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Virginia Curtis knew what she wanted for her whole life. The moment she's held a paintbrush defined what she pictured herself as. Granted, even her determination could not control the strings of fate and she found herself blindsided by one thing that connected her to the double-edged sword of humanity— love.
Samuel Gardner was one of these great characters in her romantic story. It was a storybook dance that was something Austen would've admired. Often, Virginia could hear him in her head when she sat with her thoughts for too long. She kept every letter he sent her, tracing her fingers over the fine black ink and it brought her back to a time gone by. Virginia fondly remembered that most auspicious chapter where her voice was something worthy and strong.
And she gave up and signed away her life without a minute's hesitation.
Dallas Winston played many roles in her life. A lover was never supposed to be one of them and perhaps that was where the greatest plot twist of Virginia Curtis' life laid. After all, she could never truly play with those strings of fate.
She pulled away from him slowly. The world had fallen silent around the two, comforted by the sweet quiet. Dallas couldn't help himself and he peppered small kisses down her face, making her break out into a fit of giggles.
"Oh, that laugh..." he mumbled, voice gravelly and unusually tender. "What are you doin' to me, Curtis?" His lips lingered on the corner of her mouth as he stole another tiny peck.
"People surprise you," she whispered. Her fingers curled into his hair. Longer now, she thought. The backs of her fingernails scraped against his head softly. She felt his arms that encircled her cinch tighter and she was pressed up so close to his body, she was surprised she wasn't shaking like a leaf.
This is wrong, she suddenly realized. The urge to push him away was strong but the spell he had finally trapped her under was a force to be reckoned with. For a moment, they were two teenagers in a car in the parking lot of a Dairy Queen.
That's when the car door slammed and reality came crashing down.
"Um, I gotta go," she whispered against his lips. Twisting herself out of his grasp, she made two steps forward before she felt a tug on her wrist.
"Where you goin'?" he inquired, a small coy grin playing on his lips. "Just gettin' fun, ain't it?"
She wagged a finger at him, reckoning her face was as red as roses. "No."
He let out a laugh and let go, unsurprised she stood still, unable to retreat. "Let me see you later."
Virginia scrunched her nose up indignantly and Dallas felt that odd flutter again. "I don't think so! I'm-I'm not one of your girls to meet you at some god-forsaken time, Dally!"
"Bluebell!"
She gasped, shoving the Tigers jacket that laid strewn on the ground into his arms, and quickly pulled Dallas against the side of the house where Darry wouldn't see them. Her head peeked out from the corner and she could see her older brother standing out on the porch, eyes roaming the darkness that laid beyond the fence.
