The General Store: Where Innocence Goes to Die

by A. L. Moore

  “I hope not too well,” she said, clearly in on his joke.

  “You came back too soon,” he sighed, unable to keep a straight face.

  Robyn socked him in the arm and moved in between us on the bed.

  No wonder she hit so hard. You’d have to really lay into Jayson to get any kind of reaction.

  “Tyler asked about you.” She smiled at me, rubbing her knuckles where they’d landed against the rock that was her boyfriend. “I told him I’d put in a good word.”

  “She’s with Tyler?” Jayson asked, his dark eyes wide, giving me an unsettling second glance from head to toe.

  “No,” I cleared my throat. “I only met him today.”

  “She has a boyfriend,” Robyn said, exhaling the same scent from downstairs.

  She handed me the vape. It was a metallic, heavy thing, about the size of my hand. The smoke gave a tangible thickness to the air. I drew the colorless vapors in deep and nearly came off the bed. It was nothing like I’d ever experienced. My throat was on fire, burning red like I’d swallowed lava. I couldn’t find my breath anywhere in my heaving chest.

  “She’s hardcore.” Jayson nodded in approval, taking the device from my hand before I dropped it to the floor.

  I tried to play it cool, but my eyes were burning too badly.

  “Are you okay?” Robyn asked, her elbows on her knees, peering at me sideways. She wiped a runaway tear from my cheek. “I should’ve warned you. This ain’t the kid stuff.”

  No kidding. “I’m fine,” I brushed her off, tears running the length of my nose.

  Jayson handed me a blue plastic cup. I didn’t bother asking what was in it. It didn’t matter. Anything other than gasoline would be better than pain. Unfortunately, the liquid running down my throat was strong enough to start a car

  “So, why aren’t you with your man tonight?” Jayson mused, clearly unaware I was on the verge of death by suffocation.

  I couldn’t answer. I had to get a breath of air. Vomit was behind the hacking cough threatening to come out.

  “I’ll be back,” I said, jerking the door open and bolting right into someone’s hard chest. My head was swimming too bad to look up. I covered my mouth and pushed through the roadblock, bolting to the bathroom. I sat on the edge of the discolored tub, taking in the recycled air blowing through the vent. It only intensified the burn at first, but after a few minutes, the ache began to ease off.

  When it was clear I wasn’t going to be sick, I stood up and wiped the mascara from beneath my hazy, red eyes. I turned on the squeaky faucet and drank a handful of cold water, letting cool drops spill down the back of my neck. It was tempting to hide out in the bathroom all night, but that would be worse than bolting. Reluctantly, I turned off the water and headed back down the hall.

  Robyn’s door was partially opened, and I could clearly see the wall I’d hit in my haste for air. Liam. I recognized the vine tattoo wrapping his bicep before I ever saw his face. He had his back to me, talking adamantly to Jayson and Robyn. It was easy to see Jayson was his brother. They both shared the same dark hair and chestnut colored eyes. Both were stocky, though Jayson was clearly the larger of the two.

  “You got my spare key?” Liam asked Jayson. “Tonya tossed my set in the bushes, again.”

  Jayson smirked, digging into the pocket of his jeans and tossing Liam a key. “I’m not even going to ask.”

  “Is she still here?” Robyn piped up, completely unaffected by the two massive, tattooed bikers in her bedroom.

  Liam’s dark eyes flashed to mine at the same time Robyn spotted me standing in the doorway. He opened the door wider and stepped back to let me pass before answering, “Yeah and she’s going to be here, too, unless she starts walking.”

  “Why can’t Ty give her a ride?” Robyn asked as I quickly reclaimed my seat and tried to blend into the scenery.

  Liam didn’t answer immediately. I knew he was watching me; I could feel it, but I refused to look up. I’d had my share of embarrassing moments tonight and internally combusting wasn’t going to be added to the list.

  “Yeah…he’s not ready to leave yet,” Liam finally said.

  “Right,” Robyn said hesitantly, shifting next to me.

  “Have you met Justice, Liam?”

  Taking a silent breath and holding onto it like a security blanket, I looked up.

  “Liam,” he said, reaching for my hand.

