I wake to the sound of a truck engine and I'm wrapped in a black sweatshirt, it smells nice; like a boy. I am suddenly aware of my situation, I look to my left slightly with my head still resting on the window and I catch sight of a tattooed man with dark brown, almost black swoopy hair and large brown eyes. He laughs and I dart my eyes away "It's rude to stare." His thick British accent ringing in my ears. Then I recognize him, he's Kenny's friend; Omar? No, Oskar? No, Oliver? "I need to pee." I say, my voice raspy and week.
He looks over at me with sympathy? Why? He just kidnapped me, why would he sympathize me? "Okay, there's a rest stop in a few miles. I have your backpack in the back seat if you want to change." He says. Why does his voice sound so sweet and kind? I sit up and start to take off what I presume to be his jacket when his hand stops mine on the zipper. "It's chilly out and you were shivering even with the heat on. Just keep it on until we get to the rest stop?" He asks then returns his hand to the wheel. All I can do is nod, my head throbs. "Why was I asleep?" I question, keeping my voice small. "Eddies an ass and shot you with tranquilizer. You were asleep for a good six hours." He responds. Eddie, Kenny's best friend. "Why?" I ask. "We're here." He says pulling into the rest stop, avoiding me question. He gets out while I reach in the back for my bag. \
He walks around to my door to open it and reaches a hand out to help me down. I don't take it, I can do this myself. Once my feet make contact with the pavement I feel dizzy and cold on my feet, they're bare. I steady my self on the black truck and Oli walks back around to the driver side and reaches in the back, he closes the door and brings me my black toms. I didn't put on shoes before they came, did he go back and get them for me? Oliver hands them to me and I put them on, stumbling as I do Oli steadies me by wrapping his arm around my waist. "Thank you, um Oli?" His eyes widen at his name but he looks sad, he nods asking me to continue. "Do you have any Advil? My head hurts really bad." I finish as we start walking into the rest stop. "No, but I can get some while you change." He says, opening the door for me. I agree then go to the bathrooms while Oli goes to the mini mart.
I go in the handicap stall because it has more room, I can't even remember what I packed this morning. So I dig through the contents of the bag finding a pair of black Victoria's Secret leggings and a black zip up sweatshirt with "love pink" on the back. Putting my things back in my bag I look at Oli's sweatshirt. He put it on me in my unconscious state because I was cold. I hang up my bag and his sweatshirt on the hook then pee. Grabbing my things and walking out of the stall I smell his sweatshirt once again, it smells safe. I put my things on the counter, wash my hands then pull my hair up in a pony tail, smoothing it in the large bathroom mirror.
I don't see Oli when I come out of the bathroom, I frantically search, looking every witch-way I don't know why but I feel somewhat safe with him and if he leaves me now I don't know how I'll ever find my way home. Breathing out a sigh of relief as he walks through the doors, I finally see his whole body. He's a tall man with tattoos on what I can see of his hands and on his neck, he wears a black v-neck tee with a black leather jacket and black skinny jeans, he is a very attractive man.
"Ready, love?" He asks with the smell of smoke leaching from between his full pink lips. "Yeah" I respond he puts his arm around my shoulders and pulls a small white bottle from his pocket with his other hand. "This is all they had, I can get another one if you want." He says, unsure of himself. "Yeah, this is perfect. Thank you." I say smiling up at him. When we reach the car I am shivering again. We stop at the passenger side door, I try giving him his sweater back but he refuses. "No, love. Look at you, you're shivering." He says smiling at me. I nod, he opens the door for me and helps me up I thank him then he shuts the door and gets in his side and starts the truck. "Here" he says handing me the pills and a bottle of water. "Thank you." I say taking the bottles from him and take a few pills then chase it down with water.
"Oli, can I ask you a question?" I ask as we pull back on to the highway. "Shoot" he responds, flicking his eyes to me then back to the road. "Are you taking me to Kenny?" My voice breaks at his name. Oli takes my hand, rubbing small circles on the back of my hand, he looks at me and my eyes start to well up. "Bird, I'm taking you far away from him. Eddy had an allergic reaction to the pepper spray so he went to the doctor and left me to take you to Detroit and sell you. We're going to the border, I have a friend up there who has a camper that I can hide you in until I can think of something to do to protect you." By now his grip on the steering wheel has left his nucleus white. Tears are coming down my face faster than I can wipe them off. Oli notices this, "Come here." He says nodding his head to the side telling me to come close.
I unbuckle and scoot all the way over and he puts his arm around my shoulder leaving his hand to rest on my waist. "Oli?" I say closing my eyes. "Yes my flower?" He responds, what's with all these pet names? "You make me feel safe." I say blurring my face in his side taking in his smell. He gives my ribs a slight squeeze and I flinch. "I'm sorry Rose, did I hurt you?" He says pulling over. "I'm fine." I say shaking my head. He puts the truck in park and I sit up he automatically grabs my hands. "Love, please let me see." He says with pleading eyes. I nod and he releases my hands, I turn and pull up my sweatshirt on my side showing him not only the purple-yellow-blue bruise but my tattoo and old scars.
His fingers trace the cherub at the top of the headstone, also where the deepest scars are. His eyes fall to the bruise on my side, then to the purple marks on my wrists "Did he do this to you?" He asks, all the softness has faded and anger now fills his voice. Nodding a few tears fall he quickly wipes them away and all his gentleness has returned. "Go to sleep bird, I'll wake you up when we get food, okay?" I nod and glance at the clock 10pm, I breathe in the comforting smell of Oli then drift off into sleep.
