𝙶𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝙶𝚒𝚛𝚕 & 𝙳𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚜 𝚆𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚗

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝟻

The next day at work it wasn't raining but instead cloudy.

"Goodness sake, when can we have an actually good day outside!" Soda complained tossing his hat onto the counter as Steve walked into the back.

Ding

"Oh look the girl survived!" Soda sarcastically teased her.

She was wearing her normal Converse, jeans, tank top, and button-up. She also wore a of a pair of black roller skates tied together and slung over her shoulder with a grey string bag on her back.

"Oh haha, Soda." She sarcastically gave him a goofy glare and started walking to the workshop.

"What are the skates for?" He questioned.

"Ohh uh my other job, I work at Ruby's Diner down the street. Can I toss these behind the counter?" She asked holding her bag and her skates.

"Sure." He took them from her and tucked them under the checkout.

"Thanks." She weakly smiled and looked at the clock on the wall. She stormed off into the garage.

Something was more off than usual with her. She looks less confident and more anxious, Soda's thoughts were interrupted by the ring of the bell as his girlfriend Sandy walked in.

"Hey uhh, this is Sandy my girlfriend, Sandy this is my new coworker." Soda awkwardly smiled at the girl leaving to go to the workshop and his girlfriend giving her judgmental looks.

"Uhh cool." She muttered and retreated as fast as she could walk towards Steve's direction.

———

"Hey Steve," Soda called a few hours later.

"What's up, man?" Steve walked in wiping his hands on a rag.

"Is something off to you?"

"Everything seems normal," then he lowered his voice, "except the girl. She seems, I don't know, scared."

"I noticed that. She kept glancing at the clock and didn't make that many mean remarks to me." The fact that she wasn't being mean and it is unsettling the boys is funny.

"Uhh hey guys, hate to break up the conversation you are having about me but I have to go." She pointed towards to door with her thumb. "Could you pass me my skates?" The boys jumped when they saw her in the doorway. Soda tossed her the bag and skates.

She ran to the sidewalk outside and took off her DX button up and threw on a black button-up. She put on her skates. She already had black leggings on.

With her shoes and button-up shoved in her bag, she skated off in a different direction.

Ding

"What was that about?" Pony asked as he and Johnny walked into the shop.

"We don't know." Steve shrugged.

Johnny walked up to the bulletin board behind the counter and near where Soda sat.

"Girl, shift, nine to twelve." Johnny read off.

"So she has places to be?" Pony asked.

"But why roller skates?" Johnny chipped in.

"And the wardrobe change," Steve mentioned.

"I ain't suppose to be tellin' y'all this but she works at the diner downtown a ways, I dunno why she had to take a shift now. It's usually at night during supper." Dallas walked out from one of the isles.

"Oh yeah, she told me that." Soda nodded.

"Why do you know so much about her?" Steve crossed his arms at Dallas.

"None of y'all's business!" He walked out with a stolen pack of cigarettes.

———

It was a busy day for 'Ghost'. She is hoping to get out of this town by Friday, which leaves her today and tomorrow.

"What's up Princess, why in such a hassle today?" Dallas approached her as she was skating around refilling napkins.

"I'm leavin', it usually takes three days for them to follow me and today is day four or five. For all I know they may even be in this town."

"Stay with the gang, they'll protect you."

"I ain't need protection Dal, I ain't need friends either! They're not too fond of me." She moved on to refilling ketchup bottles once all the napkins were full.

"I ain't like friends either but think of it more like a family and they are-watch your step!" She hit a fork that a boy tossed there not even a minute earlier.

The wheels of her skates rolled over it getting caught in the bindings

Dallas luckily caught the bottom of her arms and steadied her.

"Thanks." She muttered out of shock.

"No problem Princess, like I said the gangs got your back, literally." He joked.

The boys that tossed the silverware were laughing and joking at this point.

"Man, if that's how you treat a woman or people in general, I'd hate to see what your face would look like next time you mess with her." Dallas approached them with his switchblade visible.

Even though no fighting is allowed Ghost was more entertained than worried about stopping this.

The boys agreed to stop and Dallas gave them the look.

"Look, Dal, I appreciate your hospitality but I can't stay here, I'm glad I got to see you but I can't just sit here and let 'em' find me."

"Please stay. Steve and Soda care about you, Darry cares about you, I care about you."

"I've barely met em'."

"You haven't let them. In their defense, they don't even know your name."

"Smooth Dallas, smooth." She smirked. "I'm sorry I must get back to work!"