Her friends called her "Cat", though at the moment she didn't have any friends. Cathy had run away from home when she was sixteen, hooking up with a group of kids who'd decided to travel across country, see the sights and party, party, party.
That was three long years ago now.
One by one their little band had dwindled as funds ran out, or as many eventually became home sick for family and friends. Cat was the last, now on her own, hitchhiking cross-country, finding work when she could before moving on. She had no one to go home to. An abusive stepfather, drug addicted mother who'd never really even been a mother, and no siblings to look to for help.
She hadn't eaten anything substantial for two days, aside from a bag of chips she'd lucked out in causing to fall from a vending machine, and scrounging just enough change to buy herself a cup of coffee at a nearby truck-stop where she hoped to hitch a ride to wherever she could get one.
She'd spent considerable time in the bathroom grooming herself, using the soap from the dispenser to wash her hair with. Tempted to cut it off as to make things easier, Cat refrained from actually doing so. In doing so, she felt it would be a way of surrendering to her situation, circumstances, and she wasn't about to give in just yet.
Brushing her long auburn hair as best she could, wincing at the tangles she encountered, she received a very dirty look from a woman who'd entered to use the facilities. Cat stood in front of the mirror, topless, her small pointed breasts very much in appearance as she stood fighting with her hair.
"This IS a public restroom you know," the woman said glaring at her.
"Go fuck yourself!" Cat spat at her, hissing. "Mind your own fucking business!"
Almost immediately the woman turned and left, Cat figured she had at best another two or three minutes before the manager of the truck stop came looking for her. It was time to leave.
"Shit!" she thought to herself as she pulled on one of the few remaining tank tops she still had. She'd spent every last dime she had on the coffee, and still hadn't scored another ride as yet. All she could do now was go outside, stand around and wait for one of the truckers to head for their rigs where she'd intercept them, and hopefully beg herself a ride.
Almost as important as finding a ride, Cat needed a smoke too. She had slunk to the lowest of levels, finding a prick-assed guy who offered to give her one for a hand-job. She'd been desperate then, stepping out behind the 7-11 where he worked, quickly getting him off where he then had tossed her a whole pack. She wouldn't be quite that stupid again next time. Hand-jobs were definitely worth a whole pack, and if she liked the guy, maybe a blowjob for an entire carton. Right now, she could use a single smoke, but couldn't help but wonder what she'd be willing to do for that right about now.
"Mr.? Can I bum one of those off you?" she asked as a tall lanky-looking like cowboy complete with a large black Stetson on his head, and a pair of well worn pointy-toed boots left the café, lighting up one for himself the moment he stepped outside. He stood, eyeing her briefly as though curious as to her age before fishing another one out of the pack he was holding. "Thanks," she said as he handed one to her, then cupped the same match he had used to light his with as she leaned in taking the welcomed flame.
"You wouldn't happen to have an extra pack on you," she dared asking.
'Tex', as she now thought of him, stood there looking at her as he took a drag on his smoke. Cat did the same, enjoying the sudden heady rush from having gone so long without one. She could tell a lot from a person's eyes, almost reading their minds. Something you learned to do if you were going to live out on the streets. Sometimes it could save your life. He didn't have an evil look about him, wasn't all that unattractive either, but she had seen that look before. And the price of cigarettes was about to go up.
"Don't have one I'll just give ya," he drawled. "But if'n you want it, you can earn it," he leered at her knowingly.
"Where's your rig?" she asked without haggling further.
That surprised him a little, but he smiled. "He must chew too," she thought silently to herself as the bright yellow stain of his smile greeted her. "Beggars can't be choosers," she thought to herself once again, and then followed him across the lot towards his eighteen-wheeler.
"Climb aboard," he told her opening the door, then taking the liberty to place his hand on the cheeks of her ass, pushing her up and in, nearly tossing her as he did.
"Gee, thanks," she replied somewhat indignantly. But Cat couldn't afford to piss this guy off either, she didn't have her smokes yet.
Where she had all but climbed, he merely seemed to step, swinging into his seat, then sat there facing her with that same yellow grin.
"What do you want?" she asked figuring this guy for a blowjob. "At least he smells clean," she considered thinking to herself.
"A blowjob," he answered a bit nervously. Cat almost smiled. She had seen it in his eyes.
"That'll cost you more than just a pack," she ventured.
He shook his head no.
"For a pack, you can feel my tits."
"You don't have any."
Cat ignored his comment. She was rather proud of her tits, even if they were small. "Two packs will get you a handjob," she said stiffly, letting him know there wasn't any room for bartering on this one.
Tex sat there considering the price of his need. "How much for a blowjob then?" he said giving in. Cat almost told him two cartons, but then figured that might be pressing it, and she wasn't sure he had two cartons on him anyway, perhaps the one. Which she'd demand to see before doing anything.
"A carton," she answered simply, quickly adding, "But I want to see it first!"
Tex laughed. "Shit baby, how much for a fuck then? A case?"