  The light from the lamp highlighted a five o’clock shadow along his jawline. I had a sudden urge to bypass his hand altogether and touch his face.

  “Justice,” I said, repeating what Robyn had just said, like an idiot.

  Our eyes stayed connected as he held onto my hand longer than necessary. My already heated skin flamed beneath his, and I hoped he didn’t notice.

  Liam’s brow lifted. “I’ve seen you before.”

  “I remember,” I said nervously, nearly missing the bed when he finally released me.

  Luckily, he’d already turned back to Jayson.

  “I don’t have time for her drama tonight,” Liam said, single-handedly maneuvering the key Jayson had given him, between each of his fingers. “I’ve got other stuff to do.”

  “The boxes with the blue labels are yours,” Robyn said, jumping up as if his words triggered a forgotten task. “There’s more this time than last month. Are you going to be able to get them by yourself? You know how Ty feels about making two trips.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Liam said annoyed, shoving his hands in the front pockets of his dark denim jeans. “I’ll take Alec with me.”

  Disappointment flooded my stomach when he didn’t spare me a second look. He disappeared out the door with Robyn on his heels. “I’ll help you load,” Robyn’s voice trailed down the hall.

  “What’s in the boxes?” I asked more to myself than anyone else.

  “Just some stuff from The General Store,” Jayson shrugged. “Robyn helps Tom distribute.”

  “That’s nice of you guys to help out like that.”

  “We’ve all worked at the store at one time or another,” he said dismissively. “Tom’s cool.”

  “Tom is cool,” Tyler said, leaning against the doorframe.

  Tyler’s presence sucked all the air out of the room. It looked like every solid pound of Jayson tensed.

  “Justice.” Tyler acknowledged me with a sweet smile that looked foreign on his face.

  The bed sank and bounced as Jayson pushed off. “It’s been awhile,” Jayson said, fist bumping Tyler.

  “What did they feed you in there, man,” Tyler chuckled, fist bumping Jayson’s stomach. “You’re solid.”

  “It’s all muscle,” Jayson said, hitting his chest like a cave man. “There was nothing else to do in there.”

  “I know what you mean,” Tyler said, hugging him with one arm the way guys do. “It’s good to see you out.”

  “Good to be out,” Jayson said, wrapping his arms around Robyn’s small waist when she breezed back into the room.

  Robyn leaned back into Jayson, maneuvering her waist length, black hair behind her shoulder, and kissed his neck. The room grew into an awkward silence, watching their PDA. Okay, so maybe it was just awkward for me. Jayson appeared much more relaxed with her in his arms, and Tyler seemed happy to watch.

  It felt like an eternity before Tyler cleared his throat breaking them apart. Robyn grinned sheepishly as if she’d forgotten they had an audience and as if on que, turned to me.

  “I was telling Tyler how much you’re into bikes,” she said, smiling at me as if she’d done me a favor, “and he suggested we all go for a ride. Doesn’t that sound like a good idea?”

  No! It sounded like the opposite of a good idea. I shot her a panicked look, but her eyes were glued to Tyler’s.

  “I’ve got a spare helmet,” Tyler spoke up. He was the picture of ease, his ankle crossed over the other as he waited patiently for me to agree.

  “We’ll all go together,” Robyn said encouragingly, “like a group thin
g.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Jayson echoed her sentiment. “Let’s head up 441. I haven’t been that route in over a year. My bike needs to let loose.”

  “You need to let loose,” Robyn purred, spinning around in his arms and running her fingers down the sides of his jeans. He gripped her legs just beneath her shorts and hoisted them around his waist.

  “Have you ridden before?” Tyler asked, his eyes never leaving mine.

  It was obvious this was typical behavior for Jayson and Robyn. I couldn’t stop looking at them. This was the first time I’d seen Robyn make-out without my bedroom curtain between us.

  I shook my head, shuffling through any possible excuse to get me home.

  I had nothing.

  ***

  Tyler climbed on the first bike we came to. It was sleek and freshly washed, the deep blue paint matching his t-shirt. He handed me a matching helmet as he strapped his into place. I studied it before sliding it on my head. He smirked as I fumbled with the chinstrap, before adjusting it for me. Robyn and Jayson were already backing into the street when Tyler fired the engine.

