The rest of the week drags on, but Friday finally arrives. Macey and I sit in her truck inside of one of the Sonic menu stalls. I reward myself with a larger size of cheese tots.
"You know this trip isn't all about cyrtids right? Each state has shops, and museums, and tattoo shops." I mention. I've been wanting to get another tattoo for a while. I have several ideas, just not sure which one to start with.
"Dude, I can't believe you got one before me. We've got to get some together." She says nibbing on her burger. "So, you think you and that Cyrus guy will go the distance? Maybe get married one day?"
I momentarily stop eating, I never thought she of all people would ask me such a question. Marriage? Could I really become a wife?
"Please," I scoff, "I'm twenty-two, isn't it a bit early to try to marry me off? I mean do you ever see yourself getting married?"
She casts her eyes at me, "Hell no! Unfortunately, I'm attracted to men, but that doesn't mean I like them."
Some young punks in a lifted Chevy truck, honks at us until Macey rolls down her window. They shouldn't have done that.
The driver looks musty and greasy. He has unkept chestnut brown hair, and cheesy looking teeth, as he has never brushed them a day in his life. He also has a crooked nose and a crooked grin. His buddy is about the same, except he has a horrible case of meth mouth. Yuck!
Then the driver loudly and repeatedly revs his engine. What a way to overcompensate.
The driver looks straight at Macey. "Hey pretty lady, can I buy ya something?"
Meth Mouth looks at me, "What about you cutie? Can I buy you something?"
Macey and I share a look of genuine disgust.
"No thanks, I have a boyfriend." I politely decline.
"No thanks." Macey declines in a hostile tone.
"Oh come on ladies, don't be like that." Meth Mouth flirts.
My instincts kick in and I lock my door. "Macey, lock your door and roll up your window, they're trouble." I whisper. I regret leaving Stitch at home.
"Let them try, I'll throw these motherfucking hands." She grumbles.
You'd think the fact that Sonic has cameras would detour people from doing stupid stuff, but our small town is full of crackheads. Dread fills my stomach. Something tells me these guys have done heinous things. Now, Macey has never lost a fight before, but there's always a first time for everything.
"Macey, something isn't right, I can feel it." I whisper.
"Come on ladies, let us treat you." The driver pushes.
My heart sinks into my stomach when Meth Mouth pulls a 9-millimeter handgun from the truck's console and lays it on his lap.
"Now, I'll ask again." The driver growls. "What can we get you?"
These men are dangerous. Scared, I sneak into Macey's glove box and rummage around for her .44 magnum. It was given to her by her late grandfather. I move slowly, trying not to raise their suspicion.
"Macey, roll up your window and lock the door." I whisper one more time, my fingers finally make contact with the gun. I pass it over to her and she slides into her lap making it visible.
She puts more aggression in her voice. "We said no thank you several times, and won't say it again." She starts up the truck and revs it several times as loudly as possible. "Besides, you little bitches, mines bigger than the both of yours." She growls, implying she has a bigger dick than both of them combined.
Macey safely pulls out of the stall, and we leave Sonic, but in my rearview mirror I notice those men following us.
"We can't risk them following us home." I say nervously. "What should we do?"
"Trust me." She sighs, looking into her rear-view mirror. "Oh, put my gun back in the glove box."
They don't appear to be following us anymore, but she takes all precautions. We drive around and around town, eventually taking back roads until we feel safe enough to go home.
She pulls into my driveway. "Well, I'll admit, that was somewhat terrifying." Macey admits.
"More than a bit", I let out a sigh of relief. "Did you not feel the bad vibes they left off? They pulled a gun on us. For heaven's sake, you had to pull out your gun."
"From now on, we only eat at indoor restaurants." She says.
"Agreed." I say, still quivering in fear.
Something inside me tells me that they're human traffickers, and they were eyeing us.