Rebel Girl

27} I Like Your Stupid Face. A Lot.

© Amber Kalkes 2015

Song: "She's So High" By Tal Bachman

Chapter Twenty-Seven: I Like Your Stupid Face. A Lot. 

“Thanks Willis.” I smile as I lower the warm cup of hot chocolate, “I really needed this.”

Sitting outside I press my arms closer to me as a chilly breeze blows on my back. Willis, my breakfast meal hook up, is sitting beside me after his shift has finished. He helped me clean up a little and thankfully hasn’t asked any questions but I figure he’s buying time. Willis, for better or worse, cares about me enough to ask.

I’m just hoping Lou shows up soon enough so I don’t have to deal with it.

Willis’s warm brown eyes crinkle as he smiles kindly back at me, “I know you did, honey. Now you going to tell me how you got that bruise you’re trying so hard to cover up?”

I grimace and stare down at my sneakers, “That’s hard to talk about.”

“You know I was beginning to be worried for you. I haven’t seen you in almost a week.”

“Yeah.” I murmur, “I’ve been in the middle of a shit storm. Well that’s what it feels like anyway.”

“Pretty girl like you shouldn’t swearing.” He scolds with a disapproving look.

I shrug and take another sip from my Styrofoam cup before taking a monstrous bite of a donut, “I think we both can agree that right now that bit of advice does not apply to me.”

He chuckles at my chipmunk cheeks before patting my back lightly, “Better slow down or you’re going to choke.”

“Good.” I tell him with a mock glare.

Sighing he drops his hand before smiling over at me, “You said you were calling someone.”

I lift a brow at him and swallow my food, “Sick of me already, Willis?”

“No, I just don’t think your parents would be too happy having you hanging out behind a building with an older man.”

I look at our surroundings and usually I would have to agree that this would look a bit…sketchy. Old guy takes a young woman behind a building, sweetens her up with food and then dumps her body in a dumpster. Sounds like something on Law & Order but I know Willis. Besides my parents wouldn’t have given a shit either way about where I am or with who.

I push that depressing thought away and answer, “My boyfriend is coming to pick me up.”

“Boyfriend?” Willis asks with surprise written on his face.

I give him a flat look, “Well I’m not that hideous.” 

“Never said that, Sugar. Just surprised.” He says gently “What’s your young man like?”

I smile a little at the thought of Lou, “He’s great. Really great. Probably better than I deserve.”

“We only get what we deserve in this life, Sugar. No matter how many bad things come along the way there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel.”

“Yeah a train.” I snort before taking another bite of my donut.

Willis laughs, throwing his head back, his laugh a bit raspy, “You sure are a ball of radiant happiness and joy today aren’t you, honey?”