The Outcast

I.

"You girls stay away from those Dixons. Would ya," said the clerk.  "We don't mind ya coming in here for your smokes and drivin' the locals wild .... But you're in dangerous territory messin' with those "fellas." 

"Well, we are 18 ..." Hannah leaned over the counter granting the clerk further access to what was below her blouse. "No harm in a little flirting." She gingerly touched his hand.  It was how she usually got free smokes.  A real Lolita - Charlotte thought rolling her eyes.

"Those guys aren't the flirting kind.  You'll end up in some serious trouble,"

While pretending to peruse magazines, Charlotte glanced discreetly out the window. They didn't seem any different than any of the other patrons of the quick mart.  Dirty, drunk and jobless. Yet, she couldn't quite help herself from taking an additional peek. Evidently, the "Dixons" couldn't park for the life of either one of them. The truck took up two handicapped spots.  It did provide Charlotte a decent view of the two men.  While they both faced forward - she had a nice angle to better see the quieter one's profile.  He kept his eyes focused down, intently picking at the tab of his beer can, listening to whatever his belligerent brother was talking about.  His hair was long, unkempt and unwashed falling just below his chin. His features were gruff and emotionless. He possessed a combination of uncertainty and vulnerability.  Two qualities she was unfamiliar with when dealing with her usual prep school boys. He must have felt her eyes on him because he glanced up and squinting - briefly peered into the window. To her surprise they locked eyes. His eyes pierced hers -momentarily paralyzing her.  As quickly as the moment had commenced - it was over.  Becoming increasingly aware that he was losing his audience  - the other man turned to face Charlotte who was now standing dumbfounded in the magazine aisle.  He grinned and intentionally gave her a flirtatious wave. Flushed, Charlotte immediately turned her back to the window.  She thought she heard gruff chuckle come from both of the men.

"Are you getting anything, Char?," Hannah shouted over her shoulder.  "Or are you planning on starring out the window for the rest of the afternoon?  Cole just texted me, he's ready for us - whenever."  She turned back to cashier, a young man in his early twenties.  "Don't worry. I wont say anything."  She reached over and took the pack of cigarettes discreetly off the counter.  "Thanks for the smokes, sugar."  Charlotte strolled over to the counter and grabbed a Hershey Bar.  She always got hungry after spending a night with Cole.

"You don't mind ... do you?" She cocked a flirtatious eyebrow and slipped the bar into the pocket of her blazer.

The cashier shook his head.  "One of these days - you girls are going to get me into so much trouble. If you weren't so damned hot ... there's no way I'd be letting you two get away with it."

He was right, both girls were stunning.  At 5 years old, Hannah's family relocated from Maui to Atlanta on business. Her father was promoted to CEO of a relatively new company - which ultimately took off rather successfully.  In turn, Hannah was able to overlook her resentment of the move from her tropical paradise for an absurd amount of wealth.   Who said money couldn't buy happiness?  She pushed her hair behind her shoulder and peered at him through her exoticly shaped hazel eyes.  Charlotte always found it ironic how two girls could be so similar in personality and so far off physically.  Charlotte, on the other hand, was every southern boy's dream.  Her blonde hair fell long, full and straight to her waist. Her sun kissed skin and long legs made every pair of shorts she wore look more like a tease than she really intended.  She filled out a pair of cowboy boots and tank top out nicely.  Her eyes were a brilliant blue and she was once told she had "bambi" eyes. She had to google that one.

"Do you think I look like a young Mila Kunis?" questioned Hannah.

Though they had been there on a daily basis - she peered at his name tag. "Jay? Most of the boys at school say so - but I don't quite see it." In fact, she did really quite resemble Mila Kunis and Charlotte found herself chuckling at her friend's peculiar forwardness. Before waiting for a response, Hannah grasped Charlotte's hand and began to head toward the door.

"Thanks again, Chuck," She shouted over her shoulder.  Once again Charlotte briefly turned to find the cashier standing flabbergasted at the whirlwind that was Hannah O'Shea.

"His name isn't Chuck, Hannah. You even looked at his name tag."

"Who the hell cares?" She said nearly collapsing in laughter.  Look at what else I managed to score," She whispered and then reached into her pocket pulling out six bottles of miniature Jack Daniels.  "It was all I could manage.  You were too busy looking at those creeps outside. Next time I need you as my look out. Got it?"

Hannah enjoyed testing boundaries. She was dangerous, which is what Charlotte admired most about her. Charlotte wasn't nearly as unrestrained as her friend but she was by no means a conservative. She was nothing like all the girls her parents thought she was friends with.  Her sisters met that quota.  They were both as straight as an arrow.  It wasn't as if her parents actually knew she was so impetuous.  They thought she was just as well behaved as her two sisters. It was why Charlotte always asked her sisters to cover for her. Especially on nights when they headed out of comfortable Druid Hills and into Stone Mountain.

As they exited the convenience store, Charlotte noticed that the truck and its occupants were still there.  Keeping her head down, Charlotte purposely picked up her pace - avoiding any unwanted eye contact or misleading conversations.

"Come on, Charlotte." Hannah tugged Charlotte's arm as they walked passed the duo,  forcing her to walk even quicker than before. "I've heard about those two.  Lots of trouble. We'll ask Cole about them when we get there."

"What?" shouted a voice from behind them now. Charlotte froze dead in her tracks. "Too good to stop and talk to us, ladies? Come from your highfaluten  world - to ogle at us redneck folk."  She knew it had been the older brother that had made the comment, but she couldn't shake the feeling of the quiet one's eyes on her.

She turned slowly, deliberately - forcing herself to look at them.

"Ahhhh," waved the boisterous of the two "No hard feelings, ladies. I was just trying to get a rise out of you two young things. I'm Merle and this here - quiet, no good lump is Daryl."  Daryl solemnly nodded never taking his eyes off of Charlotte.  "If it's drugs you ladies are looking for - or just a good time. Good ol' Uncle Merle can sure help you with that."

"We don't need your drugs," Hannah said curtly.  "We've got our own source for fun."   She dragged Charlotte along back to her own car. 

"We're going to have to tell Cole about this.  You know that right?  If he finds out we've even said one word to them ..... we're in deep shit."

Charlotte nodded obediently - never taking her eyes off of the brooding figure sitting feet away from her.  She fumbled with her car keys, nervously hoping that he didn't notice.  He must have, but quickly diverted his gaze away from her.  Purposely? Did he want to help her avoid embarrassment?

"We need to get to Cole's," Hannah said impatiently looking at her phone.  "He keeps texting me ....."

Charlotte didn't respond.  Taking one last look through the review mirror, she could only think of the despondent, mysterious soul sitting on the back of the old Dodge bed ......  as they slowly drove away.