19 comments/ 185600 views/ 22 favorites Does She Dare? By: flamekitten It never ceased to fascinate her. Every Tuesday she could, Lucy would battle three trains and heavy downtown foot traffic to spend the day at the Art Institute of Chicago. She'd get there early, just prior to opening, and would stay until they were ready to shut off the lights. This was perhaps her tenth trip, and she had yet to see the whole tremendous collection that the museum offered. She always went alone. Her parents had no use of "decorative" things, and she had no real friends to speak of. She'd never much cared for the girls at Rosary High; they were like paper dolls, two dimensional, without a mind of their own. She'd looked forward to the end of her high school with such a fever that, now that it was past her, she wondered what all the fuss was about. Since graduating, nothing had gotten better. At the coaxing of her parents and guidance counselors, she had applied to several universities, and had no problem getting in. She even mailed off her acceptance letter to Champaign-Urbana, and got mildly excited about the prospects of college. Then she went on an orientation tour, and it became very clear to her that the Fighting Illini wanted to keep her in a box just as much as Rosary had. A bigger box, yes, but…it wasn't for her. Not that she did know what was for her. She'd spent the last seven months hibernating, working as an order entry clerk; it was a simple, repetitive job that was on the verge of killing her spirit. Lucy still lived at home, in her parent's basement, but she was ready for that to change, too. Mostly, they tried to be kind, but were dull and weak in the way of people who've spent their entire lives doing exactly what was expected of them. As if sensing his own powerlessness, her father had a hidden rage which occasionally flared; Lucy and her mother were his only outlets. Soon I'll move out and start my own life, she promised as she hugged herself against the shivering cold of another merciless Chicago winter. She wrapped her giant red scarf around her neck several times, but the wind still found its way to her skin. Before she had a chance to ponder her life plans further, the doors of the art museum swung open, which was just as well, given the slightly purple color of her hands. It was always hard for Lucy to decide where to go first. Generally, she favored the modern art wing, but then, there was something utterly fascinating about artwork that had existed though hundreds, even thousands of years. She loved that you could see each stroke of the brush of chisel of the hammer. She also loved how a piece of art could look utterly different based on the distance or angle from which you viewed it. This lead to all sorts of philosophical musings on her part, which is why she always carried her journal/sketchpad in her army bag on her visits. There were some pieces that she could stare at for hours, cocking her head, squinting, seeing all the different pictures within the picture. There were stories and thoughts and feelings hidden in each image, it just took a little coaxing to get them out. The only thing that Lucy did not like about the museum was endless line of red velvet ropes, keeping her distance held back. Oh, how she wanted to jump over those ropes and put her nose up to those priceless treasures. But she never did. Often, she would push her luck and stand at the line, leaning into the painting as far as she could. But more often than not, one of the numerous security guards would admonish her: politely, professionally. As much as Lucy knew she'd enjoy the wonder of her favorite Matta painting, upstairs, she was intrigued by the signs announcing the current Bill Viola exhibit, and wandered towards it. It was an eighteen room installation of postmodern, multimedia works. All it took was a few minutes in the first room, and she was hooked. Each room was a different masterpiece. Viola had designed the space of each room to create moods and pose questions, it was heady and intellectual yet astoundingly sensitive. He used audio recordings, videos and other lucid and textural elements in ways she'd never seen before. Lucy was in love with it. Most of the museums patrons did not know how to respond to a creation of this sort; they rushed through each room in the exhibit, a minute here, a minute there. She'd heard a fur clad woman drag her partner along, "come, dear, let's not miss the Monet." Lucy would wait patiently for these distractions to leave the room, and then she would look, listen and feel, for long, drunk spells of time. With people so consistently racing through each installation, it was easy for Lucy to notice the one exception to that rule. In stolen glances, she recognized that he was probably a few years older than her, and defiantly very cute, in a sloppy offbeat sort of way. Every so often she'd catch sight of him in an adjoining room, he seemed to be keeping pace with her. But Lucy was painfully shy. She could not even look at him and smile. Which was fine, she decided, because she was here to get absorbed in the art, not distractingly cute guys with raggedy brown hair and duct-taped orange All-Stars. So she hurried past him, when necessary, and proceeded to forget about him. But then, a few rooms later, she'd catch another glimpse. By the time she'd finished the exhibit, though, over half of her museum time was already over, and she was certain he was long gone. After a quick sandwich break, Lucy continued her wanderings. She lingered in Abstractionism and was getting to know Kupka intimately when, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted him again, turned quickly away and shrugged it off. It wasn't until she caught his eye, an hour later, at the other end of the museum, that it started to seem fishy. Trying not to seem obvious, she took a meandering series of turns, examining the collection far too quickly for the likes of her. Feeling satisfied that she'd lost him, but weary over the process, she ducked into the courtyard to have a cigarette. In the piercing cold, she fumbled with the lighter, and dropped it in the crunchy, white lawn. Before she could even bend to pick it up, Lucy felt a sudden sweep of motion and heard the flick of a lighter. Looking up, she held in a gasp. It was him. Too stunned to do anything else, she allowed him to light her cigarette. Mission accomplished, he bent down to retrieve her purple Bic, and handed it to her. He was smiling a sweet, impish, dimpled grin and seemed completely harmless. "You're following me," Lucy said, softly. "Maybe we just have the same tastes in art," he replied, the devilish smile broadening. He lit his own cigarette. Lucy pushed a thick strand of hair out of her face, and breathed out a huge plume of smoke and cold air. "I don't think so," she replied, her voice just above a whisper. He bent his head and shuffled his feet in mock sheepishness, then looked up to try, unsuccessfully, to catch her eye. "Okay, you got me. But, let me explain." A few long moments went by during which Lucy examined the duct taped patterns of his shoes. He continued. "It's kind of my…hobby. Watching people, I mean. I don't do it to be creepy, I swear, it's