The Bosses Daughter (Parts 1 and 2)

Part 1- Chapter 7

The light from my phone brightens the dim hotel room and I groan. I answer the phone without looking at the caller ID, smart I know.

"Hello?" I croak.

"Well my God, you actually answered!" Carrie's high pitched voice fills my ears and I groan once more.

"You do remember your best friend, right? Or maybe your dad, your ma, anyone you've left in the dark for the past three months; ring a bell at all?"

I sit up and place the phone on speaker, combing my fingers through my snarled hair. "Carrie..."

"No, Harley. I don't want to hear excuses. I understand you go through these kind of episodes because of your trauma, but I don't understand how you just up and leave. I went to your trailer, you know what I found? Nothing, because your fucking trailer blew up."

"What?"

"Did I stutter? The only thing left of your trailer is ashes, how the hell did that happen, Harley?" Carrie's voice cracks and a sinking feeling sets place in the pits of my stomach.

"I....don't know. My trailer was fine when I left, I swear." I clear my throat.  "Carrie, I can't talk now but I swear I'll explain when I can."

I hang up the phone before my best friend can object. I don't know how, I don't know why, but my gut instinct is telling me I need to leave. I know for a fact Miller had something to do with the fire.

That bastard.

That sexy Australian bastard.

***

Who are you?

The intrusive thought takes residence in my mind as I stare at my reflection in the mirror. My once dark brown hair is now a dark, royal blue.  My facial features are alarmingly sharp due to three months of unhealthy eating habits that have been made up of one peanut butter and grape Jelly sandwiches a day.

The dark rings under my eyes look as if I could be related to Gollum from Lord of the Rings.

By exactly 4:30 am I am walking out the door to my shitty hotel room and down the street to the bus stop, as I've been doing for the past month since taking a temporary residence in a small town twenty minutes outside of Phoenix, Arizona.

At 4:53 am, the bus pulls up to the long forgotten bus stop and I climb on, inserting a dollar fifty, and taking my usual spot on the right side of the bus near the back.

I close my eyes and breath deeply in.

---

"Mommy? Why do people do bad things?" I ask as I lick my nummy ice-cream cone.

Mommy frowns and looks down at me. "What do you mean, Harley?"

"Why do people do bad things when people think they are good?" I dont tell mommy about her and daddy's friend, Uncle Ryan, and his he does bad things when they leave. Uncle Ryan made me pinky swear I wouldn't.

Mommy licks her lips before sitting down on the grass with me. "Well, people do bad things for many reasons. But that doesn't mean it's okay or good to do them. Why, baby?  Do you know someone who is doing something bad?"

My heart starts beating really fast and my face is really hot, like it gets when I've been in the sun to much.

"Nope!" I giggle and point at the sky. "Look, a birdie!"

---
I flash my biggest smile as I approach the two gentlemen who just walked into the shitty diner.

"Just the two of you, yes?" I ask as I grab two menus from behind the counter. One man, the taller one, is wearing a black suit while the shorter one is wearing simple jeans and a lathered vest with chains and patches scattered throughout it.

"No, we have another guy coming. Numb nuts is always late." Mr.Jeans says, wearing an arrogant grin with pride.

I roll my eyes and smile one more, grabbing an extra menu. I set them at a table near the large windows and set the menus in front of them.

"For when 'Numb Nuts' arrives," I say as I place the extra menu in front of the empty seat. "What do yalls want to drink?"

"Coffee," They both say. Another eye roll. "Right away." I turn away and walk behind the counter, grabbing a fresh pot of coffee and two cups.

As I turn around, a rough hand smacks my ass and I take a deep breath. I don't have to turn around to know that hand belongs to my fucking pig of a boss. "That skirts a little short, Jill. I like it," His raspy voice whispers into my hair and I mentally cringe.

I turn around, eyes narrowed. "I would like to remind you, Mr. Harris, you are my boss. Nothing more. Keep your hands to yourself for the last time." I threaten and this sick bastard only smiles his greasy smile.

I yank the cups off the counter and march over to the table. I fill the cups and tap my foot. "Yall ready to order or do you want to wait longer?"

Mr. Flasher-Designer speaks up before Mr.Jeans has a chance too. "A little longer, please. He should be here in about five minutes, I'm truly sorry." I smile my response and walk away, taking empty cups and filling more mugs.

God, I hate this place.