Two weeks after Dally and I had our anniversary, Dani decided it was time to move out.
"Dani why? You don't have a place to go." I protested. It was only her and I home. The boys were either at work or school. Even Dally got a job with Darry. I never thought I'd see the day.
"You're right Kathleen Curtis. I don't. But I'm leaving today. I'm gonna go wherever the wind takes me." She said folding her shirt and setting it in her suitcase. I grabbed it and threw it back out in attempt to show her I wasn't letting her leave.
"Damn it Curtis cut it out."
"No! You aren't leaving. What about Ponyboy?" My tone started to get softer and more serious. "Dani.. you'll break his heart."
"That's why you gotta tell him for me." Then Dani said something I'd never forget. For a second, I saw someone deep inside of her. I saw her heart and her soul, something my little brother had resurrected from the void.
"You tell Ponyboy I love him. That I'm in love with him. And that I always will be. I have to go, I'm heading to California okay?" She zipped her suitcase and I followed her to the door. "I bought this old piece shit of Buck for a good price though." She said throwing her bag into the seat.
"What about Opal?" I kept trying to list reasons for her to stay.
"You tell her I love too, Alright? I gotta go somewhere Kathleen. Somewhere where I can start over. I have this new outlook on life but I have this same reputation. I don't know if I'll stay in California or not. Probably go wherever I can." She got in the truck and looked at me, the tears in my eyes started to trickle slowly down my cheek.
"I don't know if I'll ever see you again Caffeine, but if I don't..." She started the truck and smiled at me. I couldn't smile back, I was too hurt.
"Thank you sister." And with that, she began to drive away. I ran a couple steps and was left in the smoke her truck had left. She glanced at me and shouted to me out the window, her voice was faint, but I can still hear it.
"Marry him Kathleen!"
And that put a smile on my face. I was terribly sad because my friend was leaving but somehow she did it. She made me smile. My tears quickened and I cried out.
"I will!" As loud as I could. Did she hear me? Who the hell knows. But I wasn't yelling for her, I was yelling for me.