just…interesting. I mean, there are so many things that you can tell about a person by the way they move, the way they dress, how they act and react, but for every tiny glimpse you get into a person's being…it's like there are a thousand new questions for every answer." He noticed Lucy's hands as he spoke, her long tapered fingers and neat, unpolished nails, no jewelry. She acted nervous, but she held her cigarette with authority. He continued, "I collect people." He noticed the alarmed puzzlement on her face and quickly modified. "I mean, I'm a writer. And I like to watch people, and make guesses about who they are by seeing where they go, what they do… do you think that's terrible?" Lucy shook her head, still watching his shoes. He crouched down so that his face would be in her line of vision, and pointedly looked into her eyes. "I'm Cade," he said with his most disarming grin. Still bent down, eyes locked, he extended his hand in greeting. A slow smile spread on her face as she gingerly placed her hand in his. She shook it, and he acted as if each small movement were a pump, lifting his spine back up into normal standing posture. "Much better, don't you think?" he said with a glimmer in his eyes. "And your name is?" Her lips were pressed tightly together, but it was definitely a smile. "Lucy." Her raven hair sharply contrasted her clear, pale skin, and the red scarf brought out the rose in her cheeks, and the blush of her lips. "Pleasure," he said, with a small bow, but never broke eye contact. Lucy had never seen eyes such as his before. They seemed to change, as they were all colors, layers of green, blue, brown, even violet; she was hypnotized by their vivid depths. Her boldness grew. "So…after following me all day…who do you think I am?" His smile widened, revealing a set of clean, straight teeth. "You have excellent taste in art, that much I can say for certain. You are intelligent and curious, you examine with all of your senses. But you're young, and inexperienced in ways of the world. You've lived a very quiet life, and you're aching to burst past it, but you don't yet have the confidence or the knowledge with which to do it. You're dreams are so large that they scare you, and your favorite color is blue. Am I close?" Lucy played with the fringe of her scarf as he spoke, her eyes growing wider and wider until the last statement. At the word of 'blue', she vigorously shook her head. "No. Purple." She spoke with such seriousness that Cade laughed a rich velvety laugh that came from his belly. Lucy blushed a deeper red, beyond the cold. She admired the contrast between his long lashes and his strong masculine jaw line, and the fullness of his mouth affected the very core of her carnal hunger. She bit her lower lip as if to keep her thoughts contained. "Lucy, do you want to go on an adventure?" "Huh?" her eyes darted from the fine contours of his face, to his eyes, back to the ground. "Come to North Carolina with me. It'll be fun." He said it with utmost seriousness, but surely, he must be joking. She laughed a little and rolled her eyes. "Sure, I'll just grab my toothbrush," she said. "No, I'm serious," Cade said, searching her eyes out. It had been easier tracking her around the museum than it was to keep steady eye contact with this girl. "I have to make a delivery to my brother in Asheville. It's a great little town, full of artists and free thinkers. We can stay at my brothers place, a few days or a few weeks, I don't care. Come on," he said with the impish grin. It was an impulse suggestion on his part, one he didn't think she'd go for, but the act of trying to talk her into it got him more excited by the prospect of succeeding. Lucy's head was reeling, she bit her bottom lip in thought. She'd never even left the state of Illinois; to her, the thought of driving across the country spur of the moment with a guy she'd just met was both insane, and deliriously enticing. "I have to be at work tomorrow," was her protest. "Ha! You don't want to go there and you know it. Now, give me another reason why you shouldn't come with me." "My parents would flip." "'Bout damn time they did, I bet." "I don't know you," she reasoned. "Okay, that's fair," he continued. "let's just hang out for awhile, okay?" With a shy smile, Lucy nodded. It was the only thing she could do. ************* Lucy insisted they explore the museum for the next few hours, until it closed, and Cade gladly obliged. They walked around mostly in silence, during which Lucy absorbed herself in the sculptures and paintings, and Cade wondered just what it was that prompted his proposal. Initially, he'd posed the question just to study her character further, as she closely resembled the heroine of the novel he was cultivating ideas for. He would be lying to himself if he didn't admit a primal attraction to the girl, but if he'd simply wanted a piece of ass he could've had any number of less complicated, more experienced women. His motivation was beyond that. He wanted to help her break out of her shell. He wondered what was hidden within her. Lucy found it hard to concentrate on the artwork with Cade so nearby. Her heart was all a-flutter, and she could not help but wonder if he was feeling the same about her. Crazy, but not impossible. He acted nothing but friendly, asking her a few polite questions about herself, she asked a few questions of her own in return. She found out he was 26 – seven years older than her. He'd been writing since he was young and admitted to having little "success" in the way, say, her parents would use the word. As in, he didn't make money from his craft, but he certainly seemed to love it. He said he was working on a novel but didn't care to discuss it. Cade was also a professed lover of music, his favorites were mostly names she'd never heard of, though those that she did recognize she approved of. He didn't work a day job anymore, but Lucy felt uncomfortable asking how it was that he supported himself. He'd grown up in Seattle, and spent five years after high school traveling the country. He settled in Chicago originally to be with a woman, and decided to stay in the city a bit after the relationship had fizzled. He'd been settled there for nearly two years, and felt a change was coming soon, but couldn't say what that change would be. After the museum closed, they hurried over to a little café around the corner to catch get some dinner. They both ordered vegetarian meals and hot green tea. They found that they had similar taste in books, and that both had a strong dislike for television. By this time it was a little easier to track down Lucy's cool blue-gray eyes. "So, what do you think about coming to Asheville with me?" Lucy slowed chewed the food she was working on. "I think I would be crazy for me to go with you," she paused, "but if I said no, I know I'd regret it." A slow grin crept across his face, "so, you're in?!" Slowly, with a tiny grin, she nodded. He let out a whoop of delight, and sang a little impromptu song, blues style, into an asparagus microphone. Goin' to Asheville with my friend Lu-cyyyy Gonna have a real good trip. Gonna visit ma l'il bro-therrrrr, We're so cool, it just ain't hip. Lucy just grinned and shook her head. She