It's you.

Chapter 24

A week later we arrived back to Tulsa. I loved traveling, but there was something about the simplicity of Tulsa that made coming home as exciting as leaving. I was also ready to see my boys.

I hopped out of the truck and ran through the Curtis door. And of course, like I expected they were all there. Two-bit was right by the door so he got me first. He wrapped his arms around me and spun me around.

"I feel like you ain't been here in years Lydia!" He yelled causing me to laugh. I squirmed out of his arms so I could get to Darry.

I jumped to my best friend and he engulfed me in his arms. It wasn't Tulsa that I loved, it was the people in it. These people. Dallas walked in while I was still hugging Darrel and Johnny got up to see Dal.

"You know Lydia sometimes I think you shoulda married Darrel." Dal said smirking at me while he threw an arm around small Johnny.

I let go of Darry and ran to Dallas. I wrapped both of my legs around his waist and leaned down and kissed him.

"Get out if you're gonna do that!" Ponyboy yelled from the couch. All the boys agreed and Soda covered his eyes.

"How was the honey moon love birds?" Steve asked shoving dip into his lip.

"It was great, if you know what I mean?" Dal replied winking at Steve and earning a slap on the arm from me.

"GET OUUUT!" Ponyboy yelled again this time making everyone laugh while Darry and Soda pretended they were throwing up, which also caused us to laugh. Laughing was all we ever did.

Darry and I cooked dinner and we all ate together. It was nice to do this again, for the last few months everything has been so hectic I haven't had the time to sit and eat with my family.

"So Lydia when are you moving outta here and moving into that new house of yalls?" Two-bit shoved a spoonful of mashed potatoes in his mouth. My face dropped thinking about leaving, Dallas must have saw. He always notices when something hurts me.

"Lydia, step outside with me, will ya?" Dally asked and I nodded walking outside into the porch. My porch.

"You don't wanna live with me do you?" He asked lighting a cigarette.

"Dallas that's not it, not at all." He leaned both elbows on the rail and I rapped my arms around his waist. He turned around so now we were facing each other.

"Then what is it?"

"When I was a kid," I started. I let go of Dallas and looked down the street to my old house, where my aunt Casey still lives, I think. "I would have bad dreams, and I would run barefoot all the way here. I would skip through Darry's window and cuddle my best friend until I fell back to sleep. I never once, had a bad dream here. Ever. And then when my parents died, and Casey moved in, my life was a nightmare. I would do the same thing. Every night. Until this became my home. Dally, this was a safe place for me. My safe haven. These boys were my safe haven. And leaving them just hurts." I said looking down. A tear fell from my eyes and Dallas picked up my face.

"What do you want to do Lydia?" He asked. He had a look on his face I'd never forget. It was a combination of fear and heart break. And it was a strange look to be seen in the eyes of Dallas. But that's when it hit me. I'm not a kid anymore. And the Curtis house will always be my safe haven. But it wasn't my home anymore. Dallas was. And I was his.

"I want to move in with you. It's just going to be hard at first, but I really want to." I wrapped my arms around his neck. When we pulled away we walked back in and sat down.

"I'm gonna start moving tomorrow morning Two." I responded looking at Dallas grin. I glanced over and saw Soda and Darry smile at me. And then I saw something that hurt, something made everything bad again. I saw Ponyboy wipe a tear and continue looking down at his feet.