Hey sexies! This currently an ongoing story I have on my wattpad also @amaliasnotmyname :) I will be making abd updating actively on both!!
American Honey
Blown Away - Carrie Underwood
If there was one thing Annabelle hated the most in the world, it was a gnarly storm. Hail fell from the sky like golf balls and each blinding flash of lightning was followed by a frightening clap of thunder. Every noise sent shivers up her spine, her body flinching and curling into herself even more as the time passed.
The panels of her window shook with ferocity from the wind, threatening to implode. She bit her lip nervously, having half a mind to go to the storm cellar under the convenience store her apartment sat on top of, but she barely made it to the door before a giant boom of thunder shook the sky and sent her flying back to her bed, ducking under the covers. Her sleep shirt clung to the cold sweat on her back, her anxiety rising with the clouds.
She worried for the storm, scared that it might be another tornado forming. The recent outbreak sent everyone into a frenzy and Belle into a constant state of panic. She wasn't exactly sure of why she was so scared of storms, but the paralyzing fear creeping into her body and making her blood run cold always appeared when rain went from calm to callous. There was something looming in the uncertainty that frightened her to no end.
She watched the window, seeing a small funnel cloud whipping from the sky onto the ground, ruffling the cornfields and dragging debris along with it. Her mouth suddenly ran dry and her eyes were wide, unable to close or look away from the horrifying tornado. The darkening sky seemed to be coming straight for her, growing in size as it rounded it's way to the small town streets of Geraldine, Oklahoma.
As her eyes were glued to the sight, she jumped with surprise as red and blue fireworks burst through the top before the funnel slowly dissipated into the sky and all that remained was falling ash diminishing into thin air. All she was able to think about was who in the hell would be stupid enough to drive into the eye of a tornado?
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"Now who in the hell put salt in my sweet tea?" Wade's voice echoed through the kitchen of Red Star saloon, one of the main attractions in her hometown. The wood plank walls were slowly rotting from water damage and the bar taps locked up half of the night, but Belle could never find it in her to let go of the staff that had grown to be a second family to her. They took her in as a waitress when she moved out of her dad's and into her own place. They were more of a family to her than her blood family was. Since then, she was promoted from floor waitress to bar manager throughout the six years she worked in the shithole by none other than Wade Callum.
Wade was an eccentric and old fashioned man. He never married, preferring to stay the untamed beast he was and spending his money on dirt bikes instead of children he never preferred to have. The most eligible bachelor in town, yet wholly and completely unattainable. His only love was the bar he started in his twenties and grew into over the last two decades.
"Hi cutie," Wade rounded the corner into the main bar and wrapped his arm around Belle's shoulders, kissing her hair and smiling. He had become the main male figure in her life since she moved into her own place, never hearing from her father once. He lived about twenty minutes into the town over, and made no effort to contact her. Belle owed everything to Wade. "Now who was it?" He pointed a thick finger around the room, swaying in his boots and squinting his eyes.
"I'm sure you'll figure it out." She smiled before patting his shoulder and walking up to the customer taking a seat on the far side of the counter. He was older with the faintest wisp of hair on his head. Donny was a regular, always coming in for a cold beer and to watch whatever game was on the TV. "Hey honey, your usual?" Belle leaned against the sticky countertop and smiled.
"Now you already know the answer to that," Donny's gaze drifted down to her very visible cleavage for a split second before jumping back up to her eyes and smiling. She nodded before filling a glass with draft beer and sliding it across the bar to his hand awaiting the glass. "Thank you darlin." He nodded to her before focusing his gaze on the screen. More people filtered their way in as the blistering summer sun started to set into the horizon, music pumping through the bar growing louder when the night band came in to play. Tables filled and voices sang along to the trashy cover of Gods Country.
"When is it that your gon' get up there and sing for us?" Emmalee walked up behind Belle, tying her hair up and effectively spooking the girl. Belle gasped and jumped around, facing the other night shift bartender. Both girls always got the most tips, Wade swearing that pretty girls bring in the cowboys. Emmalee was quite the opposite of Annabelle, with platinum blonde hair always pin straight, a violently dark tan adorning her skin and making her bright blue eyes look even more striking against her complexion. She always wore a brown cowgirl hat and stood well above others, the same height or taller than most men.
Annabelle was much more of a natural beauty. Her hair was a golden blonde, with a reddish glow in the sun. She had warm green eyes that drew more attention than any of her other features. She always admired Emmalee's height, wishing she was taller than she really was.
"I see you got a sense of humor up in there," Belle smirked before rolling her eyes and pouring whiskey into a glass for the waitress next to her.
"We all know you can sing," Emmalee rested her hands on her hips and smiled. "Damn, you know it too. Don't even try to deny it! I've seen your closing acts when you think you're the only one left." Her cheeks burned as she thought about how loud she belted out the lyrics to Something's Got A Hold On Me.
