One month later, both Cherry and Evie- and baby Layla- were released from the hospital. By then, it was the second week of September, and the new school year had begun. The redhead had gained both physical and mental clearance to begin the new year. The girl with hair as dark as a raven, on the other hand, had not received clearance just yet, but either way, she'd already decided that she wouldn't be returning to school for her last year of high school. She would instead be staying home to take care of Layla during the day, then eventually get a job and take classes at the community college.

While Cherry was still irritated and disappointed all those around her for leaving her or for lying to her, she still needed someplace to stay. Marcia, Evie, Kathy and Lily had all offered her a place to stay- making it a hard decision. There was a slight downside to each one, no matter who she agreed to stay with, but she didn't know anyone else and had no other choice. It all made her feel weak and dependent; she never liked feeling that way, that was for sure.

Cherry had decided- after much self-debate- that she'd stay with Lily. She was a bit unsure of the decision, considering the girl was Two-Bit's little sister- she was a bit more nervous about him rather than Lily- but it was either them or Kathy, and two of the three were almost always together anyway, so it wouldn't have made a difference either way. She felt that she couldn't really trust Marcia just yet, and she would feel bad for staying with Evie since there was a now a newborn baby to take care of- so Lily and Two-Bit were really the only option in her mind.

"You sure your mom doesn't mind me staying with the three of you?" Cherry asked a bit unsurely as they walked into the house.

"She don't mind at all," Lily answered with a smile, "In fact, I think she'd be upset if you didn't agree to stay with us."

The redhead let out a light chuckle. "Well, thanks a lot for letting me stay with you guys. It really means a lot."

"It's no problem, really. Oh, and my mom told me to tell you that she enrolled you at the high school for your senior year, and I think she may have put herself down as your 'legal guardian' or whatever it was since you're stayin' with us for now."

"Is your mom always so hospitable?"

"Hospitable is a word that could be used for that, and another word that comes to mind is charitable. Both of those words work."

The two girls both shared a laugh before the blonde led her guest to the guest bedroom. The room had one single bed in the middle of the room against the wall, a dresser, a vanity, a bedside table, a bathroom and a closet. Everything inside the room- including the room itself- had been added on tot eh smallish house by the two Mathews' siblings mother two years previous to the present time. The two then unpacked the guest's couple of bags into the closet and the dresser.

"Cherry?" Lily started, gaining the other girls' attention, "I'm real sorry 'bout this summer."

Cherry nodded a bit. "I'm not gonna say it's ok," she began, "Cause it's really not."

"I respect that."

"But, even with that, I do forgive you."

The blonde began to smile. "Really? You do?"

The redhead nodded sincerely. "Yeah, I do. I mean, I'm not too happy 'bout everything that's happened, but that's the past, right?"

Cherry really did forgive everyone for all that had happened. Granted, she still wasn't happy with all that had transpired through the recently ended summer, but that didn't mean she could not forgive. What everyone had done was definitely wrong on their part, there was no denying that, and she knew she'd lost any trust she had in any human being and maybe for the rest of her life, but it's not like she could go back in time and change everything that happened. The only thing to do was to move past it and try to make amends.

Lily smiled before quickly hugging her house guest. "Thank you so much," she smiled.

Cherry hugged back and gave her own smile. "Glad you like that," she chuckled.

-/-/-

"You know Cherry's staying over my house, right?" Two-Bit asked.

Soda nodded slowly. "Yeah, I know," he answered flatly, "Why?"

The older of the two shrugged a bit. "Just thought you'd wanna know."

Soda had been in an unemotional state for the past month. He was still slightly animated and himself, but otherwise, he was just not himself. It was worry some to those around him, especially his two brothers. Everyone would ask him about it every so often, but he'd give them some rehearsed answer, or he'd even blow off the question. He just wasn't himself, and with him being him, it was just scary.

"Why'd ya think that?" Soda in a flat tone of voice and an expressionless face; there was no trace of any emotion in his voice or on his face.

This scared and worried Two-Bit. "Dunno," he said with a slight shrug, "Like I said, just thought you might wanna know."

Two-Bit turned around and walked away from the DX counter without another word. His hands were stuffed in his jean pockets as he walked. He glanced over his shoulder at his friend that stood behind the counter, let out a quiet sigh, then pushed the door open and walked out. When he reached the sidewalk and started to walk down the pavement, he looked inside the building through the window again at his friend, then began forward again.

Two-Bit continued down the sidewalk and through the streets until he reached the East Side. He continued until he had reached the location of his own home, running into his girlfriend on the way there, and she joined him on his way to his home. The two entered the house and sat together on the front steps that led into the house.