could feel the little tingle of excitement in her belly growing, and spreading. She knew she'd made the right decision. ************* They had a little discussion over the pre-travel plans. Lucy had wanted to take a train back to her parents house to pack, then take another train to meet him in the morning. Cade, however, wanted to leave quite early, and he was afraid that if she spoke to her parents, they'd scare her out of it. He challenged her to list an item she'd need that couldn't be found in the city, and she could list none. So Cade ended up taking her to his favorite resale shop, near his home, by Clark and Belmont. Together, they picked out a few changes of clothes for Lucy, but with Cade's influence, the choices were a little more daring than she'd have on her own. Bright colors, rich textures and quirky vintage styles were discouraged in her upbringing, but seeing them modeled on herself, she realized they complimented her. The kicker was a perfect rust-colored corduroy jack: double breasted, wide collards, it fitted and flared at the hips to accentuate her figure, much unlike the heavy gray pea coat she usually sported. At Cade's urging, she left the old coat behind in the donation bin. Afterwards, they went to a drugstore so Lucy could pick up toiletries, and from there they walked back to Cade's apartment. He lived on the third floor of an old walk-up in a small, uncluttered one-bedroom, but he had wood floors, lots of windows and a view of the lake. As Cade was getting the couch ready, Lucy realized that she didn't have any sleeping clothes. Once altered, Cade dashed into his bedroom and procured a white thermal top and a pair of Pac Man boxers. He shrugged as he handed them to her. "Will this be alright?" he asked. She nodded and found her way to the bathroom. For a bachelor's pad, it was surprisingly clean, she realized as she locked herself in the bathroom. Glancing furtively, she noted that there was only one toothbrush, and no feminine articles anywhere. She blushed at herself for doing so, and the blush furthered as she pulled on the thermal: it was tight, and rather see through. Frowning, she pulled the boxers on, and felt another sort of intimacy with Cade. She felt uncomfortable, and exposed. She tried to quiet the feelings as she brushed her hair and her teeth. Cade was waiting for her when she emerged from the bathroom. She had her arms crossed tightly across her chest, and shifted her weight from foot to foot. "Well, I was going to offer you the bed, and I would take the couch, if you wanted," he said, recognizing that she was back to her timid self. Lucy shook her head, afraid to feel that close to him. "No, the couch is fine, thanks." He nodded and ruffled her hair as he made his way to the bedroom. "Goodnight, Lucy. Don't be afraid to knock if you need anything," he said as a polite measure, before catching it's potentially suggestive connotations. He hoped she hadn't taken it that way. Lucy tossed and turned for an hour on the couch before falling asleep. She was surrounded by his scent, it made her dizzy, nervous, excited. Quite excited. After she was certain he'd fallen asleep, she reached in through the access hole of the boxers, and stroked her warm wetness to ecstasy. Then, she fell asleep soundly. ************* Lucy awoke to the sound of her name being called, softly, nearby. She tried to stretch her arms, and when she was blocked on one side by the back of the couch, she sat up with a start, remembering where she was. It was still dark out; light spilled in from the kitchen. "Sleep well?" Cade asked. His hair was sticking out in every direction. "Hmm mmm," Lucy replied, and absentmindedly smoothed out her own hair. "I'm going to toast a bagel. Want one?" he asked. Lucy nodded. "No raisins," she said in an almost childlike pout that made him smile. "Okay, no raisins. If you want to take a shower, there's an extra towel on the back of the door." Under an hour later, they walked towards Cade's vehicle, with several backpacks and duffle bags in tow. Lucy started to second-guess herself but she forced herself to stop. Cade stopped in front of an older Toyota pick-up, with a camper shell on the top. "Ta-dah," he said with a grandiose gesture. Lucy looked up at the shell curiously. "What's this?" she asked. Cade gave her a bemused smile. "My home away from home." Unlocking the back door, he ushered her in. Inside was, indeed, like a miniature home, along one side was a tiny sink and countertop with a propane stove bolted down. On the other side was a long, narrow table flanked by two benches. Behind it all was a wall of cabinets and ladder, leading towards the over-the-cab bedroom. He smiled in satisfaction. "It's great, isn't it?" Lucy nodded, curious. Why, she supposed, one could live their entire life out of a truck like this, always on the move. The thought thrilled her. Cade took the wheel and popped in a CD by a band called Pinback. Lucy fell easily into their grooves, and was lulled back to sleep. She awoke halfway to Indianapolis. The sun tried desperately to blaze through a thick gray wall of clouds. Miles and miles of deserted farmland stretched everywhere the eye could see. Pinback was gone, replaced by a sexy man's croon and soul aching guitar. Lucy looked over to Cade's fine profile. "Who's this?" she asked. Does She Dare? "The Black Crowes' finest album, called Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. Fantastic, isn't it?" Lucy mumbled ascent and stretched her arms out as far as they could go. "Can we stop soon?" She asked. "I need to pee." "No problem." They shared a cigarette, huddled on the bench at the frigid rest stop. A well-dressed middle aged couple turned their nose up on them as they walked by. Before they passed, Cade held out the pack of American Spirits towards them. "Would you like one for yourself?" he asked with a smile, not a lick of sarcasm. "Best there is." The lady shook her head in disgust and ushered her husband on. As they passed, Cade turned to Lucy and winked. Her heart melted. Several hours of driving through corn and soy were uneventful. Cade continued to astonish her with his taste in music, exposing her to some fantastic rock, blues and jazz that she'd never encountered before. Cade probed Lucy for more details about her life. She sheepishly admitted that she didn't have much of a life. She spoke of school and her parents, and her present dilemma of not knowing what she wanted. "You're meant to be on this trip," he announced, matter-of-factly. Lucy nodded. "I know." She admired his fine profile and sighed inwardly. Cade shared stories of his adventures, his favorite places, and the interesting people he'd met along the way. When he told her of summer-long backpacking excursion in the wilderness of Idaho, her mouth dropped in awe. "Wow," she'd said, "I could never do that…" "Why not? You're strong, you're smart," he said. She blushed. "No, really. I've never even been camping." That caused Cade's jaw to drop. "What? Really?" Lucy nodded, "Yeah. Well, when I was in Girl Scouts, we went for an overnight trip to this little forest preserve, but we all stayed in a big cabin with electricity, so that doesn't really count." "Not at all. Okay, change