"Hi my name is Lucy Romeo," I smile as I stick out my hand. "What's your name again?"

"Sodapop Curtis," the boy that I've known all my life sticks out his hand as he smiles. "Do you have a place to stay?"

"No actually," I bite my lip. "I'm eighteen and I just moved back to Tulsa."

"I'm nineteen, I live with my two older brothers, Darry and Ponyboy," he smiles his million dollar smile I've never forgotten only tried. "They won't mind you living with us though. We have a spare room."

"Thanks you're so kind," I say. "Do you have any gum?"

"Here," he says as he hands me a pack of gum.

"Thanks, I'm a chain chewer," I blush as I pop a piece of gum in my mouth. "Extra bubble gum is my favorite."

"Has anybody ever told you, you could be a model?" Soda asks looking at me with a huge smile.

"Actually I was one when I was younger," I inform even though I know he already knows, this is our second chance.

Several minutes earlier

"Sodapop!" I yell as I walk into the DX tears running down my cheeks.

"Lucy?" He asks alarmed.

"What happened?" I choke out.

"What do you mean?" He asks clearly confused.

"To us!" I yell loudly. "What happened to us?"

"Everything became a mess," he sighs.

"I don't even remember why I kept leaving. You cheated on me, but I don't know why I left anymore," I admit. "I just kind of do it now."

"Then don't leave," he says slowly.

"Can we start over? Can we be strangers again. Let me introduce myself? We can laugh and talk? And relearn what we already know? And come up with new inside jokes? And create new memories? And give each other a second chance? It's our only chance," I beg sadly.

"Of course," he smiles.

"Hi my name is Lucy Romero," I smile as I stick out my hand. "What's your name again?"

Sorry the chapters have been so short. The next few chapters will all have time skips. Only three more short chapters then an epilogue. Stay gold. Do it for Johnny!

-Beth