The cold metal bus had been her temporary home for the past 36 hours. Her body curled up in a makeshift bed made from a bench in the back of the bus that could easily fit 2. The toxic fumes of cigarette smoke and alcohol stung the air while being masked with a cheap dollar store perfume which was more than likely a poor substitute for a week without a shower. A rather unpleasant environment for anyone with all their senses functionally properly but her senses have pretty much went numb to the foul life this tin can had to offer.
She was a mystery to everyone on this bus. She was alone and no one had a clue of who she was. The young girl had kept to herself in the back and remained quiet through most of the ride. Something about her was odd but no one could put their finger on it, like the after taste of an energy drink leaving you with the question of whether you like it or not. Most of the time she tossed and turned in her seat, uneasy and unsure with what the future would hold for her once she stepped off this bus, wherever that may be. Her destination was unknown, even to her. What she did know was that she wanted to be anywhere but where she came from.
The young girl’s mind paid no attention to the bizarre crowd around her, regardless of how they stared at her for the strange nature she possessed. She allowed herself to be taken away in her music while her hand penned down her every thought and feeling. About how she was tired of the lingering smell that made her resemble a cheap hooker on the streets or how she would find herself too paranoid to sleep in this prison on wheels. The trance of writing could go on to the point where she may even forget to get off the bus at some point. She paused a moment, thinking of how to correctly place her words. She closed her eyes and brought her hands to her collar, her tips caressing her bright green crystal that rested on her neck.
The train of thought that was going without distraction had suddenly screeched to a halt as she felt a finger tap her thigh, sending a chill throughout her body. Her eyes shot up, seeing a tall figure towering over her. He was dressed in a spiceberry suit that gained a darker shade as it the suit went down his body. She gazed up with an inquisitive look to where his face should be but only saw darkness causing her eyebrows to lower a bit, scrunching close together. “Can I help you..?” she asked with a cautious tone, unsure if she should allow this man to give her an answer. The spiceberry figure slowly leaned down, allowing the passing streetlights to illuminate himself. He had a slender face with hair that swooped up as if it were a flame with a red color to match and his chin had a goatee that ended like a spear. He gestured to the seat that was taken by her outstretched legs.
“Mind if share a seat with ya? Every other seat is occupied.”
She stared at him a moment, taking in his strange appearance before she quickly sat up at the realization of what he needed, moving her legs to the floor as she sat up correctly muttering an apology. A sigh of relief left the strangers lips as he leaned back in the seat “finally,” he began “a well needed rest am I right sweetheart?” the man asked looking over to the perplexed girl. She was finding herself looking over his strange appearance for about the 3rd time now, still skeptical of the man. She truly couldn’t tell what made her so uneasy just next to this stranger, he simply asked for a seat and here she was judging him already
“Where are my manners,” he said suddenly, turning his body toward her and held out his hand “The name’s Memphis sweetheart.” She took a moment before reaching for his him, taking his hand in her own. A gasp left her lips as his hand pulled her towards him. Looking up at her a moment with his amber eyes that mimicked the orbs she owned as he leaned down and pressed his lips against the back of her hand. She stared at him, unsure of what his eyes held for her under those fiery irises as he turned away, allowing her to have her hand back. The whole bus seemed to be quieter, yet everyone was still right where space and time had left them before Memphis took the seat beside her.
Moments of silence had constantly had constantly been interrupted by the beat of rain drops on the window to her left with the silky fabric of his spiceberry suit brushing her right. ‘You can’t just ignore the guy.’ She thought to herself, glancing down at her hand as her thumb ran across where his lips met her skin. Questions danced in her mind, almost shuffling to her tongue but taken back as she second guessed each one. Finally the proper question came into her mind and slithered out of her mouth “So, where are you heading to?” she asked glancing up at him. He smiled as her words seem to have clung to the web-like atmosphere between them. A soft sigh escaped the lips her hand was all too familiar with and seemed to shudder as if it were its own being.
“Does it really matter? What matters is I don’t plan on going back. Anywhere is better than that place” he said giving her a small smile as a shrug tugged at his shoulders. Her body seemed to ease a bit at this, hearing someone understand the very thing she’s been going through, with the same mindset of not caring about their past.
“I completely understand Memphis,” she softly replied through her small smile “I’m just trying to get away, get away from all this commitment” she said and sighed, leaning back in her seat “I’m not cut out for that shit.” Memphis chuckled a bit and smirked down at her “not into that whole Till Death Do Us Part crap?” he asked, earning a nod. “Exactly, I mean who the hell wants to be forever with the same person who treats you like pure crap” she said with a sigh “plus the dumbass I was with couldn’t tell his ass from his face. He was dumber than a sack of marbles, but the marbles at least have something unique about them.”
The redhead burst out into laughter that made the smile on the young girls face grow. “Sweetheart, you are sassier and more cunning than Lucifer himself” he said earning a small laugh from her “you have no idea” she said in a low whisper. Memphis leaned down a bit so his eyes leveled with hers, he smirk still tugged on his lips “it’s no surprise he wasn’t for you, guys like that can’t handle a lady like you.” She couldn’t hold back the laugh that made its way from her throat “oh really?”
“And why is that Memphis?” she asked raising an eyebrow, mimicking his confident smirk.
“He isn’t me sweetheart ”
