Sin City

The bar is loud and hectic, full of all the local kids out to get trashed on a Friday night. I looked around, hoping that the girls from the party wouldn't be there. The day after the party the two of them tracked me down, wanting to continue the conversation. According to the two, Rhyan and Audrey, I was Audrey's younger sister no matter how much I try and convince them otherwise. It seemed like everywhere I went in town people agreed with them, always calling me Blair and thinking I'm joking when I correct them. 

“Hey Blair! Did I just see you pull up in a '63 Mercury Comet?” A guy who I recognized as a local mechanic walked up to me.

“Yes I did, and for the last time my name is Kayleigh Samantha Moss!”

“Riiight, this game again.”

“It's not a game. What is it with everyone in this town?” I could feel the irritation begin to rise inside me.

“Whatever you say Kayleigh,” he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “How about I buy you a drink and we start over?”

“Alright, but only because I'm going to prove to you that I'm not the crazy one. I'll take a beer.” I point over to a secluded table away from all the chaos. “I'll go grab us a table.”

“I like a woman who can tell a man what to do” he winks at me before walking off to the bar.

After ten minutes of waiting the mechanic walked over carrying a pitcher of beer. He sat down, sliding a glass across the tabletop to me. "I thought I was going to be proven crazy” He took a long sip from his cup and gave me a smug look. I shot him my best dirty look, if he was going to be cocky then he could wait. I slowly poured myself another drink...and then leaned across the table resting my head on my hands.

“First things first, what's your name?” I whisper to him.

“You mean you've never heard of me? I'm Sodapop Curtis.” His voice is filled with humor.

“Clearly you're not as popular as you like to think,” I accuse. If he wants to poke fun, then I can play his game better than he can.

“Are you planning on telling me about yourself anytime soon?”

“What do you want to know?”

“I’m – curious. Tell me about your life.”

“I moved here about a week ago.”

“Why?” The humor dripping in his voice.

“I graduated and wanted to get out of my parents house.”

“What was home like?”

“Fine. My mom works as a school teacher with mentally disabled kids and my dad is retired from the army. I like them fine enough.” This conversation is not going how I expected.

“Do you want to go home with me?”

“Why would you ask that?” I couldn't hide the shock on my face.

“Because -- If you really aren't Blair Matthews, there would be nothing keeping you from coming home with me tonight and fucking my brains out.” He leaned across the table so that his face was inches from mine. I looked deep into his eyes, trying to read him.

“You’re so… domineering,” I whisper.

“Blair wouldn't cross that line, her family and Jelly would get in the way. Kayleigh has nothing stopping her, so why the fuck not?”

Knowing that the only way to convince this town that I'm not who they think I am, I filled in the few inches between our faces and kissed him. I laugh in my head when he's taken by surprise. After a second I go to pull away, when he pulls my head closer to his with a free arm. The kiss deepens and a soft moan escapes him mouth.
"I'll take that as a yes." He grabs my hand and leads me out the door beside us and into the night.

* * *
I woke up the next morning to a ray of light washed over us. Our clothes were thrown all over the room, and the only thing keeping my bare skin from exposing was a thin white sheet. I rolled over to see Soda sprawled across the bed beside me. I couldn't help but giggle at how boy-like he looked in his sleep. I heard sounds coming from the TV in the next room and people crashing and banging around.

Wondering who Soda lived with, and not being able to fight the urge to go to the bathroom I stood up and wrapped the sheet around myself. Walking into the living room I came face to face with a group of guys, either roommates or friends, lounging around watching TV. There were two scary looking guys sitting on the couch drinking beers, while another sat on the floor inches from a Micky re-run that was on. After a minute they seemed to notice I was standing there and the room went silent.

"Umm...Hi guys. I'm just going to pee...Soda's still in be..."

"Kayleigh who are you..." I heard Soda come up behind me. "Fuck!"
I turned to see what he was cursing at. His gaze was held by the boy sitting on the couch wearing a grey wife beater with Mickey Mouse on the front. The expression 'if looks could kill' came to mind as he started yelling and jumped up. Soda took a few steps backward while protesting, "Two-Bit...It's...It's not what you think. She's not...We didn't..." Then the door slammed and the locked clicked.

Nothing Gold Can Stay

As I slowly opened my eyes, I found I was staring at a familiar ceiling. It was the same ceiling that I had been waking up to for the past month; since the night Rhyan found me on the street I had been staying in her spare bedroom. I hadn't seen or spoken to Two-Bit or Audrey since the night I slipped out my bedroom window and ran off into the night. They wouldn't understand. They would insist on dragging me back to play house with that man. No, I couldn't face those demons yet. Besides which history would the believe anyways, their mute baby sister who bothers people just by being alive or, their superman father who is swooping in and is willing to save them from the disaster that has become their home life. No, I was perfectly happy living with the Thatchers. Rhyan and I have fallen into a sort of routine. During the day while she was at school, I would sit around getting royally fucked out of my mind on whatever drugs Owen would give me, and by the time evening rolled around I would have dinner on the table for the three of us. After, Rhyan and I would go into the living room and watch a movie or two, sometimes Dallas would join us, but if we were alone she would attempt conversation. It surprised me how easy it was to open up to Rhyan. She would ask questions and I would answer, but if I stayed mute she never pushed. 

