She slipped her arm through her leather coat and hopped on the back of her boyfriend Chad’s Harley. The engine roared to life and they took off down the street. Her mother’s voice was lost in the whirling winds as Jessica held on to his waist. They drove out to Chad’s old place. It was old and creaky, but it suited him fine. He parked in the driveway and they both got off.
Rachael, Jessica’s friend, was on the doorstep. She was colored unlike Jessica. Her skin was fairer then most though. It was the color of honey tea. She had pretty hazel eyes and she was very calm and peaceful. Jessica was the opposite of her. She had long dark hair and baby blue eyes. Her skin was pale and unmarked, accept for the tattoos. She had a dragon across her shoulder blade and back, a vivid cross on the upper portion of her left arm, a rose on the other side, as well as a cherub angel on her abdomen.
"Hey Rach. How are you doing, girl?" Jessica greeted her. Rachael threw her arms around Jessica and started sobbing.
"What’s wrong?" Jessica asked, concerned.
"Daddy threw me out!" the other girl cried.
Jessica patted her on the back, "It’s all right, honey. Everything will work out."
"No it won’t!" The other girl sobbed. "He threw me out because I’m pregnant!"
Jessica was stunned. "Is it Jason’s?" she asked. The other girl nodded.
"When did you find this out?" she asked.
"Last week. I tried to tell you but your mom said you weren’t accepting any phone calls."
"Damn her!" she cried in an outrage. She hated her mother. She was so large and she was lazier then a lame old dog.
"Why don’t we go inside and have a cup of tea, huh?" Jessica said quietly to the sobbing girl. She guided her through the messy living room and into the cluttered kitchen.
She grabbed out two cracked mugs and filled them with water. She stuck them in the microwave and put the timer on 3 minutes. The dumb machine was old and it worked only on occasions. She guessed it liked her now because it worked.
Sitting down beside her friend, she handed the other girl a mug of steaming hot tea.
Jessica asked, "What are you going to do?"
Rachael looked up with tear filled eyes. "I don’t know." She cried.
"Does Jason know?" she asked.
Rachael shook her head.
"Well don’t you think you should tell him."
Again she shook her head.
"Well why not?"
"Because, he’d kill me!" she cried and moaned, dropping her head hard on the table.
"Oh, He’s not going to kill you." She said, but secretly she wasn’t too sure. Jason had a reputation about him, a bad one. He was the son of a drug lord. He had killed before. Rachael, though his girlfriend, would be no different. But still, Jessica had to try. "Why don’t you go talk to him, make him understand." She urged.
"No." Rachael cried out. "I don’t want to."
"You have to."
"No I don’t!" she cried.
"Honey, you do too. Jason is the baby’s father he has a right to know. Now go tell him."
Rachael slumped in defeat. "Now?" she asked in a small voice.
"Yes, now." She commanded.
"Aww, I don’t want to go!" she whined, and a new fresh set of tears ran down her cheeks.
"Let’s go. Now." Jessica threw the chair back and stood up. She grabbed Rachael’s elbow and lifted her up too. Dragging her out on the porch steps, she paused noticing Chad standing out on the sandy shore. Chad had been quietly watching the ocean. He was an artist and when he got like that he always ignored life around him. He was that way and she accepted it. He was sweet when he wanted to be and dangerous in the next minute. But he was hers and that was all that mattered.
"Chad, honey?" he turned to her and smiled. "Could you take Rachael to Jason’s, please?"
He nodded and grabbed his jacket off the stump near him. He headed up to the porch and hopped on the motorcycle. Turning the key, it roared to life. He turned back and hollered at Rachael, "You coming?" Rachael kissed Jessica on the cheek and rushed forward, jumping on the back. Then engine howled and then they took off down the street.
Jessica stood watching them. Then she grabbed her coat and headed towards the sandy beach. She walked along the white sand silently until the sun set.
Those days were magical. The way the waves broke upon the shore and the sun caressed the surface. It was ever so lulling. She closed her eyes and thought of her troubled life. She opened them and caught a falling star. She made a wish.
"Lord, if you are there, help me find the way back to me. I’m lost. I need help. I need… your help. Please" she called out to the silent night. Nothing but silence echoed back at her.
She bowed her head and walked back towards the house. When all of a sudden she heard a loud "thud" sound behind her. She turned quickly and caught sight of a small figure lying on the ground.
"Ouch." She heard him call out.
He looked up at the sky and said, rather crazily she thought. "You didn’t say it was going to be a hard landing." Cursing he trudged to his feet. His back was to her.
Cautiously she approached. She reached out her hand and touched his shoulder. He jumped and she screamed. Then he saw her and screamed.
"Who the hell are you?" she cried, holding her chest, her heart pounding.
"I was about to ask you the same question." He addressed her. His voice was as smooth as silk, soft and rich.
"Well I’m Jessica and this is private property. What are you doing out here at this time of night?" she asked.
"Looking for a lost soul." He replied.
She looked at him like he was nuts.
"What?" she asked, confused.
"Nothing." He muttered. "What did you say that your name was?" he asked again.
"Jessica." She replied.
He smiled. "Jessica Sinclair?" he asked.
She took a step back. "How do you know that?" her tone sharpened.
Still smiling he replied. "He told me."
"Who?" she asked, frowning.
He smiled and spoke again. "God." He replied.
"Ok, ok." She said, raising her hands to ward him off. "Clearly your drunk. Or you hit your head or something. Look, just leave and I won’t call the cops."
He smiled and nodded. Turning, he walked away. He turned and looked back at her. "Don’t worry, I’ll be there when you need me."
"Wha-" she started, then she heard a sound of a car behind her and she turned. A cop car pulled into her driveway. She looked back at the stranger to find the stranger gone.