I woke up when I felt the bus come to a halt. I had been taking a nap most of the bus ride, but now I was wide awake, excited about seeing Sandy, and excited about my mission to prove Ponyboy wrong. I looked out the window and gawked at Florida's beauty, far more beautiful than home, it almost made me sick. I grabbed my bag and made my way off the bus and looked around the station for Sandy. Then I saw her, her long blonde pulled back into a ponytail, her crystal blue eyes shinning in the sunlight. She smiled a huge smile, ran up to me, and hugged me. As usual she looked gorgeous.
"Ash, how have you been?" She asked as we broke our tight, five- minute embrace.
"I've been good now," I said.
"Now? What do you mean now?" She asked curiously.
"Oh we've got quite a bit of catching up to do, I'll tell you later," I said.
Sandy led me to her car, I shoved my bag into the trunk of the car, and we got in it and drove off.
"Florida's more beautiful than I imagined," I exclaimed looking out the window.
"Yes, it is nice," Sandy agreed, but something in her tone made me wonder if she was happy here.
I got settled into the guestroom of Sandy's grandmother's house, then we went into her room, sat on her bed and started talking.
"So, what's been going on at home?" She asked. Home she said home, so she didn't feel at home in Florida! That's a good sign, for me at least.
I told Sandy everything! I told her about Ponyboy and Johnny running away and becoming heroes, I told her Johnny almost died, I told her about the rumble, I tole her Angela broke up with Bryon, I told her I joined the track team, I told her I cut my arms and almost committed suicide but Pony and Two-bit saved me, and I repaired my relationship with my brother. I told her about everyone and everything except for my love mission and Sodapop Curtis.
"Wow, I'm sorry I missed out on all of that!" Sandy said, "Oh Ash, thank God you didn't kill yourself! I would've cried so hard if you did and I wasn't there!"
"Well, I didn't, so don't you worry," I said and smiled.
"So is that about it then?" She asked.
"Yep," I replied.
"Nothing else?" She asked.
"Not a thing?"
"Are you sure?" She asked.
"If you want to know about Soda then just ask me," I said coolly.
Sandy opened her mouth and closed it, contemplating what to say next.
"How is he?" She asked.
"Do you want the truth or a lie?" I asked.
"The lie."
"He's fine and dandy." I replied, unfazed by what I just said, looking around her room.
"Okay tell me the truth," She said.
"The truth is that he's miserable. He almost lost the two people that he loved most in the same week, luckily Pony returned, but you acted like it didn't matter to you. You're whole relationship seemed to be worth nothing, or so he thought. His one true love left like that," I said and snapped my fingers, "barely without saying goodbye. What did you expect me to say? That he's swell and better than ever? Well sorry to disappoint you but he's not."
I took a deep breath, I hadn't meant it to come out like that, but I cane be rather arrogant at times. I've always liked Soda, and I thought Sandy left in a crappy way. If she was going to leave him, then she could have had the decency to give him an explanation for her actions.
For a second there I thought she was going to cry, and she did.
"I'm sorry Sandy, that was harsh of me!" I said and put an arm around her.
"No, you're right! It's not what you said, it's just that it was the truth!" She said and cried into my shoulder. "It did matter to me! Our relationship did matter!" She looked up at me, her blue eyes misty. "I was afraid."
"Afraid of what?" I asked.
"Afraid that…" She said, her lip quivering, "Afraid that we would end up like some of our friends parents! I didn't want that, but that's where we grew up, and that what we're used to."
"Sandy, Sandy, Sandy, not all relationships end up like that. Soda's parents loved each other and so do yours. But that shouldn't matter anyway, if you and Soda love each other then you should be together." I said. Gee, I'm beginning to see a pattern in my conversations lately…
"I know, but still, the thought scared me. I never wanted to hurt Soda, but I thought better now than later." She said.
"I believe that people fall in love for reasons, sometimes love goes bad I know, but I believe everyone has a soul mate," I said, "And I started believing that by watching you and Soda together all the time."
Sandy looked at me like she had never seen me before.
"Well, I think I'll leave you to think about that, I'll go to my room and catch up on some sleep." I said when I looked at the clock on her wall, surprised at how late is was.
"Goodnight Ash," Sandy said softly.
"Goodnight," I said. I walked out of her room with a shadow of a smile on my face, I think everything will be going my way for once.
All weekend Sandy and I went sightseeing, shopping, and went to the beach to check out the boys (we spotted quite a few hotties there!) When it came time for me to leave Sandy said, "I'm coming with you."
"What?" I asked.
"I coming home. Florida is a nice place, I agree with you, but it's not home." She said. We were in her room, she took out a bag and started packing her clothes. "I already spoke to grandma and my parents, and I told them I needed to be home."
"Well, we'll all be glad to have you home. Is there any special reason to you decision?" I asked.
"Yep. Soda."