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To say the next few weeks went by fast was an understatement.
"There we go," Virginia whispered as her foot smoothly sunk into a tin pail. The plaster was cold and thick and she felt Ponyboy's disapproving stare on her.
"That's dumb," he remarked.
"You wouldn't understand," she dismissed as she used a small brush to evenly spread the plaster over the slope of her ankle.
"Who would?" he scoffed as he bent down to tie his old tennis shoes. "C'mon, we're gonna be late."
"What? I thought Darry said we ain't leavin' 'till 3?" she asked as her eyes widened.
"No, he said we gotta be back by 3. Shoot, you gotta use your ears more," Ponyboy mumbled as he ignored her sudden panic. He grinned when Soda glided down the hallway from their room, holding a pair of shoes in between his fingers.
"Hurry, Dally's jockeying today," Ponyboy said as he tucked his hair comb in his pocket.
"Maybe you can get in on the children's pony race," Soda joked as he shoved Ponyboy with his shoulder and leaned against the wall to put his sneakers on.
"Let's get a move on. I- Virginia what on earth are you doin'?" Darry stared at his little sister with nothing short of confusion.
She took her hands out of the bucket and pointed at him with a finger covered in plaster. "This is your fault. Why do we gotta go to the rodeo today? I wanted to go to football practice."
"Since when were you an athletic gal?"
"Since her boyfriend," Two-Bit drawled as he carried a clinking case of beer in one hand with Steve at his side.
"Quit it," Virginia mumbled as she wiped her hands with a towel.
Darry gave his sister a weird look then said, "Thought you were gonna meet us there. Ain't got room in the truck."
"Naw, we just wanted to get y'all some drinks. It's hot out and-'
"Oh no..." Virginia muttered as she gave her foot a tug. It didn't budge. "My foot's stuck!"
"Oh for the love of- I told you this was a bad idea!" Darry barked as Soda burst out cackling.
"Stop it, Soda!" Virginia cried out as she tugged on her calf while Ponyboy took hold of the bucket and began yanking. "Be gentle, Pony! Don't ruin the mold!"
"Get. Dressed," Darry snapped as he glared at her with piercing blue-green eyes. It was only 10:00 on a gorgeous Saturday morning and Darry was on his first cup of coffee.
Virginia slowly peeled off layers of plaster from her skin, hissing at the painful tugging and redness that was left behind. Darry stared at her and clucked his tongue.
