For The Love Of Chéri (CHAPTERS 1-112 REWRITTEN)

Chapter 2 : Enter, Chéri Lafontaine-Martinez

The sun was going down early as it did this time of year, and it became very cold again and the wind started to howl. Bad weather had been forecast all over the radio and the rain had gone from a light soaking mist to a total downpour.

While driving, Lennon's eyes were drawn to a figure in the distance. He casually noticed the figure walking along the soft verge with their thumb up, hitchhiking. The figure was so slight and moved so oddly, that he could not even ascertain if they were female or male, but from what he saw and the slight build, he guessed it was a woman.

Lennon felt it wasn't right to just pass someone out in the elements like this so he started to slow, and passed the person as he found a layby to park in. From what he saw, the person had medium length, glossy black hair with bright red highlights and walked with a peculiar bow-legged gate which added a slight bounce to the walk, almost giving them a swagger. He could also see that the hitchhiker was soaking wet and hadn't dressed at all for the weather.

Lennon put on the hazards and waited. He looked into the rear view mirror and saw the hitchhiker wave and break into a brisk run towards the passenger side. Lennon lit a cigarette and tried to inhale a few drags before rolling down the window slightly to blow the smoke out.

Hearing a knock on the door he reached over to open the passenger door and let the passenger in. He was also eager to have a look at the person to judge how safe offering a lift would be.

"Heya!" Came the soft voice of an olive-skinned, thin young man with a slight golden tan. The man stepped up on the main passenger step making Lennon drop his cigarette into his lap then desperately try to brush it off after getting burnt, which seemed to be amusing to the young hitchhiker.

Lennon glanced at the soaking passenger who wore a ragged silver-grey fisherman's knit off the shoulder sweater with large holes in it, and a coat completely unsuited for the weather. He also wore spray-on metallic dark blue skinny jeans and purple flocked pike ankle boots with metal and buckles all over them.

"Ahh! Well! Just look at you! Are you stoppin' to offer me a lift?" came a soft voice which sounded like a hybrid of British with a slight French slur.

Lennon looked at the young man, astonished with his soft feminine features, large green dark eyes, a very distinctive large pink cherry blossom tattooed on the left side of his neck. He also had red and black rose blooms on the top of both of his hands, fashion logos tattooed on his fingers as well as flesh holes in both his ears. A piercing complimented his full lips, along with lots of glossy choppy hair which was cut into a scene style.

Lennon was speechless a moment as he stared back at the strange new passenger.

"A lift...?! Is it happening?" The passenger asked again.

"Sure. Yeah. Though, I kinda thought you were... a woman. When I saw ya out on the road." Lennon said in his soft canadianesque accent as he pointed behind himself.

"Ahh. So, is the lift offer still a thing, mister?"

"More than ever. Where are ya going?" Lennon asked as he involuntarily smiled.

"Well, I'm trying to get to an airport, anyone really." He said before he paused before smiling back. "Hey! Are you an American?"

"Yeah! I am. Hey! I can take you as far as Birmingham, and there's an airport there. I'mon quite a tour. I picked up this haul in London, then went to Ipswich and then through here, then I gotta go to Cambridge and on to the end which is Birmingham. That's about two hours from here." Lennon said getting large wafts of black cherry as he couldn't help looking down at the thin thighs of his new passenger.