Does She Dare?

"The Black Crowes' finest album, called Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. Fantastic, isn't it?"

Lucy mumbled ascent and stretched her arms out as far as they could go. "Can we stop soon?" She asked. "I need to pee."

"No problem."

They shared a cigarette, huddled on the bench at the frigid rest stop. A well-dressed middle aged couple turned their nose up on them as they walked by. Before they passed, Cade held out the pack of American Spirits towards them. "Would you like one for yourself?" he asked with a smile, not a lick of sarcasm. "Best there is."

The lady shook her head in disgust and ushered her husband on. As they passed, Cade turned to Lucy and winked. Her heart melted.

Several hours of driving through corn and soy were uneventful. Cade continued to astonish her with his taste in music, exposing her to some fantastic rock, blues and jazz that she'd never encountered before. Cade probed Lucy for more details about her life. She sheepishly admitted that she didn't have much of a life. She spoke of school and her parents, and her present dilemma of not knowing what she wanted.

"You're meant to be on this trip," he announced, matter-of-factly.

Lucy nodded. "I know." She admired his fine profile and sighed inwardly.

Cade shared stories of his adventures, his favorite places, and the interesting people he'd met along the way. When he told her of summer-long backpacking excursion in the wilderness of Idaho, her mouth dropped in awe. "Wow," she'd said, "I could never do that…"

"Why not? You're strong, you're smart," he said.

She blushed. "No, really. I've never even been camping."

That caused Cade's jaw to drop. "What? Really?"

Lucy nodded, "Yeah. Well, when I was in Girl Scouts, we went for an overnight trip to this little forest preserve, but we all stayed in a big cabin with electricity, so that doesn't really count."

"Not at all. Okay, change of plans. We're gonna camp tonight."

"What?"

"You heard me. We're gonna stop in the Smokies. You've never seen the night sky unpolluted, you've never breathed fresh mountain air, and it's about time." He glanced over at her with a smile. "You'll like it, I promise."

Lucy felt a tingle from head to toe.

*************

By the time they pulled over to camp, the sun was but a sliver of light at the horizon. Cade built a fire as Lucy admired the layers of rolling hills and endless forest. She took a deep breath; the air was pure, it made her lightheaded. She glimpsed a pair of deer, lapping water from the creek a hundred yards down.

"Lucky for you, I have the ultimate in camp food. Marshmallows and hot dogs, well, soy dogs if that's okay."

Lucy smiled. "That's great. Need some help?"

Cade shook his head. "Nope, you just enjoy this sunset, okay?'

Lucy sat on a boulder near the creek. Aside from the trickles of water and crackling of fire, it was entirely quiet. It was unlike anything she'd experienced before; she was drunk on tranquility. She watched the sky fade from oranges to reds to deep violets, and suddenly, she was surrounded by a blacker black than she'd ever encountered.

By the time she'd wandered back, Cade was almost done cooking dinner. He had fire roasted a red pepper to eat with the soy dogs, which was delicious. Afterwards, he instructed her on the art of toasting a perfect marshmallow, and she picked up the skill in no time. "You're a natural!" he proclaimed. "If that's not your life's calling I don't know what is."

Lucy giggled and announced in acceptance-speech fashion that she could not have done it without him.

"Say, Lucy, do you smoke pot?" he asked as their laughter subsided.

"I never have," she said. At Rosary the nuns had all kinds of terrible things to say about marijuana, but then, Lucy had never believed much of what they had to say.

"Do you wanna try? I mean, no pressure if you don't, but I thought I'd offer."

She asked him some questions about it, which of course made her all the more curious. It was like there was this little wild girl trapped inside, and just needed a little coaxing to come out. She accepted the offer.

Cade pulled out a small glass pipe and showed her how to hold it, and how to inhale. He lit the pipe for her as she took her first hit. She held the smoke in as he'd instructed, and shortly after, the entire world changed into something extra-vivid, but dreamlike. Cade was being sweet and silly, singing songs. They watched the sky, so incredibly full of stars, it was as if she was watching molecules races around the world. The fire was a living being, sometimes a demon, sometimes a sweet caring mother. She didn't know how long she was on this giddy alter-plane, but when her eyes got droopy, Cade suggested they retire so they could get up early.

He laid two sleeping bags out near the fire and wished Lucy sweet dreams. He seemed to fall asleep immediately, but Lucy could not. The sounds and smells and taste of the night kept her imagination vividly occupied. When she heard loud rustling in the trees nearby, she sat up with a start.