  “Hold on tight,” Robyn grinned.

  I glanced back at my house, hoping my parents would pull up and demand I get off the bike, but the place was dark. The motion light hadn’t even triggered since we’d stepped outside. Tyler eased us backward, turning out sharply. I wasn’t prepared for the turn. I fell into him, scrambling for his shirt to avoid the pavement. I had no choice but to wrap my arms around his narrow waist.

  It wasn’t that I didn’t find him attractive. He was. They all were, in an older, my- parent’s-would-have-my-head, sort of way. Anna would’ve fallen in love with any one of Robyn’s groupies. There was just something about Tyler that put me on edge, more so than Jayson’s gruff exterior and Liam’s burning eyes. It was something buried deep beneath the surface, something wrong. It was like his eyes never matched what he was saying.

  The ride through town wasn’t so bad because there was still hope, a chance I’d get busted and be able to go home. That hope was lost in a sea of taillights when we hit the interstate. The wind whipped through my hair and sent flying dust and bugs into my eyes. I closed them tightly and tried to lean into Tyler without actually placing my head on him, but it was impossible. He smelled like the store, a mixture of chocolate and salt, but as much as he came in today that wasn’t surprising. His shirt was damp with sweat and wet against my face. I tried to look ahead for Robyn, but her dark hair blended in with the night. The sound of Jayson’s bike had long since disappeared. Much like the last time I’d watched Robyn disappear on the back of a bike, I wished I was with her. The wind was so strong; I couldn’t bring myself to open my eyes again. The road wound for what felt like forever before Tyler pulled the bike to a stop. The half-moon was brighter, no longer hidden behind the trees. I let Tyler go the moment we stopped moving and scooted back on the seat.

  My parents had scolded me at my cousin’s wedding last year for dancing too closely to Mason; dancing had nothing on that ride. I could still feel the vibrations from the seat. I felt all sorts of violated.

  “It’s nice here. Don’t you think?” Tyler asked, easing the kickstand out and stepping off the bike. “I like to come here to get away from everything.”

  “It’s pretty,” I agreed, looking past him to where the moon reflected on a cascading, blue river. I was too nervous to really enjoy the view.

  “You know what I’m saying?” he said, stepping close to my side. “You work. It stresses you out.”

  “It’s only been a couple of days for me,” I said, growing more uncomfortable the closer he got. “I don’t think the stress has kicked in yet.” He brushed my hair away from my shoulder, his green eyes penetrating beneath pale lashes.

  “What do you do,” I asked anxiously.

  “I do all sorts of stuff,” he said without missing a beat. “I’m a jack of all trades.”

  He took a half-step closer.

  “I have a boyfriend,” I blurted when his hand reached to touch me again.

  “Robyn mentioned that,” he said, barely pausing. “She also said you were bored with him.”

  “That Robyn.” I tried to laugh, “She takes everything so literal. I was upset with Mason when I said all that stuff.”

  He looked at me skeptically. “Come on, I’ve seen you with him,” Tyler said, no sign of giving up in his eyes. His hand rested on my shoulder; his thumb made small circles on my arm. “You wouldn’t get bored with me.”

  He closed the space between us before I could say another word.

  His mouth overcame mine in a powerful, wet combination I wasn’t used to. It was overpowering. When I kissed Mason, we were both involved. This felt awkward and forced, his tongue moving without me. I didn’t pull away despite the salted peanut taste, afraid I’d offend him, and he’d leave me stranded. I didn’t prolong it either. After a long minute, he pulled back. Gauging my eyes, he was completely satisfied.

  “I better get back,” I said, discreetly wiping the corners of my mouth. “My parents will be looking for me.”

  “That’s right,” he grinned, running his hand over his blond hair. “You still live at home.”

  “How old are you?” he asked, rubbing his chin.

  “Seventeen. How old are you?”

  “Older than that,” he smirked, swinging his leg over the seat.

