The nurse came in right in time. She gave me my belongings and informed me that I could leave. The boys left and I agreed to meet them at home. I changed into some clothes Darry had brought me. A yellow t-shirt and jeans and my converse. Dally was going to drive me to the Curtis house.
"I'm screwed." I stated while sliding into the passenger side of Bucks car Dallas borrowed.
"Look man you're fine, just cover it up. You're good at lying, man. I guess it's genetic or something." Dallas said starting the car and leaving the hospital.
"That's the thing Dal," I started and looked him dead in the eye. "I don't want to lie. It's the truth and I want it to be the truth. I'm falling for him. That's a part of who I am. I don't want to hide that." I laid back in my seat. Dallas rubbed the back of his neck and shook his head.
"Alright if you wanna go do it then do it. I think he feels the same way. But I don't want to have to beat the shit outta this kid if he hurts you." He said intently while pointing at me.
I nodded and then looked out the window wondering what the hell I was going to do.
-Sodapop POV-
"What the hell am I going to do?!" I yelled walking through the door. I had no idea how I felt about Ella. This changes everything.
"Pepsi Cola jut be honest with her." Darry said calmly. I wasn't calm though. My hair was a mess from me constantly running my fingers through it.
"Look Soda, she's a real pretty girl and all. But I mean, Sandy just left. Are you over Sandy?" Ponyboy asked timidly. He was there when I cried over Sandy cheating on me. So I understood his concern.
"I'm not sure. I'm not sure about anything. All I know is, when I'm with Ella, I don't think about Sandy. I don't think about anything. Except her. She's got some kind of hook in me I don't know, I can't really explain it." I confessed leaving both of them slightly shocked.
"Then what's holding you back Soda?" Darry asked this time a little more involved than before.
"I don't know." I repeated again. "I just don't know nothing anymore."
-Ella POV-
We arrived at the Curtis house shortly. Steve, Two-bit, and Johnny had gotten there shortly before we did.
"Dallas wait." I commanded as he got out of the car. "I know we just met a couple months ago, and I know we're just now figuring out this whole sibling thing. But.." I searched for my words. I wanted to tell him I loved him. That he was a great brother. I just didn't know how.
He laid a hand in my shoulder and looked at me with softer eyes than ever. "Me too." Was all he said. I smiled knowing he knew what I wanted to say. He knew I loved him. And he loved me too.
We walked in the door and all eyes were on me. Just like the first time I'd entered this house. The commotion stopped and they starred. I turned around and walked out. I heard Dallas coming after me.
"Wait." I heard him say, but it wasn't Dally. "Ella wait."
I turned to see Sodapop standing in the dark. His red flannel slowly flapping in the light breeze. His hair was a mess and he stood with both hands in his pockets.
"What?" I cracked trying to hold back the tears. "You don't have to explain. I get it. She was perfect." I began referring to Sandy. "She was beautiful and kind and intelligent and I get it." I turned back around so my face was in the wind and started walking into the void. "And I'm not." I finished with a small tear escaping my left eye.
He didn't say anything else. I had just given up when all of the sudden a strong hand spun me around and his lips were on mine. It was fast and my body was in shock. Both of his hands held firmly on my face. He pulled away and took a couple steps back.
"You're right." He started. "Sandy is beautiful. She is hilarious and brilliant and she sent me a letter saying she would come back for me. Saying that she missed me and that she made a mistake. Saying that she wanted to marry me." Rain started to fall lightly on us but neither of us budged an ounce. "She told me she's still in love with me. And she wants me to raise this baby." I could feel more tears falling from my eyes. My lips still held the taste of his. The rain fell harder and now he was having to yell for me to hear.
"She's everything I wanted. And I looked at that letter and I didn't know what to do. And you let that slip at the hospital and I really didn't know. But she's everything I ever wanted." He yelled.
"Then what's holding you back?" I yelled passionately into the rain.
"She isn't you. And I want you Cinderella. I want your messed up past. I want your bright future. I want your brilliant mind and your sarcastic remarks. I want your pet names and your bad taste in music." He stepped one step closer to me. "I want your dancing and your singing and I want you. And if you let me, I'm gonna spend as long as I can proving to you how much I want you."
I was still crying but this time out of pure shock and joy. I didn't respond. I just leaped forward and threw my arms around him and kissed him with every little bit of heart I had. I gave it all to Sodapop in that moment. Every bit of who I was, was in that kiss. And he gave me every bit of him. And it was extraordinary.
