The house felt quieter than it used to—quieter than Sodapop liked. Ever since the accident, the Curtis home had settled into this strange mixture of warmth and emptiness, like someone had opened all the windows and let half the family drift out into the wind. But tonight, with the late afternoon light slanting gold across the living room and a half-finished bowl of popcorn on the couch, it almost felt normal.

Sodapop lay stretched across the cushions, one arm behind his head, the other resting around Sandy’s waist. She fit there like she belonged, her blond hair spilling onto his shirt, her knees tucked up as the fuzzy picture on the TV flickered between scenes. Some old black-and-white romance she had begged him to watch, claiming it was “classic” and “sweet,” though Sodapop kept leaning close every few minutes to whisper what he thought was going to happen next just to make her laugh.

And it worked—her laugh was this soft, bright sound that Sodapop hadn’t realized he’d missed until he heard it again.

The front door clicked, then creaked open.

Sodapop lifted his head. “Pony? That you?”

A small shuffle of shoes on the mat. “Yeah,” Ponyboy answered, voice tired the way it always was after school these days. Losing Mom and Dad aged all of them in different ways, but for Ponyboy, it seemed to shrink him, pull him inward like he was trying to make himself take up less space in a world that suddenly felt too big.

Ponyboy stepped inside and froze the moment he saw the girl on the couch beside Soda.

“Oh—uh—sorry,” Ponyboy said quickly, pushing his books tighter against his chest like he wasn’t sure he should even be there. His cheeks tinted pink. “I didn’t know you had company.”

Sodapop grinned, bright and easy. “Hey, come here, kiddo. You’re good.” He sat up, ruffling Ponyboy’s hair even when Ponyboy ducked away from his hand. “I want you to meet somebody.”

Sandy smiled warmly, sitting forward with her hands folded politely in her lap. “Hi, Ponyboy,” she said softly. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Ponyboy blinked, unsure whether to smile or hide. “Hi,” he said, shy but curious. “You’re… Sandy?”

“That’s me,” she laughed. “I’ve heard you’re the smart one of the family.”

Sodapop nudged Ponyboy with his knee. “Told ya, bud. She’s sweet. Ain’t she?”