What Happened To The Sullivan Girl

CON--VICT

I woke up hitting my head against the heated window and a loud long CON--VICT. You could say I began to enjoy the quiet monotonous sounds in the car. The quiet chewing of the warden, the hacking of the chewn tobacco from the warden and the ticking of the turning signals. I think though my favorite would have to be the hacking of the warden, I'd hope that maybe he'd choke and die. I had become tired of the heat he didn't role down the windows. He was mean and he had rules, four to be exact.

Rule one: No Talking.

Rule two: No Asking Questions.

Rule three: You Cannot Go to the Restroom Unless He Says So.

Rule four: Anyother Rule the Warden Thinks of Goes.

Not really the father type, but it made the ride that much easier to get through but it gave me that much more time to think. There wasn't much to think of except my last eleven years or so weren't anything to bring up in those self help groups. 

"Convict, we are going to stop I gotta fill er' up." He handed me some money to get some snacks. "Don't take too long CON--VICT." He chuckled to himself, its ridiculous how he could be socynical and yet so kind. It drove me insane along with this heavy Texan drawl. Saying convict like it was some type of title. Like I liked being labeled killer. I nodded to him, my throat had become sealed from lack of speech but there is nothing a bottle of Squirt could not cure.

I could have ran but to where, I didn't know. What good would that have been, I would have been considered desert food. Getting lost in Arizona's winding desert would have ended badly on my part. My cargo shorts showed my freshly smooth and shaved legs, and olive green tank revealed smooth and tanned skin as well. The sun had been good for one thing...my awesome new tan. "Bing-bong" I entered the cool mini mart checking around to see who'd be in such a dank and overly stocked place. 

"Hello ma'am, can I help you." There was a new face, someone to finally break the silence of the last 7 hours. I smiled at him and walked to the bathroom. 

"Okay Lauren he is super cute and his smile amazing." I remembered the quick glance of dark buzzed hair and green framed glasses. I walked outta the bathroom trying not too seem as relieved as I was, but I hadn't walked in literally 12 hours. 

"Ma'am excuse me but I don't mean to pry but," His face hid behind the comic book. I looked over the chips and watched the warden sit back on the car chewing his tobacco. "you look kinda like you don't belong here." I brought up two bags of chips and read the name tag. Joey. Cute. His ears were pierced with yellow gages and his smile was complemented by a pair of full and healthy lips. His eyes were deep blue but there was something bad boy about them.

"Oh me uhhh. No! I'm just looking for some snacks." He just looked at me and twisted his jet blue baseball cap to the side and smiled over his comic  book. "Okay so I am going to jail for something I didn't do. I'm trying to buy some time but I can't think of anything." My voice cracked in a whispered desperation.

"Hmm well I do believe you because I just couldn't see you harming anyone. So this is what the plan is keep getting stuff. Trust me this is going to be a bit risky but I want to help." He smiled and revealed the most heart satisfying smile I had ever seen. 

"Joey thank you so much." He just smiled and went to the back of the office and started digging around. I walked around the store picking up different candies and gum and a few drinks. 

I came back to the counter and he started to bag my items smiling. There was something devilish and mysterious about him but it somehow excited me in a way that was too confusing to try and understand. "I'm Lauren by the way." He took my hand while watching the warden and carefully kissed it. I wish he didn't but that kiss sent more heat through my already toasty body. 

His yellow button up shirt brought out the mysteriousness in his eyes, but seemed to make them more playful and irresistible. I meet the boy of my dreams in a mini mart. I watched him bag all my items, I handed him the money and he bagged it up as well. "Lauren be careful." There was that playful smile.

"Okay?" He had handed me my bags and placed another bag on the counter. 

"I'd like to take you out so you have to be okay. Got it." A wink and he dropped a Virgin Mobilephone into the bag. He was devious, thieving, playful, and an all around mystery. I waved to him andwalked back into my silent prison. If only that moment could have lasted forever, I looked back and he was reading the same old Superman comic he had been when he'd first seen us drive up. 

The warden unlocked the door, watching the boy sweep up an invisible mess on the floor. He'd been looking outside the window, searching for my eyes. He stopped and began to stock some more Sprite and Mountain Dew into the already crowded shelves. I smiled only just enough to let the warden know the boy was a phase. "Con--Vict get in theis here car already, we've got places to geit!" He smiled at me with his yellow teeth, while the wide brim of his fedora shaded his peeling complexion. I nodded and sat in the stiff ling back seat, again his rules popped into my head as I had wanted to ask if he'd role down the window. "Too much nice things for the convict and they think their special" he sure didn't lose his encouraging words. 

He had been my only hope, I opened the last bag he'd placed in my hands to my surprise there was a phone and extra minute cards. I didn't think he'd be that crazy but he was. The warden looked back at me I only stared right on through him. The poker face that had won my family so many different cases stuck with me till this day. I turned on the phone and to my delight punched in his number he'd scribbled down:

Joey <3

1 213 555 6572

please don't get caught. 

I only had four numbers, Virginia, Robert, Cathlene and Joey. They'd help me whether they knew it or not. Cathlene wasn't dead just misplaced