She touched the hearts of many, who were thought of as her family. One boy in particular, a Greaser, named Ponyboy Curtis.
Ponyboy Curtis. The boy who still couldn't get his head wrapped around all of this, even years later. Dandelion Winston left him with nothing but a note.
Dear Ponyboy,
I never thought I would be leaving you like this. I thought we would grow up, live together, maybe even have a family of our own. I thought we would be like the movies, where the boy dies first. I never thought I would be the one leaving you. I wanted to keep going on, I loved you so much Ponyboy. And I still do, somewhere up wherever I am. Heaven or something. You were my family, you and Darry, Sodapop, Steve, and Two-Bit. You all gave me more than I ever should have been able to ask for. And I'm so thankful for that. You gave me love, you were my love and I hope that someday we will be able to love each other again, for it was such a short time that I was able to care for you. But I just. Couldn't. Do. It. Any. Longer. I had to leave. Every day was becoming a struggle. Simple things like getting up in the brightness of the morning or turning off the lights when it was time for bed became far too strenuous for my mind to handle. I miss Dally, he's always taken care of me and I still can't get over the fact that I wasn't able to take care of him in his final hours. I wasn't even able to see him in his final hours. I need to be with him now. I love you, Ponyboy. I love each member of our gang, but you and I have a special love that started when we were "too young", and it will never get old. I don't want you to miss me. I don't want that for anyone. The last thing I would want to do is leave everyone hurting. Until we meet again, you should dismiss all of the memories of me. I'm hoping I have touched your life, but not in a way that will leave you grieving now. I regret every little mistake that I've ever made. I hate the cruelty of the world, the fact that people are segregated by race, gender, and income. I hate the way we Greasers can't do the same things Socs can do without the fear of getting jumped. I'm selfish, because all I want is love in this world. Your love. I want your love. You've given it to me, and I have nothing else to want anymore, except my death. Please don't think that even for a minute I don't appreciate what you've all done for me. I appreciate every single bit of it. I hope I can thank you some way, in some other life. Until then, please know that you did nothing wrong. Please know that I will always love you and I will always be watching over you, and that I'll say hello to your parents for you. Please forgive me.
With love and sorrow,
Dandy