Staying silent, she listened as the nois

es got distinctly louder and clearer. Suddenly her heart was beating loudly in her chest and her reality was gripped by pure terror. She scooted over, shook Cade gently but urgently, and

whispered his name curtly until he stirred.

"Hmm…?"

"Cade, there's something out here. I'm scared." She said this with such urgency that he did not doubt her sincerity.

"It's okay. It's probably a deer. Whatever it is doesn't want to be near the fire."

"Mmn, Cade, we left our food out. What if it's a wolf or a bear and it's hungry?"

Cade shook himself awake, having to admit that this wasn't purely paranoia. "Okay, Lucy, wanna sleep in the truck?"

"Yes."

Cade fumbled for the flashlight and clicked it on, scanning the tree line Something retreated into the woods. Something large. He could feel Lucy stiffen.

"It's okay, Lucy, it's gone away," he said in a soothing tone, though in the back of his head, he knew it might not be far.

He led her into the camper and ushered her up the steps to the "loft". He followed her and sat on the far side of the bed. "Is this okay?" he asked before crawling under the covers. "I can go back outside if you prefer."

Lucy shook her head. "I'd feel better if you were close." Her heart was still thumping; she was still high, experiencing her first bout of paranoia.

Remembering the intensity of the first few times he got stoned, Cade understood. Suddenly so near the heat of her body, he knew exactly what would make her feel best. He curled up next to her and snuggled an arm around her. "Sssh," he said softly, "just relax and let yourself sleep."

Suddenly more than content, Lucy smiled into her pillow. His solid, well-toned arm encircled her tightly and his body pressed against her backside. Though her loins experienced a sharp pang of longing, she ignored it and simply enjoyed being held.

*************

Early morning woke Cade first. Lucy's head was resting peacefully on his chest, and theirs was a tangle of limbs. Worst of all, his arm was trapped underneath her body, and the hand attached to that arm was resting squarely on the swell of her breast.

Slowly, he tried to pry his arm loose. No use, she just hugged it closer. He realized with alarm that her hair smelled like ginger and peaches. With his free hand, he brushes the loose strands off her face. She was beautiful, and peaceful, and he felt a sudden pang of nostalgia, as if she were his lover. The thought cause a stirring in his nether regions, and instead of fighting it, he simply thought sweet thoughts and fell back to sleep.

Some hours later, they both woke and arose without ceremony. They had a simple breakfast of apples and granola bars and, then, Cade asked after her experience. "Did you enjoy smoking last night?"

Lucy nodded. "I did, a lot, until the noises freaked me out. For a few minutes there, I don't think I've ever felt so scared" She paused, chewing her apple, "thanks for being so nice to me."

He smiled at her simple sincerity. "No problem," he said.

They were only about two hours from Asheville and had entered the best part of the trip, where the Smoky Mountains met the rolling Blue Ridge in a soft, serene landscape. They spent most of the ride in reverent silence.

Whatever Lucy had thought she would find in Asheville, it was not this. She imagined a small, friendly southern town, a tiny main street surrounded by wooden shacks and rocking chairs, perhaps. But, while Asheville was not large, it had a distinctly cosmopolitan flair, it's downtown full and active with pedestrians, street musicians, tourists, and a regular parade of artsy freaks. Everywhere shop signs invoked the green, the natural, the healing and the creatively gifted. The buildings were older, and picturesque. Cade started telling her about how the popularity of Asheville had grown in the past five years, both as a tourist destination and as a home for the liberal, the artistic, and the chronically strange.

Cade wheeled the truck through downtown and stopped it on a side street in a nearby residential neighborhood. Lucy followed Cade up to the door of a plain white house. He knocked loudly.

A younger Cade look-alike answered the door. He had the same charming smile, strong jaw line and piercing eyes, but his hair was a longer dirty blond. He embraced Cade in a big bear hug. Only after they finished their greeting did he notice Lucy standing in the background.

The brother flashed Lucy the smile of charm. "Hello! I'm Alex, and who might you be?"

Lucy extended her hand demurely and voiced her name. Alex's grip was firm but gentle, and he held her hand with a kind smile.

Alex stepped out of the doorway and made a grand, sweeping gesture of welcome. The home was a stark contrast to Cade's neat abode, this place was a whirl of blankets, dirty clothes and wrappers, scattered everywhere. This was the front room, occupied by a couch, a television, and a tiny little dreadie girl. She smiled and waved.

