august 1965
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-
sodapop curtis

the night pony flipped out on darry and i, we haven't bothered to speak a single word to him, we figured he'd get better and better by the days we didn't speak to him or his friends leaving him alone.

that was just a week ago, darry keeps him temper down every time pony enters a room that he's in, for instance like our kitchen. darry just sits there in silence while pony does whatever until he feels like leaving.

it happened to be a thursday afternoon, hot and sunny like the usual down in tulsa. i haven't gotten a letter from claire since the day pony snapped, i worried when i realized how long it's been, but i don't blame her. she's working hard to fix up our soldiers.

pony sat down on the couch all bored, stealing the remote from the coffee table. i had to break this silent treatment.

"pony, get your shorts on, we're going for a ride." i randomly said.

"where would we even go?" he scoffed.

"don't worry about it." i returned the wave of sass.

pony sighed before walking to his room, i turned off the tv before running to the kitchen for a bottle of water, grabbing one for pony just in case.

minutes later he came back from his room in sweatshorts and a grumpy frown, i smiled brightly at him but in a sarcastic kind of way. that was where i rushed him out of the house and into my car.

we buckled up and i started driving down the street, pony turned on the radio to stop the silent treatment he was still giving me. i tried to ignore that feeling because i knew it wouldn't last forever but you can't just stop talking to someone you're used to being around with.

for what felt like an hour in the car, we made it to the beach that brought back so many memories. the destination made pony even more angrier when k saw his jaw clenched from looking at the sight of the beach.

"lose the attitude, man." i said as we were getting out of the car.

"you gon' talk about claire all day while we're here?" he asks while biting his nails.

"pony, will ya just relax and spend a day with your brother?" i played mom for a second.

"whatever." he rolled his eyes while proceeding to walk.

        i didn't prepare much for this ride but i did have a blanket lying around in my car from the day claire and i went out. i laid it out on the sandy ground while pony just sat on it like it was just made for him and him only.

        i shoved him over to make some room to get a word out of him, nothing.

        i sighed before speaking, "pony, the day you lashed out on darry and i, i started thinking about the things you said."

        "and what, i'm wrong?" he looked at me all annoyed.

        "no, let me speak." i said, "maybe you're right about me not spending much time with you. i was too caught up with claire leaving for vietnam, it reminded of sandy leaving except i knew why claire was leaving."

        "so you're saying if i left for a different country then you'd actually start thinking about me?" pony scoffed in disbelief.

        "no godammit, you need to understand that i still love you because you're my little brother, and you'll always be on top of my priorities." i told him, his expression left it's phase. "and pony, i am so sorry i ever left you in the dark."

        pony brought me in for a brotherly hug, it now just occurred to me that pony needed me all along, but that brother was too busy handling other situations for a girl who wasn't even in the same country as him.

        during the hug, i felt sand thrown on my back. when i let go of pony, his hand had a handful of sand in it, i shook my head with a smile before chasing him around. we ran towards the water where i scooped up some salty water and splashed it all over him.

        this was the only time i got my mind off of claire.

❥•°❀°•༢

claire anderson

helping soldiers recover became a normal daily thing for me, after a month i just got used to holding bandages in my arm and the flirty soldiers i had to take care of. all got the idea that i had a boyfriend back home and backed off, they even intended on taking good care of me for my boyfriend who couldn't be here.

now this was just my usual thursday afternoon in vietnam where i just sit and wait for the wounded to come, at this time kids would come. one of the nurses, janet had a radio by her table and began playing 'be my baby' by the ronettes.

i twirled around the tent along with the other nurses, we held hands and waists to keep the little dance party going. even the soldiers who were finished being bandaged joined us, they hold anybody but each other.

"everybody clear the tent!" a voice shouted, we didn't know what was going on.

"what's happening?!" everyone would say but got no answer.

the nurses followed the commands but i couldn't leave just yet, i ran back to grab my stuff that soda had given me. i searched everywhere in my bag for the picture of soda but it was nowhere in sight.

"for every kiss you give me, i'll give you three."

i watched the tent flaps close when i got ahold of soda's picture, i ran towards the exit but it was closed before i could get out. everybody was screaming and running from what i heard.

the sounds of guns and bombs being fired all ran through my ear drums, a bomb sound was coming near the tent. i didn't want to panic because i knew this was my last time on earth, i broke my promise and dreams with soda.

all i had to do was close my eyes to die down the pain...