Once the group of teenagers from the East Side of Tulsa hit the beginning of the third month of summer- which was also the third month in which the red head had been released from the hospital- they realized things were not improving.

The proof they all had for this was as followed: Cherry's memory should've been almost completely restored and it wasn't even close to being there. Evie had rarely left the house voluntarily in the last month, not to mention that here parent's still weren't home from wherever they were. Soda's guilt slowly- but surely- grew with certain events and scenarios they were thrown into. Dallas had started to become worried- which was definitely a bad thing, considering he never really worried about anyone or anything. Steve was worried about Evie and their situation, not to mention that she'd been acting like a vampire the last couple of weeks. Kathy and Lily still had no clue what was wrong with their one friend since they hadn't seen in her so long.

Life was just too overwhelming, and some of them couldn't figure out what they'd done to deserve all the hardships that had been thrown at them. The only thing any of them could think of to do at this point was stick together like they always had, maybe even closer, and hope for the best with their actions.

-/-/-

Soda and Cherry had been going out on a date at least once a week. They'd also just hang out together whenever they felt like it. It seemed both of them that the other would have a good time when they were together, which was a good thing.

After one of their dates, they decided to go to the local park. "Can I ask you something?" Cherry asked.

Soda nodded. "Course you can," he answered.

Lately, Cherry had been wondering certain things about their relationship, before she woke up in the hospital. Things that were very deep and personal. Things that a person probably wouldn't want to tell their parents about, or maybe not even want to tell their friends about. She'd felt uneasy asking about these things between them, but she just had to know some of those things- and she wasn't gonna wait for herself to suddenly remember these things.

"Ok," Cherry started a bit uneasily, "This feels kinda weird to ask about…"

Soda gave a slight confusing look. "Ok, well, I'll try to answer you as best as I can," he answered her with a small smile.

The redhead let out a deep breath. "Alright… first, I don't remember if I ever asked you this before or not, but have we ever… ya know…"

"No." His answer was quick. "We've never… we've never done that. You told me before that you're a virgin and plan on staying that way until you get married."

She chuckled. "Ok, good. Also, in the past four years, have either of us ever said the words… I love you?"

Soda felt himself begin to panic. He didn't really know how to answer her second question. He definitely knew that he was not going to say that she had said three of the post powerful words in the American English dictionary, but what about himself? What was he supposed to answer?

After considering everything he had ever felt for her over the last three months and the past year and a half before her arrival at the hospital, he started to quickly think of what to say. Looking back, Soda realized that over the past year and a half, him and Cherry had formed some kind of relationship. Granted, it wasn't strong enough to consider them "boyfriend and girlfriend", but not weak enough to be in "the friend zone".

"No," Soda answered softly, "No, neither of us ever said it."

Cherry frowned a bit. "Oh," she mumbled.

"But the thing is, I planned on saying the next time I saw you- but the next time I saw you, you were in the hospital."

She gave a confused look. "So, what're you saying?"

"I'm saying that… I love you."

-/-/-

Evie had finally caved and agreed to leave the house with her boyfriend. It's not that she didn't want to see Steve, but rather she didn't want anyone in town to see her. She felt self-conscious enough about their situation already, and she really didn't feel like getting judged in front and by nearly everyone in the entire town.

The two had agreed that Evie would go out, as long as she was allowed to wear a very light sweater. Steve had agreed with her request, considering it was night time anyway and nearly fall, so it wouldn't be considered suspicious. Plus, he would've let her wear a snowsuit if she wanted to, as long as she was agreeing to leave the house.

As the two walked through town, Evie let her jet black hair fall in front of the left side of her face. The other half of her face could be seen and that part of her hair was tucked back behind her right ear. She was hugging herself with her left arm while her right arm was at her side and her right hand was intertwined with Steve's left hand as he stood at her right.

"I was perfectly fine with being a recluse," Evie said in her now usually quiet voice as they walked.

"You can't just stay inside all day, every day," Steve said gently, "It ain't healthy for no one."

When the two walked into the Dingo, Evie tucked her head down even more. When she felt eyes from other people in the place watching her every move, she felt her eyes begin to tear up and her cheeks turn pink. She jumped a bit when Steve tightened his grip on her hand and he gave a slightly reassuring smile as he said, "It's alright, just ignore them." She gave the best smile she could muster- which came out as more of a grimace- and nodded a bit at him.

-/-/-

Ponyboy and Lily walked into the Dingo, with him making sure he held the door for her as they walked in. His action made her chuckle and her cheeks turn a slight shade of pink. They walked to a booth that was right in the corner between two windows, which unconsciously gave the two a view of nearly everyone in the Dingo and nearly everything going on.

The two had been an official couple for a little over a month. Over that time, Ponyboy had received a very small amount of threats from Two-Bit about dating Lily. Most of the time the threats were along the lines of "You better not hurt her". That was said multiple times throughout the month. And whenever the two went out on a date, the older Mathews sibling always made sure to give the two a curfew- one that worked for Darry as well- which always ended up being somewhere in between ten and ten-thirty that night. And he would also threaten that if there was ever any funny business between the two, they would be chaperoned on their dates by either himself and Kathy, or Soda and Cherry.

Otherwise, Two-Bit had been pretty laid back about the two of them going out.

"We have 'bout an hour before tonight's curfew," Lily said with a laugh, "What should we do?"

Ponyboy let out a laugh. "Paint the town red?" he teased with a shrug.

She chuckled. "Ok, it's official- you've either been spending too much time with either my brother or your brother."

As the two talked, they saw two people walk out of the Dingo. The couple looked a lot like two of their friends. "That was Steve and Evie," Lily said quietly, "I hope they're alright."

"I'm gonna try to ask Sodapop tomorrow what's goin' on with them," Ponyboy said.

"You sure he'll know what's wrong?"

"Yeah, he'll know. Steve tells him everything."

-/-/-

Cherry looked at Soda with slightly wide eyes. She would be lying if she said that she wasn't taken back by his words, but she wasn't very disappointed by his words either. The thing was, she wasn't quite sure what she should say back.

Cherry tried to think of what to say next. She thought about everything that had happened in the past couple of months. She thought about everything that she had remembered from before waking up in the hospital. She thought about everything she'd been told and that they had been through. After taking everything into consideration, she knew what she would say back to him.

"I love you, too," Cherry said slightly looking down, then up at her boyfriend.

When she looked up, she saw that Soda started to smile at her words, and she couldn't help but smile back.

Awwww, how cute. Such a sweet chapter… but the next chapter brings disaster for Cherry and Evie.

So I think I mentioned about Alice's Teacup for my best friend's birthday last time I updated, we ended up taking a rain check- literally. But then that Friday (January ) we went to NYC for my mom's birthday- we went up to all nine floors of the Macy's in Herald Square!

Anyway, I'll be starting another new story soon, so five at once- wish me luck. It's gonna be for The Expendables trilogy (so far, a trilogy, there's rumors about a fourth one coming up). So yeah.

Also- Rest in Peace, David Bowie. I've heard your music nearly all my life and it's hard to believe you're gone. I remember imitating the word Fame in "Fame" with my mom ever since I was three or four years old, years before I would become a fan of yours. And always love seeing the quote at the beginning of The Breakfast Club from "Changes". You are missed by many different age groups, and have affected us all.

Alright- peace from all the hippies of the world. =^-^=