The next morning I got up and saw on my counter a red rose. Underneath it
was a letter addressed to me. I recognized the writing to be Sodapop's. I
picked up the envelope and ripped it open. The letter dropped to the floor,
so I picked it up. I started to read and it said:
My dearest Kaitlyn,
I'm looking forward to talk to you today. I want to tell you so many things. I would say them in this letter, but I feel that I must talk to you face to face. The doctor said that the best time to have visitors would be about a half-hour after I wake up. I wish I could be home. It would more comfortable sitting on your bed talking to you about your problems, and me being there for you. This time though I need you here with me. I trust that you won't let me down. You never have before and now I need you more than ever. The doctor says that if I want to have a long conversation with someone, that it should be in the morning. You think you could make it at 10 o'clock? Well hope to see you.
Forever,
Sodapop Curtis
I looked at the clock. It was 8 o'clock. I had plenty of time to get ready. I took a shower, changed into clean clothes, and ate breakfast.
It was 9:30 when I finished. I decided I would go to the hospital now. I left a note for Darry saying where I was, just so he wouldn't worry.
I got to the hospital a little early, but thought that it wouldn't matter too much.
"Hey," I said.
"Oh, hi." He smiled, and then I did too. He always was able to make me smile, make anyone smile.
"So, um.what you wanna talk to me about?"
"I didn't really want to talk to you. Just see you."
I cocked an eyebrow.
"Okay, yeah I was gonna say something. Uh.do you know why Steve did what he did?"
I stared at him for a moment and then shook my head.
"He said it was because of you."
That hit me hard. The worst thing that could happen was Soda getting hurt because of me.
"He said, well nevermind what he said. Hey, you know something? I could've died. The doctors called it a miracle, me recovering. The said that I might not have lived or I would've gone into a coma. I felt myself that I was leaving this world, but something kept me from going. You know what it was?"
"What?"
"You. Remember that time we were talking about how everyone has to move on in life, even when they had a bad experience. I told you that you had to take another chance. Then you asked me if I had and I said yes. You never asked whom I had fallen in love with though. I was glad you didn't because it was you. I realized that you were the one for me when you had helped me get over Sandy. When you were in the mental facility I couldn't stop thinking about you, worryin' about you. I prayed to God that you would get out soon. They wouldn't let you, but hey did let me visit, finally. I visited you any day I could, just so that I could see your beautiful face. I wanted to talk to you so that I could hear your beautiful voice, but those aren't the only reasons why I love you. You are a great person. There are so many great things about you. Things that I can't explain in words. Now, the thing that kept me from leaving was what I said to you the other day. I said that if I was ever the one whom you fell in love with, I would never leave you. Even if you didn't love me I would never leave you because.I love you."
By that time I was crying silent tears. Then I said, "I love you too."
I leaned over and kissed his soft lips for the first time. It was a beautiful, passionate kiss. I never would have had that kind of kiss with Dally. It was different with Soda because in him I not only saw a lover, but also a friend. It was something I would never find in Dally.
"Soda."
"Hm."
"Thank you."
He grinned and then told me to come forward and he gave me a kiss on the lips and then on the forehead. I guessed that was my cue to leave. I left the room with a smile on my face and a happy heart.
My dearest Kaitlyn,
I'm looking forward to talk to you today. I want to tell you so many things. I would say them in this letter, but I feel that I must talk to you face to face. The doctor said that the best time to have visitors would be about a half-hour after I wake up. I wish I could be home. It would more comfortable sitting on your bed talking to you about your problems, and me being there for you. This time though I need you here with me. I trust that you won't let me down. You never have before and now I need you more than ever. The doctor says that if I want to have a long conversation with someone, that it should be in the morning. You think you could make it at 10 o'clock? Well hope to see you.
Forever,
Sodapop Curtis
I looked at the clock. It was 8 o'clock. I had plenty of time to get ready. I took a shower, changed into clean clothes, and ate breakfast.
It was 9:30 when I finished. I decided I would go to the hospital now. I left a note for Darry saying where I was, just so he wouldn't worry.
I got to the hospital a little early, but thought that it wouldn't matter too much.
"Hey," I said.
"Oh, hi." He smiled, and then I did too. He always was able to make me smile, make anyone smile.
"So, um.what you wanna talk to me about?"
"I didn't really want to talk to you. Just see you."
I cocked an eyebrow.
"Okay, yeah I was gonna say something. Uh.do you know why Steve did what he did?"
I stared at him for a moment and then shook my head.
"He said it was because of you."
That hit me hard. The worst thing that could happen was Soda getting hurt because of me.
"He said, well nevermind what he said. Hey, you know something? I could've died. The doctors called it a miracle, me recovering. The said that I might not have lived or I would've gone into a coma. I felt myself that I was leaving this world, but something kept me from going. You know what it was?"
"What?"
"You. Remember that time we were talking about how everyone has to move on in life, even when they had a bad experience. I told you that you had to take another chance. Then you asked me if I had and I said yes. You never asked whom I had fallen in love with though. I was glad you didn't because it was you. I realized that you were the one for me when you had helped me get over Sandy. When you were in the mental facility I couldn't stop thinking about you, worryin' about you. I prayed to God that you would get out soon. They wouldn't let you, but hey did let me visit, finally. I visited you any day I could, just so that I could see your beautiful face. I wanted to talk to you so that I could hear your beautiful voice, but those aren't the only reasons why I love you. You are a great person. There are so many great things about you. Things that I can't explain in words. Now, the thing that kept me from leaving was what I said to you the other day. I said that if I was ever the one whom you fell in love with, I would never leave you. Even if you didn't love me I would never leave you because.I love you."
By that time I was crying silent tears. Then I said, "I love you too."
I leaned over and kissed his soft lips for the first time. It was a beautiful, passionate kiss. I never would have had that kind of kiss with Dally. It was different with Soda because in him I not only saw a lover, but also a friend. It was something I would never find in Dally.
"Soda."
"Hm."
"Thank you."
He grinned and then told me to come forward and he gave me a kiss on the lips and then on the forehead. I guessed that was my cue to leave. I left the room with a smile on my face and a happy heart.
