july 1965
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-
claire anderson

i closed up my suitcase, mom was crying by the doorframe of my empty bedroom. clothes and other items were gone but my bed and closet. soda walked in to grab my luggage, he looked like he didn't sleep all night.

soda walked all the way to his car while i stayed inside with my mom. she wiped away the last tear with a tissue before looking at me, she smiled through the tears that i knew were real.

"you know, i remember randy went for a soldier for halloween and you were a nurse." she laughed, "now you guys are grown, living your dreams."

"i remember that too, and the part where randy stole all my candy." i added on.

"that cavity of his was real karma." she nodded.

we sighed in the duration of the silence.

"i'm gonna miss you, claire." she cried before hugging me.

"i'm gonna miss you too, mom." i whispered.

soda knocked on the wood of my door, he stood where mom was standing.

"i really am sorry but claire, your train arrives in 30 minutes." soda says.

i wiped my tears before letting go.

"bye, mom." i tearfully said, she returned the word.

i followed soda out the door where he led me to his car, he didn't look happy but he did put on a smile just for me. i just accepted that because i knew later on he would be crying with me before i left.

he pulled out of the driveway and down the road, my mom was staring down the car as it went down the road. i held soda's free hand while he paid attention to the road, his jaw was clenched as if he was holding back tears.

        i let go of his hand but he refused, he held my hand tightly while breaking down at a red light. i got into action and looked at him all worried.

        "hey, hey! you're going to be okay, you'll be just fine." i told him.

        "i can't be fine without you! don't you get it?! claire, you are the only thing left in me and now you're leaving, how could i be fine?!" soda nearly screamed his head out.

        i looked at him in fear, his eyes softened.

"i'm sorry, baby. i just am worried you might die there and i'm still in tulsa waiting up and down the hallway just for you to write back to me."

"i understand, soda. you know i'll come home in one piece, with my ring finger ready for you to put a ring on it." i smiled at him, he laughed.

he proceeded to drive down the road without shedding another tear, i looked out the window one last time on our way. soda parked by the other cars where soldiers or women were waiting for the train.

soda jumped out the car and grabbed my luggage, he locked hands with mine when his other hand was free. we walked towards the station where i received my ticket, soda looked awkward while looking at the older couples standing with their partners.

"one day, that will be us." i joked, pointing to the elderly couple giving each other kisses.

"oh you just wait, missy." soda sassed.

after that, it was just a long sigh with painless silence.

"how many letters would you send out to me?" soda randomly asks.

"the amount of the many times i kissed you." i smiled, he returned that smile. "now how many would you write to me?"

"the amount of times that would express how much i love you." he scrunched his nose against mine.

"young love, i'd do so much for it." an old woman says when she's passing by with i assumed was her friend.

        soda and i looked at each other before dying of laughter.

❥•°❀°•༢

the last call for nurses or soldiers was called, soda took a deep breath in when i stood up to get on board. he wasn't allowed to help me with my bags, i had to carry them inside the train myself.

i let him hold my hand one last time when i was in line.

"this is really it, huh?" i tried to make a joke out of it.

"i'll see you in two years, hopefully you'll be waiting for me." soda looked unhappy like before.

"of course i'll be waiting for you, as long as you're waiting for me too."

i turned to look at soda, i dropped my bag to lean him in for a passionate kiss. he pressed his warm palms against my cheeks, i squealed to the feeling since the weather right now was just small breezes.

soda and i pulled away, i was now second to first in the line, we just forgot that kiss happened. soda pecked the top of my head before letting me off into the train. we locked eyes until i made it to my row, my seat was on the left side of the train where you couldn't see any sodapop curtis standing in front of the windows.

saying my last goodbye to soda slipped my mind, completely...