I step off the train with my bags and sit on the bench. I look around for Darry. Where is he? He said he would pick me up when I get here. Then I see him. A smile appears on his face and I run to him.
"Levi!" He says hugging me.
"Darry I missed you so much! Where's the gang?" I ask.
"They don't know your coming back. So were going to suprise 'em. Get your bags, kid." He says all happy.
I walk back and pick up my bags. Darry takes the bigger one and he puts it in the bed of his truck. I hop in the front seat.
"How's Sodapop been doin'?" I ask when he gets in the car.
"Well he's better now." Darry says starting the car.
"What do you mean now?" I ask confused.
"Well you see, when you left Soda was very depressed but over the past year he's gotten better." Darry says driving down the familier streets of Tulsa.
"Well he sure is gonna be happy when he sees me." I say and we pull up to the house.
"You go first and I'll get the bags." Darry says nodding towards the door.
"Thanks Dar." I say "See you inside." I hop out of the truck and walk threw the gate. I walk up the steps and push the front door open. I walk in and all eyes are on me.
"Hey ya'll." I say smiling.
"Who are you?" Steve asks.
"Oh. Hi, my name is-" I try to say but cut off.
"Levi!" Pony says running to me and hugging me.
"Ponyboy!" I exclaim and hug back.
"Look at you!" I say "Your so much older!"
"You too! But I'm still taller." He teases. I stick my tongue out at him.
"Well don't just sit there. Come give me a hug!" I say to them.
Two-Bits the first one up.
"Levi!" Two-Bit says hugging me.
"Two!" I say hugging back.
"Come here fat ass!" I say to Steve who smiles.
"I missed ya." He says hugging me.
"I missed you too." I say hugging back.
That's when I see them.
"Johnny? Dally?" I say tears in my eyes.
"Hey kid." Dally says.
"Hey Lev." Johnny says.
"Johnnycade get over here and hug me!" I say running to him.
"I fell the love." Dally says.
"Dally." I say hugging him. "I thought ya'll were dead!"
"Well, an hour or so after you left we got a call from the hospital. And Johnny here was just in a coma but he was alive. And they taught him how to walk so he's fine. And Dally, he just passed out so he's fine." Pony explains.
"Oh that's great! Where's Soda." I ask looking around.
"Showering." Two-Bit says pointing. "He should be out right now, the water stopped when you hugged Dally."
"What is all this noise?" Soda asks walking out in his DX shirt unbuttoned and jeans.
"Sodapop!" I exclaim and hug him.
"Lev?" He says but doesn't hug back.
"Yeah." I say not letting go.
"How are you here?" He exclaims hugging my waist tightly
"I called Darry and told him I hated it there so he said I can stay here until I can find a place of my own." I say and pull away.
"Oh I see." He says with him movie star smile.
"Look at you!" I say tears forming in my eyes. "You're so much older."
"Levi, don't go crying on me just yet." He says pulling me back into a hug.
"Soda, I'm so sorry." I say crying.
"For?" He asks confused.
"Leaving you." I say.
"Hey, don't sweat it. You're here now." He says and I can tell he's smiling because I know my Sodapop. "Hey isn't this my sweater?"
I laugh and wipe away the tears. "Yeah, I never gave it back and when I was in Texas this and some pictures was all I had left of you."
"What happened in Texas? Why'd you come back?" Pony asks
"Well you see, my aunt and cousin were, what you call, snobby. They were always naggin' me about everything. The only one I liked was my uncle. He was so nice to me and secretly tried to help me. But I got tired of it and left." I explain and they all look at me with puppy eyes. "Why ya'll lookin' at me like that?"
"I'm so sorry you had to deal with that." Two-Bit says and hugs me.
"Me too." Everyone else mumbles and we end up in a group hug. Just like old times.
