Runaway

I had been driving for 36 hours straight and despite it being the middle of the night, I wasn’t tired and there were no signs of me stopping anytime soon. The music blasting from my truck's aged radio helped the long drive, but also fully represented the journey I was making. I started with album one all the way to the band’s latest that had dropped recently. I loved every album equally, each having its own strengths and every single song had helped me get to where I am now.

A new woman. Finally free.

Freedom. It felt exactly like I had always hoped it would. I was happy for the first time in god knows how long and I felt weightless, strong. No matter what happened now, I could face it. Because anything was better than boring. Anything.

He wasn’t abusive, per se. But he wasn’t exactly...not. I’d always thought of him as nice at heart, because at his best moments he was a sweetie. But as I’d finally woken up, slowly over the past decade--and suddenly in the past few years--I’d realized that it was the low moments that were just….not okay. It was My Chemical Romance that had helped me see that. A song I’d heard my entire adult life, but one day it hit me like a fucking freight train--I was not okay. And that was finally not okay with me anymore.

I glanced down at the tattoo on my right shoulder and upper arm and smiled, giddy that I finally had it and what it represented. It was the straw that broken the camel’s back, as I had hoped it would.

“Why don’t you just fucking leave me for one of them, groupie.”
“Maybe I will.”
His laugh made me want to slit his godamn throat, “I’d love to see you survive without me.”
“Fuck you. I’m done.”

From that point it had turned into hours of him becoming a crying mess of a pathetic man-child that just reinforced why I had to leave. Proud of myself for secretly packing my stuff in boxes ahead of time, it only took me a matter of days to get out.

I could survive on my own, much better than he could.

*******

When I finally arrived in Huntington Beach, I was excited to be getting on with my new life. Even the idea of living in the worst part of town couldn’t bring me down.

Getting out of my truck that held everything I owned at the moment, I put my most expensive possession, my extremely beautiful Smith and Wesson .38, in the back of my jeans and climbed out. Walking in the office to the cheap apartments, I was met with a fat, scruffy manager that didn’t even look up when I walked in.

I threw a wad of money on the table, “Here for the one on ground level.”
He barely looked up, eyeing me in a curious but not sexual way, “One month’s rent, honey.”

“You told me half, so there’s half. I will pay on time, every time. I’ll walk, if ya want.”
He grumbled, handing me the set of keys, “Fine.” He continued looking at me, eyebrows raising when he saw I was packing, “Word of advice about the laundromat. Best day to use ‘em is Tuesday in the middle of the day and the one on the right is the one that runs the most efficiently, it’s the oldest but the best.”

I chuckled, never getting tired of what open carry did to people, “Thanks.”

Once I was unpacked, my classic car unloaded and the trailer returned, I knew that my next stop was a hair salon I’d found online. It was probably something I shouldn’t waste my money on, but it wasn’t really a waste. It was the final step of my becoming “Violet”. The woman I as meant to be.

Making sure my newly applied makeup was perfect, I stepped through the door of Salon Ambiance. The air smelled like change, and I took a deep inhale, closing my eyes.

“Can I help you?” A pretty little brunette asked me nicely.



“I have a 10 o’clock with Erin?”
“Oh! You’re Violet! Hi, I’m Erin. You can hang your things there and follow me. Would you like anything to drink?”
I practically skipped behind her, “Coffee? Not that I should have anymore, but I'm so going to anyway.”

Erin laughed and went to pour me some after asking how I liked it. I thought for a quick second about making a joke about “how I liked it” but thought better of it since I didn’t know these people.

I had researched salons online and chosen Erin specifically because her profile read “Specializes in vibrant, mermaid, unicorn colors.” She was perfect.

“Okay, so first tell me what you’re looking for.” Erin led me to the washing bowls.
“I want my hair to be heart-stoppingly neon purple.”
Her face lit up, “I can do that!”

“So what brings you in? You live around here?” Erin towel-dried my boring brown hair after washing it.
“I-I just moved here…” I lowered my voice, still fighting to stay confident all the time.
“Yeah? From where?”
I now also lowered my voice, “North Dakota…”

Erin caught on, “Running from demons, huh?” She said sympathetically.
I immediately snapped out of it, refusing to let him get to me anymore--sitting up and confidently smiling, “Leaving them behind is more like it. For good.”
The hairdresser smirked at this answer as if to say ‘atta girl’ as she started the dye process. The quick, cute look made me feel more at ease.

Erin had been eyeing my tatts and I had been waiting for her to comment, and she finally said something, “I like your ink. That one looks new. I love the color.”
I beamed, “Thanks. It’s my favorite and yes, it’s only about two weeks old. It kind of caused my separation? Which is why I love it.”

Erin chortled at this, and I smiled even bigger--thinking to myself how awesomely hilarious that was, “Whatever gets you out, girl, but over an Avenged tattoo? He musta been a piece a work…”
“I’d whine and bitch and tell you all about it, but that’s not who I am anymore. Past is the past. I’m here to move on.”
The dark haired one nodded approvingly, seemingly impressed, “So I assume they are why you chose Huntington Beach?” She raised a brow.