"Take it to the grave." She pointed a slim, manicured finger up in Emmalee's face, a smug grin growing wide as she walked off the help the many customers.
"Can't promise anything!" Belle sighed before walking away to tend to the other side of the bar. There was a loud group at the end, with echoing laughter rising. She tugged the hem of her red tank top down slightly, letting her cleavage show through the top.
"Hi, folks! How can I help ya'll?" The group of friends stopped talking before turned to look at her. The girl on the left had long dreads and a tie dye crop top on, but she couldn't help but stare at the man on the right. He was tall and large, with rough stubble and beautiful sparkling eyes that she couldn't seem to tear her gaze away from. He saw her stare, smiling and making her swoon even more.
"Four beers." He kept smiling, watching her cheeks flush into a deep shade of crimson and nod hesitantly.
"Of course. Uh, bottle or draft?" Belle tilted her head to the side and smiled lightly.
"Draft." He winked before looking away, but he couldn't help the way his eyes drifted from her long ponytail to the hem of her jeans, watching the way her hips swayed as she walked.
Emmalee grinned when Belle walked back over to her. "I saw that."
"Saw what? Me choke on my words?" She rolled her eyes and poured the first glass.
"No, I saw the way he looked at you. He watching you now, you know." Belle sighed before pouring the other three.
"Don't lie to me now!" She shook her head dismissively before grabbing all four glasses and walking back over to the group and setting them down, stooping down slightly and giving the gorgeous man a perfect view of her breasts down her top. He let his eyes wander ever so slightly, but he focused on the way her lips pouted slightly and how the dimples on her cheeks creased as she smiled. "Anything else I can get ya'll?"
The man slowly nodded his head side to side, "'Preaciate it," he dropped his sentence off, waiting for her to say her name.
"Annabelle." She internally cursed herself, wondering why she would say her full name when she didn't even let Wade call her Annabelle.
"Annabelle." He licked his lips and pressed them together. The way he said her name sent shivers down her spine and heat straight to her core. "I like that. Thank you, Annabelle."
"You're welcome, baby." She mustered up the last bit of courage she had and winked at him before walking away. Her breath caught in her throat and she coughed into her elbow the second she walked out of earshot. Belle has flirted and went out with a fair share of different guys, but none of them ever had any effect quite like him. She didn't even catch his name. The crowd cheered as the band ended their latest cover.
"Belle! I have a surprise for you, but you have to promise not to get made at me." Emmalee grinned with a wild look in her eyes. Belle knew her well enough to know that the crazy look on her face meant she was up to something.
"Why would I be mad at you?"
"Thank you, thank you folks. Now before I take a small intermission, I would like to bring out one very special guest to sing for you today. Now would miss Belle Banks please join me up on the stage?" Emmalee pulled Belle's tank top up slightly and tightened her pony tail before pushing her forward.
"You bitch." Belle whispered towards the blonde before slowly walking up to the stage. She felt everyone's eyes glued to her back, Wade whistling at her trembling frame. The lead singer, Matt, smiled before looking out at the crowd of people staring up at them.
"Now Belle here is a phenomenal singer, or so I've heard." He winked at her and the crowd whooped. "Emmalee told me to play Blown Away, you okay with that?" Belle nodded slowly, eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights. "You got this, hon. I've heard you before, your gonna blow them away." Matt pulled the mic back to his mouth before speaking again.
"Now we can do better than that!" The crowd cheered loudly, whistling and clapping. "Ladies and gentleman, Annabelle Banks!" Matt passed the mic to her shaking hands, picking up his guitar and strumming all the right cords for the intro of the song. She sucked in a deep breath and scanned across the crowd nervously, feeling every pair of eyes following he revery move. Her heart hammered in her chest, the sound growing so loud that all she could hear was da-dum. Da-dum.
Her eyes caught on the devilishly attractive man from before, his eyes focused on hers with an intensity she's never seen before, gaze unwavering and impowering at the same time. She smiled slightly before taking a deep breath.
"Dry lightnin' cracks across the sky," Her voice started off quietly, unsure of how loud the mic was. Matt continued playing and nodded encouragingly towards her. "Those storm clouds gathered in her eyes."
She smiled and let herself get lost in the song, the sound of Wade wooing in the background leading her on. As she reached the melody, her voice was confident and proud, body language following the lyrics. She danced around the stage, watching the crowd listen to her with smiles on their faces.
Her eyes wandered back over to the corner of the bar, locking her gaze onto the man from before. He smirked at her, relishing in the way her powerful voice sounded coming from such a shy girl. He leaned forward, biting his bottom lip and never looking away from her soft green eyes staring back at him.
When the last of the song was finished, Belle looked away to smile at the cheering people in front of her. They were so loud that they almost didn't hear the tornado siren sounding from outside the building, effectively shutting them up. She froze in fear, looking around the room and watching the way everyone scrambled to get up, running out the doors.
When she finally looked back over at the bar, the man and his friends were both gone, leaving Annabelle both confused and terrified.
