By the fifteenth of January, Sodapop and I had finalized the paperwork for the realtor, which meant we officially owned our first house together. Moving was a pain in the ass, but to have a place to call our own was such a wonderful experience.

I had to compromise with Sodapop to keep the living room walls purple. There was something about the color that I loved. Soda on the other hand absolutely hated it.

"If you let me have a dog, you can keep the walls purple," he finally offered.

I glared at him. "You're impossible," I said.

"Dog and purple walls or no dog, no purple walls."

I groaned. "Fine, but I'm not cleaning up after it," I said. "And it better not chase my cat."

"Ah, yeah!" he exclaimed. "Remind me to call Ponyboy. He'll be so excited."

I shook my head at him. "What color should we paint the other rooms?"

"Well, definitely not that god awful purple color," he teased.

"Oh, come on. It's not that bad. And besides, once I get a bunch of pictures hung up, you won't even notice it."

"I don't know, lilac purple is pretty noticeable."

I just grinned at him. I wanted to be frustrated with him, but I couldn't. It was hard to get mad at Sodapop and stay mad at him for too long.

"You know what else is noticeable?"

"If you say something slick, I'm gonna smear this bright yellow paint all over you."

He grinned a devilish grin and then said, "your butt looks really good in those overalls."

"Oh for Chrissake," I groaned. "What is with you? I could be dressed in a snowsuit and you'd still be all over me."

"I can't help it. My girlfriend is hot."

"Well, your hot girlfriend has a hot boyfriend."

"Why don't we take a hot break and make some hot lunch?"

"That went too far," I chuckled.

He shrugged like he didn't mind the idea. "Sandwiches okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. I've been craving peanut butter a lot," I mentioned.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I don't know. It just sounds great on everything. I guess it's because I'm stressed out about moving and everything. Peanut butter's my comfort food."

"Well, then I'll make sure to put extra peanut butter on it." Soda kissed the top of my head before moving into the kitchen to make a few PB&J sandwiches for us. We had brought over some food as we planned on staying the night since we'd be moving all weekend long and unpacking all of our stuff. Now that we had an actual house, we had a lot more room for all our stuff and for ourselves. A lot of Soda's stuff was still in boxes shoved in my writing room, which I hadn't taken the time to inhabit in the last few weeks. Between finalizing all the paperwork for the realtor and talking with the lawyer about guardianship, it was hard to get any writing done.

"Soda?"

"Yeah, doll?"

"I think we should do the kitchen yellow."

"Yellow? You're killing me."

"How? I've always loved the idea of a yellow kitchen. I think kitchens should be bright and happy. It is my favorite room in the house," I commented.

"Mine's the bedroom."

"You know what, I'm ignoring you for the rest of my life."

"Ouch."

"Help me pick colooooors," I groaned, plopping down onto the shag rug in the living room. "I got all these color cards from the hardware store."

"Hey, let's take a break and eat first, alright? Then we can argue over more ugly colors."

I gave him a look, but obliged, my stomach growling too loud now to ignore. Soda came in and sat down on the carpet in front of me and handed me a plate with a sandwich and some chips and a glass of milk.

"So, how's things with the lawyer?"

"Good. He's putting the paperwork together and he said pretty much what we both already know. Since we both have full-time jobs and a nice house in a decent neighborhood and since neither of us have criminal records, we both have a pretty good shot of becoming Greg and Claire's legal guardians."

"That's good. What with your grandmother's condition and your grandfather's old age... I know I'd feel better knowing they would be safer and happier here."

"I know, that's what I was thinking."

"They ever figure out what's wrong with Judith?" he asked, referring to my ailing grandmother.

I shook my head and took another bite of my sandwich. "No. It's like she has these episodes, but once she's aware of what's going on again, she doesn't wanna go and get it seen about. She thinks she's fine, but the last time I talked to the twins, it sounds like it's getting worse. I guess she's making up things now that she genuinely thinks has happened, but it hasn't.

"Apparently she went into full detail about her walk to the park and Claire had to tell her that she'd been home all day. She got really aggravated and insisted she had been at the park."

"That's so weird."

"I know. It's really scary. I'm just wondering how they're going to take this when I show up with the papers in a few weeks."

Soda finished off his sandwich and took a swig of milk. I finished eating, too, and he took my plate along with his.

"So, what color for the kitchen?" I asked.

"How about this one?" he asked, holding up a color card. It was a pale yellow. "It's not too terrible. I think I could handle it."

I smiled at him, happy he liked a color I did and also happy that I had gotten my way.

"Alright. Let's get to painting."

'''

By seven o'clock, Sodapop and I were exhausted. We had successfully finished painting most of the rooms with just the bedroom and the spare room-- which would be my new writing room-- left to paint.

We had borrowed an air mattress from Steve and Evie so we would have something to sleep on in the new house, but we also wouldn't have to worry about not having a place to sleep back at the apartment.

The air mattress was creaky and uncomfortable and I couldn't help tossing and turning all night.

"Doll, you gotta get some sleep," Soda complained in his half-asleep state.

"I can't. It's so uncomfortable."

"Well, c'mere." Soda pulled me into him so I was half on top of him. It wasn't much better, but I did feel a lot better with him so close. I secretly hoped we weren't turning into one of those totally cliche couples, but a whole other part of me didn't really care. Being head over heels in love with your best friend, and having them feel the same way, whether cliche or not, is probably the best thing that could ever happen to you.

"Better?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said and I stopped wallowing around so much. I slung my arm across his neck and we eventually fell asleep.