“Kind of…” I shrugged, “I mean, they’re the reason I know about this place, but I’m not here to stalk them or seduce them or anything.” It was actually the truth. As cute as they all were, I had zero ideas about men right now. In fact, I was pretty sure I’d wind up burying myself in girls for awhile. I actually wouldn’t mind starting with Erin….
“I mean, meeting them would be cool, but all I wanna do right now is find a job and party. I’m here to claim back my twenties, which I never got to have.”

Erin laughed again, “Well, I think I can help you with both. You seem pretty cool. We just had a kid quit yesterday that was doing the bitch work. It’s not much--minimum wage and about 25 hours a week, but it’s a head start. If you want it, I can talk to the boss.”

“And by talk to the boss, she means talk loud enough for the boss to overhear,” The woman next to us doing hair raised an eyebrow at Erin through the mirror and my eyes widened while the brunette giggled, “Don’t worry, it’s cool. When can you start? It sounds like you could use a fresh start and a second chance.”

“Tomorrow?” I chirped happily, wondering if this was my luck finally starting.
“You got a place to stay?”
“Yeah.”
“You free tonight?”
“Um, yes!” I grinned. How was I making friends already? I didn’t have freinds.
Wait no, she--the old me--didn’t have friends. Violet will have tons of friends, be happy go lucky, and party her ass off.

“Alright. We open at 9, if you wanna be here at 8:30 we can do your paperwork and such. Got a car, right? That’s your classic outside?”

I only beamed and nodded.

They chatted awhile and eventually Erin got this teasing, smug look on her face. I curiously just looked back at her in the mirror, “What is it?”
“Well...I don’t tell just anyone this, but….I do Zacky’s hair, usually, when he’s home.”
“Really?” I smiled as I was led back to the washing chairs, “His hair’s pretty wild right now. Did you come up with that?”
“Yeah. Said he wanted something edgy and different, which is what he always says, so we came up with that. It’s kind of a new twist on his close cut, slicked back look.”
“Cool.” I had no idea what else to say.

“I do Meaghan’s too.” Erin clearly wanted to see just how I’d react to that.
“Yeah? Is she a sweetheart, she looks like a sweetheart.” I smiled earnestly and passed the fangirl test with flying colors. Meaghan was such a cutie and I loved them together. My thing for Zack just wasn’t like that.
“She definitely is. They both are. And that little boy, god is he adorable.”

Forty minutes later, the new Violet emerged back into the sun of the early afternoon, bright purple hair in big curls cascading down my back. That night Erin wanted to take me to the one and only...Johnny’s Bar. Until then, since I already had a job, I had to go grocery shopping and get settled at my new place, and maybe sleep for christ’s sake…..

********

I was really happy Erin wanted to go out tonight, given that my hair was already done and looking way more awesome than I could ever do myself. After making sure my makeup and outfit were perfect, I was yanked along by the other short girl--who had offered to drive so I could basically get as trashed as I wanted.

After walking in the legendary establishment, I was trying to look around at the place as Erin tugged me along to the bar, “Tequila shots for me and my friend, please, and then whatever drink she wants.”



“Wow, starting with shots? Tryna get me drunk?” I shamelessly winked.
“Isn’t that the point of tonight?” Erin giggled.
I could only shrug and we took the shots.

An hour later, I was shamelessly riding Dirty Donald to pose for pics taken by Erin before being pulled back to the dance floor.



“I can’t thank you enough for getting me that job--” I used it as an excuse to lean in closer to the hairdresser, the alcohol making me bolder by the second. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, as I said it, Erin’s perfume hit me and I couldn’t help myself.

Kissing just below her ear, my hands went around to hold Erin closer by her lower back. Fully expecting to be punched in the face and told to leave, I had no idea what was going on when I got a soft, breathy moan instead. My new personality took a firmer hold as I continued to get bolder. Chuckling at her neck and continuing my nuzzling and kissing, I grinned, “You into girls?”

Erin was also getting pretty drunk and very curious why the fuck this was so hot. Her hands were already in my bright, curled hair, “Not, mmmm, usually….”

I pulled away, my still annoyingly blue eyes staring into deer-in-the-headlights greenish gray, “Me neither.”
And with that I pulled Erin closer, softly pressing our lips together before asking for entrance with my tongue. Wow, her lips were so soft and inviting and her mouth warm and good god did I need to get some. Her hands clung to me so desperately, it was so extremely different than a man and so enticing. Cheering started sounding around us, which made Erin almost pull away but made me hug her closer and delve my tongue deeper.

I broke the kiss with a smile, “I’ve never done that before. That was fun.”
Erin finally smiled back dreamily, “Yes it was.”

******

I groaned as someone tried to wake me. I woke as I had ever since my separation--sudden panic gripping my heart that I might still be trapped followed by the huge gush of sudden relief that I wasn’t. I pulled the sheets up over my head only to have them pulled back down. Opening my eyes and huffing, I was suddenly startled awake when Erin sat there with coffee and Excedrin.

“C’mon. You have work in thirty minutes. You can wear some of my clothes but you gotta hurry and get in the shower.”

