The clock on the dashboard said it was around midnight when we pulled into the motel. It wasn’t the best, but it was the best I could find in such short notice. Evelyn was sleeping against the window, curled up in the seat. I took another look at the motel and back to her, I could keep on driving if I got some caffeine in me. Putting it back into drive, I began my search for caffeine. A drive through would be preferable, like a McDonalds. It’s cheap and quick, which was probably the prostitute’s motto back at the motel.
About an hour of driving later I lucked into a gas station that had a McDonald’s attached to it. I looked up from the steering wheel for a second, muttering a thanks. Evelyn stirred in her seat, rubbing her eyes. She truly was tiny and the bruises on her skin added to the effect. “Somebody awake?” I cooed parking in the gas pump.
“Yeah.” She meowed.
“Well, that would’ve been helpful an hour ago, but that’s okay. I’m going to go get gas and something to eat, okay?” She grabbed my wrist quickly in a fearful way her eyes big and pleading as I went to open the door. “Shh, let me come get you.”
Evelyn calmed at that, relaxing as I crossed the hood, locking the car. Threading our fingers together I walked us into the station/McDonalds. “So what sounds good love?” I turned to her, seeing her profile in the bright light of the store. Her frail shoulders rose and fell in a shrug, leaning into me. “Hungry?” she cutely shook her head, leaning even further into my broad shoulders. I was now sheltering her from the few people in the store. “Thirsty?” she nodded this time. “Okay, I’m getting coffee because I need it to stay awake, do you want one, or what?”
“Ew, it’s no, I don’t like it. Just a diet coke will do.” Evelyn placed a kiss on my shoulder, burying into the middle of my back. “Hurry, I wanna snuggle.”
“Snuggle? I had other plans but okay.”
“It’s whatever, I’m up for anything.” She assured me. I couldn’t help but chuckle turning back to peck her nose. I knew she wouldn’t be up for what my friend and I wanted, but that was fine. She still had some innocence and I would be damned if I didn’t keep it.
After ordering and collecting our drinks, I paid however much bills I managed to pull from my wallet. I was still good on it, but in the event we hit a stretch without a gas station I wanted the gas cans to be full. The tender was working on setting the amount when I turned to Evelyn again. “Do you need to piss?” I asked sleep deprivation starting to get to me.
“No, I’m good.”
“You haven’t been in a while.”
“I’ve been locked in my room for two days.” The tender and I both started at her mouths agape. The thought of that pulsed anger through me. I didn’t hand the bastard enough of what he deserved. Sure he got a broken nose, but he deserved to be thrown down a flight of stairs the repeatedly run over by a truck.
“Yeah and it probably hurt. Now we still got miles to go, anything could happen. You have a vagina with no chance of pissing neither in a bottle nor on the side of the rode.”
“You don’t have to sit on the seat.”
“Then squat.” Evelyn rolled her eyes and retreated to the restroom. “How clean is it on a scale of STD’s to drugs?” I asked turning to the tender.
“Somewhere in between the two.” I nodded thanking him following her back that way. “Ev, you okay.”
“I feel dirty.” She said walking out grabbing ahold of my hand and leading us back to the car. She sipped from her straw as I downed the coffee gagging at its boldness. “Where too?” she asked seeming more awake.
“Where ever you want to go.”
“Paris is always a good idea.”
“You quoted Aubrey Hepburn.”
Evelyn blushed heavily, “That’s cause you look like James Dean.”
Leaning over I brushed my nose up and down her neck, watching the hairs stand up, goose bumps covering her entire body. She jumped as my nose dragged on the skin, over a dark spot. The purple skin was about the size of a finger print. “Never again.” I pressed against it with my lips. She was never going back, I’d never let her.