A few days later Soda was back home. He couldn't do much, but he tried. He had some visitors, one of them being Steve. The conversation had been a kind of short one. He had come one briefly one afternoon, I had been in my room, but I guess you could say I was eavesdropping.

"Uh, hi," Steve said.

"Oh, hi," Soda said.

"Look I just came to say I'm sorry. That wasn't something I should have done, and if you never forgive me I completely understand. I truly understand, Soda, and again I'm sorry. I should've never let a girl interfere with my friendship with you. You never have with me. I."

"It wasn't Coke that made you do what you did. You had changed even before her. You changed ever since Evie broke up with you. I can say that what you did was unforgivable, that's true. I hate to say it buddy, but I doubt that our friendship will ever be the same. Maybe we won't even have a friendship. Who knows what will happen between us."

"Soda, you never will have to worry about me again. I'm leaving Oklahoma for good. I can't stay here. It'll bring to many bad memories. I want to forget more than anything that I had tried to kill my best friend. I." he broke off, and it sounded like he was crying.

I guess he was leaving the room after that because Soda said, "Wait, Steve.I forgive you."

"Thanks."

I saw him leave the house, and after that we never saw him again. I guess he did leave. His parents were still here. They said Steve had gone to live with his grandparents in Michigan. He left for good.

Soda took it pretty hard. He had lost his best friend, but he was glad he forgave him. He told me everything that had happened to Steve while I was gone. It was hard to believe. He said that he thought he might have taken drugs for a while, but then stopped miraculously. He wasn't sure if this was true though, it had just been something he heard out on the street. Steve had gone through some pretty hard times. He found out that Evie had been cheating on him and he still refused to believe it. Evie ended up breaking up with him. Then he was really not the same.

Days passed, and still no news about Steve. I guess he was really gone for good. Soda was better now.

"Hey, Coke. Thanks for being here for me. I don't think I would have made it without you."

"I think you would've. You're a tough guy. Yeah it might have taken a longer time for the healing process, but you would've made it."

"I love you."

"I love you too. Hey, do you think you're able to walk on a crutch now?"

"Yeah, maybe. I guess I could if I try."

"Well then try. I want you to get better as soon as possible, so that you could go outside."

"So that I could go out with you."

I smiled and then got the crutches. He struggled getting out of bed, so I had to help him. He got hold of the crutches, and then walked a little way. He got to the living room, and then collapsed on the sofa.

"Okay, you did an all right job," I said.

"It was pretty hard."

"Good job, Soda," Darry said. "You're getting better everyday."

"I've always been good, just that I couldn't walk."

"Yeah well now you sorta can."

"Yeah. Hey Darry, when do you think I'll be able to go outside again?"

"Maybe in a couple of days."

"Okay cool. Well I'm hungry. What's for breakfast?"

"Yeah, me too," I said.

"Well we got chocolate cake, with chocolate chip pancakes," Darry said.

"That sounds great," I said.

"Where's Ponyboy?" Soda asked.

"He's still sleeping. He came home late last night," Darry said.

"Where was he?" I asked.

"A party I think," Darry said.

"Without me? Just kidding," I said.

We ate breakfast and then well not much else happened after that. I stayed home all day because of Soda, so not much action happened. Two-Bit came over for a while, but then left saying he had to meet his new girlfriend, Tiffany, at a bar.

A few days passed, and Soda finally could walk without the crutches. He still had a little trouble, but he said he was fine. As soon as he could go outside he left. He said he was going somewhere, but wouldn't tell me. I decided I was gonna go to Pepsi's house.

"Darry, I'm going to a friend's house!"

"Okay, but come back before dinner."

"Okay."

I ran out the door. I got to her house, and rang the doorbell. Her little brother answered the door.

"Hello, Kaity. You wanna see Belinda?"

"Yeah, is she here?"

"Uhuh. Come on in."

I walked inside. It was a nice house. A whole lot better than mine. Not better than my parents house, but better than mine.

"Bel you got someone here to see you!"

Pepsi came through the hallway.

"Oh, hi! Where you been?"

"Hospital, home. Real sorry I haven't come it's just that well, Sodapop was in the hospital and so I've been at home taking care of him."

"You really like him, don't you?"

"No, I love him."

"You sure bout that? I mean you may just think you do but when the matter is over it may turn out that you really don't. I think that you just have a crush on him. Are you guys together?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Just asking. Well any ways come on in to my room."

We walked to her room.

"Hello, Mrs. Horsempa."

"Oh, hi Kaity."

We walked into her room. It was an average room, about the same size as mine, possibly smaller. It was nicely decorated though. The walls were red with rims of gold. The carpet was red and curtains were golden. Her bed had a red cover, and the drapes over it were golden. It was a nice room.

"So, well we never got to finish our conversation last time. How was it in the mental facility?"

"Not fun. It was horrible."

"Well, I'm glad I'm never going there."

"Yeah, well you never know. Something could happen that could make you go crazy."

"That's true."

The conversation went on and on. I finally left her house right before dinner.