The Outsider Future: Life After the Experience

Chapter 18

KAT

"Wes, what are you doing here?!" I yelled. "What do you think?!" Wes yelled back. "I told you we're over!" I spat. "Wait, what is going on here?" Soda questioned. "I was her soulmate about two months ago," Wes claimed. "But, I guess she's over me now!" "Aw, that's enough buddy!" Soda yelled. They went at it again and all I could do was stand back and yell at them saying, "Stop!" and "Soda no!" Eventually Wes got up and stopped fighting. His nose was bleeding and it looked broken. His face had multiple bruises and his arms were cut. "This ain't worth it man," he yelled. He walked away leaving me and Soda to talk this out on our own, which was probably best. "Soda, I-" I started to say. He cut me off saying, "Kat I'm not mad at you, just come inside." I can't explain the amount of shock I felt at that moment. Had he just said that he wasn't mad at me?! He couldn't have, could he?

I followed him inside and we both sat on the couch. "Now," he said. "I'm not completely mad at you. My anger is really at him. He said that he loved you and all this crap, but I want to know the whole story from you." I sighed and told Soda every little detail that had happened. He actually started laughing at parts like the Pepsi-Cola thing. "Listen," he said. "I'm kind of upset about this, but it's not that big of a deal. I can't promise you that if I thought you were dead that I wouldn't go out with another girl. Plus, you guys really didn't do anything but kiss. Still, I just need you to be completely honest with me when I ask you this. Did you REALLY love him?" I thought about it as I looked into his chocolate brown eyes. I knew that I hadn't really loved Wes. He was just a way to get over Sodapop, the real one I loved. There was no doubt in my mind that Sodapop was the one I was really meant to be with. "Soda," I began. I started to tear up when saying, "I love you and you only. I can't explain to you the extreme sadness that swept over me when I found out you were missing. Wes was a way to take my mind off of things, and it wasn't love what so ever. This, Soda, what we have is love. And no, this isn't the basic speech that a normal cheater says. This is my real feelings right now. I miss my Pepsi-Cola and-" he cut me off and started kissing me. When we pulled back I smiled. "I get it!" he said giggling. "Now shut up and kiss me!" We started kissing some more, and I was so joyful at the thought of just being with him again. It was as if anything in the world could've happened to me that day, any stinking horrible thing, and this would have just made it all better. "I can't believe you're back," I said thankfully. "Me either," he said laughing his head off with that wide grin of his. "But, since I am back, and since nobody's around to criticize us or bother us or anything, I have an important question to ask you." He started to get down on one knee. "Katlyn McHolden," he began. Just at that moment Ponyboy ran in. "Soda I need you to talk to me!" he cried tears rolling down his face. "You've got to be freaking kidding me!" Soda and I yelled at the same time. "Hey jinx!" I giggled. "What is it?" Soda groaned. "It's Mack," he said. 'Oh God,' I thought.

We all sat down on the couch. "I just can't believe she would go on a date with Steve like that! I hate Steve!" Ponyboy exclaimed. "Hey watch it!" Soda replied. "That's my best friend you're talking about!" Pony nodded understanding as Soda told Pony the same thing he had told me. "What if you thought she was dead? What would you do Pony?" Soda asked. Pony explained in detail the type of depressed fit he would have and then about how he would probably date someone new to get his mind off of things and then about how he would probably end up killing himself. "Now," Soda said. "Is that not almost what Mack did when she thought you were dead?" Pony sat in silence and then nodded. "Pony," I said. "Let me explain something to you. I have never seen Mack so head over hills for a boy since you came along in our lives again. No matter how far you try to run, Pony, Mack is always gonna come chasing you trying to get you to take her back. And, it's not just because she's crazy, but also because she's totally in love with you. Even when she was with Steve for that short amount of time, she was never as excited with him as she was with you. I'm telling you Pony, you better get her now before she finds someone new. That girl, I tell you, chases boys like nobody's business. I mean she's already been with Dally, you, and Steve. It's up to you, so what are you gonna choose? Love or grudges?" Pony nodded. "I have to go get her!" he exclaimed. He quickly ran out the door and head for Soda's truck. "Hey!" Soda yelled. "Don't take my truck!" But before Soda knew it, Pony was gone with his truck. I laughed at the irony. "So," I said. "Where were we?" "Oh yeah!" Soda exclaimed. He got back down on one knee and I began to start tearing up. "Katlyn McHolden," he began. "For the third freaking time, will you marry me?" I jumped up and down and cried in joy screaming, "YES! YES! YES!' We hugged each other and kissed for the longest time before he put the ring on me. The ring wasn't much, which is what he kept telling me, but I swear that ring was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my life. Besides myself. Just kidding, but really it was beautiful. At that moment, in came Darry. "Soda!" he yelled. "Darry!" Soda yelled back. They ran into each other's arms crying and clinging to one another. "I can't believe it!" Darry cried. I take back my statement about the ring because that reunion must have been the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Again, other than myself.