Dealing—Part 16

Ponyboy's POV

Soda wasn't in trouble. I made sure of that by explaining everything to Darry. How I'd gotten him to take me to the cemetery, how Sandy had shown up by surprise, everything. Including how it was one year since Johnny and Dallas died. And you know what? For the first time, it didn't hurt to say it. I still missed them—I always would—but I was starting to heal. I'd realized that staying gold didn't mean I would forget my friends and what they meant to me, it meant learning to deal with the past and still living my life the way they would want me to. And I know Johnny wouldn't want me to be sad because of him. He always thought of everybody before himself.

Darry understood. He apologized to me for yelling and said to tell Soda he was sorry, then he went to work like he always did. It was a huge part of his life now. Two-Bit's eyes were huge when he heard the one-year part, and he was serious for the first time in a while. "Thanks for reminding me, Pony," were his words before he too left.

And Steve, the one of us who'd changed the least, it seemed, said to me gruffly, "Yeah. It's good that you remember these things, kid." Then he followed Two-Bit. I doubt he and I will ever be good friends, but at least now I know that he still goes through the same sense of loss over our friends as I do. And Sodapop left to go to the park. When he came home I was pretty sure he'd tell me things were resolved with Sandy. But while I was alone in the house I enjoyed the peace and solitude.

Sure, I'd gone through a lot. But I was still here, and I had my brothers and my friends to get me through. And I knew I'd be visiting those graves a lot more often that I had been. Soda would probably come with me, he was just that way. He was still my brother, always would be, even in things like what he was going through with Sandy and her baby. Daffy, he'd called her. Sodapop had made it through.

Darry was still working to support us, keeping our house a home. He was still the father-figure, our Superman, but he was also still my brother. I decided to try and talk to him more, in case he felt left out when I was so close to Soda all the time. Darry was our rock, the one we turned to in trouble. Darry had made it through.

Two-Bit was the one who lightened our mood, forced us to look on the bright side of things, cheer us up on a cloudy day. The one who just didn't care and made us all care a little less too. But also with a hidden serious side. Two-Bit had made it through.

Steve was still the angry one, the wild one. He would never turn to me for help, but he was there to stick up for me if I was in trouble, even if he didn't want to. He was still Soda's best friend, and now I knew a secret about him. Steve had made it through. We all had.

And we were going to continue dealing with our losses together.

Oh man. I can't believe I finally finished it! This is the end of the story, but I'm considering doing a second one. I have an idea for it. But it might not work out, what do you think? Want more or is it good like it is? So if there's anything you want to say to me about this story, this is your last chance! By the way, thank you so much for all the reviews. You cheer me up:D