sneak peak of chapter i;
for @black-cats-crossing
"Where you from, pretty thing?" Sissy asks, her lips wrapped around a cigarette as the glow of her bics lighter illuminates her face. She inhaled deeply, the intake of nicotine made her feel a little buzzy. "We don't get many a new faces 'round here n' all."
Elaine thinks Sissy looks at her like she was a new puzzle, and it was time to figure her out as fast as possible. So she could move onto something else and place the new girl in a categorized box with all the other townsfolk. She glanced at Earl who seemed intent on getting everything Sissy wanted as fast as possible. And, she didn't miss how several towns people had tried to subtly leave.
"Georgia, Miss Sawyer." Elaine managed out, her hand wiped at her brow to make a few droplets of sweat disappear as they soaked into the sleeves of her t-shirt. Her fingers played with a loose string on her shirt, suddenly finding it the most interesting thing in the entire store as bright green eyes stared her down. "Uhm, Atlanta."
Earl placed the plastic bag down onto the countertop without even giving Elaine a spare glance before he backed up and mumbled something about checking inventory. As if he hadn't literally finished it before Sissy had come in this afternoon. It made Elaine's stomach curl as he left, which was odd, because, he was a bit mean to most people and had been a perv to her the first few weeks of working here.
"Miss? Whatcha' think I'm an old lady or somethin', peach?" Sissy's eyebrows rose slightly, her nose scrunched like she'd just walked past a fresh pile of cow shit. She tsked softly under her breath, "My name is Sissy, ya can call me that if ya like." She paused, tilting her head slightly, "I'd like it."
She noticed the beads of sweat on the girls brow, and how her shirt stuck to her skin as if she'd worn clothes from out the shower without dryin' off all the way. She hummed softly and took another drag of her cigarette, completely ignoring Earl's No Smoking Inside Rule that everybody else followed like the Bible. Her pupils dilated slightly, the t-shirt sure hugged Elaine's form nicely.
"Ya hot?" She asked, her voice purred slightly as she leaned onto the counter with her elbows. She exhaled out the side of her mouth, smoke dissipating beside her. Her mama had taught her manners well 'nuff, and she knew it was rude to blow smoke in people's faces 'specially when they didn't smoke none. "The heat different here?" She stubbed her cigarette out on the counter top, "Dryer? Maybe not in here that's fa' sure."
Georgia heat was different from here. It was muggy and wet, whereas Texas was dry, and the asphalt seemed to blend in with the surrounding desert, looking like it had melted. Elaine nodded at Sissy, unsure why she was asking her. It wasn't like she could do anything to the ac unit that was on its last leg outside. It made weird sounds, especially on days like today, where it was over a hundred degrees outside.
"Hot, uh-...yes." Her mouth was suddenly dry, like when she's stepped out of the car too soon this morning, and the dirt seemed to get caught in her lungs. "The AC unit could use some repairs, I guess."
A grin spread on Sissy's face, full of dimples and freckles and a small gap between her two front teeth. And it was just for her since no one else was in here with them. Elaine blushed under the intensity of it, her fingers still focused on the loose string. It was cute, endearing even if it was a little intense. "Anything else I can help you with, Sissy?"
The grin widened, and Elaine had to fight not to have a reaction to it. Her eyes flickered up when Sissy reached for the plastic bag and turned to leave as Earl came back inside the front. She was pretty sure he seemed disappointed that he'd come back before Sissy had left.
"Earl," Sissy sang out as he neared.
Sissy's voice sounded like sickeningly sweet honey, her accent making Elaine's heart race for some reason. A prickle of fear. Sweet wasn't always good, too much of it, and it left cavities in your mouth. Rotted your teeth right out of your head. Elaine had never had a cavity before, and she ignored the thought that she wouldn't mind getting one from how sweet Sissy sounded.
"Yes, Miss Sawyer?"
Sissy smiled politely, her green eyes doed up to bat her eyelashes at him. "I think you need to get the AC fixed."
Elaine could only note how it was not a question. It wasn't a suggestion either by how Earl's face paled. It was an order.
"W-Well, Sissy, it ain't really in the budget right-..."
Earl wasn't cut off by sharp words or screaming, not even a movement from Sissy besides a slight narrowing of her eyes as he had tried to explain he didn't have the money for it. He looked like he would throw up if Sissy so much as breathed too hard.
"Did I ask ya if ya could afford it, Earl?" Sissy asked, her voice still sweet, but a soft mocking tone was held underneath. As if she found Earl's fear -
Amusing?
"N-no, ma'am."
"Then fix it." Sissy murmured, her voice low that Elaine almost hadn't heard how it had changed. Not sweet anymore, instead flat with a hint of...irritation. Sissy's eyes moved back to Elaine, a new cigarette being lit as she blew the smoke in Earl's face this time. "We wouldn't want our Georgia peach here to rot, would we, mhm?"
Elaine wasn't sure what astonished her more - the fact that Earl, a big fat man over six foot tall let a girl as small as Sissy talk to him, treat him like that or the fact that Sissy seemed to have found out where she placed Elaine with things. She had done so quickly, in the span of a few minutes.
"No, Miss Sawyer." Earl mumbled, his hands pressed deeply into his overalls. "It'll be fixed by Friday."
"Ya promise?" Sissy asked, a small smirk on her face as she made it to the door. "Can't break a promise, Earl. It ain't right, ya know. Send me the bill."
Sissy Sawyer was gone as abruptly as she'd come. And the gas station now had an unsettling atmosphere as Earl turned to glare at Elaine as if she had personally caused all his problems. But it seemed being in the good graces of Sossy Sawyer saved her from a good talking to.
Elaine felt a sense of hope that Sissy would be back on Friday to see if Earl had done what she'd told him. And, surely, for no other reason.
