LAST CHAPTER! ENJOY!

Through the shaded widows he saw the flashing lights. He heard the sirens and heard the car doors slam shut. At the top of the stairs he looked up and knew that it was over, he knew that his whole life was over.

There was silence but there was a very faint tapping of footsteps approaching the front door. George rests his head to the wall and lets out a deep breath, there's no getting out of this and no amount of alcohol can drown it out. This was something he always seen coming but he was never sure when.

But now is the time that he's going to have to pay.

There was a knocking on the door.

"Tulsa Police Department!" a man shouted from the other side of the door.

George stands and walks zombie-like toward the door. Many options crossed his mind: he could make a run for it, go out the back door or maybe the second floor window. He could try to fight the cops, but there was no telling how many were out there. He would try to sweet talk himself out of the situation but there is nothing that he could say. One look at Amanda on the floor could tell you all you wanted to know.

There was a pounding on the door and another shout. Without hesitation, George opened the door.

Three cops stood on his doorstep, awaiting his arrival.

"We were informed of a disturbance on your property, possible domestic violence," stated one cop.

The other two cops looked past George and into his house.

"May we come in; to make sure everything's alright?"

Don't do it! Close the door! Close the damn door, George! He screamed in his mind, but there was no use in listening to it, he was going to jail and he knew it. .

George opened the door wider and the three cops entered the room, all looking around, checking everything out.

"We won't be here long, just making sure everything alright….oh my God!" exclaimed the shortest cop. Obviously, he's spotted Amanda laying on the floor. He runs to her and crouches down beside her. In shock, he looks up at George then back at her, then he looks over at his two cop friends then back at Amanda.

The two other cops rush over to her, aiding to her.

"Oh God. . . ," the tallest cops voice trails off, he stands up and walks away.

The cop reaches to the back of his belt and unhooks his handcuffs.

"Sir, put your hands behind your back, please."

George stares at him with a dumbfounded look on his face. He sees the front door open and smiles slightly. He takes one more look at Amanda and then bolts out the door. He didn't get for though, barely past the front step before the cop came running behind him. As quickly as he could he straps the handcuffs on George.

The cop and George walk to the cop car awaiting them in front of the house. He places George in the backseat and heads back into the house.

"How is she?" he asks, scratching the side of his head.

The shortest cop looks up with sad eyes.

"She's dead."

&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*

Something was wrong, he knew something was wrong. He couldn't sleep last night. Something happened, but he couldn't understand what happened.

Rolling out of bed from a sleepless night, Soda heads into the kitchen. . From the corner of his eye he sees Darry , Pony , and Two-Bit standing in front of the television, looking at it was a shocked expression on it.

Slowly, he walks into the Living Room to see what everyone was looking at.

"….she was found dead when the police arrived. There was nothing they could do. The father of the deceased girl seems to be the only suspect. Neighbors say that there were screams and yelling that could be heard all the way down the block. They say it was regular to hear the two arguing, but last night it seemed more than usual.

A frightened neighbor called the Tulsa Police Department, scared by the noise. The father of the girl, reportedly, ran out of the house when he was being placed under arrest. He is now in custody of the Police, awaiting further news.

That's all information we have for now, I'm Debra Henning, Reporting for channel five news."

Soda can feel his jaw drop. Amanda? No, no, it can't be. Can it? He shakes his head in disbelief.

I can't believe it, he thinks, Amanda's dead?

___________________________________________________________

Soda pounds on Steve's front door frantically. Within seconds Steve's at the door, wondering what the problem is.

"What?" he asks.

"I- I need you to come with me," Soda says , his voice full of worry.

Steve looks around.

"Where?" he questions.

"I heard the news this morning, and I got to go see Amanda, I have to make sure she's alright."

"Dude," Steve says, "You got to quit worrying about this girl. She's nothing but trouble. She's gonna get you killed one day." Steve lays his hand on Soda's shoulder.

He brushes the hand off. "Don't say kill," he says seriously.

"Why? What's this about?"

"Amanda. I- I got to go. Are you coming with me or what?" asks Soda, beginning to walk away.

