Chapter Twenty-Five: Finally

"I overheard some of it."

She looked like she was about to panic.

"Don't panic! Please? You don't have to tell me."

"I have to know what you heard!"

She was starting to breathe hard.

"That you liked someone. That's all I really remember. Calm down!"

"Yeah, um. I said I liked someone who was like Peter Pan..."

"Peter Pan?"

"Yeah. That's my favorite movie and book. When I was little, I used to say I was gonna marry Peter Pan so I could go to Neverland and never grow up."

"How does someone you like remind you of Peter Pan?"

She looked down.

"Because that person is a kid at heart..."

I thought about it for a second. How many times everyones said that about me. Including...

I walked up to her.

"Georgie...?"

"Yeah...?"

"Is it me?"

She wouldn't look at me. I lifted her chin up to look at me.

I stared at her. Those hazel eyes had been trying to tell something for almost a year, and I finally understood what. I leaned down and kissed her. She kissed me back. I put my hands behind her back and pulled her closer. She put her arms around me.

"FINALLY!"

We both jumped. It was Two-bit. Georgie glared at him.

"Hey! Get lost!"

"No can do! Just wait until Ponyboy hears about this!"

He ran into the house. She looked up at me.

"Does this mean?"

I smiled at her.

"That your mine? I hope so."

And with that, we kissed again. We went into the house. It didn't stay a secret, because Two-bit's got a big mouth. He told everyone at dinner that night. Although they all said they saw it coming.

After everyone left, Darry pulled me outside.

"I need to talk to you. About a couple of things."

"Okay. Shoot."

"Well, I'm happy you two are finally together, but you knows she's probably not gonna want to..."

"Darry. I know everything she's been through. I'm not worried about that. I'm in love with her. I will wait as long as she wants. You don't have to tell me."

He sighed with relief.

"Good."

"What's the other thing?"

"Did you know she had a brother?"

"Who?"

"Georgie."

"No. I didn't."

He told me how she tried to kill herself the year before because her brother had died.

"Do we say something?"

"I don't know... She's doing so good right now."

"It kind of hurts she didn't tell us."

"She will. I think we just have to wait until the right time."

"I hope you're right, Darry."