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Virginia was blessed with a clear mind on her duties— not just as a dreamer, but as a woman. She had the power to change her family's reputation just by the ring on her finger. Granted, there was no literal ring as there was a metaphorical one. In any case, the news she had just received shook her body to the core.
She couldn't believe the words that tumbled out of Darry's mouth. He must've been joking though his face didn't give her the benefit of the doubt. Her fingers trembled and she felt her heart pound mercilessly in her chest but her stance was strong. For some reason, he looked stunned by her reaction but the doubt was pushed out of her mind.
"Thomas Reed?" Virginia began, her voice hard. "Thomas— God, Darry do you know who that is?"
"A nice young man who's taken a liking to your background, what else?"
Virginia's jaw would've dropped if it wasn't for anger surging inside of her. "Thomas was Sam's best friend, Darry, how could you do this?!"
His brows furrowed, confusion flooding them. "Best— what, I didn't—"
"I haven't seen Thomas in four years, does he even know it's me? You do not get the right to sell my life away— I am my own person," Virginia cut off firmly. She felt like a tape recorder, repeating the same affirmations to the same person over and over again. It was sickening.
"Blue, Thomas doesn't—"
"Know," she answered, blinking back tears. "Believe me, he would not be happy right now either." Silent, she gathered her thoughts, fiddling with her fingers. "Where is he?"
"Here. Teaching at Will Rogers."
"What?" Virginia demanded, her eyes widening. She knew Thomas had attended a school out in Boston for a teaching degree but she never expected him to return to his roots... like her. And now, the strangest revelation that made her stomach turn.
"He's the division head of the mathematics department," informed Darry as calmly as he could. "Graduated, top of his class... he has a house down Havenhurst and Belmont."
"No, this is not alright," she refuted, biting her lip as hard as she could to fight back the sudden onset of tears that threatened to flood her eyes. She could hear Darry's protests behind her as she walked outside, barely catching a glimpse of Sodapop emerging from his room in surprise.
The pavement was cold, the nighttime air cooling the concrete baked by the July sun. Virginia didn't put on her shoes and she could feel the small pricks of freshly fallen pine needles and the soft, supple earth caressing her skin. Her lovely dress floated behind her as the girl who pondered the evolving world around her was left to her thoughts.
She needed clarity. And somehow, with the moon's silvery glow guiding her along her path, Virginia wandered to the steps of a small convenience store. The lights were on inside, glowing like a small sun of their own, and illuminated the black-and-white tiles just barely visible. Behind the small counter, was a person that nearly made Virginia's worries disappear.