of plans. We're gonna camp tonight." "What?" "You heard me. We're gonna stop in the Smokies. You've never seen the night sky unpolluted, you've never breathed fresh mountain air, and it's about time." He glanced over at her with a smile. "You'll like it, I promise." Lucy felt a tingle from head to toe. ************* By the time they pulled over to camp, the sun was but a sliver of light at the horizon. Cade built a fire as Lucy admired the layers of rolling hills and endless forest. She took a deep breath; the air was pure, it made her lightheaded. She glimpsed a pair of deer, lapping water from the creek a hundred yards down. "Lucky for you, I have the ultimate in camp food. Marshmallows and hot dogs, well, soy dogs if that's okay." Lucy smiled. "That's great. Need some help?" Cade shook his head. "Nope, you just enjoy this sunset, okay?' Lucy sat on a boulder near the creek. Aside from the trickles of water and crackling of fire, it was entirely quiet. It was unlike anything she'd experienced before; she was drunk on tranquility. She watched the sky fade from oranges to reds to deep violets, and suddenly, she was surrounded by a blacker black than she'd ever encountered. By the time she'd wandered back, Cade was almost done cooking dinner. He had fire roasted a red pepper to eat with the soy dogs, which was delicious. Afterwards, he instructed her on the art of toasting a perfect marshmallow, and she picked up the skill in no time. "You're a natural!" he proclaimed. "If that's not your life's calling I don't know what is." Lucy giggled and announced in acceptance-speech fashion that she could not have done it without him. "Say, Lucy, do you smoke pot?" he asked as their laughter subsided. "I never have," she said. At Rosary the nuns had all kinds of terrible things to say about marijuana, but then, Lucy had never believed much of what they had to say. "Do you wanna try? I mean, no pressure if you don't, but I thought I'd offer." She asked him some questions about it, which of course made her all the more curious. It was like there was this little wild girl trapped inside, and just needed a little coaxing to come out. She accepted the offer. Cade pulled out a small glass pipe and showed her how to hold it, and how to inhale. He lit the pipe for her as she took her first hit. She held the smoke in as he'd instructed, and shortly after, the entire world changed into something extra-vivid, but dreamlike. Cade was being sweet and silly, singing songs. They watched the sky, so incredibly full of stars, it was as if she was watching molecules races around the world. The fire was a living being, sometimes a demon, sometimes a sweet caring mother. She didn't know how long she was on this giddy alter-plane, but when her eyes got droopy, Cade suggested they retire so they could get up early. He laid two sleeping bags out near the fire and wished Lucy sweet dreams. He seemed to fall asleep immediately, but Lucy could not. The sounds and smells and taste of the night kept her imagination vividly occupied. When she heard loud rustling in the trees nearby, she sat up with a start. Staying silent, she listened as the nois es got distinctly louder and clearer. Suddenly her heart was beating loudly in her chest and her reality was gripped by pure terror. She scooted over, shook Cade gently but urgently, and whispered his name curtly until he stirred. "Hmm…?" "Cade, there's something out here. I'm scared." She said this with such urgency that he did not doubt her sincerity. "It's okay. It's probably a deer. Whatever it is doesn't want to be near the fire." "Mmn, Cade, we left our food out. What if it's a wolf or a bear and it's hungry?" Cade shook himself awake, having to admit that this wasn't purely paranoia. "Okay, Lucy, wanna sleep in the truck?" "Yes." Cade fumbled for the flashlight and clicked it on, scanning the tree line Something retreated into the woods. Something large. He could feel Lucy stiffen. "It's okay, Lucy, it's gone away," he said in a soothing tone, though in the back of his head, he knew it might not be far. He led her into the camper and ushered her up the steps to the "loft". He followed her and sat on the far side of the bed. "Is this okay?" he asked before crawling under the covers. "I can go back outside if you prefer." Lucy shook her head. "I'd feel better if you were close." Her heart was still thumping; she was still high, experiencing her first bout of paranoia. Remembering the intensity of the first few times he got stoned, Cade understood. Suddenly so near the heat of her body, he knew exactly what would make her feel best. He curled up next to her and snuggled an arm around her. "Sssh," he said softly, "just relax and let yourself sleep." Suddenly more than content, Lucy smiled into her pillow. His solid, well-toned arm encircled her tightly and his body pressed against her backside. Though her loins experienced a sharp pang of longing, she ignored it and simply enjoyed being held. ************* Early morning woke Cade first. Lucy's head was resting peacefully on his chest, and theirs was a tangle of limbs. Worst of all, his arm was trapped underneath her body, and the hand attached to that arm was resting squarely on the swell of her breast. Slowly, he tried to pry his arm loose. No use, she just hugged it closer. He realized with alarm that her hair smelled like ginger and peaches. With his free hand, he brushes the loose strands off her face. She was beautiful, and peaceful, and he felt a sudden pang of nostalgia, as if she were his lover. The thought cause a stirring in his nether regions, and instead of fighting it, he simply thought sweet thoughts and fell back to sleep. Some hours later, they both woke and arose without ceremony. They had a simple breakfast of apples and granola bars and, then, Cade asked after her experience. "Did you enjoy smoking last night?" Lucy nodded. "I did, a lot, until the noises freaked me out. For a few minutes there, I don't think I've ever felt so scared" She paused, chewing her apple, "thanks for being so nice to me." He smiled at her simple sincerity. "No problem," he said. They were only about two hours from Asheville and had entered the best part of the trip, where the Smoky Mountains met the rolling Blue Ridge in a soft, serene landscape. They spent most of the ride in reverent silence. Whatever Lucy had thought she would find in Asheville, it was not this. She imagined a small, friendly southern town, a tiny main street surrounded by wooden shacks and rocking chairs, perhaps. But, while Asheville was not large, it had a distinctly cosmopolitan flair, it's downtown full and active with pedestrians, street musicians, tourists, and a regular parade of artsy freaks. Everywhere shop signs invoked the green, the natural, the healing and the creatively gifted. The buildings were older, and picturesque. Cade started telling her about how the popularity of Asheville had grown in the past five years, both as a tourist destination and as a home for the liberal, the artistic, and the chronically strange. Cade wheeled the truck through downtown and stopped it on a side street in a nearby residential neighborhood. Lucy followed Cade up to the door of a plain white house. He