-Dedicated to @misscuison for all the comments and support! <3 -
It was now around 8:50 am. I had been driving the Pontiac down the interstate, with no sleep.While Jordan and Simon were passed out in their seats. I was exhausted. The thought that had kept me company through dawn was, did I have a crush on Gina.
This thought led my mind to my history of crushes. Which is a blank list of course. I mean Fiona had always spoken about who she liked, the "cute geek" from school. She even had a crush on my cousin Travis . I have had celebrity crushes if that counts. Zuko topped my non existent crush list. Duh.
Girls. I dont think I ever thought about it till Gina. I was obviously mesmerized by her. Yet no I thought. It was just like a celebrity crush. I was more star struck by her beauty and personality. Like a fangirl geek moment. I had instant respect for her. I don't know. Funny I thought. The world had given me the impression that 'a prostitute' deserved the opposite of what I so naturally felt for her. Respect.
Even though it was a short lived encounter with Gina, I could sense so much in her soul and who she was. So much more than the label she had taken over, for reasons I still didn't know. She wasn't ashamed. But I could see she saw it as her identity now, for that's how the world made her feel. She was so much more than what the foolish world saw her for. In fact from the glimpse I caught of her, I could see this ignorant world can never fathom who she really was. Not even I.
Only when the light was fully out I realized my mom and dad would've found my empty bed by then. I tried to not think of the chaos unraveling back home.
The arid climate was not helping my weariness. Shrubs scattered on either sides of the highway. Now I can almost feel like i'm withering away with the sand. I decided to stop the car at the next filling station. Oh my luck! I thought when I found one with an adjoining a burger place. Last thing I remember, I parked the car nearby.
I was alarmed by a sound of a horn. I slowly opened my eyes, i could see the blurry vision of my thighs, short denim dungaree. I was still on the driving seat. I had fallen asleep. I turned to look at the vehicle horning. My eyes narrowed at the sunrays, shutting them close again. I can see two boys and a blonde girl next to a Jeep Wrangler Pickup. They were talking with another boy getting off a vintage motorbike.
Then I saw her. A tan skinned girl in a grey ringer t shirt with black stripes. The girl who didn't leave 'do i have a crush on her', a question at all.
She was seated behind the guy on the bike and then jumped to the front part of the seat after the boy got off. She instantly stole my attention. I couldn't see her face. I sat there watching her dark brown, not so thick, less than elbow length,, naturally almost straight, tad bit wavy hair. I liked how it fell off her shoulders and was slightly flying with the wind. She sat there for awhile holding the handles of the bike, her neck lowered in observation. I was already curious. I found her tan arms bent at the elbow really attractive. Yeah I know! I thought that sounded weird too. Thats when I realized I probably have arm-near-elbow fetish. No please dont imagine busty and big ass Megan Fox on a bike scene from transformers. This girl was not objectifying herself in any way. Besides her body parts weren't as big. She was just perfect!
She then tuck a strand of her hair behind the ear, making the profile of her face visible to me. She looked mixed racial. Like an Asian and American mixture. She then got off the bike and walked inside the burger place, bringing me back to reality.
I checked my watch. I had fallen asleep for like thirty minutes. It was 9:30.
I turned to Jordan, and yanked him awake. He groaned.
"Are you sober yet?" I whispered to his ear.
"Wake the hell up! I'm starving!" I yelled.
"So am I" Simon drawled, waking up to my tantrum.
I forced the two of them out of the car, to get us food. I craned my neck, but I could not see her through the glass doors.
I didnt realize I fell asleep again. Like a ten minute short nap. There she was! I almost bounced out of my seat. Her cap was worn backwards. She was seated at the edge of an elevated deck extending from the burger place. I could see that she was in a deep thought. Her eyes or her expression spoke of a sadness or maybe an innocence, I thought.
I spotted Jordan in conversation with her friends. While Simon was feasting on his burger. What is he even saying. I averted my gaze back to her. Oh shit! She saw me! Okay calm down. Look away. I looked away. I just had to look back again making it obvious. Great! She saw again! She smirked.
She stood up and walked towards me. She stopped near the Pontiac and removed her cap, bending down to face me. I was about to have a panic attack! My jaw dropped slightly, hopefully unnoticeable.
"Are you going to keep staring at me or are you going to introduce yourself?" she asked smiling and casually resting her elbows on the window frame. I was now confronted. I was mortified. I was dumbfounded. I was mute. I couldn't look her in the eye. I lowered my gaze at her crossed arms. "I wasn.." I finally stuttered.
"Are you gay?" she cut in.
"What! NO!" I exclaimed looking her in the eye, in shock.
She chuckled casually, her laugh held the tone of yeah right. "alright then...." she said walking towards the other side of the car.
She smiled mischievously through Jordan's window before saying "Bad liar".
"Huh?" I retorted.
She eyed the radio.
"The song." she said chuckling again.
"Oh. right." I replied.
"Can I get in?" she asked. I nodded.
"Riley" she said while hopping inside.
She raised her legs up asking, "Do you mind?" I nodded again as if it was my car. She then rested her legs on the dashboard. If I could name this entire situation as a chapter of a book. I'd name it Intimidation.
