Porcelain

Chapter 60

"Today's your race, isn't it?" Estelle asked Dally, as he got up to leave their bed.

"Yeah," he grunted. "Why?"

"Cause the least I could do would be to come out and watch, dumbass."

He immediately shook his head.

"No, I don't want you out there around people like that. There are dangerous people at the race tracks, I don't want you to be taking risks you don't have to take."

"Well, first of all, I can go with the gang, I already know they were planning to go out and support you with your first race back in. And second of all, I'm a big girl, I can make my own choices, thank you."

He sighed. "Don't feel like you have to come tonight though," he said quietly. "Your first priority needs to be keeping yourself safe."

"I know," she replied gently. "But especially if I go in a group, I think my safety will be covered. Besides, it's been a while since I've had any fun."

"Essie, you're what, eight and a half months pregnant? You look like you could pop any second, and you don't even like getting up to piss."

She frowned. "Don't try the pet names, this is something I wanna do. I wanna be there and support you, and I wanna have fun with you and the gang. I might not get many chances after this for a while. Or, really, ever again for that matter."

"Just, don't make dumb choices, okay?" He said, running his hand through his fluffy blonde hair.

"I won't," she reassured him. "Since when have I ever been known for making stupid choices?"

Dally raised a skeptical eyebrow at her.

"What? I'm right!"

_____
Estelle held tightly onto Two-Bit's arm as the entire gang, besides Darry, walked into the race track. She got the go-ahead from Dally in the end, on the condition that she would be with at least one gang member at all time, and that she wasn't linked to Dally, for the sake of her own safety.

So she was pretending to be Two-Bit's new girlfriend, to his glee and her chagrin.

"Keith, I swear to god, get your fucking hand of my ass or I will stab you," she hissed.

"Oh come on, don't you want the act to be believable?"

"No one gives a shit, get your fucking hand off my ass."

"But you don't carry a blade on you anymore, what are you gonna stab me with?"

She flicked his prized switchblade open, held the blade low as his side, in a threatening but almost teasing manner.

His eyes widened. "How the hell did you get that?" He demanded.

She just smirked. "You were so distracted with my ass, all I had to do was slip my hand into your jacket. Pay better attention next time," she said, closing the knife and slipping it back into her own pocket.

As they went and sat down, Two-Bit tried many a different way to get his knife back, much to Estelle's annoyance, and the gang's amusement. They stifled snickers and she continually slapped his wrist away, and casually slipped the knife away as he desperately grabbed for her pockets, only to find them empty.

She eventually slipped it back into his pocket as she slapped his hand back to his side, and he kept searching her for a moment before he realized the knife was in his own pocket.

"How'd you do that?"

"Skills. Now shut up, they're about to go."

She spotted Dally's blonde hair immediately, and had to take a moment to marvel at the image of him on a horse. The confident way he held himself, the way he moved as if he and the horse were one, she knew she wasn't the only girl there with her eyes on him.

The horses started off, and the gang watched eagerly as the racers rocketed around the track.

Estelle narrowed her eyes, watching the race a bit closer. She knew how good of a rider Dally was, and he had told her about the horse he was riding. There was no reason he should be nearing the back of the lineup. Well, there was one.

"That fucker," she whispered.

"What?" Sodapop asked, eyes still glued to the race.

"It's a fixed race. Dally should be in the front. There's no other reason he'd be all the way back there."

"How can you tell?"

"I just can. Dally told me about that horse, it's absolutely faster, normally. Someone must have done something to it, fed it or watered it too much to slow it down, or drugged it. Cause racing is one of the only things Dally does honestly."

"Then who do you think did it?" Steve hissed.

She shrugged helplessly. "Hell if I know. But Buck, he ain't out of the clear here."

"You think it was one of the other racers?"

"Maybe."

Knowing the outcome of the race, she got out of her seat.

"Where're you gong?" Two-Bit asked her.

"Just the toilet."

"Want me to walk you there?"

"No, not especially."

"I'm going anyways, Dally'll whoop my ass if I don't."

"No he won't, he never had to know, besides, he's not the boss of me. Just toss me the knife, and consider your services covered."

He flipped his knife out of his pocket to her, and she carefully grabbed it out of the air and stashed it in her pocket.

"Thanks, if I'm not back in fifteen minutes, come looking for me," she said, walking off.

_____
As she walked, she wished that she'd had one of the boys come with her. She wasn't used to these settings anymore, and it wasn't like she could run anymore. Hidden in the shadows it wasn't immediately obvious how pregnant was, but that didn't matter, if she got jumped, she couldn't hope to escape.

She heard a few whispers, and hoped it was simply people minding their own business.

"Isn't that her?" She heard a voice hiss.

"I think so, I heard the blondie talkin' earlier, what other pregnant chick we looking for?"

She immediately went onto high alert, and started to look for ways to escape, or at least signal for help.

But it was too late. She felt hands grab her from behind, and a knife press shakily to her throat.

"Don't try to struggle, sweetheart," the voice said roughly in her ear. She could smell the smoke and alcohol in his breath.

Another pair of rough and grimy hands pressed a cloth to her face, and her surroundings quickly faded around her.