Just Pucking Money [COMPLETED]

Chapter 37 - The first night

Lily

After my shower, I get dressed and pack up the last of my things. I check the kitchen for anything I might have left behind and look at my pile of stuff by the front door.

If my stepmom gets her wish and sells the house, then this is all I have. Five boxes, a suitcase, my laptop and a lamp I found second hand last year. And one box is mostly filled with a comforter and pillows. How can I not have any more things?

I sigh, grab my laptop and the suitcase. My car isn't parked too far away, and the suitcase has wheels. But, it's far enough that I'd rather not carry the boxes one by one.

Fuck, I'm going to have to fill the gas tank, aren't I? I pay for a parking spot near campus, but I'm not sure it's somewhere I'd be willing to sleep. Where can you even sleep? Is it legal? Do I have to worry about cops?

Shaking off the thoughts, I make the trek to the car. I'll figure it out. I'm sure I will. Because I have to.

Once I've fetched my car and put the rest of my things in it, I head to the library. The car goes back in the parking spot for now. After I remove my important documents and anything I wouldn't want stolen. I'm not sure they're any safer in my purse, but I feel slightly better at least knowing where they are.

At least the library has places where I can sit and work on my assignments, and forget everything about my crappy life for a few moments.

I've almost come to terms with my new situation a few hours later when it's time for my shift at Lucky's.

It's Sunday afternoon, so not the busiest of days. People generally realize how much money they've spent partying during the weekend, so the tips are lower. But it's still money, so I put on my smile and serve the people there.

When Ethan and Liam show up, my cheeks flush. I haven't spoken to him since yesterday morning. He's been busy with his game, and I with my life. But the memory of exploding under him comes back to me in vivid detail.

He saunters over to me with a smile and dark eyes, and I know he's thinking about the same thing.

"Hi, there," he says, and my stomach flutters.

"Hey." He's so close I inhale his scent and feel his warmth.

"I keep thinking about you."

"Oh?" I try to hide the ridiculous joy that bubbles up inside.

He reaches out and touches my cheek. "Friday night... I wasn't too rough with you?"

I shake my head. "It was great."

He gives me a crooked grin filled with smugness. "I love that we have so much variation. It's almost like sleeping with a new woman every time."

I squint at him.

"No-not that I'd want that," he stammers. "It's just that... I usually get bored. But I don't think I'll ever get bored with you. Other women are boring. There's like a million things I want to do with you. Usually, it's a one-and-done. Like I see them, and I wonder, but then after one time I know what it's like, and that's all I want. And they're not-"

I place a hand over his mouth. "You're rambling. And I would really like you to stop talking about having sex with other women now."

He nods and licks my palm.

I laugh and remove my hand. "You really shouldn't do that, considering where I work and what I might have touched."

He grabs my waist and leans in close to my ear. "So, which parts of you can I lick? Here?" He licks my neck and I inhale as a tingle of pleasure shoots through me.

I giggle and shiver as he licks from my collarbone to behind my ear.

"There are so many places I want to lick you, but most of them are not appropriate in public."

"I guess you're going to have to do that in private then," I say and glance around us to see if anyone is close enough to overhear.

"Tomorrow?"

I nod. "Tomorrow could work. I'll get off work early."

"How early? Seven?"

"Seven works."

"Good. I'll be back from practice by then, and I'll be starving."

I blush. "I'll come to your place."

"We can order food again."

I nod. "Sounds perfect."

"Do you need a ride home tonight? Liam wanted to go via Rivers, but I can come back here to pick you up."

"That's ok, I have my car here." I smile and don't tell him I had a fleeting thought of maybe sleeping in the parking lot here. I'm still not sure it's a good idea, but if it's not, I can just drive away.

"I should probably go then, before Liam explodes and steals the car."

We kiss and I watch him leave. Liam is on his heels and I realize he didn't even sit down. He just came here to see me. It makes me happy.

I finish my shift feeling a bit better. I wasn't able to get a shift tomorrow, but Sil said I could do some deep cleaning with her until about six, so I'll have time to clean myself up after and get changed before I go to Ethan's.

I make sure to use the bathroom and even wash my face and brush my teeth before I leave. It's already late, and I'd rather not go anywhere else.

When I get to my car, it doesn't take long to realize it's not a good place to stay.

My nerves are on edge as I drive around. I don't want to stop somewhere too public, but I also don't want it to be too secluded.

Is it even legal to sleep wherever? Probably not.

After driving around for a few minutes, I start to worry about the cost of gas and struggle to keep back the tears. I settle for a large, mostly empty parking lot by a grocery store that's still open.

I choose my parking spot, having no idea what I should be thinking of. When I turn off the car and remove the keys, I take a deep breath and make sure the doors are all locked and the windows rolled up.

Then I climb over to the backseat where I can reach my stuff in the trunk. I grab my pillows and blanket.

I set myself up as comfortably as I can. The seat isn't wide enough for me to stretch out, but I don't want to be in the front where it's easier to see me. So I lay on my side with my legs bent.

There's no thought of even changing into sleepwear. If something happens, I want to be fully dressed. Besides, I'd rather not change in the car. Getting a ticket for public indecency is not something I can afford.

So I crawl under the blanket and take a breath.

As soon as I relax, the tears come. With jerky, angry movements, I wipe them away. I will not feel sorry for myself. I can do this. Loads of people sleep in their cars. At least I don't have to sleep on the street.

Gratitude and sorrow fill me as I close my eyes and thank my dad for the car. I also thank him for not giving me a new, fancy-looking car that would be broken into in an instance.

Surely, nobody will want to steal a car older than me. It barely has a functioning radio. I ignore the tears that keep rolling, pull the blanket over my head, and listen to the sounds from outside. My heart jumps at every car door closing, and every time footsteps come close, I hold my breath.

I do my best to fall asleep, but the adrenaline is pumping. Once I've had enough, I carefully peek out from under the blanket and make sure no one is around.

Digging through my boxes once more, I find the few kitchen utensils I have and pull out a small chef's knife. It's nothing special, just something I picked up for cheap.

With the knife clutched in my hand under the pillow, I have the illusion of safety and finally drift off into a fitful sleep.

***The entire story is available on reamstories.com/sofiamkay. Thank you for reading!***