Hello everyone! Despite the title of this chapter, this is not the end of the story, so don't worry!
Well, last weekend I was in London and I'm so in love with that city! I wish I lived there and one day I probably will (I know I'll try my hardest to make it)! I saw this guy who looked exactly like the singer from the band The Servant, I don't know if they're famous in the US but in Europe they are!
I'm also addicted to Starbucks…which is not good, is it?
Okay, I'm done with the ramblings!
Disclaimer: I only own Sybil, Seth and Helene.
7 – This is the end, beautiful friend
"Seth is so hot!"
I pretended I hadn't heard a word.
"I can't believe you never went out with him! I'm sure he's asked you, right? Right?"
"Helene!" I almost shouted. "I have to finish this article for the newspaper! Will you be silent for a minute?"
"You can do that later! I wanna know about Seth! What was he like in high school?"
I sighed and turned to face her, dropping my pen on the table. "First of all, he's not that hot. Second, in high school he was a jerk most of the time."
"You serious? He looks so sweet!" She sighed in awe. I rolled my eyes. "You sound like a teenager who's got her first crush."
"I can't help it…"
Helene looked so entranced I didn't bother replying. Since she had bumped into Seth the day he had walked me home, she had been talking about him non-stop and they hadn't even exchanged a few words, just smiled at each other. When she had found out we went to the same high school, she had started driving me nuts with all kind of questions.
I studied her features for a second: her dark brown locks, which went a couple of inches past her shoulders, and her blue eyes definitely made her stand out in a crowd…she was really pretty. She was also tall for a girl and sometimes I wished I looked like her.
She had never been lucky with guys. She had told Joan and I that she had had two boyfriends in high school, who both turned out to be possessive idiots, and other two boyfriends during the college years, but it didn't last long with either of them. On our final year she hadn't dated at all, because she said she was "sick and tired of attracting all of the jerks of Tulsa, Oklahoma". And I thought that had to be simply because most guys didn't bother getting to know her, but were only interested in her good looks.
"D'you mind if I turn the radio on?"
Her words shook me out of my reverie. "No…Go ahead."
Coincidentally, one of my favorite songs was on.
Let's swim to the moon, let's climb through the tidePenetrate the evenin' that the city sleeps to hide
It was Moonlight Drive by The Doors. I remembered telling Sophie that maybe Jim Morrison had brought his death upon himself, because he was addicted to drugs and alcohol…
Let's swim out tonight, love, it's our turn to tryParked beside the ocean on our moonlight drive
…and I regretted saying that. I didn't have the right to judge anyone and sometimes I just did, without thinking twice. Soda was different. If he didn't like someone or something, he spoke his mind, but he was never harsh about it…or if he was, he had pretty good reasons. But most of the time, he was sweet to everyone, even to those who didn't deserve it.
Let's swim to the moon, let's climb through the tideSurrender to the waiting worlds that lap against our side
Nothin' left open and no time to decide
We've stepped into a river on our moonlight drive
I missed Soda so much…and I had only been away for nine days. The only thing that made me feel better was marking each day on the calendar on the wall.
"I'll go call Soda." I announced, getting up and leaving the room.
I had to dial the number three times before someone finally answered. "Hey, Pony, it's Sybil! Is Soda there? He's showering? Well, don't bother him, just tell him I've called…how are you two? No, there's no need to call him…wait!"
Ponyboy ignored me and called Sodapop. When I heard his voice, I felt so much better. "Hi…I didn't mean to interrupt you!"
"You kiddin? I love hearing your voice. Even if I'm still covered with soap from head to toe."
I laughed. "I'd like to see that, ask Ponyboy to take a picture."
"He's just left, once again on a date with Lauren. They're getting pretty serious…"
"And you don't like it?" I asked, feeling a slight hint of disappointment in his voice.
"I like her, I just think they're very young…"
"Aw, come on, Soda, you were younger than Ponyboy when we got married. Leave them be."
