So…this is the final chapter! I hope you all like it…and if you wished for this story to keep going, don't worry, because I'm going to put up the sequel soon!
Until then…thanks to everyone who read my story!
22 - Changes
Soda and I didn't spend much time together, in the following couple of months: I had to improve my grades and therefore spent several afternoons at school, often in the library, and studied. In the meantime, he was looking for a job: the news about him being back from Vietnam spread fast and it seemed like no one would want him to work for them. I couldn't understand why. He had fought for his country, risking his life, he had been sent there, he had not chosen to go and slaughter people, but still the Tulsans thought he was a criminal.
Well, not really everyone. My father understood and said he'd do anything he could to help, but none of us could do much: me, Pony, Darry, Steve…could only stay with Soda. It wasn't like getting sick and taking some pills to feel better once again.
But I noticed, day by day, Soda was slowly starting to feel better. He started grinning more, like he used to do before leaving, and his eyes sometimes were showing that lively sparkle once again. That was probably also because Two-Bit came back in the end of March, too: he couldn't almost hear from his left ear anymore and when they had sent him back he had several broken bones, but he was doing much better, now he was in Tulsa. He and Soda would never forget, but their life would improve, even if nightmares would haunt them for several years. Soda told me about some of them and they were so hideous I was grateful they were only dreams that looked too much like real life. He and Two-Bit were thankful, they said they had been lucky.
When I graduated from high school, in May, the guys all came to see me, and I loved their presence there (despite many people not thinking exactly like me). Two-Bit even hit it off right away with some platinum blonde girl. Soda, on the other hand, was deeply annoyed because more than one girl wouldn't stop staring at him and trying to start a conversation.
"Now my hair's long once again, girls notice me more. Maybe I should cut it."
"Don't you dare!" his friends shouted.
"Hey, Sybil, what d'you think? Should I cut my hair?" he asked, when I reached them after I had gotten my certificate.
"Well, it's up to you…" I received quite a few glares from the guys. "I love you the way you are, but not because of your hair…but I have to say…you look dazzling with long hair. Just like James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause…you're the two most gorgeous guys in the world." I smiled.
"He ain't in the world anymore, he's dead." Soda reminded me.
"Well then, I guess you are the most gorgeous guy in the world."
"Thanks." He kissed me lightly on the lips. The other boys all "booed" us.
I laughed and turned around, to see how many people were still there. Then I saw him. I got up and ran to the place where he was standing.
"Congratulations." He smiled. "These are for you." He handed me some flowers.
"Lewis…" I cried. "How could you…? Do you have the slightest idea about…how worried I was?"
"No. I can imagine. But you didn't need me in your life…I wasn't sent to Vietnam, Sybil. I couldn't find any jobs here in town, so… I started selling stuff. You know what I mean…"
"Drugs?" I whispered.
He nodded. "I didn't know how to go on if I didn't."
"You could have asked dad for money, you could have come back home!"
"No, you know that wouldn't work. Anyway, I've stopped now." He looked around. "Which one of them is your boyfriend?"
I turned. Pony, Soda, Darry, Two-Bit and Steve, still in their seats, were all staring at us.
"Soda's the one with blond hair."
"So he's a Greaser."
"Yeah."
"Do you love him?"
"Yeah." I repeated.
"I said…you didn't need me in your life. Actually…you don't need me." He sighed. "I'm leaving Tulsa and I don't think I'm ever coming back. I made so many mistakes, I don't think I'll ever stop or even slow down. But I can't stay. I'm not a good guy. I'm not like you, mom or even…dad. Tell him I'm sorry I'm not the son he wanted. But he's not the father I wanted, either."
"Lewis…"
"I have to go."
"If you can't stay…and you say you won't come back…will you at least write? To let me know you're safe…and if you need anything…"
"I know. I promise I'll try."
"You're my brother…" I hugged him. "Take care."