"Cade, Lucy, this is Dori." No further explanation was given.

The shuffled through the kitchen, which was at least moderately clean, if cramped. It was occupied by two scruffy young guys making guacamole. "Rocks, Jungle, say hi to my brother Cade and his friend Lucy." They both obliged in the pleasantry, and the one with the Frank Zappa t-shirt did not even try to hide that he was starring at Lucy's chest. She blushed and quickly followed Alex.

There were two bedrooms at the end of the hallway. The doorway to one was shut, but they were told that Raven and Drew lived in there. The other room was Alex's. A pretty redhead lay naked in his bed.

She did not try to cover her nudity, nor did Alex, or Cade, seem fazed by it. He introduced her as his girlfriend, Mika. They all sat in a circle together. Alex passed a joint but Lucy declined, and Cade was out after two small hits. "Getting old, old man?" Alex teased.

"Nah, getting wise," he replied.

"Not that wise," he said, eyeing Lucy. "So, you got the goods?"

Cade nodded. "But that can wait, can't it?"

Alex shook his head. "No way, I want to see! After all your boasting, 'so green', 'so fluffy', I have to see if you can grow as good as the best of us."

Lucy shook her head as it dawned on her exactly why Cade had made the trip. She shot him a dark look. He almost didn't recognize her.

*************

The exchange was made, they smoked more and ate a satisfying lunch before Lucy had a chance to talk with Cade alone. "You creep!" she hollered in the privacy of the camper. "You didn't tell me we were transporting three pounds of weed! I made the biggest risk of my life, traveling across the country with a stranger, and you don't even have the decency to tell me that the trip could result in jail time! I… I trusted you, fucker." This last sentence she spoke quietly. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned away, clearly pained.

Cade did a double take, as he'd never heard Lucy swear before. "I didn't tell you on purpose, Lucy. I did it to protect you – if you didn't know about it, you couldn't get in trouble."

Lucy didn't say anything, she just kept her back to him with her arms crossed.

"Come on, Lucy. I was extremely careful. Everything on this car is up to code, and I didn't go a mile over the speed limit the whole way here! And, see, we're here, safe, and are all set to have a fun little vacation. Please don't be angry."

She didn't move.

He placed his hands on her shoulders and gently spun her around so he could look in her eyes. "Believe me, I really struggled over this, thinking maybe I should tell you, that you had a right to know. But then I thought, if somehow I was caught, how would you look best in that situation? Cops and judges are trained to spot lies, Lucy, and I highly doubt you are a good liar to begin with. Do you understand why I made my decision?"

Lucy nodded sullenly with a pouty lower lip. "Do you have any crack in here that I should know about?"

The corner of his mouth turned up into a half smile. "Well, just my personal stash. You don't mind, do you?"

Lucy couldn't resist the piercing eyes, the sweet dimple. "Just as long as you're sharing," she mumbled as seriously as she could muster.

Cade flashed a full smile and gave her a sudden hug. Lucy buried herself into his chest, inhaling his scent. He squeezed her tighter, but just for a moment, and then released her. As he pulled away from her, he noticed the dreamy quality to her eye and suddenly realized how she might feel. He felt a pang to his conscience and a pang to his heart, and backed off quickly, head spinning.

*************

Lucy spent the afternoon touring downtown Asheville with Alex, Mica and a gaggle of people whose names she could not quite remember. Cade elected to rest for a bit, which bothered Lucy at first, but once they got into the city, she forgot about him almost completely. They pointed out the best coffee shops, galleries, restaurants and bars. It was easy to get a good feel for the city, going as slow as they did: they could hardly walk ten feet without running into another person someone knew. All these young, spirited people, Lucy mused, they are my kindred. She knew it not because they were a certain type of people, but rather, because they were no type, the misfits.

A lifetime in Aurora had left Lucy completely unexposed to this vivacious counter-culture. Sure, she'd caught a glimpse of it on her trips into the city, but there, it seemed like a tiny little thing barely whispering in a loud world of business suits and bland stares. Here, she admired the boldness and the inventiveness of the costumes that these people made for themselves. All around her, they gathered in groups on the sidewalk, huddling together in the mild early winter of North Carolina. The air had an energy to it, as if it had a purpose of its own.

There was a party at the house later that night, in honor of Cade's arrival. He tried to shrug it off, insisting it wasn't necessary, but Alex said, "too bad, enjoy it. Word's already out."

