(A/N COVER NEEDED! ALSO, I will upload a "cast" some were asking of my opinion. I'll reveal it all soon.)
Heather
After an hour or two with Chip I realized John would not approve of my befriending of Chip. He would graciously be Chip’s friend any day. But the fact it was me who was becoming friends with such a stranger John would've been in full defense mode. Then he’d realize how nice Chip was. That’s when I miss John the most, when I the small things are ignored. The obvious joke that could've been made, overlooked. John would've like Chip after a while, I wonder if there was anyone who wouldn't like Chip.
I sat back in my car and Chip was looking outside and before we knew it the world was dark again. We barely talked since Chip just sat with his duffle bag in his lap. He just watched the road go by and every now and then he would comment on the song was on. It was not until we were almost in Nevada he threw his duffle bag in the back and turned to me, “So, what’s the point?”
I looked at him and then at the road again. I looked at the clock on the radio, which was broken. I guessed it was about three o’ clock in the morning. The fact no cars were on the freeway, and how tired I was getting. I looked back at Chip,
“The point? You could mean a lot by that. The point in life? I would say the point is not to get mauled by an animal or get killed by something tragic or embarrassing. I mean think about all the newspaper readings that would say ‘MAN DEAD, AND HIS KILLER COULD BE A REFRIGERATED FOOD! FIND OUT ON PRIMETIME NEWS’ I just hope my death doesn't become something reporters can use as a story.”
Chip looked over at me like I was the kid who walked into a Halloween party wearing casual friday work clothes. “You got way off subject there. No darlin’ I mean whats after Vegas, I know you said drive to the coast. But whats after that? Whats after all the expenses? Where will you settle down?”
“I plan on never settling down and maybe just dying young.” I said with a smile.
“Morbid, but it did answer my question. So a penny for your thoughts young one?”
“If you think this trip is going to be some lifetime bonding experience you're so wrong. I don't go braiding hair and trading secrets.” As soon as the words fell out I was transported back to when I invited Kelsy Tuller over to my house to do just that. I had to put off the vibe I had been living like this for a while. No opening the dams to strangers for them to just get swept away and eventually retreat far away.
“Well, we’re just going to ride around like strangers then?”
“We are strangers Chip.”
“Well my last name is Chip Colony, and my favorite color is green. My mom died and my dad used to travel a lot, left me at one of these stops one day and never looked back. I don't remember much, just always traveling. Haven't stopped yet. Lets see Ive been all the way to New York, Montana, had a little romance in Arkansas, OH, and how could I forget Oregon! Portland is beautiful. We should head up there after we hit the coast. Sound good to you darling?” Then he smiled, and I felt the need to reach out and caress his face or maybe just say sorry. But what was the use? Saying sorry for something that was apart of him was like telling someone you were sorry they were born with freckles.
“What brought you to Portland?” I asked, trying to avoid emotions running high while we were driving.
Chip went on about something to do with he heard it was dreary there all the time and something caught his attention on a postcard. But all I noticed was the way he talked like he was highly educated, the way his dark hair was swept to the side not like the stupid celerity but like he belonged in the fifties but so modern at the same damn time, I noticed the way he realized I was capturing his emotions and he smirked. There were things you could tell about a person when their eyes are deep in a story and he's remembering small details. His dark eyes sparked to life remembering the tiniest memory. I snapped out of it as soon as I realized I was drifting off the road, luckily the highway was empty.
“So, you're eighteen! Any crazy stories you can tell me?” A few came to mind, but soon disappeared, nothing could compare to his stories of great adventure. After a moment of silence, “What about prom? Girls are shit crazy over that right? Tell me how your date tried to grope you the whole night and how you danced to the perfect love song.”
I just shook my head, “Didn’t have a date, hell I didn’t even attempt to go.”
“What the hell is a beautiful girl doing not going to prom? Even though it is a drag, and all the teenage awkwardness swelled up into one big night. Woo! Something I don't miss entirely.”
I looked back at the road and saw an exit for a motel thirty miles out, which I was thankful for. Finally the prom conversation died down. He started talking, rambling is more of the context and then he started getting restless. He opened the glove compartment which only had necessities of the car information. Then a song came on the radio, it was not a song I was familiar with, “Pull the damn car over now Heather!” Chip screamed. I obeyed his orders because of the demand in his voice. When I put the car in park he opened his door. He went and popped up his collar in the side mirror and walked over to my side of the car. He opened the door and bowed,
“The prom dance you never had.” He smiled, and looked up at me and took my hand. He then reached passed me and turned the song louder.
“What about the cars?” I said as I stood in the middle of the road. He rolled down the windows to the car so the music could be heard.
“The only people to be crazy enough to drive at this hour is us sweetheart.” He said as he took my body and melted it to his. We danced like the cliche prom dances you see on t.v. I had my arms around the back of his neck and he held his hands at the small of my back. I smelt the mix of cologne and cigarettes again. I knew nothing could ever compare to this moment. No other prom dance was as signature as ours. Him being in that leather jacket and jeans was better than any tux money could buy. My jeans and blue jean jacket was better than any dress designed on the planet, just because it was our moment. The song was over too early, then I realized I had my head down on his shoulder. I let down my guard enough for that night. I pulled away from Chip and walked back to the car.
After thirty miles of driving we arrived at the motel. The short old lady behind the manager desk said there was no more double bed’s available. We both looked at each other and Chip laughed. We got a single room. I walked to the car to get a change of clothes out, not bothering to bring out the entire suitcase.
When I marched up the stairs I found Chip with a bag from the McDonalds across the street from the motel. We ate and then he took a shower first. I decided I would wash off the days drive tomorrow morning. I laid down in the single bed and tried to drift off before Chip could return to the bed. I slept in some of my brothers athletic pants and a t-shirt from TCU. Chip was out of the shower before I even laid my head on the pillow.
He walked to the right side of the bed, thats when I realized he was shirtless. That was also when I realized I was going to sleep in the same bed as a boy for the first time in my life. There is nothing emotional wise to feel with Chip I thought to myself, he’s just a road partner.
Then I turned away from Chip, after about ten minutes I felt Chip shift so are backs were to each other, “My hair smells like lemons and there is nothing more masculine than that.” As soon as he said it laugher spilled out. It reminded me of John in that instant, he would have said something like that to lighten the mood.
“Go to sleep Chip.” I said as I turned over, his back faced toward me.
“You first Heather.” Then he turned toward me and just like that the world around us was closed off. He was right about the smell of lemons. I felt his eyes more than I saw them. I felt the emotion behind it and thats what made it so dangerous. There was nothing else, no one else in the world that could make my heart beat that fast in that moment. “I hope you don’t mind if somehow we get intertwined during the night.” He said with a smile, as he started to trace his fingers over my exposed arm.
I wouldn’t mind at all, and that’s when I knew that night the facade I built up was completely shattered by a boy with tragic smile.