Last week, while we were washing the dinner dishes in silence the doorbell rang. Thinking that it was probably Dallas I continued with my chore. Moments later I heard a range of familiar voices as Jelly, Kit, and Dawn walk in all laughing about something Rhyan had told them. They were all talking about what movie they were going to catch at the theater, since all the guys were going to the rodeo that was in town. "Are you coming Blair?" My stomach sank as I suddenly realized that my sister was with the group. I froze, clinging to the plate in my hands so tight my knuckles turned white. I didn't know what to say, what to do. No I thought to myself I'm not going anywhere you're going to be. 

Before anyone had a chance to say or do anything Rhyan smiled as wide as she could, "of course she's coming! It's girls night."

* * *

I had managed to ignore Audrey for the majority of the night; making sure people were between us while walking, not opening my mouth to talk to anyone, sitting in the farthest chair from her when the movie started. I could tell she was bothered by it all. She clearly wanted to talk to me about this past month, but in order for that to happen Daddy's little girl would have to admit that Daddy wasn't such a great guy. Not that she would believe the truth. She'd blame me, tell me I'm a liar and march right over to him with a giant fuck you. 

Not that Two-Bit would be any better. He believes that he has been our protector all this time, and on the one hand he has been. However, before That Man walked out on us he was just as bad as Audrey. He was the boy, the favorite. Wanting to be just like our father he would believe anything out of the mans mouth.

My thoughts were interrupted as two pairs of hands threw me to the ground. One pair held me down, while the other started to drift down my body. My heart was racing. All I could hear was screaming and someone crying. The top button of my jeans popped off and everything went black ...

* * *

The house was filled with people. Probably a few hundred or so. I could hear the music blasting from two blocks away, that's how I found myself now standing outside. I wondered what they were celebrating; from the looks of some of the guests it looked like they should be at a hospital, let alone doing keg stands and smoking god knows what. I watched as a fleet of motorcycles sped into the driveway, parking them in perfect formation along the side. The drivers all hopped off and walked into the party; all expect the youngest looking one. A tall Latino with a shaved head full of tattoos. He stood back on the pavement, watching as his friends emerged themselves into the crowd. As he surveyed his surroundings his eyes landed on me. 

"Some party huna?" His smile reminded me of a happy-go-lucky school boy. 

"Couldn't tell you. I wasn't exactly invited." 

"Well, I could fix that for you. Let me grab us a drink."

"Now what makes you think I'm the kinda girl that lets random guys buy me drinks?"

He smirked. "I was hoping you'd do me the honor of letting me buy you a drink. We're celebrating!"

"My mama raised me to never take a drink from a big scary stranger ...." I winked at him. "Especially the ones that have tattoos."

I watched as he took off the finger-less leather glove he had been wearing. After putting it in one of his pockets he held his hand out to me. "Juan Carlos Ortiz, but friends call me Juice."

I smirked, "Now, has about that drink ... Juice."

We walked into the house, past a couple fighting and into the kitchen. "Pick your poison" he motioned to a table that had various kinds of alcohol bottles standing on it. I shrugged and pointed to a bottle of Jack Daniels. He poured two cups before handing me one. "So do I get to know your name?" 

Before I could answer a girl with long brown hair came stumbling over to us, followed closely by a slightly taller blonde. "Blair! There you are! We were getting worried. Nobody had seen you since before the fight" the brunette yelled over the music. I looked around for the friend she could have been talking to, but there was no one else in the room.

"I'm sorry," I yelled back, "you must have me confused with someone else." 

She gave me a confused look and was about to respond before she got cut off by her friend. "Common Blair! Rhyan's just trying to help, no need to be a bitch!" I couldn't help but laugh as the blonde stumbled over her slurred speech. "Can you just come home now? Two-Bit and I miss you. Not to mention Mom and Dad are worried sick..."

"I don't know what to tell you girls. I'm not your friend. Maybe she's in the other room..." I shook my head, "I just moved to town with my parents..."

I watched as the two drunk girls in front of me tried to understand what I had just told them. After a moment they started laughing and walked away. "So, Blair is it?" I turned my head to see Juice smirking at me and holding out a refilled cup. 

"No," I laughed shaking my head. "I've never met those two before in my life. I'm Kayleigh Moss."