He smiled and left. I went back and sat next to Soda. I was crying. He put his arm around me and tried to comfort me. I didn't know why, but Lewis wasn't a criminal to me, even if he had sold drugs, and he wasn't a bad person, even if he had done stupid stuff and didn't pay any attention to other people's feelings. He was my brother. I would always think of him as the little boy who would play with me all day and sometimes make fun of me, because I was a girl, and younger.
-----------------------------------------------------
Soda finally found a job: he started working in some farm where he had to teach people how to ride horses, and stuff like that. He would ride horses and feed them and clean them, and he enjoyed it. He said it was relaxing and they paid him better than the DX's responsible ever did.
In the summer I didn't know what to do. I had always thought I'd study law at college, because I wanted to be just like my father, but I wasn't so sure anymore. I would stay in Tulsa, though, both because of Soda and of my dad. I wouldn't go to some place far from Oklahoma just because they supposedly had better colleges.
"Have you decided what you want to study, Sybil?" Soda asked me one day, while I was watching him work at the farm. It was very hot, being July, and he was busy feeding the horses.
"Kind of…"
"That means?"
"English literature."
"'Cause you love reading."
I didn't answer. I wasn't so sure anymore of what I wanted to do, what I wanted to become.
"Hey, Sybil. Look at me." I did. "You'll do well. I know."
"Thanks."
He grinned. "I can't believe it. It seems like yesterday we started dating and you had just started 11th grade. And this year, Pony's going to finish high school, too. He's almost seventeen. It's scary."
"And you're going to be twenty."
"Don't remind me! I feel old."
"And I'm going to be nineteen. I can't believe it. I feel old too."
Soda didn't say anything for a while. "It's strange. I always thought by this day…Darry would have gone to college, because he's brainy and deserves it. But…he's still working like a madman to support our family. And I ain't under his custody anymore. It's so weird. Pony's the only baby now. Kind of." He fell silent again. "It's Friday, I don't have to work tomorrow…wanna come over tonight?"
"Sure, if Darry and Pony don't mind."
"Of course they don't. They loved that last cake you baked for us…I almost couldn't eat any because they were faster than me."
I laughed. "I'll make another. Hey, I have to go home now or dad won't let me see you tonight."
"Okay. I'll see you later…" he grinned, playfully. I didn't know why, but I'd find out only that very night.
I found out dad didn't look very well when I got home. He looked like something was not right, but as I made dinner and asked for his permission to see Soda later that day he smiled and said it was fine with him, if I came home before midnight. Of course I would.
When I reached the Curtis' house that night, with a freshly baked cake just like the last one Pony and Darry had loved so much, Soda was waiting in the kitchen, barefeet and clad only in a pair of jeans. I blushed because he noticed I was staring and he grinned. "Hey."
"Hey…this is for you guys." I gave him the cake. "I hope it's as good as the last one."
"Thanks. Can I taste it now?" he didn't wait for my answer and took a piece. "It's delicious!"
"Great…I was afraid it wouldn't taste really good."
Soda finished chewing on the piece he had in his mouth and then spoke: "Darry and Pony are both out, they won't come back before a couple of hours or so. They'll love it when they come back. Actually, Sybil…" he motioned for me to follow him in his bedroom and I did it. "I asked them to go out for some time." He motioned for me to sit on the bed.
I didn't understand what he was saying, so I just nodded. Soda continued: "Don't freak out at me, okay? Just listen." He cleared his throat and took something which was placed on the desk, before grabbing my hand. "I don't know what…I don't know what my life would be like without you. You, Pony and Darry are my life. I know I ain't good enough for you, I've never been from the start, but still you've stayed with me…through it all…you're still with me…I'm a lucky guy…but I will be even more lucky if…" he paused. "If you marry me."
I didn't freak out. Actually, I didn't say anything, I just stared in disbelief at the ring he had given to me. It wasn't one of those stunning rings every woman wants to have, but it was Soda's gift to me, and for that, I thought it was the most precious piece of jewellery I had ever seen.