"Alright. Maybe I'm just jealous cause I wanna see you, too."
"I know…I miss you…" I whispered.
"So, is everything okay in San Fran?"
"Yeah, everything's fine…" I was suddenly at a loss of things to say. "You know…I met an old friend…kinda."
"Who?"
"Seth Tucker."
Soda's tone changed quickly. "The one who went to high school with you? The one who wanted you to be his girlfriend?"
I knew I had made a huge mistake telling him about Seth, but I hated hiding things from him. "He never…yes, the one who went to high school with me."
"Did he hit on you?"
"Soda! He would never…he knows I'm married to you!"
"So? That must make it all the more exciting for him."
"Be serious…who cares about Seth? I only mentioned him because…I met him and thought I'd tell you…I mean, he's way nicer now than he's ever been, he's here in medical school…"
"Oh, so he's even in medical school? That's great, I guess he really is perfect now."
"Soda…you know I didn't mean anything like that…"
After a pause, he replied: "Yeah. I just…he can see you and I can't, and I don't trust him very much…"
"You don't have to worry! I don't even know if I'll see him again…Listen, it's getting late and I'd better go…by the way, have you had Steve check on the car yet?"
There was a moment of silence from his part. "I guess I kinda…forgot?"
"Soda!"
"I know, I know! I'll make sure to fix it, don't worry!"
I sighed. "Alright. I'll talk to you tomorrow, or the day after that, okay?"
"Okay…good night and sweet dreams."
----------------------------------------------------
I marked another day on the calendar. Only six more days in San Francisco and then I'd be home…Who knew the old saying "Home sweet home" could be so true?
I started looking around for a novel I had been reading. I thought I had left it on my bed, but it wasn't there. "Helene, have you seen my book?"
"Which one?"
"The one I've been reading for the past few days…"
"You're always reading something, be more specific!"
"Fine! It's Big Sur!" I exclaimed.
"The one by Kerouac?" Helene sounded surprised. "I thought that kind of writing wasn't really your cup of tea…"
"Well…Seth recommended it to me because he likes it very much…" I slowly said.
"Seth?" Helene lost all interest in the article she was checking for the Daily Californian and eyed me incredulously: "When did you see him again? You could have called me and introduced me to him!"
"Wouldn't that be a little strange if I randomly called you?"
"Well…no, if you did it properly!"
"Whatever, go back to your article. I wonder where the damn book is!"
"Maybe you left it at the Californian's office." She suggested. "Where did you meet Seth?"
"I was getting some coffee and he was standing in the same line."
"Oh." She nodded and finally went back to work. She didn't look like she couldn't focus, though. "Hey, do you wanna go out and eat some pizza?" she asked me.
"Not really. My stomach's killing me at the moment, I don't feel like eating anything." I replied. It was true: I felt like I could throw up at any moment.
"You caught some virus?"
"I have no idea."
Eventually, Helene and I ended up having a walk while she ate some burger. We stopped for a while to talk with some co-workers of us at the Californian, then we sat on some bench in the nearest park.
"So…it's almost over…" Helene softly muttered. "You know, I don't want to leave. I like it here."
"I know what you mean…This is a great place…but it's no home." I whispered. "I love Tulsa. I wouldn't want to live in any other city… 'cause there's simply too many memories back there."
"Yeah, and you have Soda. But I have no one…except my parents, who are glad I'm here doing something for a living."
"You've got friends, too! You've got me and Joan…and plenty of guys lusting after you!" I added, laughing.
"That's not funny!"
"Yes, it is!" I insisted. "Anyway…I'm kind of scared, you know, about going back home and looking for a job."
"I am, too. I still don't feel like college's over."
"I know…this feels like that one song by the Doors…The End."
"Right. This is the end, beautiful friend…" Helene sang.