knocked loudly. A younger Cade look-alike answered the door. He had the same charming smile, strong jaw line and piercing eyes, but his hair was a longer dirty blond. He embraced Cade in a big bear hug. Only after they finished their greeting did he notice Lucy standing in the background. The brother flashed Lucy the smile of charm. "Hello! I'm Alex, and who might you be?" Lucy extended her hand demurely and voiced her name. Alex's grip was firm but gentle, and he held her hand with a kind smile. Alex stepped out of the doorway and made a grand, sweeping gesture of welcome. The home was a stark contrast to Cade's neat abode, this place was a whirl of blankets, dirty clothes and wrappers, scattered everywhere. This was the front room, occupied by a couch, a television, and a tiny little dreadie girl. She smiled and waved. "Cade, Lucy, this is Dori." No further explanation was given. The shuffled through the kitchen, which was at least moderately clean, if cramped. It was occupied by two scruffy young guys making guacamole. "Rocks, Jungle, say hi to my brother Cade and his friend Lucy." They both obliged in the pleasantry, and the one with the Frank Zappa t-shirt did not even try to hide that he was starring at Lucy's chest. She blushed and quickly followed Alex. There were two bedrooms at the end of the hallway. The doorway to one was shut, but they were told that Raven and Drew lived in there. The other room was Alex's. A pretty redhead lay naked in his bed. She did not try to cover her nudity, nor did Alex, or Cade, seem fazed by it. He introduced her as his girlfriend, Mika. They all sat in a circle together. Alex passed a joint but Lucy declined, and Cade was out after two small hits. "Getting old, old man?" Alex teased. "Nah, getting wise," he replied. "Not that wise," he said, eyeing Lucy. "So, you got the goods?" Cade nodded. "But that can wait, can't it?" Alex shook his head. "No way, I want to see! After all your boasting, 'so green', 'so fluffy', I have to see if you can grow as good as the best of us." Lucy shook her head as it dawned on her exactly why Cade had made the trip. She shot him a dark look. He almost didn't recognize her. ************* The exchange was made, they smoked more and ate a satisfying lunch before Lucy had a chance to talk with Cade alone. "You creep!" she hollered in the privacy of the camper. "You didn't tell me we were transporting three pounds of weed! I made the biggest risk of my life, traveling across the country with a stranger, and you don't even have the decency to tell me that the trip could result in jail time! I… I trusted you, fucker." This last sentence she spoke quietly. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned away, clearly pained. Cade did a double take, as he'd never heard Lucy swear before. "I didn't tell you on purpose, Lucy. I did it to protect you – if you didn't know about it, you couldn't get in trouble." Lucy didn't say anything, she just kept her back to him with her arms crossed. "Come on, Lucy. I was extremely careful. Everything on this car is up to code, and I didn't go a mile over the speed limit the whole way here! And, see, we're here, safe, and are all set to have a fun little vacation. Please don't be angry." She didn't move. He placed his hands on her shoulders and gently spun her around so he could look in her eyes. "Believe me, I really struggled over this, thinking maybe I should tell you, that you had a right to know. But then I thought, if somehow I was caught, how would you look best in that situation? Cops and judges are trained to spot lies, Lucy, and I highly doubt you are a good liar to begin with. Do you understand why I made my decision?" Lucy nodded sullenly with a pouty lower lip. "Do you have any crack in here that I should know about?" The corner of his mouth turned up into a half smile. "Well, just my personal stash. You don't mind, do you?" Lucy couldn't resist the piercing eyes, the sweet dimple. "Just as long as you're sharing," she mumbled as seriously as she could muster. Cade flashed a full smile and gave her a sudden hug. Lucy buried herself into his chest, inhaling his scent. He squeezed her tighter, but just for a moment, and then released her. As he pulled away from her, he noticed the dreamy quality to her eye and suddenly realized how she might feel. He felt a pang to his conscience and a pang to his heart, and backed off quickly, head spinning. ************* Lucy spent the afternoon touring downtown Asheville with Alex, Mica and a gaggle of people whose names she could not quite remember. Cade elected to rest for a bit, which bothered Lucy at first, but once they got into the city, she forgot about him almost completely. They pointed out the best coffee shops, galleries, restaurants and bars. It was easy to get a good feel for the city, going as slow as they did: they could hardly walk ten feet without running into another person someone knew. All these young, spirited people, Lucy mused, they are my kindred. She knew it not because they were a certain type of people, but rather, because they were no type, the misfits. A lifetime in Aurora had left Lucy completely unexposed to this vivacious counter-culture. Sure, she'd caught a glimpse of it on her trips into the city, but there, it seemed like a tiny little thing barely whispering in a loud world of business suits and bland stares. Here, she admired the boldness and the inventiveness of the costumes that these people made for themselves. All around her, they gathered in groups on the sidewalk, huddling together in the mild early winter of North Carolina. The air had an energy to it, as if it had a purpose of its own. There was a party at the house later that night, in honor of Cade's arrival. He tried to shrug it off, insisting it wasn't necessary, but Alex said, "too bad, enjoy it. Word's already out." Returning to the home, the space had undergone a near-miraculous transformation. All the miscellaneous items that littered the ground and shelves were cleared, candles and incense were lit, and a few dozen people were already in the backyard, drinking and smoking. A cute boy with a purple mohawk was jamming some acoustic guitar punk, a funny combo. Alex returned from the kitchen with an armful of beer bottles. He handed one to Mika, Cade, and Lucy, and popped open the last for himself. Lucy looked at the bottle in her hand questioningly. While she had sipped wine and beer on holidays, at family gatherings, she'd never consumed an entire beer on her own. She felt that she could handle the one, she promised herself she would sip it slowly. A few hours and several more beers later, Lucy was sitting next to the boy a beautiful smoky-eyed man named Anthony, on the couch in the main room. She was flirting and giggling as she'd never done before in her life, a bad job of it for sure, but she was too drunk to know this. Anthony had his arm slung around Lucy. He was telling her about his mission in life, which consisted of a series of loose, rambling sentences having to do with rebellion, independence, and not working. A voice in the back of Lucy's head was telling her that this boy lacked a certain lucid spark, but at the moment lucidity was decidedly absent from her