Soda was waiting for me to say something. He looked anxious. I couldn't speak. I couldn't think. I had college ahead, could I still marry him? Could I live with him? Would it be the right thing to do? But his eyes were looking at me like I was some goddess fell from the sky to fulfill all his wishes, like I was some kind of angel, and I finally formed my answer. "I will marry you!"
"Really?" I nodded. "You sure? Do you wanna think about it some more?" I shook my head. He grinned crazily. "I'm the happiest man on earth!" he kissed me. "I can't wait till Pony and Darry come back! I have to tell them! Or maybe I could phone Steve and tell him, or Two-Bit…" he rushed toward the phone.
"Soda, wait!" I laughed. "Would you mind waiting a bit? I can't believe you asked me, I still need to realize this isn't a dream…don't tell others for a while…please."
"Ok." He reached me. "Hey, I'll put your ring on." He did it. And it looked amazing, there on my finger. "It's wonderful." I said.
"This is the engagement one, I didn't buy something really fancy because I want you to have a great wedding ring." He grinned. "Hey, Sybil, don't stare like that. You're gonna get used to see me without shirts on."
I blushed. "Don't make fun of me!"
"I ain't!"
"Yeah, you are!"
"If you like me like this, I can stop wearing shirts. At least now, since it's summer." He grinned.
I was staring at his scar. I put my hand on it. It was quite large, just a bit above his belly. I touched it, but Soda didn't wince. I had to ask him something. "How many girls have you…slept with?"
He looked surprised. "Sandy was my first. And after her, another one…that I didn't date really, I only…" he trailed off.
"I must have driven you insane."
Soda didn't say anything at first, just stared at me. "If you wanna wait till we're married, it's fine with me."
I shook my head and I kissed him. He kissed me back. We couldn't stop, so we didn't.
--------------------------------------------------------
When I got home, it was almost midnight. I was feeling strange. I couldn't tell anyone what had happened in Soda's bedroom, even if feeling as close as humanly possible to him had been one of the best experiences of my life, but I had to tell dad about the marriage. I was afraid he would get mad and tell me I couldn't marry him, especially not before going to college.
Dad was still awake in his studio, with a huge book opened in front of him. He looked extremely tired, and older, too. When I knocked and he noticed me, he wearily smiled. "Sybil, I need to tell you something."
"What is it, dad? You should rest, you look so worn-out…"
"Don't worry. Well, they made me do some exams at the hospital…for my heart, you know. It's not in good shape like we thought."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't have much time left."
I stared at him. I refused to understand.
"Sybil…in less than a year I'll be gone."
I shook my head. "No! They probably got the wrong results for your exams…"
"I made them all twice."
"Well then, they're all idiots! You're not dying. You're not…"
"I'm sorry I'm leaving you while you're still so young, but I can't do anything. It's not like tomorrow I'll be dead, though, we still have months to spend together. Don't cry…I'll reach your mom, you know? She probably misses me, and you too. But you have a life ahead, I'm old and I feel old…"
"You're only fifty!"
"My body may not be that old, but my soul is. I'm very tired. I hope I have been a good father for you, since apparently I didn't do well with Lewis."
I started crying like a child. My dad was leaving me. Life was cruel. My father and Soda were all I had.
--------------------------------------------------
My father died a month after Soda and I's wedding, in October. He had left me money enough to go through college and also some more he had been able to save. He wanted me to sell the house when he would pass away, because part of the money would go to me, and another part to some bank. By doing that, Soda and I were able to get a small house near the one where he had always lived with his brothers, and he didn't have to drive himself insane working because we had some money saved. I wouldn't start working until college was over.
One night, Soda and I were lying in bed, both awake, both not caring to fall asleep, since the following day was Saturday. So far, married life had been great. We didn't argue and we didn't have any serious problems. The guys visited us all the time, when we didn't visit them, since the streets were close.
"Sybil?"
"Yes?"
"I'm glad you stopped at the DX, that one day, even if you hated Greasers. Even if you thought I had a weird name."
"I didn't think that. I liked your name from the beginning."
"Thanks."
I got closer to him and rested my head on his chest. "And I'm glad, too."
THE END