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homerfreak2011

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I rode my ol’ pickup along a two lane, just north of Casper, Wyoming. I smiled at the sight of leaves falling from the trees along the highway. The land was so pretty up here. Fall was the perfect time to drive up through it. I had made the trip dozens of times, back home, down to Oklahoma, to spend some time with my old buddies. This time was no different. I did my best to keep myself from zoning out while I drove. The route was so familiar, it almost felt like I could close my eyes and make it there safely… but I didn’t wanna test this theory.

Up ahead, I saw a figure walking alongside the road. I slowed down as I approached them. It was a girl, looked to be about 19 or so. I reached over and opened the passenger’s side door. “Need a ride?” She smiled.

“Do you mind?” I shook my head and motioned for her to get in. She slid into the passenger’s seat without a bag or so much as a purse in her possession. I started back up the highway.

“Where you headed?” She was in a slight daze, staring out the window.

“As far as you’ll take me. Anywhere but here…” I have to admit, her response made me wonder, but I didn’t wanna question what was none of my business. “How far are you going?”

“Oklahoma.” I saw her nod slightly out of my peripherals. “You can ride as long as you like.” She smiled, still staring out the window. “So, why traveling so light?”

“Wanted to leave in a hurry. Didn’t have time to pack anything.”

“You running?” She didn’t reply. “A boyfriend? A parent?”

“Boyfriend.” I nodded to an exit sign.

“Wanna stop off and get a soda or somethin?” She shook her head.

“No money.” I clicked on my blinker.

“I’ll take care of it.” She kicked her flip flops off and propped her feet on my dash.

“My name’s Allison.” I nodded.

“Well, Allison, I’m Bill.” She looked at me.

“You don’t look mean enough to be a Bill. You look more like a Billy.” I laughed under my breath. That’s what I had always thought. She poked my side. “I’mma call you Billy, alright?” I laughed loud enough where she could hear it.

“Yeah, that’s fine.” I rode through the little off-ramp town until we found a Exxon. I pulled into the parking lot and pulled the keys. “You goin’ in?” She nodded, shoved her feet into her shoes, and got out. When we walked in, she looked around nervously. I assumed looking for people that knew her. I put a hand on her shoulder, making her jump. “Calm down. We’re about 20 miles from where I picked you up.” She nodded and her cheeks turned bright red.

After I paid for our Coke’s and we were back on our way, she broke out of her shell a little. We had now been driving for about 2 hours. Every two or three minutes she was coming up with a new way to make me laugh. I had never laughed so much in my life! She put her hand on my knee.

“Oh! I’ve got another one!” I smiled, nodding for her to go ahead with what she was going to say, trying to hide the sensation I got from her touch. “It’s cheesy, but you’ll live. What do you do when a Spice Girl throws a grenade at you?” I shrugged.

“Dunno. What?”

“Take the pin out and throw it back.” I gripped the wheel, nearly snorting Coke out my nose. Even her cheap shots made me laugh. She started laughing at my reaction. “Okay, I’ve got a good one this time.” I wiped my eyes, burning from the soda.

“Go for it.”

“Limp Bizkit and Dennis Rodman are on a sinking ship. Who gets saved?” I shook my head, bracing myself for the answer. “The music world and the NBA.” I took a breath, then started laughing again.

“Christ, darlin! Where are you gettin all these?” She smiled.

“Believe me, I have plenty of time to make them up. I have absolutely NO life.” She leaned back in the seat, gazing out at the sunset. I sped up as we crossed the Colorado line. She sat still and quiet for about five minutes, watching me.

“Hmm?” I glanced over at her. She jolted out of her trance.

“Oh! … Sorry…” I smirked.

“What’s on your mind?” She started popping her fingers.

“Well… I was just kinda wonderin… can I drive?” I pondered a second or two, but pulled over to the side of I-25 and switched places with her. She eased the ol’ truck out into the interstate, then floored it. I couldn’t help but laugh. Our wheels were screeching across the blacktop as she dodged vehicle after vehicle with speed and perfection. She glanced over at me, I suppose making sure I wasn’t mad. I gave her a smile and she turned back to the road.

By Kansas, we were both pretty tired. We had switched back at the state line, and I was back in the driver’s seat. She yawned and stretched out, propping her feet up in my lap as she leaned against the door. “I’m beat.” I nodded, feeling my eyelids get heavier and forcing myself not to yawn.

“I’m pretty tired myself.”

“Want me to take over?”

“Nah, you’re not any more awake than I am. Would you care if I stopped for the night and got a room or something? I can take you a little further and let you out if you want.” She shook her head.

“I already got my hopes up on Oklahoma. You gotta take me all the way.” I tried to hold back a smile. I was looking forward to another day on the road with her.

“So wanna stop at the nearest Holiday Inn? I’ll pay for you a room.” She nodded, laying her head back against the hard window. I slipped off my jean jacket and tossed it to her. She smiled, rolled it up, and slid it behind her head. “We’ll eat when we get our rooms.” She nodded, closing her eyes. I clicked on the blinker, seeing the next exit, and had to slam on the breaks to keep from passing it. She gasped as she jolted forward, nearly falling out of the seat. I grabbed her arm to keep her from falling. “Whoa, calm it. Just had to stop.” She cut her eyes at me.

“I was comfy too.” I laughed and smacked her calf.