'''

Thanks to all the guys-- Darry, Ponyboy, Steve, and Two-Bit, we had all the really heavy stuff moved into the new house in no time at all. All Sodapop and I had left to move in were the boxes that I had neatly stacked up in the otherwise empty living room at the apartment.

Whiskey didn't quite know what to think of the new house, considering he'd been living in my apartment most of his life. It seemed after a good hour of just combing through the messy house, it seemed to suffice his requirements on a place to live.

"Glad he approves," said Soda sarcastically as Whiskey took a seat on the sofa that he and Ponyboy were trying to get positioned neatly in the living room. I grinned at the scene.

"Aw, he's just trying to help," I laughed.

"He's like ten pounds, Candy!" Ponyboy groaned. "Jesus, what do you feed him?"

I shrugged. "He's a cat. My say isn't important and whatever he wants he gets."

"You're like his puppet," Soda said as he and Ponyboy got the couch into a nice position. While the guys were moving in the heavy stuff, I was busy unpacking pots and pans while Tasha was going through my fridge, trying to find a place to fit everything.

"Candy, your fridge is so unkempt."

"Isn't everyone's?"

"Not ours," said Darry from the bedroom entryway. He and Two-Bit were busy getting the bed frame put back together. Evie, Hannah, and Cathy were at the kitchen table planning reception stuff for Cathy and Ponyboy's wedding.

"I'm just very organized," said Tasha, sending me a sheepish grin.

"Well, if it makes you happy," I said, sending a smile back her way.

"What about these lights?" said Hannah, Mikey in her lap so he wouldn't run to find Two-Bit and be in his way. "They're so pretty."

"Pretty!" Mikey screamed.

"Atta boy!" Two-Bit screamed back, making Hannah roll her eyes playfully.

"Ooh, let me see those," said Cathy, and Hannah handed her the magazine. I got up to go and see what they were looking at. The lights that Hannah had pointed to were like little chandeliers, very simple, yet very elegant.

"Hey, those are gorgeous," I commented.

"Yeah, I like these a lot. What do you think Ponyboy?" Ponyboy walked over to give his opinion, which I already knew what it was before he even said anything.

"Yeah, I like those," he said, giving her a kiss on the top of her head.

Cathy's face fell into a look of irritation. "That's what you've said about everything," she grumbled.

"Because I like everything that you pick out."

"You've gotta have something to say, surely."

"I like them. They're fine."

"Ponyboy's a simple guy," I told her in a hushed tone as Pony moved back into the living room. "All that matters to him at the end of the day is marrying you. You could pick the absolute ugliest reception theme in the world and he wouldn't care."

Cathy blushed, her gaze moving from me to her fiance. She smiled at him as he and Soda messed around.

The five of us girls got distracted picking out decorations while the guys were hard at work with arranging the big furniture.

"I need a break," said Two-Bit as he and Darry sauntered into the kitchen. Steve, Soda, and Ponyboy walked in from the living room.

"So do we," said Pony.

"Thanks for all the hard work, guys," I said, giving them all huge smiles.

"No problem, Candy Cane," said Steve.

"You know what sounds good?" said Ponyboy, stretching out in a chair. "Pizza. We should order some."

"Good call," I said. "I'll pay, my treat."

"Aw, Candy, we'll all chip in," said Two-Bit.

"Pizza!" Mikey yelled, demanding Hannah hand him over to Two.

"You want pizza, buddy?" Two asked him, taking him from Hannah's lap.

"Uh-huh."

"Alright. What toppings?"

Once everyone decided what they wanted on their pizza, I put in the order. We sat around, drinking pop and eating pizza. Two-Bit was the first to leave, as Mikey had been up way past his bedtime, and Cathy and Ponyboy were soon to follow. Soon enough, it was just Sodapop and me alone in our home.

"Hey," said Soda as soon as Darry and Tasha left.

I turned to him. "What?"

"You wanna christen the new house?"

I smirked at him.

"I was waiting for you to ask. I saw you getting antsy for them to finish putting the bed together."

Soda grinned that childish grin of his before picking me up and carrying me to the bedroom.

'''

"What do you mean you changed your mind?" I asked. "You know how important this is to me. I've been planning this. I've let you in on everything and now you're just backing out?"

"I'm sorry, Candice--"

"No, I need Friday off so I can go to New York. You already approved of my absence request. I've already bought my plane ticket. What do you expect me to do?"

"I expect you to come in on Friday morning with an upbeat attitude and tend to your paperwork like you should," Tom said, his voice sounding very derogatory.

"I can't believe you," I said. "I genuinely can't freaking believe you'd go and pull some shit like this on me. I've been a loyal employee here for almost two years. I've never called in sick. The only days I've requested off was the day of my dad's funeral, and two days out of two separate weeks so I could see my brother and sister. The only reason I'm going to New York is so I can take my grandparents to court for custody over my siblings."

"I don't care what it's for, Candice. I changed my mind and I expect you to listen to me and follow your boss' orders."

A huge knot formed in my chest, a knot of pure anger. I hadn't felt that angry since my mother was alive.

"Then I quit," I said.

"What?" Tom gave me an incredulous look. "You can't quit," he said.

"Oh yeah? Watch me."

With that, I grabbed up my purse and car keys and headed for the office door. I was so glad Hannah wasn't in yet to witness this, or she'd be quitting too. I stopped in the doorway and turned to Tom. "You can mail my last paycheck to my new address." That being said, I left for good.

Once I got to my car in the employee parking lot, I had to fight back the tears.

"What did I just do," I sighed. "I can't believe I just fucking did that."