Faith stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror.
She held dark circles under her eyes, and her hair was messy. She leaned down and splashed a bit more water on her face, and used the water on her hands to pull her hair back into a bun.
She unzipped her jacket, the once stiff green canvas was now riddled with burn holes and dusted with red dirt. The carhartt logo on the chest was nearly worn off.
Digging around her inside pocket she pulled out a small white baggie, flicked it a few times and opened it.
She did a hit off the back of her hand, reluctant to use more. What she had needed to last her.
She washed her hands as if it would wash off the sin, tucking the baggie into her coat she stepped back into the well-lit restaurant. She needed to make some extra money, or find a ride. She hadn't found good work and her habit was burning through her savings.
She had come alone, but a new face at the counter drew her attention. A scruffy young man with a tanned face and brown doe-eyes. He wasn't there when she had stepped out.
She wandered over and seated herself next to him. "Stopping for the night?" She asked, studying his face. He was scruffy, but he was clean.
"Just for tonight, passing through" he replied, and she leaned on the counter.
"Where are you headed?" she asked, her tone soft and sweet and nothing like it had been that morning when her dealer shorted her. Not as vulnerable as when she turned to begging.
"That depends on why you're asking" he replied, eyeing her suspiciously.
She smiled at him. There was a bit of a gap in her front teeth. She liked his tone.
"I'm looking for a ride, just a few towns over. I'm broke as a church mouse but I can make it worth your while" She said, laying a hand on his knee. She knew she wasn't much- any sweet beauty she had held as a child was nothing like it had been now. She had tarnished like neglected silver, but there was no polishing away scars and a coke habit.
If he could hear her thoughts it didn't show in his eyes. "I'll see how far I can take you, but if my employer hears-" he didn't finish speaking. He didn't have to, Faith smiled and stood, the waitress making a small noise of disapproval and turning abruptly away from them, entertaining herself with the coffee maker.
She ignored this- the woman had seen her do the same thing many times before. She had been passed around this county for the last few months and still hadn't gotten anywhere.
The boy dropped a twenty on the counter for his meal and his coffee, and a generous tip, before turning his sights back to the woman who's intentions had reached her eyes.
She didn't waste time following him out the door, and she took long strides to cross the chilly parking lot, falling in step with the boy until they reached his truck. It was a company vehicle, with a sleeper cab and plenty of space. The lot was relatively empty, as her gaze wandered a hand on her shoulder spun her around and she found herself pressed against the truck.
She gasped, and felt her heart pound a bit harder but relaxed again when a calloused hand found her face. It was just the boy, of course, but she hadn't expected the sudden change in demeanor. She supposed he had a bit of shyness to him. His indifference was that of someone who had done such things before, many of them didn't like to work.
He leaned close enough that she could feel the warmth of his body, and his other hand went to the truck beside her, bracing himself against it.
He wasn't much, but as close as he was she could study his eyes. Soft, and kind. They made him beautiful, and she suddenly felt insecure of the closeness. Of how he clearly could see her face. She was no desert flower- She was a tumbleweed, hardened and rough from blowing across the dry country.
"It's alright to kiss me" She whispered, not wanting to ruin the intimacy of the moment, but not wanting him to stare at her longer than he had to. It was making her squirm.
That was all it took for him to lean closer, and her hand found his hair the moment their lips touched.
She wouldn't sugar-coat it. She was never much of a romantic, and her line of work furthered her jadedness. But as he deepened the kiss she tugged at his hair just a bit, and her other hand fumbled with her jacket zipper, she felt warmth against the cold.
When his arm wound around her waist, pulling her roughly against him she smiled, rolling her hips just enough to elicit a small groan. He moved his attention from her lips to her neck, what of it was exposed, and her free hand found his belt.
He didn't seem to notice until she had already popped the button on his jeans, and he pulled away abruptly to look at her.
"They can see" he gasped and she shook her head, pulling him into the shadow of the truck beside them, away from the light of the diner and unzipping his pants.
"Trust me" she replied, keeping her eyes on him as she knelt in front of him.
He swore under his breath, his hands finding her hair, watching her.
She knew what she was doing, and took him to her throat with very little hesitation, raising her gaze to meet his.
