Chapter Text
He stirred about his bunk on the idle tour bus. Cramped due to his height, jammed up in the corner unable to stretch his legs fully. Like everyone in his field, he was probably trending towards scoliosis at this point. Somewhere in one of the bed, someone's music was way too loud in their earbuds. Another bed the sounds of rain lulling the occupant to soft dreams. He pictured the rise and falling of their chests as the scattered breathing filled his ears.
His hearing too acute that even the smallest sounds were so loud to him.
It seemed like everyone was asleep finally.
Joakim slipped from his bunk and moved quickly through the racks of bunks to the door, turning the handle slowly. The front lounge of the bus was empty and he searched the floor for his shoes among the piles. Stepping into them without bothering to lace them.
Even in the pitch blackness of the awaiting night, Jolly's eyesight was sharp and precise. Occasionally to fit in with the others he might force contacts into his eyes or throw on a pair of cheap plastic glasses without prescription lenses.
It was too quiet in the parking lot they had chosen to sleep in that night. The sparse amount of cars most likely employees working inside the Walmart on the far end. The ghastly illumination like a beacon to his eyes. The pungenet tickle of of cigarrette smoke in the distance an invitation. Jolly moved slowly among the desolate rows. Whoever was smoking no idea they were being stalked.
He studied them for the moment. Quizically. A young woman maybe in her mid twenties in a blue work vest. Her long hair affixed in multiple braids dyed various shades of blues and purples with bleached strands of a pale cornsilk in the fringe that fell over her dark eyes. Her skin was a warm caramel that could have belonged to any variety of ethnic blend. Intricate tattoos along her forearms and peeking from under the collar of her shirt across her neck. She nervously stared at the Apple Watch on her wrist as if checking the time. She squatted against the wall, her posture showing that the hard labor had done a number on her spine. She sighed before taking another long drag on her cigarette. The orange glow in the darkness. The sizzle.
"You wouldn't happen to have one to share with me?" Jolly asked.
The young woman jumped. Where the fuck did this guy come from? She would have run back inside, break nearly over but she was mesmorized by his eyes as they held hers in fixed gaze. His long hair was loose about his shoulders falling past his elbows gentle tossled dark waves as if he had been awoken from a dead sleep before stumbling outside. She couldn't place the faint accent in his voice.
"You startled me. I don't see too many people outside on break at this time of night."
"My appolgies. I was pulled over to sleep for awhile and could smell someone smoking outside and wanted to see if I could bum one. I didn't mean to startle you."
She felt a heat radiate over her cheeks, a blush painted. Her lips pulled back in a grin. "I'm glad you are out here. I'm Sarra."
"Joakim." He said.
Sarra stumbled to pull another cigarette from her pack, fumbling with the lighter as she pressed it into his large hand. His skin was cool from the night air. She wondered why he hadn't bothered to throw on a jacket or hoodie. Then she remembered he said something about sleeping in the car. "So are you passing through on your way to go somewhere?" She hoped it was a polite way of saying you don't live in your car do you? Why already was she seeing herself asking this gorgeous man to wait out her shift and offer to bring him back to her apartment hoping her roommate Tasha was already gone for her morning shift. Offering food from the tiny outdated kitchen but instead leading him back to her bedroom awaiting the magic to come.
"Yes. My friends and I are on our way to Charleston but it was getting late and we had to pull over. See that bus over there?" He jabs the air with a long slender finger, Sarra notes the rings on all the tattooed fingers except for the one that counts. She tried to read the engraving on his bracelet that shook about his wrist as his arm settled back at his side.
"That's a pretty big bus." Sarra said feeling instantly stupid. Nice bus mister. He did say friends though. Does that mean there might be some other cute boys inside? Sarra was already claiming this one but a few of her coworkers might be able to keep his friends company. Is this a weird time to ask how many guys we were talking about? Was anyone single? Did it really matter? Was he single?
"We are on a several state adventure." He said simply. He took a long drag. "So you work at Walmart?"
Sarra immediately felt stupid. "I'm in college so its just working around my classes if I work overnight." She flushed again.
"What is it you study?" He asked. The smell of her was intoxicating. He drew closer. Hunger growing in him. Her taste spilling down the back of his throat. He grew closer to her small form, dwarfed under him. The yellowing of the lights making her look much younger than she probably was.
"Biology."
Where there was the irony of the night. Should he tell her he is well versed as well in the innerworkings of human biology? He rather preferred the study in anatomy though. There were other desires that came hand in hand with the hunger. He willed her closer and Sarra took the step, gazing up at him through dark lined eyes black with kohl liner.
He hesitantly brushed back a loose strand of her hair, tucking it behind her ear as she gazed up at him. He wondered how the gloss that coated her lips tastes. "Are you on the clock much longer? I might be here for awhile."
Sarra's heart pounded. She wondered if someone could cover for her if she slipped out. She was really only doing some push from the backroom and it was easy to get lost in the crew working in various spots on the floor. The supervisors would never come for her individually. Devising a plan she sent a quick text to a few of her coworkers that she could trust: Met a hot guy in the parking lot. I probably am going to cut out for the night. Explain later.
This was insane, Sarra thought.
Something about Jolly seemed so trusting though. So familiar.
"I can actually go now."
"Playing hooky huh?"
"You drive a hard bargain."
Jolly smiled softly. His jaw ached. "I don't think anyone is awake if you want to hang out somewhere warmer." He nodded back at the bus.
Sarra smiled following dumbly as she surrendered all her better instincts. What was the worst that could happen?