"It's so hot." Lila groaned again sending a rippling effect through the group. The AC busted some time ago and all we had was the dry heat wafting in the rolled down windows.
Sweat dripped between my cleavage and ran down my stomach, I used my dress to sop it up but even that was pushing my luck, the thing was already prominent with my body fluids.
"Shut up, I hate when you talk about it." John chided, "It gets hotter every time you do."
She sucked her teeth at him and nabbed the roach from his fingertips, sucked in a long drag and blew it all over my face. I coughed, waving it away, but I had already absorbed too much.
"I'll pay every cent for you to pull over and fix the AC, Darren." She offered and a sliver of hope straightened my spine.
"I'm not pulling over if you had a gun to my head," He quipped craning to look out the side mirror, "This guy behind me is seriously starting to piss me off."
His forearm waved out the window but the car didn't pass, I turned to look myself at the weirdo, a big green truck cruised behind. Too close for comfort, too far to crash.
"Weirdo." Lila grunted and twisted back around, "Let's not make any enemies out here," She gave a pointed look to Jasmine, "Never know who's a Klu Klux."
Jas shook her head softly but said nothing, she was docile at heart, but her soul hated that. Her facial expressions told you all she would never say. "We've been driving for a while, Dar, are we going the right way?"
I agreed, "We should've been in Florida at least by now, we've been driving through Texas for a week."
He shrugged, "Lila got us lost, I'm just trying to sort us out."
"Hey!" She scoffed, slapping his shoulder, "I'm not a navigator."
"Between the six of us, it's surprising no one brought a charger." Kaleb put in his unnecessary two cents. When no one replied he got the idea and dropped back against the seat. "Hey, Opal?"
I would rather chew on shit than answer, I pretended not to hear him. Lila looked between us with a feline perusal, as if picking dessert, with a quirked brow.
Kaleb was John's cousin, every one was coupled up, as usual, so he invited him to be my escort on my birthday vacation. Too bad they didn't tell me he was a narcissistic asshole, a playboy, and had a foul mouth.
"Oppie." He tried again, leaning forward so close his breath washed against my cheek, "Why don't you come sit back here with me?"
Sensing my response Lila jumped in and began speaking about his perfume line, he got furious when you called it that, always correcting you by saying 'It's cologne.'
Always made for a good laugh.
My mouth shut indignantly but it was a welcomed diversion, better to make peace than have your birthday week passed in awkward silence. I was glad I made the reservations for next week, at this rate we'd never get there.
The car sputtered and Darren cursed loudly, shocking us all to silence, as his fists smashed against the wheel. We barely pulled into a Shell before it went kaput.
"Deceased." Lila drew out the word dramatically and I barked laughter, Jes hid her smile behind the back of her hand while Darren's face grew more and more red.
"My sister and my girlfriend too?" He looked between us both irate and threw open the car door, "Opal, you're on thin ice with me, don't get my girlfriend wrapped up in your trouble."
We made to get out the car and dredged our sweaty selves into the mart. Lila opened the freezer door and shoved her head into the sprites and cokes. John had the better idea and all but fell into the freezer of ice.
Kaleb however followed me.
Swaggering down the aisles hot on my trail despite my cruel glances.
"Get whatever you want, Oppie, it's on me." He teased, yanking open the door, and grabbing three cases of beer. I plucked one of my own from the shelves and some sour candy on the way. We stood behind Dar who was fuming at the clerks words.
"Closest garage is forty minutes from here, sorry man." His shoulders rose lazily as he scratched his palm, "I can call a tow if you have another ride."
"We don't have anything." He scoffed mostly to himself, shaking his head.
"Damn it!"
"Let's just Uber a car here and you can go and be back within two hours." Kaleb suggested and I bobbed my head with the first thing I've agreed with him these past few days. "It's no problem, Dar. Calm down."
"Calm down?" He whipped on the poor boy, neck crawling with the prettiest vermillion, "CALM DOWN?"
Jes rested her hand on Dar's arm, "Easy, Let's try to Uber."
Dar snorted and rested the heels of his palms on the counter, "As if, there's nothing and no one around. Who in the world would-"
The bell jingled above head and we turned to see a mammoth of a man hunch through the threshold, when he came to a full stand I think we all stuttered in some way.
He was strong, sinewy muscles and a flat stomach. His clothes seemed to stretch over his body to it's maximum. I didn't blame him, I'd have no idea where to get clothes for someone that big.
"Jamie." The clerk spit, obviously put off by the man, "Get out, and don't you dare come back."
Jamie's jaw set and his gaze slid away from the clerk and towards me, thick lashes widening almost unnoticeably before he stalked past, raising the hair on my neck. The clerk smashed his fist against the counter but shook it off.
