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Needless to say, the car ride back home was an experience with a spectrum of emotions.
Virginia still tried to milk as much sympathy as she could out of Soda by resting her head against his shoulder and placing her injured hand on top of his. Steve wanted to slap her upside the head but was relieved she was safe. And as for Darry, he decided to just stay home since he only had a couple of hours left at his roofing job.
Virginia felt a little guilty for tearing her brothers away from work and scaring everyone else. Poor Johnny came with Ponyboy to the Curtis home and checked up on her every few minutes in her room until Virginia just made him stay to save him the walk.
Darry instructed Ponyboy to go into his room to do his homework and Soda was probably changing before heading to hang out in the living room before Steve left. Their parents' room was always shut but sometimes Virginia would sit there and remember them. That'd lead to her brothers finding her and all of the siblings' remembering their past lives.
She laid on her bed, feet propped against the wall and stared at one of her paintings she hung up. Virginia was thrilled to have her own room despite it being the attic. While Soda and Pony shared one and Darry kept to himself in his own, all four can find each other in their parents' room at least once. Virginia's done it a lot, trying to grab and hold onto the lovely scent of her mother and try to feel like she's back in her arms once more.
Johnny sat backward on the small chair in front of her vanity, his arms resting on the back with a cigarette dangling from his fingertips. He watched one of his best friends stare at her most recent art with such an intense stare, he was sure it would burst into flames in a second.
"You okay, Virginia?" he asked softly. He saw her head nod slowly.
She opened her mouth and he heard her inhale but she didn't speak. She was thinking again.
"For god's sake, Virginia, what's wrong?" he asked, leaning his head the other way to read her face. "Is Darry hacked off at you?"
Virginia shook her head. Suddenly she turned on her side, her feet falling on her pillow and facing Johnny who looked awake at once.
"I figured it out, Johnnycake!"
He looked at her expectantly and was not surprised to see her stand on her bed with her arms folded across her chest.
"Why don't ya the whole neighborhood while you're at it," he mumbled, hoping the men downstairs won't hear her declamation. He fished out a half-empty pack of cigarettes from his pocket and offered one to Virginia in hopes that it'd calm her down.
She lit the stick with Johnny's lighter and before taking a smoke, stated, "Alright, I lied."
"That ain't new."
"Cherry didn't drive me home. A boy did. A Soc. His name's Sam and he has nice blue eyes. Real blue." She knew Johnny was taken aback and took a drag from her cigarette.