Nervously looking her over, I took the pills and drank the coffee with a grateful roll of my eyes. It was like, fancy espresso. I eyed her, regret sitting in the pit of my stomach. Only flashes of the hot night before flitted through my slight hangover.

“Erin...I, uh….what, um, happened last night?” My cheeks flushed deeply, Violet partly retreating.

The hairdresser gave a cute, slightly embarrassed face but also a shrug like it wasn’t a big deal, “You came onto me last night...and, well, it was totally hot so I went for it.”
“You mean...we...slept together?” I was horrified.
“Yep.” Erin nervously laughed.
“Wow...um, I’m so embarrassed, Erin. I’m really sorry if this is going to--”

Erin put up a hand to stop me, “Violet, you’ll learn I live one day at a time. I kind of live like, well...to put it in terms you’ll understand, like Jimmy did. It seems like you need a little of that in your life.” Her eyes flitted to the lyrics in my new tattoo, “Last night was fun and that’s it. We move on. I mean, if it happens again that might be cool--but I definitely don’t do relationships.”
I scoffed, “Uh, yeah, me neither...as you might imagine.”
“Exactly.”
My eyes fell, I was so extremely uncomfortable, “I’ve never done that before, been with a girl. I couldn’t have been any good…”

Erin flushed again, “I’ve never done girls, either, but compared to a man’s touch? You definitely knew what you were doing.” She winked and then patted her thigh, “C’mon.Hurry.”

I felt my whole body flush as I hid my face by taking a deep drink of the coffee. There wasn’t really anything else I could say, so I hurried along.

*********

Since I hadn’t slept at home, I didn’t bring lunch, so I walked to the Starbucks just a block away. It was, as always, a gorgeous day and I smiled as I turned my face up to the warm sun as I sat outside to eat. The barista had told me she loved my hair, as had lots of people. It felt nice. I wasn’t bad looking, so I was used to getting maybe checked out every now and then (usually by men I didn’t want checking me out, though). But now that I was a lot more confident and had bright neon hair, obviously I was going to get noticed much more often, which I was fine with.

Just as I was pondering this, or appreciating it rather, a pretty brunette walked up to me and smiled, “You must be Violet.”

I arched a brow, which may not have been visible behind my aviators, “Uh, yeah.”
Her smile widened, “I guess you don’t remember me from last night, which is understandable.”

I motioned for her to sit, realizing she did look somewhat familiar. By her tone, I was starting to wonder if I had made out with her as well. I smiled wide to hide my curiosity as to why she was here, “Yeah, my first night in town. Got a little carried away.”
She snickered, “I’m Candice, one of the bartenders at Johnny’s.”
“Ohhh, yeah,” I snapped my fingers at her as it clicked, “Now I remember...what can I, uh, do for you?” I guess that was nicer than just asking why the hell are you here talking to me.

“Erin was telling me a little bit about your story, I guess, and I wanted to run something by you…”
I tried to control the pit in my stomach that was growing. Don’t get too excited, Violet, it’s probably nothing….

“I do some promo pics for the bar and we’ve tried to use some other girls, but none of them have really worked out. I’d like for them to not always be me, so I was wondering if you’d do some, modeling, I guess? It doesn’t really pay, other than in free drinks and probably some pizza, but I had to ask. I love your hair, and you’re really beautiful, so how 'bout it?”

Now I raised both brows. She wasn’t hitting on me, but I still wasn’t used to comments like that, much less one that trailed an offer like that. It took me a moment to process this was really happening, before I spluttered and tried to hold myself together, “That sounds...awesome. I can--”

“What’s your number? I can just text you then the next time we wanna do something?”

So I rattled off my number, and she actually asked if she could join me. I nodded and mumbled an “of course”. Maybe Lady Luck was getting me back for being such a little bitch for so long? No, I couldn’t really blame luck. It had been completely my fault for settling, for putting up with the bullshit. I could’ve left at any time and I didn’t. If I was going to move on I needed to own up to it and fucking let go.

Candice came back with a salad and a coffee and we chatted for a little while. I gave her some of my story--as generalized as I could make it like I planned to do with anyone that asked. Bitching about it would just make me look sad and pathetic, so I tried to make it obvious that I was ready to move on and therefore didn’t really want to talk about it. She was nice and eventually I waved goodbye, saying I had to get back to work.

“Did you talk to Candice?” Erin asked when I walked back in.
“Yeah. Thanks for telling her where I was.” I immediately got to gathering the dirty towels around.
“When you’re a fancy supermodel don’t forget about us,” She laughed and went back to her gossip with the girl in her chair.

I could not believe my luck.

********

Notes

Ok, so there it is! First chapter! Second is going to be...you guessed it: steamy. But with whom? Erin? Candice? Random dude? Haha....

Very many thanks as always to Larisa for helping me edit this! We have some super awesome ideas for this story so stay tuned!

Pleeeease comment and ask questions, this story is my new baby!! Don't worry, I'll make sure I have time for the others, as Chains/Hearts will always be my first baby, but this one is going to be soooo muchhhhh funnnn! Hope you like it!