“Woo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Dani hollers as we’re speeding down the interstate in my convertible Mercedes.
Her hands are waving in the air and I can’t help but laugh over the pounding of the radio. I love my car. It’s a shit hot baby blue Mercedes E350 Convertible and it’s the only thing my parents gave me that I love. It’s the last gift they gave me. It was when I was graduating from high school and they still thought they had a chance of molding me into who they thought I should be. Luckily, it was in my name and paid for when they gave me the keys. One month later, they found out I wouldn’t be going to college to find myself a future doctor or lawyer as a husband. Yes, that was the reason given for why I should enroll in college. I refused, and then I was pretty much cut off. Luckily, I had Dani. She had always been there for me. We were as different as night and day and honestly, there is no reason why Dani and I are friends. Some things just happen. Dani walks to the beat of her own drum. She is a force of nature, a hurricane, a category five hurricane. She inspires me. She scares me. She makes me happy. I love her. She took me in and I lived with her and her brother Roy, who was a nice guy and cute as hell. Too bad he was also gay. That was just my luck.
We did okay there, working to save every bit of money we could until we had enough to make a big move. Three hours away might not be a big move for some, but it sure as hell was for us. We pooled our money and had the rent paid for three months plus the safety deposit. We had enough to stock the fridge good and live and pay utilities until we got paid from our new jobs. Roy had a friend who worked as a manager for Wolves Den and got us interviews. We nailed the jobs and told them we needed two weeks to give our former employers notice. We didn’t really, but it takes time to move and get settled. It happened so quickly once we made the decision, that my head is still kind of dizzy, but I’m happy. I looked over at my best friend for life and smiled—really happy.
“Hey, I’m thirsty!” Dani hollered.
“We’re just thirty minutes or so away!” I yelled back, not crazy about stopping.
“Big damn deal, let’s get some drinks and chocolate girl!” She yelled back.
I frowned and looked down at my gas gauge. I could use some gas. I gave my signal to get over and took the upcoming exit. We had to take it anyway to get to where our new home would be. So off I go. We pulled into the first gas station I saw. I cut the engine off and pushed my hands through my hair shaking it out, because hello, interstate driving, convertible. Enough said.
“Whatcha’ want bitch?” Dani asked and I shake my head at her. She’s yelling over the music. Ludacris is blasting through the speakers.
“Pepsi, fountain if they have it,” I yell back, looking around. I notice there’s a bunch of men on bikes by the entrance, and they’re looking over at us laughing as I open the door, cutting off Ludacris as he screams out about his woman riding his dick. I can feel the heat rising up in my face and turn my eyes from them immediately. Shit!
Our “on the road” play list is very eclectic and the Ludacris’ offering is one of Dani’s choices. Don’t get me wrong, I like it. I like a bit of naughty and I like the beat, but it’s not my usual thing. Lorde’s Team is next. That’s me, but what the hell. I don’t know the men that are laughing, maybe they aren’t even laughing at me. It felt like they were though. I hate this about me. I am so self-conscious I automatically take things personally and find myself lacking. Dani isn’t like that. She’d flip the bikers off and go about her business. I wanted to be like that. I just had never achieved it. They are laughing harder now, but I turn around to the pump and run my card through and ignore them. In my mind I’m wondering if my ass is hanging out of my cut offs and if that’s why they are laughing. Can they see the small catsup stain on my pink shirt from the fries we had shared in the car earlier? I set the pump to go on its own and start cleaning the trash out of the car. I’m mostly trying to keep myself busy and ignoring the bikers. It takes awhile; my conclusion is that my girl and I are pigs.
I walk over to the garbage can and throw the crap in. When a deep gravelly voice from behind me sends chills up my back.