** ₊ ˚⋆ ⭒ Ever since Sandy moved to Florida after cheating on Sodapop, he kind of shut down. He wouldn’t really talk and although he still had to go to work to support the family, he wouldn’t really be present. Physically he was but mentally he wasn’t— his thoughts filled with nothing other than self-pity. Steve would always try to crack a joke and try cheer up his mood in and out of work but he never prevailed.

At work one day, a customer came in. But unlike Sodapop being distant and upset, the walls that had built around him in misery started to collapse, that smiled that everyone so longed to see came back. The girl started to come everyday, she’d play it off by grabbing something small off the shelf but she would always end up talking to Soda for ages. In fear of being heartbroken again, he didn't tell the gang about his new girlfriend. Yes, girlfriend. They sure did hit it off.

He didn’t want the gang’s pity if his new relationship didn’t work out, so they kept on the down-low. Sodapop hadn’t seen true beauty inside and out until he met, Julianna. She was so full of life and happiness that she even made already bright things even more brighter and beautiful. He hadn’t felt this way about anyone. “Come on, Soda, we gotta head to work,” Steve said as he walked into the shared room of Ponyboy and Sodapop to retrieve Soda’s pants.

He grabbed the clothing from the set of drawers but stopped when he felt Soda’s wallet. Feeling cheeky, he took a peek inside but inside of seeing a dollar bill, he saw a photo. It was a photo of Sodapop and Julianna, who he didn’t know yet. One eyebrow cocked, his expression one of confusion. He stuffed the photo back into the small wallet and walked back out into the living room where Soda was talking to the rest of the gang. “Hey, so who’s this girl in your wallet?” “Wait, you snooped through my wallet?” Sodapop asked.