Ride

7: Dangerous World

Author's Note: Thank you once again to those who have commented and voted and of course read :) I really appreciate it! It's great to hear from you guys and also sorry if this chapter seemed a bit rushed but I have a stack of work to do and I just wanted to upload a chapter for you guys, because you're all so kind. I also wanted to say that this chapter has some vulgar words and sorry for that but I wanted to show you one of the character's true personality,  so here you go :) enjoy:

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Have you ever been so happy with someone you've just met that you forget everything else? When you've been neglected most of your life and suddenly someone from somewhere wants to be nothing but your friend. The feeling washes over you like a tidal wave and you accept it before it moves on. You accept the person without even thinking twice, because all you want is that happiness. All you want is the comfort of having someone with you, someone to talk to, someone you can finally laugh and smile with. The problem is all rational thoughts are thrown out of the window. The typical questions that are usually raised when meeting a total stranger is forgotten and it isn't until they do something bad does your mind haunt you about them, your mind reminds you of the words your parents always tell you.

"Don't talk to strangers."

"Never tell them where you are going."

"Don't tell them your name."

"Don't make yourself vulnerable to them."

"Don't tell them where you're from."

And more of those lines.  

As I lay there as still as stone on the bed that no longer felt comfortable, my parents' words rang through my ears and I clutched onto the pillow trying to drown them out. But what I couldn't drown out were the voices from outside. They were scaring me, and they weren't meant for me to hear, in no way do I want to get involved in their problems but that would mean I needed to make a quick and sneaky escape without being seen or heard. I looked at the clock on the bedside table and the red numbers reminded me that it was only a little past 3 A.M. Maybe if I just lay here and go back to sleep they would never know anyone was listening in. It was a pretty bad and run down inn anyways, somewhere a girl like me wouldn't be found in. The murky red pool outside and the upturned chairs and broken glass by the poolside proved that much. August was right, I should have stayed at the Lily Motel. Even if there was pageant going on, I should have pushed and begged the nice red-haired lady to let me have a room. But August wasn't someone I could trust either. 

"Fuck you, you promised me a bag of cola. I fucking paid you a thousand bucks the other day. Check your fucking bank account you little shit. It's under plumbing!" There was a loud crash and then a groan. 

"Do you think cola grows on trees? They take ages to process you idiot, you ain't my only client anyways. I can drop you like my girlfriend. That piece of ass was nice but I'm over it." There was a laugh from both men and my blood ran cold as I realized who the second voice belonged to. 

"Sorry bro, I just need the high. I'm getting all irritated and annoyed at everything. Hit my girl on accident yesterday. She kept whining about getting my shit together. I fucking got a job and washed the fucking dishes, what else does she expect me to do?" It was then did I realize they were talking about coke the drug and definitely not the drink. 

"Fucking girls man, expecting us to be some perfect ass male. Anyways there was this nice chick I met on the bus to deliver the package to Andreas. Imma try and get her to come off and go to Memphis with me. Innocent man, I can smell it!" I scrunched up my nose in disgust at the comment. While it was nice to be callled 'nice' and 'innocent', it wasn't very nice of them to be talking about me like I was some object, like I was a piece of meat.

I couldn't believe I had fallen into August's charm, sure he was nice and I thought we could have been friends but I guess that was pretty impossible now. But later on at the bus I would have to try and sit by myself and I'd have to do it discreetly with a good reason. I did not want to sit near some drug dealer who wanted to take my innocence and make him come with me to a state I was not well acquainted with.  

"Then what? You gonna marry her or something? Dude, you just got to know her?" The other man laughed.

"Nah, send her off when I get bored, dude she thinks I'm a tattoo artist! I may be young but I know this world ain't easy and growing up in detroit I started early. You know man, anyways she's at the Lily Motel. Gonna try charming her again before getting off at Memphis. Pretty sure she'd go with me, by the looks of it she's going to college or something, she got shitloads of crap with her. Funny she never asked why I only have a backpack. But whatever it's good." August said in a tone showing that he could care less about his schemes. 

"Fucking Danny gonna get pissed if you take credit of his hard work!" I could hear the second man slap his hand on August's shoulder and let out a snort. "Aight man, anyways get me the cola as soon as possible. I ain't wanna bruise up my girl anymore, she made me sleep on the fucking couch, fuck that, I got out and got a room here. I'lll come back when I can control myself."

"Sure, sure" Was August's reply.

"She makes me crazy angry but fucking love that bitch, cooks almost as good as my mom. By the way where are you heading to?"

"Back to the bus station, gonna wait for that chick to show up. Then I'm gonna fucking turn on my charm again" I could just imagine August winking as he said this, there was a trail of laughter before the voices faded and I heard a slam of the door. 

I gulped in the darkness, my throat felt dry and I was too scared to move. Had August already left the premises or was he still lounging about? I looked over at the clock again and I still had about an hour and a half before I had to actually wake up. There was no way I would be able to sleep now, but then again I made some reasonable scenarios in my head. If I get my much needed sleep now and arrive at the bus terminal at the time I planned to August wouldn't be suspicious and therefore I can stay awake on the bus to watch August and to make sure he didn't do any stupid things, or try to lure me with his 'charm'. On the other hand, if I resisted sleeping right now then I would be way too tired to stay awake on the bus and August just might try something and I couldn't let that happen. Yes, right now I didn't have a home, I didn't have anyone looking after me. But that meant I had to look after myself, so I went with option one. I would try my hardest to fall asleep right now and by the time I  had to board the bus I would be wide awake and like an eagle I could watch August's every move. 

To say I am scared is an understatement. I'm tired and terrified. I couldn't let anything happen to me. So with my plan in my head and myself determined to follow it, I closed my eyes and prayed. I prayed for my family and friends, I prayed that God bless them and to forgive them for their sins as he has forgiven me for mine and I thanked him for being kind to me. Lastly, I prayed that he kept me safe and that along this journey I would finally make a friend so I wouldn't be so alone in this world. With that I closed my prayer and squeezed my eyes shut thinking of all the happy times I had left behind. My memories with Brad, Jackson and Brandi. If I was home and if things were how they were I could have called up either of them and they would be at windowsill in a matter of seconds. But things were so different now that I preferred being alone. 

What happened earlier helped me realize that this world was actually a dangerous place, just like how every adult try to tell their kids or students. Only now did I realize what they meant, someone could act nice just to get what they want and gullible people like me would fall for it in an instant and lose something. Living in this world was a no-win situation. For me, once something good happens there will always be something bad that comes after it. My karma isn't so good and I hated it. Like I said before, with me, the bad always outweighs the good...

I didn't mean to cry, but some memories are painful and even the good ones tug at my heart strings. To be completely honest I missed them. I missed them being horrible and ignoring me, but I really couldn't turn back now. Finally my tired wet eyes allowed me to succumb to sleep and in a matter of minutes my hand cluthing onto the pillow loosened as I slipped into darkness.