Chapter Twenty

Two-Bit

I was lying in bed, half asleep. Savannah and I had been talking for a long time. I realized that I hardly knew anything about Savannah. Normally, that wouldn't have bothered me; I'd been out with plenty of girls and not even known their last name. I wanted to know everything about her though. I was thinking about what she had just told me. Her full name is Savannah Marie Adams, she's 5'6", and she's 19, a bit older than me. She graduated high school when she was 17, but she didn't want to go to college. Her brother owns the apartment complex that she lives in, he's really rich so he pays her rent. Savannah just works in a pharmacy for money to buy groceries and stuff. She used to play the flute, but then she stopped. She's left handed…

I sounded stupid when I told her about me. My real name is Keith Matthews, just over 6 feet tall, 18 and still a junior in high school because I only go to school when I feel like it. I have a record with the police, and I drink a lot.

Savannah sat next to me and held me for a while once we were done talking. I saw her flinch a bit when I told her that I had a record with the police, but after she let that sink in for a while I don't think it bothered her. Now that I think about it, Savannah is way too good for me, but I love her so much.

Savannah had been out taking Sheba for a walk. I heard someone coming toward my room. I thought it was Savannah. I opened my eyes, thinking that I would be looking at Savannah. I jumped; it wasn't Savannah.

It was Soda.

Soda

Two-Bit opened his eyes, saw me, and jumped. He rubbed his eyes.

"Sorry," he said. "You scared me, I was asleep."

"It's Ok," I said.

We sat in silence for a while, Two-Bit was rubbing his eyes and shaking his head; trying to wake up.

"So, Two-Bit," I said after a while, "What's wrong?"

"I'm tired is what's wrong," Two-Bit said. "I just got to sleep."

"That's not really what I meant," I said. "Why were you crying yesterday?"

"I know what you meant," Two-Bit snapped. Then he shook his head. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm just so tired, and I don't feel good."

"If you want me to leave, just tell me, I'll go," I said. Two-Bit was doing it again: making excuses, trying to avoid having to talk.

Two-Bit didn't say anything, so I started talking again. "We're just worried about you," I said. "You're not acting like yourself, and you've been sick for way too long. Then Darry and I were talking yesterday, and we realized that pretty much ever since Johnny and Dally died you haven't been acting right. You kept making jokes and everything, but it seemed like you were trying too hard, like you had to force yourself to laugh. You never had to do that before. Then for the past few months it seemed like every time I saw you, you were drinking a bottle of beer."

"I was depressed," Two-Bit said.

"So why didn't you tell us?" I asked.

"I didn't want to bother you," Two-Bit said. "You were trying to handle your own grief, so why should you have to handle mine too? I kept joking and everything to make you guys feel better, but it got harder and harder to act happy because I got more and more depressed. So, I started drinking more, a lot more. I would be drunk by nine in the morning, and then when I felt the beer starting to wear off, I would just drink more. It helped me feel less depressed, I could make jokes easier, but I couldn't get through the day without booze, and I needed a lot of it. Finally, I got the flu one day, and Savannah took care of me."

"Is Savannah the girl that's been living here?" I asked. I'd seen her before, but I didn't know her name.

"Yeah," Two-Bit said. "She's the love of my life."

We were quiet for a while, and then Two-Bit started talking again. "It's probably a good thing I got sick," Two-Bit continued. "I was about to kill myself, either with the drinking or by suicide. And if I hadn't gotten sick then I wouldn't have met Savannah."

"You really like her?" I asked.

Two-Bit shook his head. "I love her," he said.

"So, are you better now?" I asked after a short silence. "You weren't acting like you felt too great a few days ago."

"I'm better," Two-Bit said. "More or less better at least. I'm not feeling really guilty anymore; crying made me feel a lot better. Savannah makes me feel a lot better." Two-Bit smiled, "She likes me. She's way too good for me, but she likes me. I love her."

"I guess you should know that I'm leaving tomorrow," Two-Bit said. "I'm going to live with Savannah. I need to get away from the East side. I'll call you or something."

I nodded. "We'll miss you, buddy," I said.

"Yeah," Two-Bit said. "I'll miss you guys too, but I just need to get out of here, you understand."

"Yeah," I said, even though I didn't. "Well, you look sort of tired. I'll leave now, sorry I woke you up."

"It's alright," Two-Bit said.

"Bye," I said as I left.

"Bye," Two-Bit said.

As I was leaving, I saw Savannah. She was heading back to Two-Bit's room with a glass of Coke. She's pretty, and she looks like the type that wouldn't cheat. I can see why he likes her.

I hope they have a good life together.