awe sugar | johnny cade

epilogue <3

JOHNNY CADE

it's been 3 months since charlotte died. the gang still wasn't the same. dal took her advice and stayed out of trouble even. today was the day i decided to go look at her room. i took dallas, pony, and andrea with me. andrea has been around a lot more since she died, and her and pony are a couple.

i grabbed her door knob and all of the memories started coming back, but i was out of tears. i couldn't cry anymore, she wouldn't want me to.

"whenever your ready, johnnycakes." dal patted my back and i nodded, opening the door. everything was the same as it was the night i was there. i took a deep breath and went to her closet first. i took out the dress she wore on our first date, and the dress she wore on our date to the flower field.

i love you, johnny cade.

i went over to her sketchbook next. i opened it and looked at all of her work. i ran my fingers over the first sketch she drew of me at the lot and a tear fell down my cheek. i quickly wiped it away and continued. a sketch of andrea was next, and i smiled and showed it to her. she broke down in sobs and pony held her close, trying to keep his tears in. next was ponyboy, which set off his tears. a few more sketches of me appeared, and then it was dallas. i showed him the sketch and he shook his head with a smirk on his face.

dallas winston, my favorite hood.

"she was really talented, man. a smartass too." he laughed. the next one was of me, again. it had a note attached, which i had already read.

happy birthday johnny! you're my best friend and as much as i know you hate your birthday, i'm gonna make it special. meet me at the curtis house at 5pm.

- charlotte <3

i shook my head and closed the sketchbook, putting it in my bag. i made my way to her picture board and examined all of the polaroids. andrea grabbed one of her and charlotte smiling, while making fun of me. she laughed and put it in her pocket. i shakily reaches towards her favorite picture of us.

"i told you you'd enjoy my picture taking one day." andrea smirked. i rolled my eyes and smiled at the picture.

it was the picture of us drinking the milkshake before we were dating, when andrea splashed charlottes on the waitress.

the next one was one that ponyboy took while she was sleeping in my arms and i was running my fingers through her hair.

i would do anything to play with her hair one more time, i know how much she loved it.

i would do anything to hear her beautiful voice or see her beautiful face one more time.

"i miss that little shit, man." dal went teary eyed and we all agreed.

"she had me goin' soft." he chuckled.

————
8 YEARS LATER

"daddy, who's this lady by uncle johnny?" rose,
pony and andreas daughter asked.

"that's charlotte rose, you were named after her." pony smiled at the picture on the wall of the curtis house.

"shes so pretty." rose said in awe. johnny chuckled and grabbed the picture.

"yeah, she was. she's the love of my life." he looked down at rose and a tear fell down his cheek. he quickly wiped it away and placed the picture back on the wall.

"where is she?" she furrowed her eyebrows like charlotte once did. i

"she passed away." pony rubbed johnny's arm and rose gave johnny an apologetic look and pulled him into a hug.

"i'm sorry." she frowned. "i wish i could have met her."

"she would have loved you." johnny smiled, twirling a piece of roses curly, blonde hair around his finger.

just play with my hair, 'kay?
i love when you play with my hair.

"but just like you say daddy, nothing gold can stay." rose smiled a cheeky smile at pony, and pony exchanged a smile with johnny.

nothing gold can stay.

charlotte was gold.

THE END.