Working title (formerly known as Broken Black Roses)

Chapter 4 - Good Golly Miss Molly

Hey everyone....i know its been almost two months but ive been outta the country...BUT i had lots of chances to write and i finished two chapters....anyways this is the 4th chapter...i hope u like it...tell me what you guys think....oh and vote too...PWEEEZ.....

Chapter 4 - Good Golly Miss Molly

Joyce (POV)

It was only a matter of minutes before we were out of Phoenix and on the road. I was disturbingly aware of his presence; he was sitting next to me in the driver's seat. My thoughts traced back to when I first saw him in Kane's office back at the agency. He entered Kane's office before the girl did - Hayley. He was strikingly handsome and strangely alluring with his chocolate-colored hair and athletic body. However, all that wasn't what caught my attention; his eyes did. The color of his eyes was eerily strange - which only added to his mysterious aura - they were pitch black, the color of the sky on a starless night. His eyes held a piercing, intense look; the look of a man who knows what he wants and how to get it. I instantly realized it was a mask, a facade. Deep under all pretenses was a void black space, an emptiness, which made him look vulnerable to me. Inside he was just a lost kid looking for his mommy. What was going through his head? It seemed like I was the only one in the room who was aware of that.

His skin wasn't tanned nor was it pale; it was just a shade darker than mine, maybe two. Hayley though was nothing like him. Blonde hair the color of molten gold and a perfectly tanned skin, her heart-shaped face made her look sweet and innocent.

I still can't shake off the embarrassment I'd felt when I involuntarily flinched away from him when he was helping me with the bags. He must think I'm pitiable.

'Who cares?' asked the annoying little voice in my head, but for once it made sense. Does it matter what he thought of me? After this week, I wouldn't see him anymore. And then I heard the same annoying voice saying 'But it does matter, and you know it'. I was right- it was an annoying voice.

I saw him looking at me from the corner of my eye, frustration and a hint of anger etched on his attractive face. He was probably cursing his luck for being stuck with a boring, pathetic girl for a whole week. I turned my face and started looking out the window- I didn't want to look at him anymore.

After a few hours of awkward silence, it was finally time for lunch. We were parked in front of a diner we were lucky to find in this desert. He walked around the car and opened the door for me - what a gentleman - and he was careful to stay away.

The diner was like it has never changed since the fifties. It had the checkered patterns and red tile, even the old juke box in the corner. I wouldn't be surprised if Betty Boop or Elvis walked through the door. We sat on the first booth we saw, across from each other. The only waitress to be seen looked like she just jumped out of one of my grandmother's old pictures. Her name tag said 'Hi, I'm Diane' and those were the exact words that came out of her red-painted lips.

"Hi, I'm Diane. Welcome to Dolly's Deuce," Diane said with a smile on her face.

"Hey, can we have a menu please?" Will asked her with a slight smile.

"I'm sorry but we don't use menus. I'll tell you what, you tell me what you have on mind and I'll see if it can be arranged," she answered him, the same smile on her lips.

He looked at me and asked "Is pizza and coke okay?"

I nodded and he turned back to Diane.

"Yes we do have pizza. I'll be right back," she replied and walked away.

I noticed that the song playing on the juke box stopped. She did too and made a little detour, she pressed a couple of buttons on the old juke box and headed to what I presumed was the kitchen. I recognized the song that was playing; I used to dance with my dad to it. It was Little Richard's Good Golly Miss Molly - a classic. I heard someone humming along and turned to face Will. He was looking around still absorbing everything in.

"You know the song?" the words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them.

My voice sounded surprised and a bit shocked, which only added to my astonishment. Wow, I didn't know my own voice could hold such emotion.

"Yeah, It's a really good song, one of my favorites," he answered me with surprise coloring his voice too.

"Mine too. You know, I used to dance with my dad to it. He really did love the song," I said.

Why did I even say that? My throat suddenly felt thick and tears were starting to form in my eyes. Please don't let me cry in front of him.

"You dance?" He instantly - and incredulously - blurted out.

He realized what he said and looked away. Way to put an end to a conversation, I thought ruefully. Not that it was much of a conversation anyway. I guess he was right though; why would he think someone like me would dance?

"Here you go honey," Diane said; ending the awkward moment. She set a plate of pizza between us and two cokes on the table. "Anything else I can get you?" she asked.

"No thank you," Will answered her, not bothering to smile anymore.

We both ate wordlessly, making sure not to look at the other person, but I couldn't help myself from peeking. He had remorse, shame and some guilt imprinted on his face. It wasn't a surprise, even I would regret having a conversation with me but it still hurt.

I had one slice of pizza and he had two, but we both finished our cokes. There were four slices left and we asked Diane to bag them for us; I guess pizza is what was for dinner. Will insisted on paying, although I had plenty of money in my pocket and even more in my bag. He used us being a couple as an excuse; in fact his exact words were 'the guy should always pay'.

We were getting into the car when it suddenly hit me. It was a sickly dark moment of surprise before pure panic shot through me. Oh no! Eventually, it will be bedtime and we will stop at a motel. And if we are posing as a couple we will have to share the same room. He will be in the same room with me at night and there will be no doubt that he will hear me crying, maybe even screaming. I abruptly felt the pizza coming up my throat. Oh no, what am I going to do?

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