We just sat on that bench, chatting about everything that came to mind, and enjoying the cool breeze. Helene was a close friend of mine, probably the closest friend I'd had after Sophie left to wander in California, and I'd miss those days spent with her.
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"Have a nice trip back home!"
"I will! You should come back to Tulsa, too."
"No way, I'm in love with San Fran, now." Seth replied, smiling. "I won't come back before I'm a qualified doctor!"
"Good luck with your studies then!" I smiled back and hugged him, a bit awkwardly. Then I turned to Helene: "Shoot, I'm gonna miss you so much!" I exclaimed.
"I'm gonna miss you too! I still can't believe the Daily Californian accepted my request of working for them for the rest of the summer!" she replied. "When I come back to Tulsa, you'll be the first person I drop by to see!"
"You better!"
We hugged and then I looked at the train. "I'd better…" I couldn't finish my sentence because I felt a warm tear slide down my cheek. "Great, you've made me cry!" I shouted, trying to regain my composure.
"You're such a baby!" Seth teased me. It sounded weird having him say that.
"Well, you take care of Helene, here. I wouldn't want her to get lost and God knows how many times that's happened!" I replied.
"That's not true!" Helene retorted.
"Whatever you say…look, I have to go…take care, the both of you!"
I sat in an empty compartment and waved at Helene and Seth as they stood outside, waiting for the train to leave the station. Seth had been nice enough to come and say goodbye to me when he had found out I was leaving and the three of us had spent the morning together, before I'd had to reach the station. Helene had looked pretty radiant of getting to talk, and know a bit, Seth. He had been his usual charming self, not to impress her, or me, just because he had really changed.
As the train approached Tulsa, several hours later, I started to feel thrilled. Soda didn't know I was coming home that day, I wanted to surprise him…but in the end, when I got home, I was the surprised one.
"Sybil! I didn't know you were coming home today!" Ponyboy got up from the couch and hugged me.
"Hey, Pony! I missed you!" I hugged him back.
"You look tanned!"
"Yeah, well…San Francisco's sun can do miracles!" I joked. I had always had very fair skin. "Where's Soda? Don't tell me he's still at work! It's almost eight in the evening…"
"Actually…" Ponyboy's smile faded quickly. "You don't have to worry, it's nothing serious…"
"What?" I was worrying, after hearing those words.
"You know the car wasn't working properly…Soda kind of…had a small accident, but he's fine!"
"When did it happen? How is he? Why didn't you phone to let me know?" I was growing sicker and sicker by the minute.
"It only happened this morning, I didn't phone cause Soda didn't want you to worry, since we thought you'd be coming home in a couple of days and well…they said this night they were keeping him in the hospital just to check on him, since he has a minor concussion, but he's really fine." Ponyboy spoke quickly.
I don't know how I managed to stay calm as Ponyboy drove us to the hospital. When I entered the room where Soda was, I almost started crying…I was overjoyed because I was finally seeing him again and I was anxious about his condition. "Soda!"
"Sybil? What-"
"You're so stupid! How many times did I tell you to check the car? Why didn't you listen?" I cried. Sodapop looked fine, apart from a couple of bruises on his face and arms.
"I'm okay! I don't even know why they wanted me to stay! Look, when did you arrive?" he replied, trying to get out of bed.
"Stay right where you are! I got home half an hour ago and…I certainly didn't think I'd find you here!"
"Calm down, Sybil! I told you I'm fine!"
Ponyboy had decided he'd leave us alone and left the room. I was still mad, but Sodapop managed to make me relax and he started asking me questions about San Francisco and my job. "I'm glad you're home…" he finally said. "I thought I wouldn't see you for another three days."
"I was supposed to come back in three days, but…I changed my mind." I smiled, taking his hand.
"And why is that? Missing me that much, were you?" he grinned. I loved his smile and I kissed him lightly, before answering: "Not just because of that…"
"What else?"
"I wanted to tell you…I'm pregnant."
