Chapter Twenty-One: Okay

Georgie POV

I hated this... Sitting here in this house. Being babysat by some neighbor I didn't know. I was happy it was Friday. At least on the weekend I would be babysat by one of my friends.

"I'm leaving, sweetie. Ponyboy should be home in the next few minutes. I'm sorry I have to leave early."

"Perfectly fine with me."

Darry had told her that I had a chest cold. This week has been awful. That woman hovered and made me eat nasty stuff to 'help with my cold'.

It was around thirty minutes later that Ponyboy walked in.

"I'm home!"

"Who cares?"

"Meanie..."

He walked in the kitchen and I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Where's Mrs. Drands?"

"Never coming back, I hope..."

"She left?"

"Yeahp. Asked if she could leave early. I told her it was just fine with me."

He shook his head at me and gave me a worried look.

"Don't do that. You look too much like Darry when you do that, and that's scary..."

He sighed. I felt guilty.

"I'm fine, Ponyboy. I'm not in that state of mind anymore. She's only been gone around thirty minutes. And it's not like there's anything in this house I could use, anyway..."

They had cleaned the house out. We were even using plastic utensils and paper plates. And all the medicine was someplace hidden.

"We're just worried."

I was getting frustrated.

"Come on the porch. I need a smoke."

We walked outside and lit up. I stepped out in the yard and looked at the clouds. It was about to rain. I love the rain.

"What're you doing?"

"Looking at the clouds."

I laid down on the grass. Pony laid down beside me.

"Not good looking clouds."

"I think they're pretty."

"Really?"

"If I tell you this, don't read to much into it. Okay?"

"Okay."

"You like sunsets. And sunrises. And I see why. The colors are just... It's like God's painting a picture. But, I've always been intrigued by ugly things. They're beautiful to me."

"What do you mean?"

"I like storms. To me, those clouds rolling in make me feel at peace. When I was little, I was always terrified of someone breaking into the house. I don't know why. I just was. In movies and stuff, people always break in on stormy nights, and that scared me. One time, when I was five, It was storming. So, obviously because of those movies, I was scared of someone breaking into the house. My dad came in my room and comforted me. Told me that no one would ever break in during a storm. That it would never happen. That stuck with me for some reason. So, I always look at a storm as beautiful. They make me feel safe."

"You and your dad. Were you ever close?"

It hurt to think about, but I needed to say it.

"Yeah. We were. He was a great dad. Then, he changed over night. Or maybe he didn't. I don't know. I'm not exactly sure when it all started. I just remember loving my dad one day, and being terrified of him the next."

"I'm sorry..."

I propped my head on my hand to look at him.

"Don't be. I'm okay."

He gave me a pointed look...

"Well, I'm getting there, anyway."

"The way you dig storms. That's gold..."

"Keep it that way, it's a good way to be. Very wise words from a very wise young man... I know you miss him, Pony..."

"I do... He was my best friend. You would have liked him."

I smiled. If only he knew...

"You know, I think I would have liked Johnnycake. Especially if he was anything like you."

"You're the first person I've been able to talk to like Johnny."

"You can talk to me about anything."

"This girl asked me to take her to the movies."

"You gonna go?"

"Yeah. I think so... You know, Soda likes to bowl."

"I think it's great you like someone."

He sighed. Clearly seeing I wasn't going for the bait. He wanted me and Soda to be together. He told me that a long time ago. I was hoping for it, too. But I was thinking it was too late. That he looked at me the same way me and Pony looked at each other. Like a sibling.

"Ponyboy?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for being me best friend."

He looked at me.

"Thanks for being mine. It's a bonus that it bugs the crap out of Soda."

I laughed. He was right about that. It did bug Soda.

"Come on. Let's go inside. I wanna watch tv."

We walked in, but I turned to Ponyboy.

"I gotta get something outta my room."

I walked to my room and shut the door. I whispered.

"Johnny?"

"I'm here."

I saw him standing there with a smile on his face.

"Looks like he found a new best friend."

"Like I said before, no one could replace you, Johnny."

I sat down on the bed and he sat next to me.

"I haven't really got to talk to you without it being bad. Or without Dally being here. Ponyboy misses you so much."

I looked at him.

"Why is it that you can't talk to him. Or anyone else in the gang. Why can you guys only talk to me?"

"Because you're strong enough to handle it. Trust me. I would love to talk to Pony. But, he would think he was going crazy."

"You don't think I do? I'm sitting here talking to a ghost. You don't think I think I'm losing it?"

"But, you're not. You're stronger than you think."

"Back to Ponyboy."

"He's like your brother."

"He is. But, he's more than that. It's almost like we're soulmates without the romance."

"Soulmate doesn't have to be someone you're in love with. Just someone you love."

"Georgie, everything okay?"

Ponyboy walked in the room and Johnny was gone.

"Yeah..."

"What's wrong?"

He kneeled in front of me.

"Nothing's wrong. I'm just tired. It's been a long couple of weeks."

"Shoot, it's been a long few months."

I laid down and he laid beside me.

"I'm so tired..."

He put his arm around me and pulled me close.

"Then, sleep."

No one knew this, but we had taken naps like this everyday that we were the only ones home. It really was innocent. Once, Pony told me that the idea of kissing me was gross. And I had to agree. We loved each other, just not that way. I never saw Pony any way other than a brother. We must've fallen asleep like that because later we were startled by a mad voice...

"What's goin' on here?"

I opened my eyes to see Soda's confused ones.

"Shut up Soda, I'm sleeping with my woman!"

Soda's eyes got wide. Me and Pony looked at each other moving our faces closer... And closer... And closer... And right as our lips were about to touch... We both burst out laughing and I pushed him off of the bed.

"What just happened?"

I got up and walked by Soda patting the side of his face.

"Nothing, honey."

I went to the bathroom to wash my hands. Soda was standing in the doorway leaning against it, his arms crossed.

"Something going on between you and Pony?"

He was trying to hide that he was flustered. I was having too much fun.

"So what if there is?"

I started to walk out into the hall.

"Tell me."

He was following me.

"Tell me!"

He grabbed my arm, spun me around, and walked me into the wall. I was trying not to smile. But then I realized how close he was. I could feel his breathe on my face.

"No. There's nothing going on between me and Ponyboy..."

"She's right, Soda."

He turned away and I let out a breath.

"We were just messing with you. We really were asleep, though."

"Y'all were sleeping pretty close..."

"She sleeps like that with you. What's the difference?"

His face went from anger, to sadness.

"Yeah. You're right..."

He walked out of the house.