"Are you feelin' alright?" Kathy aske din a concerned tone, "You barely said anything to me on the way over here. Is somethin' wrong?"

Two-Bit gave a serious look, which was a rare thing to see. "You could say that," he shrugged, "But yeah, there's somethin' wrong. More like wrong with someone."

"I don't get what you mean, babe."

"I was at the DX just before I came back here. Told Soda how Cherry' stayin' here."

Kathy gave a concerned look. "What'd he say?"

"He said he already knew and asked why I was tellin' him. I said cause I thought he might wanna know. He asked me why I thought, and that was it."

"How's he doin' anyway? He hasn't been himself at all lately."

"Yeah, I know," Two-Bit answered with a sigh.

"Well, what're we gonna do about it?" Kathy asked.

"What can we do?"

"There has to be something… right?"

-/-/-

Late that day, Soda left the DX alone. He decided that on his way home that he'd stop by where his best friend now lived with his now-wife and baby girl; Steve would be returning to work at the DX full time the following week.

Like planned, Steve and Evie had eloped. They did this not just for their daughter's sake, but also because they really did love each other. Did they know they were a bit young? Of course they did, but it's not like they weren't legal adults at this point. And for that reason, her Aunt and Uncle were sold on their idea and one hundred percent supportive of the idea. And not long after that, the two moved into her house together, along with little baby Layla.

Soda walked up to the house and knocked on the front door three times. While he waited, he stuck his hands in his pockets. He could hear footsteps from behind the door and from inside the house. He heard the doorknob begin to click and turn, then the door swung open gently, revealing Steve.

"Hey, man," Steve greeted his best friend with a smile, "What's goin' on?"

"Hey," Soda greeted with a forced smile, "And I was on my way home, figured I'd stop to see how y'all are doin'."

"Everyone here's doin' good; Evie and Layla are both sleeping, so it's pretty quiet right now. And if I know anythin', that's weird with a whole house a' girls."

Soda let out a chuckle. "To be fair, it's not too much different with a house full of boys."

Now Steve let out a laugh. "Good point," he agreed then grew serious, "What about you? You doin' alright?"

"I don't know," Soda shrugged.

"Thinking 'bout Cherry?"

"I can't help it. I've tried talking to her, but she says she can't talk to me yet."

"Maybe Evie, Kathy and Lily can talk to her and convince her to talk to you."

"I don't know, man, I-"

"It's worth a shot, man. Maybe ever her friend, too… Marcia, right? Maybe they could all talk to her."

Soda shook his head a bit. "She won't talk to Marcia, neither. Right now, she only trusts Kathy, Lily, Evie, Darry and Ponyboy- and even that's a thin line a trust for her."

"Let's just try it," Steve said a bit hopefully, "It's worth a shot, ain't it? Not like you got anything to lose for it."

I'd say this story is near completion. I don't really know how many more chapters there shall be, but that could be anything.

It's Katharine Hepburn's birthday, and TCM is having a marathon of her films. That's great cause in the acting department, she can do no wrong, and two movies I've been wanting to see are on so yay- Holiday and The Philadelphia Story.

Also, for those reading this, you may be interested in a story that I wrote that will be up within the time period of the next update in two weeks. It'll be a one-shot and it takes place in 1956. It's a one-shot featuring Mr and Mrs Curtis and the three brothers. Unless I change it, it'll be called "A Mother's Love", kind of a mother's day type story.

Anyone here read any good books lately? I finished reading "The Hunt" after a week and a half, and it was pretty good. If you like apocalyptic/ world war stuff, then I highly suggest it. Only two people I didn't want to die did die, but otherwise everyone else that was terrible that you kinda want to die, does, so that's that. Plus I started reading the original book of "Jurassic Park" cause I saw the films on television before I knew they were a book (at least the first two are books). So far, that book of the first film is so much better, and I love Dr. Ian Malcolm in both the book and film. He's so great and the only one with sense since he's been saying the park was gonna go wrong.

Also, if anyone here likes movies that are war related or action films, or films with explosions and shooting, or survival, I highly suggest a film from 1981 called "Southern Comfort". It's up on YouTube, but you have to confirm that you're eighteen to watch it there (it's rated R). if you wanna watch it, make sure it's the one from 1981 that has Keith Carradine, Fred Ward, Powers Boothe, and Lewis Smith (I added Lewis Smith cause he's my second favorite actor and this was his first film).

So yeah, anyway. Hope everyone's life is going good! Hope everyone is well, and hope everyone is nearly done with school (I'm done next week!) and that if you are, finish the year off with a bang. If you're graduating, I congratulate you.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, peace from all the hippies of the world. =^-^=