audrey newman
i stared at the signs the car passed by, mom was finger drumming onto the steering wheel as the beatles began tuning in from the radio. my eyes tried to focus on the big, small, medium sized letters over those billboards from brands trying to advertise their new product even though they know nobody will buy it.
the car soon turned into a gas station, the sound of a seatbelt unbuckling and later a car door slamming shut. i sat up as i watched a big nose looking dude walking to our car, he began helping my mom pump the gas and engage in a conversation.
see, my dad left us when i was only two. ever since then i've been in and out the states, been to arizona for way too much. florida was about to work out that was when my mom forgot to pay what was due and the motel manager had us out in a split second.
my mom was known as the reckless 16 year old in colorado, always out by a fire pit with her hippies and a bandanna wrapped around her head. it was sophomore year for her, just got in with a new boyfriend who was a senior at the time.
all i knew was that his name was johnathan and that he took her virginity with him before bailing out on her, that's when a single bump grew in her. soon finding out it was a 10 week old fetus, her parents weren't too happy and that they had her out of their home with all the money she had.
my mom, brooke, was and still is a tough woman out in the real world. she lived in and out of her car with me, motel to motel, and crashed in other people's homes. i even took a long trip down route 66, my hitchhiker wannabe pictures can say it all.
my mind was later interrupted by the sound of knocking on the glass, it was my mom smiling and signaling me to come out of the car for a stretch and to meet whoever the guy next to her was.
i got out of the car to the fresh smell of gasoline, "i thought tulsa was nice and beautiful with a great view of the dirt roads and the sunset."
"honey, be nice." my mom slapped me on the shoulder.
"i'm steve, you are?" steve tried to get me to talk.
"audrey." i shook his hand.
"i got a cousin named audrey, she lives in connecticut with her boyfriend." steve chuckled.
i awkwardly smiled, my mom was also smiling too. "i've gotta go use to bathroom, see y'all soon."
and with that, i exited the pumps in full embarrassment. on my way into the dx, a boy clumsily bumped into me, making him drop the two cans of gasoline. my eyes met his, those blue pretty eyes of his.
i stood up, picking up those bottles of gasoline. "i am so sorry! i should've watched where i was going!"
"it's no problem, doll." he smiled, ugh it was like a dream. "name's sodapop curtis!"
"i'm audrey newman if we're talking last names." i introduced myself, i seemed to be trapped in his gaze.
"as much as i'd like to stare at that beautiful face, i've gotta get back to steve." sodapop sighed, "welcome to tulsa!"
i laughed before finding the bathroom, it was yellow lighting with those cracked tiles you'd see in a building that sets you 30 years back. at first the toilet looked like it could send tapeworms up your butt, however it's better than having a full tub of pee in you.
once i finished, i looked at myself through the cracked mirror. it was like staring at some dysfunctional reflection of you, i saw the few bruises by my forearm that i thought my sleeve wasn't long enough to cover it up.
i struggled to lower it down that my thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a knock at the door, i speed wash my hands before opening the door. there stood behind my mom were those two workers i had just met, sodapop and steve.
"you really had to bring the workers here?" i asked her, she giggled.
"oh come on, you know you were blushing." she teased.
"can we just go already, our stuff might get there before us." i muttered while looking up at the two handsome guys.
"aren't you going to say goodbye to your friends?" my mom suggested.
"yeah, say goodbye to your friends for her." steve pouted, sodapop nudged him.
"goodbye." i sassed as i pushed my way past them.
great, my own mom embarrasses me in front of the most two hottest guys i've ever seen. what now? she's gonna invite them for dinner at our house and share baby pictures of me in a tub? i hope not, she wouldn't go that far, would she?