Returning to the home, the space had undergone a near-miraculous transformation. All the miscellaneous items that littered the ground and shelves were cleared, candles and incense were lit, and a few dozen people were already in the backyard, drinking and smoking. A cute boy with a purple mohawk was jamming some acoustic guitar punk, a funny combo. Alex returned from the kitchen with an armful of beer bottles. He handed one to Mika, Cade, and Lucy, and popped open the last for himself.

Lucy looked at the bottle in her hand questioningly. While she had sipped wine and beer on holidays, at family gatherings, she'd never consumed an entire beer on her own. She felt that she could handle the one, she promised herself she would sip it slowly.

A few hours and several more beers later, Lucy was sitting next to the boy a beautiful smoky-eyed man named Anthony, on the couch in the main room. She was flirting and giggling as she'd never done before in her life, a bad job of it for sure, but she was too drunk to know this.

Anthony had his arm slung around Lucy. He was telling her about his mission in life, which consisted of a series of loose, rambling sentences having to do with rebellion, independence, and not working. A voice in the back of Lucy's head was telling her that this boy lacked a certain lucid spark, but at the moment lucidity was decidedly absent from her brain, too, and she was enjoying the attentions of a good looking male. She was nineteen years old, it was about damn time she got kissed, she reasoned.

Before too long, the small circle of people occupying the main room headed back outside, where most of the crowd was. It didn't take Anthony but thirty seconds to plaster his lips to hers in a sloppy, drunken sort of fashion.

Lucy pulled back with a start. Clearly, this was not what she had pictured for her first kiss. But Anthony had taken the gesture for coyness, and leaned over to suck on her neck, which, she had to admit, was making her tingle. She felt a warm pooling towards her center, and allowed him to lick and nibble her neck and throat.

When she let out a small sigh, he took that as invitation to grab her breast and give it a squeeze – not a delicate gesture. At this Lucy scooted over on the couch, protesting, "I don't think we should do this."

Outside, Cade had finally wrenched himself from the company of Bonnie, a girl he had mistakenly shown interest to on his last visit to Asheville. He scanned the crowd for Lucy, worried that she might be drinking too much. He saw Alex instead, and asked him if she knew where Lucy was.

"Last I saw, she was in the front room getting cozy with Anthony, lucky man," Alex slurred.

Cade pushed through the crowd in a hurry towards the front room. Of all the kids he knew at that party, Anthony was at the bottom of the list of trustworthy ones. As he rounded the corner into the main room, he heard Lucy's protests, first, then saw as Anthony had Lucy pinned to the couch, with his hand up her shirt.

Jesus, this is like a bad after-school special, Cade thought to himself, glad he'd arrived before too much had transpired. He marched up to them and abruptly tapped Anthony on the shoulder. "It would be a real shame to spoil the good vibe of this party by tossing you headfirst through this window, now wouldn't it?"

Anthony scrambled up quickly and muttered a shaky, "sorry, man," before bolting out of the room. Lucy straightened her blouse and accepted his hand.

"You okay?" he asked gently.

Lucy nodded but could not meet his eyes. "That was stupid of me, huh?"

Cade lifted her chin with his finger. "Stop. It's not your fault Anthony's an asshole."

Lucy shrugged. "Yeah, but I knew he was an asshole before I even sat down with him."

Cade nodded. "Well, you just listen to that listen voice of yours next time, and you'll be fine."

Lucy smiled up at him. "Thank you," she said. Damn those eyes of hers, he thought to himself as he ushered her back outside, vowing to keep better watch of her.

Sitting next to her around the bonfire the rest of the night, Cade said nothing as he watched Lucy accept drink after drink. Girl's got to learn sometime, he thought. At least she had the sense to refuse the numerous bowls, joints and bongs being passed.

Regardless, shortly after midnight, Lucy was incoherent and nearly passed out. Cade helped her up, forced her to drink a big glass of water, and practically carried her to the truck, tucking her into the camper bed. The usually full house would be extra full tonight, he knew.

Cade stayed up for a few more hours, enjoying the people watching and occasional conversation. As the party winded down and he grew tired, he was about to set up his sleeping bag in a free corner of the main room. Before he could get settled, he had a picture of some stranger, or Anthony, entering the camper uninvited, which was parked out on the street. He equally disliked the picture of Lucy, waking up in the middle of the night to find herself locked in the small space. So he forced himself up the ladder and refused to admit that he was secretly pleased at the idea of spending another night next to Lucy. Instead, lay down on his back as far from her as possible. She didn't stir, and he fell asleep quickly.