*Few silently awkward seconds later*
"What sports do you do?" I asked eyeing her calves. "Oh you like my calves huh" she asked, beaming at me, like a little kid. Okay maybe id name it "Mortified on a roll". "Im just teasing you! Yeah i would've if I was ever in high school"
Highschool. I had a vision from a parallel world where Riley and I were in the same high school. I'd be the girl alone by the lockers, or on the bleachers, or in the cafeteria, or parking my bike outside, gazing at Riley and invisibly crushing on her. Yeah that alternate situation would've been super sad. The girl I like is literally in car a with me right now. This isnt so bad I thought.
"Are you ever going to tell me your name?" she asked giving me the side look.
"Kiara" I said.
"Oh darn it! You looked like a Victoria" she exclaimed!
"Um. Thanks? Yeah I get that a lot" I said sarcastically. Also smiling while furrowing my eyebrows in confusion.
She chuckled. "Oh so she isnt a born-stutter" she said, teasing me back.
I averted my glance from her, looking out the window, smiling.
"I do this thing where I try guessing the name that goes best with someone's face" she explained while tying her shoelace.
"Come on lets go." shouted one of her guy friends walking towards the Pontiac.
"See you around." she shot a smile at me before getting off the car.
Jordan and Simon finally came back to the car. I grabbed my burger and devoured it, gazing at Jordan for an explanation.
"They are a runaway rock band" Jordan stated.
"Famous on youtube" Simon said in an excited tone. "They keep moving around. Noone knows where they are until they announce on social media!"
"Aha." I said turning my head, to look at the Jeep and the bike. I could see her talking with her band mates.
"Their having a show tonight" Jordan stated lifting his chin in their direction.
"Oh. Cool" I said averting my gaze back to the jeep.
One guy gave a thumbs up sign before hopping inside their vehicle.
"Yeah!" Jordan hollered, sticking his head out of the window and then hooted in response.
"Follow their Jeep" he ordered getting his upper body back inside.
He eyed the pickup now beginning to move.
"Oh no. Im taking my nap. You are driving" I demanded and got off the pontiac.
We switched seats.
"So what do they call themselves?" I asked turning myself to Simon.
"The Strayed" Cut in Jordan.
"They apparently have over 600k subscribers" began Simon. "Im going to to google. oh wait no WiFi!" Simon exclaimed.
"So wait they are juvenile runaways like us? Aren't like the cops looking for them?" I asked quizzically.
"They are all like 18 , 19. Its legal." assured Simon.
"Oh so its new?" I questioned.
"'Maybe before that they were all like emancipated minors." he said widening his eyes like he solved a case. Then grinned enthusiastically.
Few peaceful silent moments later.
"So guys how exactly did Fiona and Dylan die?" Simon asked.
Thud. I felt something suddenly pound on my heart. Im sure Jordan felt it too by the expression on his face. Now he looked mad.
"So Simon how are you so fat?" Jordan asked in pissed off tone. "Daddy's money?"
"Dude you're driving my car" Simon reminded.
"Oh yeah? You want to run back to your daddy and explain what happened?" asked in a mocking tone.
"I think he looks adorable" I genuinely stated my opinion. Simon's chubby cheeks smiled.
"Oh really? Is that what you really think." Jordan snapped. I raised an eyebrow. "There are kids dying from malnutrition in your third world, this very moment and you choose to defend first world obesity?" he asked almost in disgust.
My scowl was replaced by a blank expression as my eyes fixated on him. He spoke sense. Sense I didn't know was inside of him. A perception I did not know he held. Gravity I did not know he was capable of. I continued my gaze as I silently agreed with him.
"Besides you shouldn't be encouraging this. He lives with a potential risk of a heart attack, diabetes and what not." Jordan continued.
"Great. Am I really getting health advice from a junkie? " Simon retorted.
"Can we all stop being insensitive now" I yelled.
We were silent for the rest of the journey. Jordan drove the Pontiac a few more miles down the highway, following the Jeep and bike. The arid atmosphere remained the same. I was dreaming of an air conditioner.
All vehicles slowed and subsequently parked at the 'Motel 66'.
"Im gonna find a damn bed!" I exclaimed, jumping out of the car.
****
I woke up in the old fashioned room I had fallen asleep in. The small vintage television on the wall facing the bed just kept giving me the creeps. I checked the time on my watch. Its 4:30 p.m. I would've saved us my lunch money! I felt such a relief knowing I finally got the sleep I needed.
I kept my feet on the old stained carpet and observe the room around me. It evidently wasn't colour washed in decades! I walked to the window next to the bed and scanned outside. I couldn't see the highway from up there, making me realize the room was at the back of the building. I could see a junkyard full of old vehicles. It was surrounded by a mesh and padlocked. Okay maybe it isn't junk then. The owner of this place probably repaired those to resell I thought. A moment later, Riley and one the guys walked there. They were having an argument. The guy walked off. Riley looked agitated. She glanced up and narrowed her eyes at the evening sun-rays. Her eyes fixated when she saw me. She forced a smile and gestured me to come down. That's obviously what I did next.
I walked down the carpeted old narrow steps. I could see through the glass windows, the boys were outside where our vehicles were parked. Simon was seated alone on a step nearby. I wanted to go talk to him. However my compulsion hasn't worn out yet. I saw Riley in the small lobby like area near the reception. I walked towards her. Her eyes met mine. She smirked as hey. Then lit a cigarette as I sat next to her.
"Are you ready for tonight?" I tried making conversation.
"Aha" she said nonchalantly watching the smoke swirl up with the air.
I just felt a guilt grow in me, and swallowing me up. I just had to say "Im sorry I really think I should talk to Simon". Her lips quirked up. "Yeah sure" she replied. I walked towards Simon.