brain, too, and she was enjoying the attentions of a good looking male. She was nineteen years old, it was about damn time she got kissed, she reasoned. Before too long, the small circle of people occupying the main room headed back outside, where most of the crowd was. It didn't take Anthony but thirty seconds to plaster his lips to hers in a sloppy, drunken sort of fashion. Lucy pulled back with a start. Clearly, this was not what she had pictured for her first kiss. But Anthony had taken the gesture for coyness, and leaned over to suck on her neck, which, she had to admit, was making her tingle. She felt a warm pooling towards her center, and allowed him to lick and nibble her neck and throat. When she let out a small sigh, he took that as invitation to grab her breast and give it a squeeze – not a delicate gesture. At this Lucy scooted over on the couch, protesting, "I don't think we should do this." Outside, Cade had finally wrenched himself from the company of Bonnie, a girl he had mistakenly shown interest to on his last visit to Asheville. He scanned the crowd for Lucy, worried that she might be drinking too much. He saw Alex instead, and asked him if she knew where Lucy was. "Last I saw, she was in the front room getting cozy with Anthony, lucky man," Alex slurred. Cade pushed through the crowd in a hurry towards the front room. Of all the kids he knew at that party, Anthony was at the bottom of the list of trustworthy ones. As he rounded the corner into the main room, he heard Lucy's protests, first, then saw as Anthony had Lucy pinned to the couch, with his hand up her shirt. Jesus, this is like a bad after-school special, Cade thought to himself, glad he'd arrived before too much had transpired. He marched up to them and abruptly tapped Anthony on the shoulder. "It would be a real shame to spoil the good vibe of this party by tossing you headfirst through this window, now wouldn't it?" Anthony scrambled up quickly and muttered a shaky, "sorry, man," before bolting out of the room. Lucy straightened her blouse and accepted his hand. "You okay?" he asked gently. Lucy nodded but could not meet his eyes. "That was stupid of me, huh?" Cade lifted her chin with his finger. "Stop. It's not your fault Anthony's an asshole." Lucy shrugged. "Yeah, but I knew he was an asshole before I even sat down with him." Cade nodded. "Well, you just listen to that listen voice of yours next time, and you'll be fine." Lucy smiled up at him. "Thank you," she said. Damn those eyes of hers, he thought to himself as he ushered her back outside, vowing to keep better watch of her. Sitting next to her around the bonfire the rest of the night, Cade said nothing as he watched Lucy accept drink after drink. Girl's got to learn sometime, he thought. At least she had the sense to refuse the numerous bowls, joints and bongs being passed. Regardless, shortly after midnight, Lucy was incoherent and nearly passed out. Cade helped her up, forced her to drink a big glass of water, and practically carried her to the truck, tucking her into the camper bed. The usually full house would be extra full tonight, he knew. Cade stayed up for a few more hours, enjoying the people watching and occasional conversation. As the party winded down and he grew tired, he was about to set up his sleeping bag in a free corner of the main room. Before he could get settled, he had a picture of some stranger, or Anthony, entering the camper uninvited, which was parked out on the street. He equally disliked the picture of Lucy, waking up in the middle of the night to find herself locked in the small space. So he forced himself up the ladder and refused to admit that he was secretly pleased at the idea of spending another night next to Lucy. Instead, lay down on his back as far from her as possible. She didn't stir, and he fell asleep quickly. Does She Dare? Sure enough, morning found them another tangle of limbs. Cade was at least grateful that he wasn't groping her this time, and he gently wrestled out of her grip. He left before she could stir, and headed to the kitchen to whip up a breakfast to revitalize even the most hung-over of souls. The pancakes, scrambled eggs and veggies, and strong, fresh coffee went over well. Alex had even joked about recruiting his brother as another housemate. Lucy mumbled her appreciation through mouthfuls of food. Mika was naked again, but apparently this was commonplace; the girl wore clothes only when necessary. The day was bright and clear. As he was clearing plate, Cade asked the whole group who'd like to go hiking for the day. A half dozen of them nodded yeah, but Lucy gathered that, if they felt anything like she did, they would not be mobilized for some time. Astute as always, they did not get going until noon. Most of them piled into Alex's old conversion van, while Lucy and Cade rode in his truck. "So, do you miss home yet?" he asked on their way to the forest. "Ha! I haven't even thought about home since we left." It was true, as if her subconscious gladly supported the notion of forgetting entirely her first nineteen years of life. A split second later, she swore loudly, "Shit! I haven't called my parents yet! They've got to be freaking out, probably called the police…" she kept on rambling about how much trouble she was going to be in, and how badly she felt to cause them so much anguish. Cade hushed her gently. "We'll stop at the next gas station so you can call them. They'll be more glad to hear that you're well than they'll be angry, right?" Lucy nodded absently, but not so sure of that, her mind running hysterical circles. She barely waited until the truck had stopped moving to dash out the door and towards the pay phone. Her hands shook as she dropped coins into the slot. She whispered silent thanks as she heard her mother's voice on the other end of the line. "Hello?" Lucy could hear the hope and the worry in the first syllable. "Mom! It's Lucy. Don't worry, I'm alright." This was followed by hysterical, joyful release, and later, after the core of the story was relayed, even more hysterical ranting. She did not lie about what had happened, though she left out several facts she knew they could not handle. The conversation ended by her father's demands that she come home immediately, and Lucy's adamant refusal to do so. When he started berating her for being, "the stupid, ridiculous girl I always knew you were," Lucy slammed the receiver down in tears. Cade had wandered into the shop, which was just as well, because she didn't want him to see her cry. She heard her father's words over and over in her head, along with the myriad of other mean and condescending things he had said to her throughout her upbringing. When Cade emerged with several plastic sacks of supplies, he found Lucy sitting on the concrete parking block, her knees curled up to her chest, her head bent down. Stopping to put the bags in the truck, he sat next to her. She did not look up. "Wanna talk?" he asked. She took a few deep breaths, but when she opened her mouth to speak all that came out was a blubbering noise. He reached around her and softly rubbed her back. When she started crying harder, he pulled her towards him. He cooed in her ear, "you don't have to