“You’ll live.” She sat up, still holding my jacket.

“What if I don’t?” I shot her a smart-assed look.

“Then I owe you $20.” She raised an eyebrow.

“I’m gonna hold you to that, ya know.” I pulled into the drive of the Holiday Inn and parked in front of the lobby. Allison followed me in. We walked up to the desk together and I pulled out my Discover card.

“I need two rooms overnight.” The female clerk smiled and started typing on her computer.

“Smoking or non-smoking, sir?” I glanced at Allison. She shook her head. I turned back to the clerk.

“Both non.” Her fingers raced across the keys.

“Sir, we only have one regular room left. It’s non-smoking and on the 5^th floor.”

“Uh… but we need two.”

“Sir, I’m sorry. We’re all booked aside from the suites.” I nodded back at Allison.

“Book her a suite then.” The clerk shook her head.

“Suites have to be reserved, sir.” I sighed and turned back to Allison.

“Wanna go somewhere else?”

“I don’t mind sharing a room. How many beds?”

“Two queens, ma’am.” Allison nodded.

“Let’s get it.” I shrugged and handed the clerk my Discover. She ran it through the machine and handed me my receipt, my card, and the keys. I went to hand Allison one, but she was already by the doorway. “Race you to the truck!” She took off without a reply from me. I laughed and took off after her. By the time I had made it to the door, she was in the passenger’s seat with my coat. I rolled my eyes, still laughing, and went to open my door. To my surprise, it was locked. I raised an eyebrow and knocked on the window.

“Open my door.” She smiled and shook her head, curling back up against the door with my jacket. I felt my keys in my pocket. I pulled them out and shook them in front of the window. “I’ve got the keys.” She lunged for my door and held the lock down, laughing. “No keys, no truck, no food.” She pondered that thought a second… then unlocked my door and scooted back over.

“Psh, you’re no fun.” I knocked my shoulder into hers.

“Don’t be such a baby.”

After dinner at the Outback, me and Allison had made our way back to the hotel room. It was poorly lit, like most hotel rooms are. Allison leapt onto the first bed, then jumped from the first to the second. She sat on it for a second, then nodded as I closed the door. “I want this one. It’s softer.”

“Oh, gee. Thanks.” I tossed my suitcase on the first bed. She laid back on hers, flipping on the TV.

“Whacha wanna watch?” I shrugged, sitting at the head of the bed, picking up the channel card off the nightstand. With none of the channels catching my eye, I tossed her the card. She looked at it, then turned the TV off and turned back to me. “Nothing worth watching.” I shrugged. She smiled softly. “You look so tired. Why don’t we call it a night?”

“Eh, up to you. I can hold out a few more hours.” She hopped back over to my bed and sat beside me, running her fingertip underneath my eye.

“Your eyes are black.” She laughed. “Go to bed. We have to get up early anyhow.” I felt the sensation again, trying hard not to let her notice. She cocked her head. “Something wrong?” I shook my head vigorously. She shrugged, got up, opened the curtain, and turned the light out, pulling the chain on the door.

“What are you doing?” I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re letting the streetlights in.” She nodded and flopped down next to me.

“I know.” She laid down, stretching out around my suitcase. “Tell me a story. Then I’ll go to bed.”

“What are you? 2?” She looked up with me, her brown eyes gleaming.

“Pretty pretty please?” I sighed, rolled my eyes playfully, and stretched out next to her.

“I don’t know any stories.”

“Can we talk then?”

“About?”

“Anything. I just have to have someone talking to me or I can’t sleep.” I laid on my side, facing her.

“How about you tell me why you wanted to get away so badly.” She looked down at the sheets.

“I just got tired of his crap… I didn’t think I deserved it, and no one else believed he treated me the way he did. Everyone was against me… I didn’t have a choice.” I put an arm around her sympathetically.

“‘He’ being your boyfriend?” She nodded, succumbing to the warmth of my shoulder.

“I was old enough to leave… so I did.” I looked into her eyes.

“How old are you anyway?”

“19... You?” Ha! I was right!

“21.” She leaned her forehead against my chest, seeming to already trust me.

“Thank you for getting me away from there.” She looked up at me. “I probably would’ve gone back by now if it wasn’t for you.” She put her hand on my cheek. The tingle her fingertips made on my cheek was unreal. She leaned up slightly. I met her half-way, kissing her lips softly. She pulled back from it, biting her lip and looking away, but then leaned back up and kissed me harder.

I wrapped my arms around her. She opened her eyes mid-kiss, and strangely enough, I did the same. Her eyes said all the words she didn’t have to say. We closed our eyes at the same time, not breaking the kiss. I felt her hand fumble with my belt, pulling it out slowly. I untied the bottom of her loose shirt, unbuttoning it afterward. I laid back in the sheets. She pulled away from me when I did.

“What’s wrong?” She shook her head.

“I can’t do this.” I propped up on my elbows.

“Why?” She got up and moved over to her bed.

“Cause that’s the wrong bed, silly.” She smiled and grabbed my hand, pulling me over to her bed. I let myself fall on top of her, kissing her again.

Three lust filled days later, I woke up in that same hotel room; for the first time alone in her bed. On the pillow next to me was a rose and a note.

“You cannot grow a flower if you do not have the seed. Now I’ve got everything I need.”

And as suddenly as she had came into my life, she was gone… and Allison Miranda was her name.