Page 37 of So Long, Honey
“The Outsiders?”Lorraine gasped as the movie started. “How did you know?”
“Your school-lent copy of it has seen better days, almost like you’ve read it a hundred times,” I said, proud of myself.
“I have,” she huffed and turned to me. “Thank you,” she said, “this is really nice.”
“Anything for you, Starlight,” I said without skipping a beat. “I’ll go grab us some snacks, stay here…” I reached around her and wrapped her in the blanket, tucking it into her hands to keep her warm.
The walk to the concession booth was quick, but the line was long. I spotted Landry standing a few people back from the window and skipped into the line with him, throwing my arm over his shoulder.
“Hey man,” he said, leaning into me with a smile. “You bring Lorraine out?”
I nodded, “I just came to grab her some popcorn. What are you doing here? You hate Patrick Swayze…” I looked him up and down.
“But little Cooper doesn’t,” Landry wiggled his eyebrows at me. “And what she wants, she gets.”
“I never thought I would see the day that a girl conquered Landry Matthews, let alone one as spacey and weird as Mary Cooper.” I laughed.
“I guess once you slow down and really take in your surroundings, you find things that have always been there,” Landry said in a tone I had never heard from him. It was quiet and genuine. I stared at him for a moment before pressing the back of my hand to his head.
“You sure you aren’t sick, buddy?” I teased as he pushed my hand away.
“I’m starting to think Coop has been keeping us away from his little sister for a good reason. She'sfunny, man, and honest…but in a way I can’t explain. She says shit, and it’s like it’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard. Even when it’s at my expense.”
“Sounds like you’re in love,” I told him as we approached the counter.
“Give me a week, and I’ll let you know when the fog clears,” Landry smiled and turned to the overly annoyed girl behind the counter. He ordered two of everything and paid. “My treat. Don’t tell Lorraine we’re here until the back half of the movie?” he asked me.
My brows furrowed in confusion.
“At least let me get in a makeout before this turns into a double date. Once Mary finds out she’s here, the conversation will never end.” Landry laughed and his usual irritation toward a girl isn’t there. It’s just a playful adoration.
“Alright,” I laughed and took my popcorn and the bottles of pop from him, awkwardly shoving them in my arms for the walk back to Lorraine. She was right where I left her, eyes wide, staring up at the big screen. The soft dialogue betweenSoda-popandDarryfloated through the open slide window of the cab.She looked so happy it clenched tightly in my chest. The sweet swoop of her nose and the delicate way her lips moved as she caughton to the writing that she recognized from the book. She was beloved and she had no clue.
“If I could spend the rest of my life watching you watch things you loved, I’d die a happy man, Rae,” I whispered to her over the hushed sounds of the movie as I climbed up into the bed. I handed her the popcorn and settled down behind her with my back against the cab before wrapping her up and pulling her against my chest.
She grumbled a little, her eyes' attention on the movie faltering as I got comfortable, but she relaxed against my chest, her fingers digging through the popcorn to find the buttered pieces.
“You know, Dally only ever wanted Johnny to succeed. He might have been a little rough and backward but they were family.” She said quietly with a few tears as Ponyboy read over Johnny’s last letter. “And he might have never seen one, but now he lives in the sunsets with Johnny. They’ll always be able to find them there. Robert Frost was wrong," she said.
"About what?" I asked her and kissed her shoulder.
"He said'nothing gold can stay.'But he's wrong, gold can stay if we try hard enough to remember them being gold, they'll stay that way forever,” Her voice was choked up when she finished and I knew she was crying but instead of trying to make it better I just let her have the moment.
I couldn’t bear to tell her it was just a book; her words were so soft and she extended such a caring understanding to these fictional characters as if she was a part of their family. After reading a book so many times, I guess she believed she was heart and soul. A world where she was free… it would have made her laugh and cry like she had during the entire movie.
“One day, like Dally, you’ll become the stars,” I said to her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as the credits started to roll.“Not everyone will know you’re there or appreciate it but that’s where you belong. With the stars.”
Her body tensed in mine, but her fingers wrapped around my forearm as she tucked her face against my chest.
“Don’t cry more, Rae,” I said to her with a laugh.
“You can’t say the most profound, idiotic thing and expect me to keep my cool after watching Johnny die!” She practically wailed. I rested my hand on her hand, fingers curling into her hair as she tried to calm down.
“I love you,” I whispered against the top of her head.
“Even when I’m crying?” She grumbled.
“Especially.” I laughed.