It was already dark by the time Sodapop made his way back from work. It had been a long day, shouted at by many angry customers, spilling grease and oil everywhere, including himself. Now, his mind was finally at peace, nothing but the soft tweets of birds were heard as the wind gently breezed past him. His mind was pounding, he just wanted a break, but knowing how Darrel and Ponyboy were, he could guarantee his head wouldn’t be eased. He headed down the lake. The calming sound of the water gently streaming down the lake was enough to ease his mind. He took a seat by the rocks, admiring the glistening water for a moment, before taking off his shirt and washing it in the lake. He cleaned some off his face and felt as the water dripped down his face in a calming motion.

That’s when he heard it. The sound of splashing; he looked over, a little dazzled in confusion, until he was met with the sight of a girl crawling out the water. She seemed to be giggling, and alone, and unaware of himself just yet. She seemed to have been swimming and taking a dip in the lake, still fully clothed. But, Sodapop was stunned. She was beautiful. Her hair stuck to her face due to the water in a mesmerising way. Then, the girl spotted him, she gasped a little, before offering a small smile. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you,” Sodapop cut through the silence, speaking as softly as he could. “No, it’s okay. It’s not like I own this lake,” the girl joked, chuckling a little as she dried herself off. Sodapop didn’t say anything, just looked at her in admiration. “I’m sorry if this is forward, but can I say you’re so beautiful,” Sodapop stated out loud, regretting his choice of words almost immediately because of how forward they were.