  Chapter 5. Sex and Other Stuff

  Anna had more tantalizing photos on her smart phone than a trashy gossip magazine at the grocery store. She’d snapped most of the pics just to show me, of course. For a best friend, I couldn’t ask for better than Anna, but we were as competitive as boys fishing when it came to guys. Unlike boys, who’d believe practically any good story their buddies came up with, proof was essential. This was Anna’s rule, not mine. She liked to have enticing visual aids for her stories. Mostly, the pictures were of random guys who’d stayed in the same condos as her family, but there was one guy who showed up in more than a few pictures. In one, Anna sat by his side grinning as if she’d won the lottery. Not that Anna didn’t always look happy in pics with hot guys, but this was different. For one, he had a shirt on.

  “We were having a picnic,” she smiled broadly before I could start my inquisition. “I didn’t have anything to make a sandwich, but I found a can of spaghetti in the cabinet.” She leaned over my shoulder pointing at the picture with such reverence in her eyes; you’d have thought the guy was about to spring forth from the screen.

  “Did your parents take groceries?”

  They usually ordered take-out on vacation. Anna’s mom was a terrible cook.

  Anna shook her head and laughed. “Whoever stayed before us must’ve left it.”

  “Anna! You could have poisoned that poor guy.”

  “It still smelled okay,” she grinned sheepishly. “Besides, he would’ve eaten anything.”

  From the way they were gazing at each other in the picture, I was sure she spoke the truth. There was another picture of the two of them lying on a tattered blanket near the water’s edge. Anna didn’t look as enthusiastic in that one. Her eyes were puffy and red like they’d been at her grandma’s funeral last month.

  “That was the last night,” she said glumly. “It was so hard to leave him, Justice. It’s like you and Mason.”

  Mason. I’d managed all day not to think his name, but there it was causing the knot in my stomach to return. In all my seventeen years, I’d done some not so stellar things. I’d blamed my two-year-old little brother when I broke Mom’s crystal vase. I’d stolen a pack of bubble-gum from a gas station when Dad wouldn’t buy it for me. More recently, I’d lied to Mason repeatedly just so I could manage some time to myself, but I wasn’t a cheater. Until now. I’d kissed someone else. Mason wouldn’t care that I didn’t like Tyler, or that Tyler had initiated the sloppy nightmare. Mason would be crushed. He would probably dump me. The thought caused my chest to tighten and heat to rush the length of my arms, and I didn’t know
why. I was bored senseless with Mason and his straight edged ways. Right? Wasn’t that why I went after the job at the General Store in the first place?

  I needed to talk someone, but Anna was so close to Mason. She would never understand. She was enamored with my relationship with Mason. She always had been. To an outsider, it probably looked like Mason had two girlfriends. Anna went practically everywhere with us. We were like The Three Musketeers.

  I skimmed a few more pictures before finally reaching the end of the album. “Where does he live?”

  “Spartanburg. He said it’s just over the line.”

  “Tennessee?” I asked trying to remember anything from last year’s Geography class.

  “South Carolina,” she smiled. Just talking about the boy was making her face glow. “It’s not far at all, really.”

  Oh yeah, just a state away. He’s practically next door. Anna always fell in love with guys out of her reach. They either belonged to someone else, were fictional characters in books or now, lived nowhere near us.

  “When do you think you’ll see him again?”

  She combed through her wet curls, still wrapped in a towel. “Soon, I hope. I can’t wait for you to meet him,” she said, dropping the towel.

  “Anna, come on!” I said shielding my eyes from a sight I’d seen way more than I cared to.

  This move was typical Anna. There wasn’t a modest bone in her body. Not to mention the lighting in her bathroom was from the dark ages. We always got ready in her bedroom. Unlike Anna, I did so in a robe.

  “It’s a butt, Justice,” she chuckled, riffling through a drawer. “You have one too.”

  “Yes, but mine is dressed and not staring you in the face.”

  “Sorry,” she grinned, pulling on a pair of cotton grey shorts and a t-shirt. “I forgot what a prude you are. Just pretend I’m wearing a thong.”

  “I’m not a prude,” I said, crossing my arms. I’d straddled a Harley and let a strange guy put his tongue down my throat. Prudes didn’t do that. “And since when do you own a thong?”