Page 4 of Full Throttled

I nod. “South Carolina.”

“What brings you here?” the guy asks.

I nod. “Family.” It seems like the easiest answer for the long confusing story that is currently my life.

“Cool. Well, I’m Zayde and this is my twin sister Zoey,” he tells me.

I nod my head. “Nice to meet y’all. I’m Drake.”

Zoey smiles at me. “Well, Drake. We’re about to have a bonfire thing over there,” she tells me, motioning towards the area I had avoided. “If you want to join us. It’s mostly old men talking about the glory days of being a biker, but it can be fun and the food is great.”

“I don’t want to impose,” I admit to them. I feel awkward just walking up to a party knowing I wasn’t actually invited.

Zoey steps forward and grabs my arm around the elbow. “That’s it! You’re coming with us!” She pulls me along and we talk about school and what I should expect. Luckily, we were going to be attending the same high school so I'd at least know someone. The sun disappeared and the moon came up and some starsappearedin the sky. Zayde, Zoey, and I talk the night away and I find myself making an easy friendship with them, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that Zoey is gorgeous. Getting to know her makes me like her even more. By the end of the night, we’ve all exchanged numbers and made plans to hang out the following day.

As I climb back into my truck, I call my mom. “Hey, Honey,” she answers.

“Hey Mom, how was work?”

She sighs. “Good, but I’m glad this day is over. How’s your day been?”

“It’s been good, really productive. I had a late lunch and got to see Aubree at dance class. She did so great.”

“Oh I’ll have to go see her next time. I bet she’s adorable,” she replies.

“Of course she is,” I tell her with a laugh. “I had a quick favor to ask.”

“Anything,” she tells me.

“I need to run by the clubhouse. Wilder called and he’s having an issue. Would you mind grabbing Aubree from Hollis for the time being?”

“You know I don’t mind at all. Dawsyn and her will have an afternoon of fun together,” my mom tells me.

“Thanks Mom.”

“Anytime. I’ll see you in a bit.” I hang up the phone and head to the clubhouse. I kind of feel like I’m stepping back in the past. The idea of Zoey now seems so foreign.

Three

Two weeks ago…

Zoey

I pull up to the rundown, one-bedroom shack that I’m currently calling home along with my boyfriend, Gregg. As I park the car, I attempt to roll the window up, but the damn handle breaks.Great, just what I need, another thing to have to worry about.I drop my head back on the seat and groan out loud. God, I hope it doesn’t rain. As I sit there, my eyes start to feel so heavy. I’m so tired. I don’t think I can even get out of the car right now. Every muscle is aching and my feet are screaming in protest.

This is not how I saw my life going whenI left Los Angeles six years ago. Gregg had me tangled up in pretty lies and butterflies. I believed every sweet thing he whispered in my ear. I gave him everything and he took it all. I left my family behind without a second thought. Well, that’s not true. I missed my twin brother, Zayde, like crazy. I even missed my best friend, Drake, but I didn’t miss my dad and his hypocritical rants that cut me down to size based on the woman my mother was to him. He always found a way to make sure he made his feelings for me loud and clear. Two-bit whore, that was his favorite reference for me.

I was never a whore despite his accusations. I did have a thing for the bad boys, but I think that was because I had daddy issues. I wanted someone who wasn’t afraid to put my father in his place, bad boys weren’t afraid of anything--my father included.

Gregg and I started out strong and I even thought I had found my tattooed prince charming. It’s funny how fresh outta high school you can be so naïve. I had grown up around bikers my whole life. My dad was the president of the Sons of Sin, but never once did any of them carry on the way Gregg did. It took him two years to show his true colors, to me at least. Who knows what he did when I wasn’t around?

The problem was, that two years into our relationshipmeant I was too invested. I held out for another year thinking that the Gregg I had left Los Angeles with would come back. Of course, he didn’t and I was the fool once again, but then I was three years in with Gregg and going back home wasn’t an option. I couldn’t go crawling back to my dad. I couldn’t hear his undercutting insults and the I told you so…so in the end I stayed.

Now, it’s been six years since I left Los Angeles and I haven’t talked to Zayde or Drake in four years. I don’t do social media to keep up the allusion that my life is so wonderful that I don’t have time to document it. Truth is…my life sucks.

I juggle three jobs. One is a full time position as a waitress at a truck stop just off the highway, then I have a part time job at the local Wal-Mart and lastly, I have a student job at the college helping grade papers and what not. It helps me keep my scholarships while trying to finish up my graphic design degree. I work constantly and when I’m not working, I’m in class or sleeping. Gregg works, but of course he never keeps a job too long because he is hot headed and mouthy and ends up getting into fights with the co-workers or bosses. It’s such bullshit.

The music from the house turns up, carrying out into the small, run down front yard. Now, I’ll have to go in and try to convince him to turn it down since we can’t afford to have another visit from the police. We’re barely managing to stay in this piece of shit house as it is. Why Gregg can’t seem to comprehend this is beyond me.

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