say anything, it's okay. They'll forgive you in time." Lucy didn't say anything, she just buried her head in his chest, holding on to him as if he were the last sane thing on this earth. It occurred to her that he really did have her life in his hands. How easily she'd handed it over to him surprised her, but she knew she was right to trust him. He had watched over her, rescued her from a would-be rapist, and comforted her. It was a long time before Lucy felt ready to let go of his embrace, and Cade did not try to rush it. As he breathed in her ginger-peach scent, he realized how Lucy was now, in a sense, his responsibility, at least for the time being. Oddly, this thought did not frighten him, it felt natural and right looking after the girl. How small and fragile she was, but tough and daring at the same time. Where, two days ago, she was simply a living version of a character in his novel, now she was like…a sister. And she was constantly surprising him. Lucy thanked him softly as she ended the embrace. Wiping her cheeks with the sleeves of her new coat, she said, "I can't go home now. But I don't want to burden you, and I can take care of myself, so whenever you're ready to leave, don't let me stop you." Cade nodded solemnly, quietly admiring the girl once again. "I'm not ready to go just yet. And I promise I won't leave in you a bad situation," he said, and kissed the top her forehead. Back in the truck, Cade admitted that he'd been following Alex's van, and didn't know exactly where the group was headed. "But I know a great spot not far away," he said. "I think we should spend a few days in the woods, hike around a little. That way you can clear your head and think about what you want to do next. But if you'd prefer, we can turn back to the city right now, okay?" Lucy nodded and appeared to think about it briefly. "Let's go camping," she said quietly. ************* He took her to a beautiful clearing tucked off a dirt road. They promptly decided to hike along the river, taking in the beauty of the woods and the water. They spoke little during this time, each trying to sort out feelings and thoughts. Strangely, Lucy did not feel too worried, for she knew she was smart and getting stronger everyday. She had saved up a nice little sum from working the past eight months, more than enough to set herself up in Asheville, California or Australia, even. The more she thought about her possibilities, the more limitless they seemed. She breathed in the fresh mountain air. For the first time ever, she felt truly free. After several hours of following the trail following a small, quick river, they heard the sound of rushing water ahead. Turning around a bend, Lucy gasped as she saw her first ever natural waterfall. It was huge, about a fifty food drop and wide, too, cascading down a series of rocks and spraying Lucy with mist as she approached it with a skip in her step. She laughed in delight, wishing the water was warm enough to dive in the pool at the bottom of the falls. Cade stood behind her, enjoying the simple joy of her reaction. She would be fine he knew without a doubt. Her resemblance to the girl he followed at the Art Institute was purely physical, now. Wanting to see her confidence and knowledge grow further, Cade pointed out the names of the plants they passed along the way, telling her which were edible, and which held medicinal properties. He told her how to purify water using charcoal from a fire, and when they got back to camp later that evening, he let her build the fire, under his instructions. As they sat around with dinner, they discussed some of Lucy's options. After dinner, they smoked a joint, and the ideas turned from the plain and obvious to the slightly daring, to a series of wild, insane dreams involving international espionage and the takeover of first the CIA, then the entire country. This turned more absurd as they described together the kind of superhero costume that would be required of Lucy for such a task. They stayed up late, lying on their backs side by side, watching the moon and stars twinkle, dreaming up so many ideas they could have filled ten lifetimes with their plans. One notable thing was absent in all of their ideas: Cade's continued presence in Lucy's life. They both noticed this, which is why Lucy's heart soared when Cade said, "I know! We can be a bank robbing team, and stockpile our riches until we have enough to, say, buy a sizable chunk of media. And then, we can fill the airwaves with quality, mind-expanding, life enriching material. We can make peace and revolution a real possibility. And we can expose all the greedy, lying bastards currently in power for what they really are, a pile of spaghetti, no?" "Yes!" Lucy agreed, "And we could still wear the superhero costumes, no?" Cade smiled. There was a warmth in his heart that he hadn't felt for years, and he knew it was Lucy's fault. He wanted to curse her, but instead, he found her hand in the dark, held it and squeezed it, and didn't let it go. They fell silent. Each felt the energy of the other's longing in sparks traveling through their fingers and palms, and neither knew what to do with it. A long while later, Cade whispered, "Lucy?" "Mmm?" "Are you sleepy?" "…yeah." He waited outside the camper as she changed into the same sleeping clothes he had lent her back in Chicago. He stepped out of his shoes and his jeans and hoodie, leaving on his boxers and t-shirt. She was already in bed when he entered. He said nothing as he climbed the ladder, knowing she wanted him there as much as he wanted to be there. Some cold, fearful part of his brain was trying to tell him firmly that he should do nothing to encourage this, but the rest of him refused to listen. The moon spilled in through the windows, highlighting Lucy, who was curled up in a ball, trying to keep herself warm under the chilled blankets. Cade lay in bed facing her, and opened his arms to her, and held her to share his body heat. She gladly accepted his offer, and he briskly rubbed her back to help her warm up. He warmed her in this way for a few minutes, then his motions changed into a soft kneading of her muscles, soothing and sensual. When his touch lightened further to a gentle caress, slowly down her spine, then gently up her sides, her heart was thumping so loudly in her chest she felt he must have been able to hear it. She was so nervous she could not look at him. "Lucy." he whispered so softly she could hear the sound of his lips pressing together. Shyly, she looked up at him. He questioned her with his eyes, and found no resistance, only warmth and longing and the kind of delicate beauty that poems were made of. The corners of her mouth were upturned in a soft, hopeful smile. His heart pounded just as loudly. Before he could lose his nerve, Cade leaned in close, and gave her a soft, chaste yet lingering kiss on the corner of her mouth. He could feel her smile deepen under his lips, but, to balance things out, he gave her the same kiss on the other side. When he pulled back, her eyes were on his, smiling, urging him on. A wicked thought sparked Cade's mind, and he could not resist. He flashed her a large, mischievous grin and said, in everyday tones, "Well, Goodnight!" and