Sign Said West, I Went East

Spill My Coffee, I'll Spill Your Blood

Carter, it's E, my place, now! Bring jack, dip or cookie dough.

I sigh loudly and yank my truck over to the side of the road, kicking up dust, and causing the person behind me to honk and flip me off. I turn my turn signal on and go back to the gas station I was just at to pick up some supplies for the new "crisis" Willow was having over her boyfriend, Easton. So some dip and cookie dough she wanted? It was that she would get.

I turn into the gas station and park, and walk inside. Trudy, the late afternoon/ evening shift, gives me a smile and continues her ever present crossword puzzle book. I head to the back and pick up an extra large coffee, its going to be a late night, I can already feel it. I fill it up with a few dozen packs of sugar, grab some snacks for Wil and head up to the counter. I nod at Trudy and she pulls down the kind I always get, doesn't card me, and rings me up.

"$23.19, girly" she says. I pull out correct change and drop a few extra cents in the take a penny cup and head out.

I pull out my phone to text her that I'm stocked up, when the door opens and knocks my hot coffee all over the front of me. I'm about to launch into a whole string of curses when I look up and see its Easton, looking mildly tear stained and shocked. We both freeze. Trudy shuffles around for a roll of paper towels while Easton tries to get out apologies.

"Carter, I'm so sorry, it's just, Willow and I wasn't looking I'm so sor-"

I cut him off with a withering look "I don't know what you did to her, but mark my words you will regret it." He holds my stony gaze, his green-grey eyes surprising me with their intensity. "Stay right here."

For some reason I obey, and take the time to dry my Georgia Peaches shirt. It is to my surprise that I see him make his way over to the coffee machine, get out an extra large cup, empty some sugar into it, and fill it up. He walks over to Trudy, pays for it, gracing her with his smile, and hands it to me without another word.

I thank Trudy for the towels, take the cup silently nodding and make my way out to my truck, cursing at him for getting my hot coffee all over my favorite shirt. It is in the quiet of my truck that I finally call Willow to tell her I'm on my way.

"Hey, Wil, how's it going?"

"Honestly, Car, I feel like ass right now. Just hurry over, and if you see Easton....key his Jeep for me, willya?" she says nasally, she sounds as though she's been crying.

"Haha, yes of course. I'll be right over, I'm still at Easy Mile."

"Okayyy...bye" she hangs up abruptly, as she usually does.

I turn the key and pray my baby will purr to life. As she starts, I turn the air on low and the music on high. Colt Ford comes out of my speakers, and I bob my head along in time to the music as I pull out of the parking lot and onto the main road. I take a swig of my coffee and smile lightly, there was just enough sugar in it.