Over twelve fucking hours on the road, and I'm still in this goddamned desert. My eyes are fucking burning from staring at I-10 as if it were endless, watching the heat ripple off the asphalt like some fucking mirage. It'd be nice to drive over an actual puddle or two but fuck me I guess. The dashboard of my old Avalon reads 102 degrees. Ew. Good old Montezuma summertime I guess. AC's been shot since Phoenix, and my thighs have been pretty much glued to the beige-grey leather seats. Should've fucking worn actual pants instead of shorts.
When the "Welcome to California" sign appears on the horizon, I almost cry from the relief of finally getting out of this damned state. Keyword being Almost.
My gas light's been on for the past half hour, so I pull into the 76 gas station in Ehrenberg, straddling the state line. It's one of those places that looks like it could be the setting for a horror movie. Tiny ass rural town and a tiny run down ass little convenience store that looks as structurally sound as rotting wood.
How lovely.
I park in one of the available pumps, checking my reflection in the rearview mirror. Three years on hormones might have softened my face, but the damned cactus stubble is starting to show due to not having a chance to shave this whole fucking trip. Next time I stop at a rest area, I'll remember to do so. I grab my wallet and slide out of the car, my boots hitting the concrete with a satisfying thud.
Inside, the air conditioning hits me like a blessing. A guy in his fifties stands behind the counter, eyes glued to a tiny TV playing some old as fuck game show. His name tag reads "Dale." Of fucking course it does.
"Hey man. I need a disposable menthol vape and twenty on pump three," I say, sliding my ID across the counter before he can ask. Knowing people like Dale, I have a feeling I know what's gonna happen next.
He picks up my license, looks at it, then at me. The smirk spreads across his face into a devilish shit eating grin.
"Sure thing, Mister Marcus," he says, emphasizing my deadname like his life fucking depended on it.
This fucking guy...
My fingers curl into fists behind the desk so that way he won't see. I imagine how satisfying it would be to reach across the counter and connect my knuckles with his nasty ass yellowing teeth. The thought of driving his Copenhagen-stained mouth into the desk between us is way too alluring right now, and I know if I do any of that, state troopers will be more than willing to throw me in a cell, probably with some violent cellmate like I'm just meat to feed a beast. Worst of all, they'd probably take away my hormones, which at this point I practically need to keep me alive.
Instead, I just end up faking a smile, refusing to let my intrusive thoughts win me over.
"Thanks," I say, taking the vape and pocketing my ID. As I turn to leave, I add, "Have a nice day, ma'am."
The immediate downward motion of his eyebrows is almost worth the deadnaming.
Outside, I slide the nozzle into my tank and lean against the car, ripping open the package of my new vape. The first hit of menthol fills my lungs, feeling like a winter mist just shoved its dick inside of my whole body. Through the dirty window, I can see Dale staring fucking daggers at me. When he notices me looking, he raises his middle finger. I exhale a cloud of vapor toward the sky and blow him a kiss. Upon seeing my little taunt, he makes a nasty scowl that would make a cornered wolf blush before shutting his blinds.
Fuck it. I'll definitely take that as a win.
The pump clicks at exactly twenty dollars. The screen on the pump says "see cashier for receipt." Nah, I'm good. I think I've had enough Dale for a lifetime. I place the nozzle back in place and slide myself back into the car. The engine roars to life, and I peel out of the station fast enough to leave marks on the concrete. California stretches before me, leaving me to wonder where the hell I'm actually going.
My twin brother Javi's face suddenly flashes in my mind for a brief moment. I remember the way he looked when I asked him to come with me last night. "Someone's gotta take care of Mom," he told me, not meeting my eyes. We both knew what he meant. Someone has to stay and deal with Dad. Javi could handle him better than I ever could. I just hope Dad doesn't do anything drastic like what he did with me...
I can't think about that right now.
I take another hit of the vape and look at my map on my phone. Apparently at the end of I-10 is Towncity Beach. One of the biggest major cities in California, alongside that of Santo Dominicci. Now the question is would it be better to stop at Hollywood or at the Golden Gate... It would just be more resources wasted if I keep driving north, so Towncity it is.
Maybe I can pull a Jenna Fischer and somehow be a famous actress.
Like that would ever happen. For now, as soon as I reach TC, I'm gonna figure out basic survival. Get an apartment, appease the simps on OnlyFans until I can land a job, and then just keep myself maintained. Yeah. That's a good plan.
Towncity Beach, here I come.
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Strawberry Thorns
RomanceMae Faris & Minerva Lopez couldn't be more different from eachother. Mae works peacefully at the Towncity Beach Public Library, while Minerva is an OnlyFans model who had to leave her hometown of Gardenia. After seeing eachother at the library and m...
