I'm Low on Gas and You Need a Jacket

Fuck. Why do I always do this to myself? Every time something goes wrong in my life, I try to solve it at the bottom of a bottle. The latest travesty in the life of Lil is I found out my best friend and boyfriend have been fucking ‘round for the past year.
A whole. Fucking. Year.

How am I coping with this? I’m at the most fancy club in all of Palm Springs, California, taking down shots like it’s nothing, and dancing with everything with a pulse.

Why can’t anything ever go well for me? I’m such a fucking mess.

The song that I was currently dancing to just went off, and I push the man I was dancing with away.

“Hey, one more song?” He asks hopefully, and I just shake my head no, making my way back to the bar.

I plop my drunken ass onto one of the stools and summon for the bartender.

“What can I get you?” He asks, looking at me warily. I know he want’s to cut me off.

“Three shots of whiskey.” I grin at him, and he goes off to fix my drinks.

He’s back in record time, and before he can properly set the glasses down, all three of them are gone with record speed.

Some electronic mix came on, and I just really felt the music within me, and I got so excited, that I jumped up on the nearest table and started dancing on it. I got many cheers of encouragement and cat -calls, and I could feel nothing else within that moment. It was just the music, the alcohol, and I. It was wonderful. I felt like a queen.

Well, it was wonderful until I made a slight misstep and I came tumbling off the table, but a handsome stranger who was sitting at the table I was on top of just so happened to move his chair back and catch me. He held me in his arms bridal style for a moment, and then asked me if I was okay.

I couldn’t even coin a response to him. He was just so good looking. He had two lip piercings, and a lot of tattoos. A lot is an understatement honestly. Maybe I’m just not seeing correctly. I’m not in the best state of mind honestly.

“Hello, are you okay?” He asks again bouncing me in his arms slightly and I erupt in a fit of giggles, and he sets me down, smiling to him self.

“You’re so fucking drunk” he says. Tucking a loose curl behind my ear. I shrug it off. “Seems like I always am, lately.” And turn unsteadily on my heels, and fall into a girl, spilling her drink all over me.

“You fucking cunt! Watch where you’re going!” She yelled at me and pushed me. Hard. I fell flat on my ass, but that didn’t stop me from quickly scrambling up, and throwing the first punch. I hit her so hard in the mouth that she started bleeding profusely. I started to take off my stilettos so I could really prepare to take this bitch down but as soon as I got them off, security was quick on my tail, lifting me up and promptly throwing me out the club – telling me the proper authorities would be called if I showed up again for the rest of the night.

God fucking damn it. I start walking in the general direction of my hotel, or where I think my hotel is and I remember, I got fucking kicked out for “disorderly conduct”

I can’t go back to the apartment me and that man who’s now my ex shared, because obvious reasons. I don’t even have a hotel to go to. I don’t want anyone I know seeing me in this state, so I just take a seat on the curb and cry. I cry because I’m pathetic. I cry because I lost my love. I cry because I’m a total embarrassment to myself.

“Hey! Are you okay?” A man calls out to me in a red Dodge Avenger. I kind of recognize him. I think. He might have been the one to catch me.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just carry on!” I choke out through sobs. He sigs and gets out his car, and pulls me up. I’m shaking so badly. Fuck. Why is it so cold?

“Damn. I’m low on gas, you need a jacket.” He says. “Get in the car. It’s warm. I’ll stop at a station, fill up, and take you wherever you need to go. I promise I’m not some psychotic killer. I’d feel so guilty if I left you here. Please get in with me? He says softy – holding my chin up so I have to look at him, and I nod my head feebly, wiping my tears away.

He helps me in to the car, shutting the door for me, and he climbs into the driver’s side, and we speed off to the nearest gas station. He gets out, pays for gas, sets the nozzle and comes back in with some painkillers, a bottle of water, and a thing of crackers.

“Thank you so much.” I croak out, my voice all scratchy from sobbing so hard, and my mouth being so dry.

“You’re welcome.” He says looking at me intently, like he wants to say something else.

“What? You look like you want to ask me something. Just go ahead and come out with it.” I say – becoming irritable with this stranger who has done nothing but shown me kindness.

“Tell me about yourself? I’m curious… there has to be more to you than… thi-“

“Than what?” I say, cutting him off, laughing. More to the sad little girl who ended up in Palm Springs dancing on tables. Who almost fought some bitch at the club, got kicked out of her hotel and lost her shoes?” I mumble, crossing my arms.

“Well, I’m impressed.” Sounds like you’ve had an interesting night. He says before getting out, removing the gas nozzle and getting back in the car.

“So where am I going to take you?” He asks, looking at me expectantly. I look at him blankly.

“I don’t know. I-I can hardly even remember my name right now.” I groan, putting my head in my hands, starting to get upset again.

“Okay, okay. Don’t get upset. It’s fine. You can come back to my place. I have an extra room you can sleep in. You can catch a shower, get a good nights rest, and I’ll make you something in the morning.” He says quickly – seeing me get distressed. Why the fuck is he being so kind to me, when I’m clearly a burden on him.

“You have pretty eyes.” I mumble, as I feel my own eyes get heavy. “I wish I had eyes like yours”

“But soon, I’ll forget the color of your eyes, and you’ll forget mine.” He says softly, starting the car and going back to his place.

_______

About twenty minutes later or so, I’m being slightly shaken awake.

“No. Let me just sleep in the car.” I grumble, curling myself into a little ball, and I hear this kind stranger sigh in frustration.

Soon, I feel myself being lifted, and I try to protest and he cuts me off, hurriedly saying “Darling, let’s go inside. It will be alright.”

I wrap my arms around his neck, and nuzzle myself in between the space of his neck and shoulders and le laughs a little bit.

He takes me up to this spare bedroom, and hands me a Pantera shirt and some sweat pants. I plop on the bed, ignoring the clothes, completely unable to move or do anything for myself.

“Do I need to change you?” He asks softly – rubbing my back. “Please” I whimper. And he pulls off my top for me, not lingering and staring at my body, He quickly replaces it with the looser fitting one, and he does the same with my skirt.

“Thank you so much. You’re too kind. I’m sorry I’m such a fucking wreck.” I whisper, as he tucks me in, bringing the blanket close up to my chest.

“You’re welcome. You need some sleep. I guess it’s time to say goodnight. I hope you had a really good time.” He says, kissing my forehead, and shutting the door behind me.

I did, kind stranger. I really did.