Steve reaches on the wall and grabs his jacket. "Yeah, I'm coming."

___________________________________________________________

The two boys stare at Amanda's house. There's 'caution' tape from tree to tree, surrounding the perimeter of the house. There's reporters trying to get the best story and theres small children and nosy adult trying to figure out what happened. Some cops do their best try keep the people back and out of the way but it isn't really working. Cop cars surround the house and they move briskly in and out of the house.

There are paramedics and specialized cops that are there to figure out what happened, exactly how it happened.

"We just recently got a confession from the father. He's admitted everything and is willing to change. But he's going to be spending most of the rest of his life in jail. But I guess he deserves it. I don't understand a man who can kill his own daughter," states a cop speaking into the recorder for the news reporters.

Soda looks at the floor, suddenly feeling winded.

"So it's true," Soda says. "She's dead Steve, George killed her."

Steve shakes his head. "Man, I can't believe it."

Soda softly hits Steve in the stomach and gestures with his hand. "Come on, let's go," he says.

While walking they were completely silent, not sure of what to say or how to feel. They didn't really know her personally to feel pain the way they would if they lost a family member or a close friend, but she wasn't a stranger either and the three were connected on a level that can't really be described. Amanda died knowing that Soda and Steve did all they could to help her. Soda and Steve would never know this, but she died happy. She was happy to have known Soda, she was happy to know that someone cared, and as her head hit the floor and she felt the pain rush through her body, she smiled. She smiled because she knew that it was all over, she could be happier in her next life.

"Wait, stop," Soda says. He walks to the one red rose growing in the soon-to-be garden. Soda smiles, he couldn't help but smile. He crouches down to the floor and gently pulls it out the ground. He holds it softly in his hands and presses it against him for a second.

The two friends continue to walk until they come to the street that they first met Amanda on. They walk to the streetlight that they found her on. As they get closer they see that there's still dried blood on it that she left.

Soda reached out and touches the blood. He takes in a slow deep breath and lets it out just as slow.

Soda looks back at Steve. "Can I, um, have a minute Steve?"

Steve nods slightly and walks away.

When finally alone, Soda sits down in front of the streetlight and sigh.

"I guess this is goodbye? I'm sorry I didn't get to see you, but I didn't know how to find you. I really wish that I could've helped you, I really wish I could, but then I think about how happy you must be right now and I'm kind of happy I couldn't.

You have been through so much Amanda, stuff that you shouldn't have to have delt with but you did. Better than I would have. I know that here is no way to tell you now, and I know that I haven't told you in person, but I'm really proud of you.

I know you thought that you couldn't go through this alone but I know you could and you did. You are the type of person that is unique, the type of person that a lot try to be. The type of person I'd like to be some day."

Soda plays with the rose in his hand.

" I brought you something," he whispers, " You said you always wanted someone to bring you roses, so here they are."

Soda lays the rose on the ground right next to the streetlight. Soda closes his eyes and tried to fight the tears from falling from his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Amanda. I'm sorry you lived such a hard life, but I'm not sorry that I got to live some of it with you."

He stands, rubbing the dry blood on the light again.

He sighs, looks back at Steve and wipes a stray tear away.

"You know it's impossible to forget you, right?" he asks with a smile, " But I guess I don't want to, I want to remember you. And even if I didn't, I could never forget you."

"Soda!" Steve calls, waving him back.

"I guess I got to go now, but I'll be back. Just know that I'll miss you ."

Soda kisses his hand and lays it on the rose before beginning to walk.

"Goodbye Amanda Rose."

WELL KIDS, IT'S OVER. HAPPY ENDING? SAD ENDING? EITHER WAY IT'S AN ENDING. IT'S SAD THAT IT'S OVER BUT I CAN'T WAIT TO START A NEW STORY! (EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT IS YET.)

ANYWAY, IT'S BEEN FUN, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT IN THERE 20 CHAPTERS, BUT IT'S TIME TO SAY GOODBYE.

SO, DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT'S THE LAST CHAPTER!

PLEASE REVIEW.