Caught His Eye On a Desert Road

The Long Road Ahead

The road was dusty and awfully stifling, hopelessly stretching on in both directions with nothing but pavement in sight. I swiped my arm across my forehead furiously, and cursed the damn sun for what felt like the hundredth time this morning as it beat down on me, and scorched the already too hot asphalt beneath my beat-up chucks. I had shucked my plaid button up hours ago under the unbearable heat, tying it around my hips at around 10 that morning as I sought some sort of relief. But my remaining tank-top and cut offs did little to battle the midday heat, and I was still as sweaty and miserable now as I was when I'd first peeled the offending garment off.

It had been hours since I'd seen the last vehicle pass by; a beat-up old truck, I'd heard it rumbling in the distance long before I could even see it, and held my thumb out in the hopes of flagging it down. I prayed that the driver would have a little mercy on me, and a working AC unit. But they didn't even slow down, let alone stop for me; the driver probably didn't even look back at me in their rearview mirror. Now I just kept walking, rationing my water supply as I trudged down the road, and berating myself for thinking that my life needed a little more adventure in the form of a cross-country, hitchhike.

But my clothes weren't getting any less dusty, nor was I getting any less unhappy on this damn depressing road. I just needed to catch a damn break...

Not five feet later, I heard a low, deep rumble coming down the road, louder than any of the vehicles that I'd heard yet. Turning quickly, I saw a few black smudges on the horizon, making their way towards me, fast. It was a small group of leather-clad bikers, and they were headed my way.

I didn't turn back around, choosing, instead, to walk slowly backwards with my thumb out again. Maybe one of them would take pity on me.

I waited with bated breath as they got closer, and nearly cried in joy when I noticed them slowing down.

They came to a stop a few feet from me, the leader apparent looking me up and down before speaking.

"Hey, darlin', where you heading?"

"A little place called Charming? Thought I'd try looking for a prince," I joked, looking him over as well.

"We're headed that way now, we can give you a ride. But I'm not sure you'll find many princes there," he laughed, looking at the guys, "Mostly just frogs and dragons."

"I don't know, seems like six just rode up and offered my pitiful ass a ride."

"Jax Teller," he introduced himself, holding out his hand. I shook it and listened as he introduced the others; Happy, Juice, Chibs, Tig, and a bear of a man named Opie. "Pick your poison, sweetheart, we don't bite. Much."

You chuckled and looked at each one of the men carefully, before walking up to the one just to Jax's right.

"This seat taken, by chance?"

"Been savin' it for a pretty hitchhiker; seems I'm in luck today," Opie said, handing you the extra helmet that Jax passed him. "Hop on, sweetheart."