You Can Taste the Bright Lights

“Here we are honey,” Fred’s gruff voice sounded from beside me.

I looked out the trucks large passenger side window to see a very seedy looking building. Well, the whole place looked a little sketchy. But I was prepared for that, as Fred had warned me that he was only stopping at one place in the shifty part of L.A. when he picked me up.

A small smile spread across my face as I looked over at Fred. He really had been a nice guy this whole time. At first glance he seemed like any other big intimidating trucker. But he was actually a sweetheart who missed his two little boys and his wife. He’d agreed to take me along with him mostly cause he was a nice guy, but also because he just wanted someone to talk to; to pass the time.

“Thanks for everything, Fred… I don’t know where I’d be without you.”

He chuckled as he started to back his truck up into the opening at the back of the building, “probably starving somewhere on the side of the road, I recon.”

I laughed as I grabbed my leather bag, and guitar case, “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

As soon as he finished parking the truck we both got out. I leaned my guitar case against the truck as I straightened out my old Zeppelin t-shirt, and pulled up my shorts. I grabbed my cowboy boots out of the truck and slipped them on my feet. It was too warm to put my leather jacket back on, so I put it in my bag before throwing it over my shoulder.

I closed the trucks door and gave myself one final once over in the reflection. Everything seemed in order, my long black hair was still a perfect mess, and my makeup was all still in place.

I grabbed my guitar case and walked around the truck to give Fred a good-bye hug. I considered him a good friend now. It was going to be sad leaving him, more so then all the other truckers I had ever hitched a ride with in my four years of hitching.

As soon as Fred finished talking to one of the men unloading the trailer, he engulfed me in a big fatherly hug, “I’m gonna miss having you around kid.”

I patted him on the back as he released me from the almost suffocating hug, “I’ll miss you too, hopefully we’ll run into each other again someday.”

“Hopefully,” he flashed me an almost wicked grin, as I started to walk away, “welcome to the jungle baby.”

I chuckled as I gave him one final wave and walked around the corner. I wasn’t sure where I was going, or what I was going to do. I was just going to focus on one thing at a time. And the first thing that needed to be done was getting myself something for supper. I had, maybe, one hundred bucks left from my pool winnings. But I needed that for a hotel room. I could dine and ditch, I was pretty prow at it, but my bass would make it a little too hard to sneak out unnoticed.

As I walked by a convince store I knew exactly what I was going to do. Steal. I walked into the store and started to look around. The older man at the cash didn’t even look up when the bell over the door jingled. This was going to be even easier then I thought. Usually there was someone watching me like a hawk, but I guess this guy must just be used to people who looked like me and didn’t think anything of it.

I casually slipped a few chocolate bars into my bag. Then some different flavoured peanuts. I walked to the fridges in the back where they kept all their beverages. I slipped a bottle of water into my bag, then grabbed a smaller carton of chocolate milk. I opened it as I walked to the cash, and took a sip before setting it down.

The man rung up my milk without so much as a hello. If it wasn’t for the radio playing in the background it would have been completely silent. He mumbled lowly what it came to. And I searched my pockets until I had the right amount of change.

I took my milk and headed out of the store, but not before smiling and wishing the man a good day. He may have been slightly rude, but the man did just give me a free meal; whether he knew it or not.

It was getting dark out now, the only reason I could tell was the city lights were starting to get brighter. It was very different from the small towns Fred and I had been stopping in. I personally liked this more. The city was where I belonged. I wanted to play music for a living, and I knew this was the place to do it.

I couldn’t help but laugh at some of the things men standing on the sidewalk were yelling at me and other women who walked by them. And some sketchy looking characters approached me about buying drugs from them. I just ignored them or said no, and continued on my way; eating one of my little bags of honey-roasted peanuts.

Since getting food was no longer on my list of priorities, it was now time to look for somewhere really cheep to stay for the night. I had no idea where to start looking, but I couldn’t imagine there not being a shitty place to stay that would be in my price range.

A loud wolf whistle sounded in my ear, as my ass was squeezed roughly. I let out a surprised yelp, sending my bag of peanuts flying, as I turned to look at my assaulter. I wasn’t fond of having my ass squeezed by people I knew, and I liked it even less when random chauvinistic pigs did it. I was ready to kill who ever did it.

“Well aren’t you a very sexy girl,” the man smirked looking me up and down. He wasn’t anything special to look at; tall, muscular, had the whole glam thing going on. His eyes had a glassy look to them, telling me that he was either sauced or on his way there.

I knew there was no point in talking to this loser. I just rolled my eyes and turned back around, only to be roughly grabbed by the arm and turned back around. I grimiest at the stench of cheep alcohol all over this man.

“What?” he chuckled dryly, “not selling today?”

“Excuse me?” this was certainly a first for me, “I’m not selling any day, nor have I ever. I’m not a prostitute. Now if you’ll kindly let go-“

I was cut off by his lips hungrily attaching themselves to mine. I immediately dropped my guitar case and tried to push him off. He just held tight to my arms and pushed me up against the building. Tears started to well up in my eyes. He was just too strong for me; I couldn’t get him away from me. I felt a sinking lost feeling in my gut. I was going to be raped, and there was nothing I could do about it.

I managed to get my mouth free of his disgusting lips long enough to yell for help. He was quick to slap me and continue groping me. Suddenly the man was pulled away from me and thrown on the ground. It took me a second to realise what was going on, but I had never been so happy in all my 18 years. I couldn’t believe that no one had stepped in to help me other then this one amazing individual. I would be grateful to who ever they were for the rest of my days

“What the fuck!” the drunken man yelled, with a slur, at my saviour.

The tree like blonde man just ignored him and looked at me with the most piercing blue eyes I’d ever seen, “you alright?”

I couldn’t form words; I was just too taken with the man in front of me. I simply nodded my head, yes. He turned back to my attacker, who was trying to get up, but continuously loosing his balance and falling back down. It would have been hilarious, had he not just tried to force himself on me.

The blonde bent down and picked up my bass and handed it to me, “here, it doesn’t look like he’s in any shape to bother you again.”

I smiled at him and took it, “thanks.”

He grinned back and put his arm around my shoulder as a friendly gesture, “no problem, I’m Duff by the way.”

“Nice to meet you Duff,” he started to lead me down the sidewalk, away from the drunken mess, “I’m Sage… thanks for helping me back there.”

He chuckled, “it was my pleasure… you’re not from around here are you?”

“Nope,” I looked up at him, “what gave it away?”

He pretended to think for a moment, “hum… probably the fact that you’re out alone at night, and you don’t seem to have any form of protection on you.”

“Well… it seams I’ve got you for that now,” I smiled sheepishly, looking down at my feet. It was quite easy to make conversation with Duff; he had a happy friendly air about him that just made me comfortable.

He smiled and laughed, “Yeah, that’s true. So where are you headed?”

I shrugged, “I’ve been looking around for somewhere cheep to spend the night. You know anywhere nice?”

“Well… it’s not exactly luxurious, but you could stay with my friends and I, if you’d like,” he looked down at me and smiled sweetly.

“Oh no, I don’t want to impose-“

“You wouldn’t be imposing on anyone,” his smile got wider, “I invited you.”

I smiled back, “I guess that’s true… I guess if you’re sure it’s alright with you and your friends. I’d really appreciate it.”

“Then it’s settled,” he smiled triumphantly, “you’re staying with us!”

I couldn’t help but giggle at how goofy he was. This definitely seemed like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.