proceeded to roll over on his side, away from her. Lucy lay their, her mouth aghast, for a half a heartbroken second, then half and angry second, and then responded with a solid punch to his arm. "You…you…" she stammered, but before she could finish the sentence, her rolled back over and on top of her. He straddled her legs and held himself above her by the force of his arms with a devilish grin. "…me?" he asked in a husky voice. She just nodded, slowly, once, not sure whether to curse or to cuddle. That same gorgeous half-smile played on her lips. He breathed in the intoxicating scent of her. She was not afraid. Lowering himself to her mouth, his lips explored hers tenderly, with little nips and suckles. Her lips pressed back into his, and he coaxed them open with his tongue. Lucy let out a low, sultry moan. Her entire body was on fire. Cade wove his fingers into her hair and lowered his mouth on hers again, kissing her deeply, groaning into her, already very hard. Coming up for air, he forced himself to stop. "Lucy," he whispered again. She opened her eyes. "I…I don't want to rush you, or hurt you…but if we continue this, I might not be able to stop." She looked into his eyes, so full of tender concern. That and the puddle in her shorts left no doubt. "I don't want you to stop." There was nothing that could hold back Cade's grin at that moment. "What if I told you I were an alien space creature?" Giggling, she shook her head. "What if I was under the spell of an evil genie that caused me to bark in Morse code when I get excited?" Still grinning ear to ear, she shook her head again. He raised and lowered his eyebrows suggestively. "What if I told you I am a vampire?" Her smile turned serious. "I like vampires." "Oh, yeah?" He said, and in one swift moment grasped her wrists, pinned her down, and lowered his mouth to her neck, nibbling and suckling with raw hunger. Lucy gasped loudly at the sensation of electricity pulsing through all her veins and nerves. With the hard tip of his tongue, Cade traced a line from her neck down to the base of her throat, where his kisses caused her body to melt underneath him. He freed her wrists and urged them both onto their sides, facing each other. They wrapped their arms around each other and their mouths met in fierce desire. While one hand stroked her hair, his other hand explored the contours of her back, hips and ass. She pressed her hips into his, rubbing into his hardness. His hands found their way under her shirt, and he relished in the feel of her warm, smooth skin. Pausing to untangle their limbs, she lifted her hands over her head, and he obliged her by removing the top. Cade drank in the beauty of her bare, firm, grapefruit sized breasts. Her pink nipples stood stiffly in greeting, and he felt another rush of blood to his already painfully erect cock. He traced the buttery softness of her bosom with his fingertips, drawing nearer the stiff nipple slowly. She was squirming quietly beside him, and when he cupped her full breasts in his hands and brushed over her nipples with his thumbs, she audibly moaned, and he could wait no longer. He introduced the tip of his tongues with the tip of her nipple first in a light flick, causing her to gasp. He followed with a soft lick forward, a soft lick back, then he grasped her full nipple in his mouth and suckled. It started gentle, but quickly her moans became loud and urgent, and he responded in kind, until they were both bucking and panting and tearing each others pants off. Usually a slow, careful lover, Cade could not remember the last time he'd been in such a frenzy with a woman. He was ready to go at that instant, but, knowing she was a virgin, he pulled back a little, wanting to make this special. He looked into her eyes, which were bubbling with a new kind of light. He started tracing a line of kisses from her forehead down, when she whispered his name. "Cade," she said, "I love that you're being all sweet and gentle for me, but… I've been waiting for this for nineteen years. Please, I can't wait anymore." His smile was priceless. He kissed her deeply, once, while wrestling the boxers free from his ankles. He rolled on top of her, planting his knees between her legs. He could smell her musky arousal, and wanted to taste it, but, he was under strict orders to proceed. With his rigid member in his hand, he lowered his hips nearer her hidden cove. He buried the head of his cock past the folds of her outer lips, and guided it up and down through the folds, getting moist with her own juice, and brushing her clit so that she gasped, bucked, and held her breath. "Mmmm, Cade, oooh, God, please Cade, please Cade, ooohhhhhhh," she sighed as he let go of his stiff cock and it slid just barely into the entrance. He lowered himself slowly into her slick, tight little hole. "Baby," he said, when he reached her maiden skin. "I don't want to hurt you," he said in ragged breath. In one instant, she smiled at him. In the next, she wrapped her arms around his midsection and pulled his chest down onto hers. He used this opportunity to push past her hymen. She gasped audibly. He held himself still inside her and kissed her mouth. When she responded with full teeth and lips and tongue, he guessed she was alright. He found the sensitive parts of her neck and nibbled until she started urging movement with her hips. He moved very slowly out of her, and it took a great deal of self control to slowly ease himself back in. He was rewarded with a long, low groan from her throat, so he did it again. And again, until her hips demanded more and his thrusts quickened. Cade found her nipples again, and timed the motion of his hips with the suckling of his mouth. Easy, steady, Lucy purred like a kitten and explored his skin with her delicate fingers. Her tightness had eased somewhat around his girth, and she was able to take him deeper. He ground his hips into her and she rewarded him with more sultry moans, quickened breath. When she raked her nails against his back the blood surged in his cock again, his heart raced, he buried his mouth into hers and let loose, bringing his penis hard and fast into the depths of her warmth, "oh, God," she cried and he did it again, "OH, God!" she cried, "OOOHHHHHHH, ugh, MMMMMMMMMMMMM, oh, GOD," the heat inside her raged. Cade was beyond control. He pumped into her with his most primal instincts, and as her climax approached he tried so hard to hold back, sliding and filling her, she bucked and moaned and underneath him. God, she was loud, and he loved that voice of hers moaning uncontrollably, his cock swelling further with each noise, and as her climax peaked he let out a long, animal groan and pumped load after load of seed into her. Though they were a sticky, sweaty mess, the last thing he wanted was to withdraw from her. It was as if he was suddenly a child again, and, having found a terrific hiding spot, was loath to give it up. They held each other in silence. They both had a million feelings, ideas and dreams racing through their heads, but they did not need to speak. In fact, though they slept little, they did not speak again until sometime later the next afternoon. And I don't need to tell you what their words were.