“You run in, take care of what you’ve got to and lets get out of here.”
I was getting tunnel vision now.
Please, not now.
Be strong.
Be brave.
Trent was saying something else, but I couldn’t hear him.
I focused on the first thing to jump out at me – the logo on the glove compartment. I made it my core, my stone, mentally latching onto it with all of my strength.
It’s okay, I thought to myself.
Just keep it all together.
You’ll be so happy if you just hold on.
He’s taking you away from here.
His voice came through again. He sounded urgent. I wondered what the matter was.
I faintly felt something around my face. I was being tugged away.
No! My stone! I need it!
I panicked, trying to flail.
Trying to tug at what was holding me.
My fingers clawed wildly at my face.
“…Down, Angel! Calm down!”
I paused, feeling my chest heave over and over. I realized that I was holding his hand – rather, that Trent was holding my chin in his fingers, his eyes locked onto mine, and that my fingers were trying to pry him free from me.
We weren’t moving.
“Angel, what’s wrong? What is it?”
“I…I just…so fast…I can’t…”
“Angel, settle down…we’ve stopped.”
I focused on that, pushing down the crippling anxiety that had infiltrated my mind. I clamped my eyes shut and bit down on my lip, concentrating on our immobile position.
A car rocketed past, and the jeep swayed slightly. I almost leapt back into gripping terror, but Trent was pulling me close, stroking my hair.
“Look, it’s okay, Angel, everything’s okay…it’s all fine now. I’m here.”
I fought back a sob.
Be brave, Angel.
“Are you…can you tell me what’s going on?” He asked quietly.
I shook my head.
No. He can’t know.
He can’t know that I’m a freak.
“Okay,” Trent whispered, allowing me to slide back into place. “I know the jeep rattling like that must have been scary. We’ll just have to deal with my manager when we see him.”
I nodded aloofly.
My stone, I thought, looking at the logo on the glove compartment again. My stone’s back.
We rode in silence for the rest of the trip, never going higher than sixty miles per hour. After about forty minutes, we arrived at the Riverton Bar, and I extracted myself from the jeep and let myself in through the back door.
“We’re going to be running late,” Trent reminded me. “Do you need me to give you a hand?”
I shook my head. “I’ll be quick, I promise.”
“Okay,” he nodded. “Once we leave, we’re not coming back anytime soon. If you can’t carry it, leave it. Clothes, books, just leave it all. I’ll take care of anything you need.”
“Ok,” I answered, rushing inside.
I knew I didn’t need much.
A moment later my hands descended upon my backpack, and I quickly checked through the contents.
I liked to call it my Breakaway Bag. A sturdy, waterproof backpack, it contained everything that I needed to scamper off under the moonlight. I checked for a few discreet pockets – social security card, state ID, shit like that – and then did a very brisk inventory of the rest.
Towels.
A few changes of clothes.
Extra socks and underwear.
Pads and tampons.
Cheap first-aid kit.
Throw blanket.
Folding knife.
Taser.
Yeah, I was golden.
I had just enough room to shove in a couple of small items of some sentimental value – a birthday card that Old Greg had given me – when I realized that I was abandoning him.
He’d done so much for me.
He’d never know what happened.
I snatched one of my old notebooks back out of the trash, tracking down the only writing implement I could find – a thick permanent marker. Hastily, I scribbled a clumsy note for him:
Old Greg,
Thank you for everything, from the bottom of my heart. I’m going on a little adventure and I might not be coming back. I’ll call and tell you all about it…
I’ll never forget you, and I wish you the best.
Angel
I pinned the note up above my cot, grabbed the trash bag, slung on the Breakaway Bag, and locked up on my way back out.
He’d be here in a few hours probably. That was his routine on the weekends, after all. Luckily, I didn’t work tonight either, so he had time to find someone to replace me.
I hoped, at any rate.
After turning the key in the lock for the last time, I realized that I didn’t know what to do with it. Thinking quickly, I slipped it beneath an easy chair by the door.
Hopping back into the jeep with Trent, I avoided his glance. I knew he’d be mad that I took so long.
“No second thoughts?”
I looked back up at him.
He wasn’t furious.
He was pleased.
“I’m ready.”
“Good,” he smiled, twisting the key in the ignition.
His hand clasped onto my thigh as we kicked out gravel from beneath the tire. My hand rested upon his, enjoying his warmth, his pressure, and his companionship.
I felt like I was where I needed to be.
I felt like, just this once, I belonged.
Trent
It was well past daybreak by the time we finally pulled up behind the RipFest venue, parking with the other rental cars. It appeared that half the busses had already left, eager to make distance on the day.
Predictably, Steven flew out from my tour bus as soon as we were within earshot. With his trademarked hands in the air routine, he was even more livid than before.
“Alright, you dumb fuck, you and I are gonna have some words,” my manager angrily declared. “And without the company of your dumb bitch here.” He
turned to her. “Babe, show’s over. Your sweetheart’s getting back to work now, bye.”
I poked a firm, commanding finger into his chest, and let my anger be known.
“If you ever call her a ‘dumb bitch’ again, I will shatter your bones under one of these tires,” I practically spat at him.
He didn’t back down.
“Cut the shit, ass-wipe. We were supposed to be on the road over an hour ago, right? Why the fuck ain’t you picking up your goddamn phone?”
“I forgot my phone,” I answered unapologetically.
“You…you forgot your phone.” He was dumbfounded. “That is the stupidest goddamn shit I’ve heard out of your smart mouth yet. You fuckers never leave your phones out of sight.”
“Yeah, well, I was distracted,” I told him, pushing past to bring Angel to the bus. Within the instant, I knew the mistake, but it was too late to backpedal.
“I see that,” he coolly observed. “Speaking of distractions, I can’t wait to see you explain why you’re dragging a…an associate onto the bus.”
“She’s my guest now,” I gruffly replied.
“That’s not gonna fly.”
I opened the door for her.
“Just head to my room. Do you remember where it is?”
Angel nodded quietly.
“Good. Go.”
She pushed inside, her backpack catching on the door for a brief moment before she disappeared through the door.
“She looks primed and ready to hit the nature trail at a fucking campground,” Steven muttered. “You turn down a whole bunch of groupies, but you get your dick wet with a hitchhiker? Bitches literally throwing themselves at your cock not good enough?”
I grabbed him by the cuff of his shirt, tugging his face disgustingly close to mine.
“You want to talk? Let’s talk,” I coldly started. “You have been a fucking thorn in our side from the start. I have no idea what your goddamn problem is, but you need to cut your bullshit and start acting like a fucking manager instead of a spoiled little bitch.”
Steven’s eyes flared with anger, but he didn’t dare try to tug away from me.
“I promise you, Steven, I will work on being easier to deal with. In exchange, I bring this girl with us. She stays out of the way. No problems. No distractions. She’s gonna be great for morale, and she’s coming back home with me. Okay?”