Chapter 26
I woke up to Pony and Hannah jumping up and down on the bed trying to wake me up. I snuck a glance at the clock next to the bed. It was 6 in the morning. I tried not to groan audibly because I just wanted to go back to bed. I took one look at the pouting faces in front of me and caved. Hannah bent down and kissed me, a sweet peck. I was looking forward to getting one of those every morning for the rest of my life. The three of us crept into Darry's room and started jumping on his bed, waking him and Jennifer.
"What in the hell?" Darry exclaimed half asleep.
"C'mon, Superman! Get up! Get Up!" Hannah shouted as she shook his shoulders. Jennifer rolled out of bed and went to the bathroom, but Darry just flipped over and buried his face into his pillow. Then Ponyboy joined Hannah in shaking him. They were both shouting "Get up! Get up! It's Christmas! Get UP!" I thought, "Oh, fuck it! If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!" Then all three of us were jumping up and down and trying to get Darry up.
"Fine!" Darry yelled. We started cheering and hugging. "What time is everyone else coming?" he asked impatiently.
"Eight o'clock on the dot!" Hannah beamed. We all went to the kitchen and Jennifer and Darry started to make breakfast. Hannah, Pony, and I sat at the kitchen table. I was shaking from nerves. Ever and Two-Bit were the only people that knew what I was planning.
Hannah had always loved the snow and winter; she had always wanted a white Christmas. But living in Tulsa, Oklahoma isn't going to give you a white Christmas. She always hoped for one anyway, she was just a hopeful person. I was going to give her a white Christmas, though. The store was selling snowflake confetti, so I asked Ever and Two-Bit to buy as much as they could get. It was inexpensive so they bought the store out. They hid the confetti at Two's house. When it came time for me to ask her, I was going to get her outside and they were going to hide themselves on top of the roof and throw the confetti on top of us. I had to wait until right before dinner because I was going to take her out, so that it'd be just the two of us.
When everyone arrived we sat in the living room to exchange gifts. No one got anything big, we got small things for each other and the rule was one gift person and two people or more people could go in on a gift together if they wanted to. One person would give all of their gifts out and then everyone would open it. And like always, we started with Ponyboy. Him and I went in on a new tool belt for Darry. I also helped him buy a shower gel set for Jennifer. He got Steve and Two-Bit ball caps. Then all of the boys and Jennifer went in on a tool set for me. I guess they want me to fix stuff around the house. Then it was my turn, I got Two-Bit a bottle opener that he could put on his key ring; Hannah and I got Steve jumper cables; Darry, Jennifer, and I went in on a new psychology book for Ever; Darry, Jennifer, and I also went in on Oliver Twist for Ponyboy. I saved Hannah's for last. When she opened the box it was a diamond snowflake necklace that went with the ring. Hannah got Ever a mint green sweater. Hannah gave me a box that was roughly the size of the one I gave her. Inside was a blank dog that had a small heart etched into the bottom right corner, on the back 'H.C.W. + S.P.C.' was etched. I immediately put in on. I leaned over and planted a kiss on her forehead and whispered a thank you in her ear. Ever had gotten Hannah a wrap ring that had 'lil sis' embossed on it with a snowflake on the inside, Ever put hers on that said 'big sis' and fire on the inside. Two-Bit got Ever a gold Mickey Mouse necklace. We didn't have a big Christmas, like the Socs and middle class kids, but it was enough. It was perfect.
I had been shaking all day. I was so nervous that I barely spoke, afraid of saying the wrong thing and blurting out my plans. At around 5:40 Hannah went to the bedroom to go get dressed for dinner. She came out looking as beautiful as ever. She was wearing a strapless dress that had red sequins at the top and the bottom was about three layers of black material that stopped mid-thigh. She put on a red cardigan sweater that was the same red as her dress. Her red lipstick also went with her ensemble. Her eyeliner was winged out and her mascara was put on thick. I was wearing the same thing I wore to Thanksgiving dinner. About five minutes before we left, Ever and Two-Bit "left" and got in position. I had grabbed the ring and put it into my right pants pocket.
I took Hannah by the hand and led her outside. Once we hit the path to the street confetti started to fall on us. My heart began to race.
"What the—" Hannah exclaimed. I stopped and took her hands. A smile grew on both of our faces. I looked her straight into the eyes.
"Hannah Charlene Waters. I have known you for a long time. I fell in love with you the day that my eyes were graced with your presence, I just didn't realize. You are a beautiful, strong, amazing, magnificent, flawless wonder. I want to be able to wake up next to you every single day. I love you with all my heart. I want to be by your side through thick and thin. Baby, you are the reason that I get up in the morning most of the time. Your smile melts my heart and I am a hundred percent sure that no one could ever make me feel the way that you do. It would never be the same and it would just never be better. Nothing in this world could ever make me feel the way that you do. Not anything, honey." I got down on one knee and pulled the box from my pocket. With the hand that wasn't holding mine, Hannah covered her mouth. I saw tears pooling in her eyes. "Hannah, I want to spend every day with you for the rest of my life." I popped open the box and presented the ring to her. "Will you marry me?" She started nodding her head.
"Yes, yes, Sodapop, I will," she repeated over and over. I took the ring out of the box and placed it on her ring finger. I got up and pulled her into a tight hug. I placed a kiss on the top of her head.
We went to dinner and had a nice time. When we came back, we told everyone the news. Ponyboy let me and Hannah sleep in my old bedroom by ourselves. I had my arms lazily placed around her, pulling her closer to me.
"Sodapop?" she said sleepily.
"Yeah, baby?"
"I love your name; it describes your personality so well. You're happy and bubbly and reckless and crazy. I love your hair and how you don't put as much grease in it as you used to because you know that I like it when it falls in your face. I love your eyes, they show so much emotion and I could just stare at them all day. Your smile is the most amazing one that I've ever seen. It makes me go weak in the knees. You flirt so much, but never on purpose. You have the cutest laugh that I've ever heard. It manages to be reckless and adorable at the same time. You are just a ball of energy; if you're not doing something it kills you. You've never pressured me to put out; you're perfectly okay with doing just this. You always try to cheer me up when I'm not in a good mood. You're an astounding brother to Dar and Pony. I'm glad you gave me this chance. You never fail to prove to me just how wonderful you really are. I just love so much about you. You're so bubbly and fizzy and happy and cute and handsome and wonderful and bright. I can't wait to marry you. We can watch TV at two in the morning while we eat eggs with grape jelly, chocolate milk and chocolate cake. We can have kids. I love you with every ounce of my being. I am head over heels in absolute love with you." She nuzzled her head into my chest and fell asleep.
"I'm in love with you, too," I whispered. I pulled her closer and fell asleep too. I was really and truly exultant. I couldn't wait until I could do this every night and wake up as happy as ever.