I'm A Sweet Talkin' Southern Bell Killer (ON HOLD)

Chapter Seven - Juno and Lumen

Lumen came out of the bedroom and joined me in the living room. It was written all over my face that I was not in the mood for talking and Lumen got that straight away. It's things like that, things that she does that makes me want to actually keep Lumen in my life and not push her out like I do with everyone else who tries to get to know me. I look up at her, a uncharacteristic warmth filling me. I notice how her brown hair and pale complexion really bring out her kind blue eyes and how she looks at me with understanding I doubt my own Mother would have of me.

"You Okay, Juno?" Her eyes filled with concern. "You look like your dazed or something."

"Yeah, no," I get up and go towards the door and grab my coat. "I'm fine."

"Where are you going?"

"I’m just going to pick up some groceries, since your house guest finished the milk."

"Can I come?"

"Yeah sure," I say with a sigh. "But hurry up."

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25 minutes later, Lumen is ready to go out the door and I'm ready to go jump off the nearest cliff. She looks at me, smiling, trying to disarm me.

"Well, I'm glad to see you've got your whole wardrobe on to go to grocery shopping." I say opening the door. "God forbid you don't have your heels on in the milk section."

"C'mon, Juno." she said trotting behind me in her heels. "Not everyone can look like a freaking model whenever stepping outside the door, like you."

I rolled my eyes at her and got into the driver seat of my shitty pickup truck, the door making a sound that could upstage Lumen’s singing in the shower. As we get on the road, the familiar parts of the town I’ve called my home, all fall into place. I look over and see Lumen smiling as we hurtle through the road at way too fast speeds with the windows down. I get so enthralled with the sun shining on her hair, that I don’t even see the black BMW coming towards me in angry rage.

I swerve right and can feel my tires going over on to the pavement. As a delayed reaction my air bag goes off hitting in the face with way more force than necessary.

I quickly look over at Lumen who looked panicked and was clutching on to her handbag, but showed no sign of pain.

“What in the fuck was that?!” I get out of my car, slamming the door angrily behind me.

I walk a little out and see the black BMW glinting in the sun as it rides away, not a care in the world. I get a glimpse at the license plate and my temper flares so bad that I’m seeing red dots. This has gone way to far now. First showing up in my town unannounced, then accusing me of murder in my own house and now almost causing me and my best friend to get into a car accident. I have to do something now before it gets too out of control and I’m not going to be able to stop it. Lumen joins me and stands behind me touching my arm gently.

“Who was it? Did you get a glimpse at the licence plate?”

I take her hand into mine and glimpse back one more time. I lead her to the car and then get in myself. Seeing the innocent, serious look on her face, makes my temper go down drastically. I just have to focus on what is important now.

“Yeah, I got a glimpse;” I start my car and back up.”It’s a New York license plate. My brothers and sisters are trying to hurt me.”