got a girlfriend." I couldn't really hear everything going on between them but I could tell she wasn't giving up anytime soon. Soda stepped back and tried to go behind the counter to get space away from her and the rest of the girls, when all of a sudden the girl in the blue poodle skirt leaned in and kissed Soda directly on the lips. She grabbed his head and pulled him in closer as she deepend the kiss. You could tell he was trying to pull away, but it had already been to late. We all heard the bell on the door ring and Sandy's voice fill the room, "Soda! How could you? You cheating, no good, piece of trash! We. Are. DONE!" With that she stormed out of the room while a teary eyed Sodapop ran behind screaming her name. 
                          
I took my que to watch the store while he was out. Once I made it behind the counter, most the girl's had already left. About 20 minutes passed, and the gas station had become completely empty, so I decided to take a little break and go find Steve. I opened the door that lead to the garage where he works. As soon as I opened it, I found him twirling around with another girl. She was a brunette and she was wearing tight black jeans. She was, as he would describe it, a greaser girl. I stared at them two dancing around with each other. She seemed to be perfect for him. I felt all my dreams of us crash and fall into a bottomless pit. They were both laughing and dancing like they'd done It a million times. I knew I looked stupid just standing there, staring, but I couldn't help it. I had played with the idea of me and him being together in my mind over and over again, and yet, here this random girl was showing me that, that was never going to happen. We were just completely different people. 
                          
They stopped dancing and he looked up at me, "Sidney! Hey-" I cut him off, "Sorry. I didn't mean to intrude. I, uh, I was taking over Soda's shift, but uh, I see you have someone else who could do that instead so I'm just gonna leave." "No. You can stay, we were just-" I cut him off once more, "No." I turned around and before walking away, I made eye contact once more with him. "You two have fun." And with that I turned around and left. Not giving a care in the world who I hurt. As I walked out, Kelly walked in. 
                          
"Hey sunshine! What's-" I began walking faster as she followed behind, "Hey, Sid. What happened?" I just kept walking and she walked along behind me. Once I made it back to my house, I could no longer hold it in. 
                          
I began to cry as she tried to comfort me the best way she could. I could tell she wasn't used to comforting people because she just tapped my shoulder and kept saying, "There, there." Like they do in the movies. "Now, tell me Sid...Is it that time of month again?" I shook my head no and she went on, "Is it the munchies?" Once again I shook my head no, "Cause I totally forgot to feed you at my place. So I could totally understand if your stomach was feeling like a dying giraffe." I couldn't help but laugh a little at this. 
                          
"No. Kelly...This is really embarrassing to admit." She gave me a funny look, " Trust me, I've done a lot of embarrassing things in my life. This couldn't be that bad." "Well....you know Steve?" "Steve Randle? Yeah I know him." "Well I kinda had a crush on him." She looked at me weird, "Had?" "Yeah well, today I covered Soda's shift for him, I think you know Soda." "Yeah, yeah I know that dimwhit. Go on." "Well once the room cleared, I went to see Steve just to hang out with him. Once I opened the door, I saw this girl dancing with him." "Oh yeah, He likes to hang out with another girl named Becka. She is such a flirt. I hate her. Once in our freshmen year, I punched her in the nose for stepping on my foot. HA! It was so hiliarous!" I pretened to ignore what she said and kept going on. "No you don't understand. They were both laughing and smiling like they were perfect for each other. She is perfect for him. I mean.. This is gonna sound stupid." She sighed, "Oh my god Sidney. You are the worst at self confidence. Who fucking cares how damn stupid it sounds? Just SAY IT! Fuck the world, who gives a shit? Say what you want to say, no matter how weird or embarrassing or crazy. If you want to say it, SAY IT." She was right. And I knew it as soon as it came out of her mouth. " When I was at your house, all I could think about was me and him being perfect for each other. I just..i kept playing me and him being boyfriend and girlfriend and being so happy. And when I saw them two dancing like that, it just, it crushed me." I began to cry even more but I managed to keep going on, "It just seems like every guy I find attractive, isn't mean't for me. And I know you don't have to have a boyfriend or anything, but it would be nice for once in my life to have a guy there just to call me beautiful, to be there for me. Ya know?" She shook her head, and I could see a serious expression come on her face, "I get what you mean..But trust me when I say this, never go looking for love." Her voice dropped to a whisper, "It'll always turn out bad, trust me, I've been there." Right then, I could tell she had deeper secrets that she lead on to about herself. 
                          
That's when it hit me, even the toughest people in the world, still have their own demons to battle.