"Hey I hear the girl is back."

"She has a name you know."

"Yeah, yeah. What was it again?"

"Oh my God! What is wrong with you? You forgot already?"

"Well sorry. I'm not Mr. I have a good memory."

"Yeah well, you don't forget people instantly. Besides she was your friend, and.well how could you forget her so fast?"

"Okay, it's nothing that big. I forgot her name, big deal. You don't have to get angry with me. I remember who she is, just not her name."

"It's Coke."

"Oh yeah. Now I remember."

"Because I just told you."

The conversation was coming from the living room. Soda was getting mad at someone, but I couldn't really recognize the voice. I was stuck in a mental facility and the only person I talked to was Soda because he was the only one that visited me. I went out to see who was there. It was Steve Randle.

"Hey, Steve."

"Oh are you her? I mean.hey, Coke. Long time no see."

"You don't remember me, do you?"

"Well I didn't really recognize you. You got hotter."

I didn't say anything after that. I went to the kitchen to check if there was anything to eat.

"Soda, did you make breakfast?"

"No, not yet. I will.soon."

"Forget it. I'll make breakfast, okay?"

"Okay."

I got 4 eggs out of the refrigerator. I made eggs with ham, hard-boiled, and scrambled eggs with jelly. Grape jelly for Soda and Strawberry for me. As I was baking the chocolate cake I listened to the conversation in the living room.

"Damn, she's so fuckin' hot" I heard Steve say.

"Yeah well, you're not getting anywhere near her. You didn't even remember her, but since you saw her you like her, but for he wrong reason."

"Looks are all that matter."

"My God, you definitely aren't getting anywhere near her. I bet you'll probably go out with her once, fuck her, and then just leave her."

"Come on, Soda. Girls are just little toys to fuck around with. Let me have sex with her once. Wait.why am I asking you? You ain't her father. She can do it if she wants to. All I gotta do is get her to like me and then.yeah."

"She'll never like you."

"What do you know."

The door slammed shut, so I guessed that he had left.

"Did you hear any of it."

I jumped.

"God, you scared the crap out of me. Yeah, all of it actually. You're right I wouldn't go out with him. I mean it wasn't the sex part that made me not like him, but what he said 'bout women."

"Oh, so you're sayin you would have sex with any guy that asked you."

"Not any guy. Guys that aren't like him."

"Is breakfast ready? Oh, um.hi, Kaitlyn." It was Darry.

"Yeah breakfast is ready. Eggs with ham, chocolate cake, and coffee. Here you go, Darrel."

"Um.thanks." He took the plate and coffee. I could tell he was feeling uncomfortable, and I knew why. He still felt bad for putting me in a mental facility.

Everyone else went to eat too. It was really quiet, but then Two-Bit came in.

"Oh my God! The rumors are true. Coke is back!"

"Yeah, finally out," I said.

He grabbed me out of my chair and swung me across the room. Then he dropped me.

"We've missed you, or at least I've missed you. I wanted to go visit you, but the stupid doctors wouldn't let me. They said your guardian wouldn't let any one in except him and Soda."

"Oh. Well, that's nice to find out." I was really angry by that time. I never thought I could forgive Darry now. At least before I was thinking about forgiving him, but now I don't think I could.

"Sorry Two-Bit, but I need some time by myself. I promise I'll come talk to you soon." I went directly to my room and locked the door. I lay in my bed for what seemed like forever. I don't exactly know how much time passed.

There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?"

"Soda."

I got up to unlock the door and let him in. Then I locked the door again.

"You feel like talkin?" he asked.

"No."

"Come on. I told you before. If you let it all out you'll feel less stressed. I don't want you to feel stressed so you better start talking."

I grinned and then said, "Its Darry. I mean, before Two-Bit told me what he had done I was actually thinking of forgiving him. I mean, you know I can live with the fact that he thought it was best for me, but taking away almost all-social life. That just wasn't right. He's the cause of me going crazy, and he knows it. I'm glad he feels b."

"Okay, first of all you're going to forgive Darry. Trust me, you'll feel better. Reason why you should forgive him is because I think he's suffered enough. He feels terrible, and he needs a break. If you forgive him it'll make both of you feel better. All you need to do is talk to him."

I looked into his dark-brown eyes for a long time. I loved his eyes. They always showed his reckless side. That's what I liked about Soda. That he was reckless and wild, and yet he was understanding. He was the only person who could make me do something I didn't want to. In this case, talk to Darry.

"Okay," I said.

"Good."

He left the room and then Darry came in.

"Hey, um.you wanted to talk?"

"Uh.yeah."

"Hey, Kaitlyn I'm really sorry. I didn't think you would go nuts. I thought that maybe since you would be with doctors who know what they're doing, you would be all right. Also, I thought that if you didn't have any interruptions you would get healed faster. I'm really sorry, Kaitlyn."

"I.I.I forgive you."

That seemed to cheer him up some. I only saw Darry torn up once, and that was when Ponyboy was gone and ill. This time it was when I was gone and ill, I guess.

"Thanks, Kaitlyn."

"You can call me, Coke."

He smiled one of his rare smiles and left the room. Apparently it was his lunch break and had to go back to work. Soda had a day off today, but Ponyboy was at school. I forgot that he was still only 15.

"Hey, Soda, how old am I?"

"Seventeen. Why?"

"I had forgotten. You're seventeen too, right?"

"Yup. Almost eighteen. Well, not really. I'll be eighteen in two months."

"Oh."

The door opened and in came Steve.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey Steve," Soda said.

"Hi, Steve. Hey um.if any one needs me I'll be in my room."

I left the living room and went to my room. I decided to meditate something I learned to do at the mental hospital. You learn how to do things like that when you have nothing else to do. I realized that I had changed a lot since Dally died. I noticed that I was a lot nicer than I used to be. I think I might actually have feelings. I realized that I care about people now.

I got up from the floor, and lay on my bed just staring at the ceiling and thinking.

"Uh.hey."

I looked up. I should've guessed it was Steve. "Oh, hi."

"You look really hot just laying on that bed like that. Gives me the urge to get on you, and make love to you."

I ignored him. "You left Soda by himself?"

"No, Pony and Two-Bit are there. They kinda kept him preoccupied. He doesn't know I'm here. So maybe, I thought we could you know."

"In your dreams asshole."

"Okay that's it, get over here."

He made a shot to get me, but he missed. I ran out of my room, and into the living room.

"Steve's trying to rape me."

"No, I'm not."

"Steve," Soda said. "What happened to you? I mean come on. My best friend wouldn't do that to a girl. My best friend was wild, but not that wild. Get out of my house! You're not welcomed here! Only my best friend, Steve, is! I don't know who you are!"

"Fine!" he said angrily.

He got out and slammed the door.

"I can't believe him. Did he hurt you?"

"No."

"The guy's gone whack, Soda," Two-Bit said.

"Yeah I think that he still hasn't gotten over the break-up with Evie," Ponyboy said.

"Evie broke up with him?" I asked

Soda nodded.

"When?"

"Like a week ago," Two-Bit said.

At that moment Darry came in.

"Hey," he said.

"Hi," we all said at the same time.

"You guys talkin bout Evie breaking up with Steve?"

I nodded.

"Hey, um.I'm not really hungry Darry. Can I go straight to sleep? I promise I'll eat a big breakfast tomorrow."

"Um.okay."

"Thanks," I yawned.

I went to sleep after that. I was really tired, but throughout the night, for some odd reason, I kept thinking about Sodapop. I finally fell asleep.