BLACK NIGHT IN THE BLACK HILLS (Part 1 of the Jonica vs Laurie Series) -- CONTINUED
written by Laurie
Chapter the Fifth
(And shake me and my confidence
About a great many things
But I've been there I can see it cower
Like a nervous magician waiting in the wings
Of a bad play where the heroes are right
And nobody thinks or expects too much)
Foxy was dancing on the bed of the pickup to Danzig’s She Rides when I got back to the group. The music blasted out of two huge speakers on either side of the truck. Foxy looked like she was having a great time as she gyrated, slithered and shimmied sensually to the music, using her long legs to their full advantage. Judging from the cheers, whistles, hoots and hollers of the crowd, which seemed to have doubled since I left, they were equally enjoying her performance. Melissa saw me and hurried over, a huge grin on her face.
“There you are! What took you so long?” Without waiting for an answer, she babbled on, as excited as she always used to get on Christmas morning. “Oh my god! You’ll never guess! I just made twenty-five bucks!” She held up a handful of wrinkled dollar bills as proof.
“Twen … What are you … Missy … You didn’t … “ I stammered.
“What? No! Yeesh! I was dancing! On the truck! Looked like fun so I went and did it! And they gave me twenty-five bucks! I think that’s the shit! Isn’t that the shit?”
“Yeah,” I grinned. “That’s the shit, all right. Now maybe you won’t be mooching off me for a while.”
“Well, let’s not get ridi-ca-lous.”
Foxy finished her dance with a flourish that resulted in thunderous applause and a lot of dollar bills for her to happily collect after she hopped off the truck bed. The impromptu dance show continued as, one by one, eager willing girls (and a few guys), filled with liquid courage, took turns strutting their stuff. Even Carole (surprise surprise) took a turn on the truck (it’s amazing the miracles that Budweiser performs!). Kojak, who was acting as the unofficial DJ, selected Sister Christian as Carole’s song, which she didn’t find funny at all. But she danced anyway. I knew that sooner or later the finger of fate would point at me and I did my best to avoid the inevitable as long as I could…staying in the shadows, using my lack of height to keep out of view. But Kojak, with his trained policeman’s eye and his vantage point up on the truck bed, spotted me.
He hollered, “Yo, Peanut! Get up here and show us what you can do!”
(Shit.)
“Busted!” Mallory giggled.
“Shut up.”
The crowd took up the chant. “Peanut! Peanut! Peanut!”
(Double shit.)
“C’mon, Sissy, get up there!’ Melissa shoved me toward the truck. “It’s just dancing. We all did it, even Carole, for cripe’s sake!”
“I hate you.”
I grabbed Missy’s beer, took a quick swig (“Hey, watch the backwash, you!” she protested) and marched to the truck where Vegas Pete and Boche each grabbed an arm and hoisted me up easily onto the bed. Standing up there in my red tank top and daisy dukes, I self-consciously blinked out at the crowd, aware that all eyes were on me. I turn to look at Kojak who smiled reassuringly.
“Don’t worry, Peanut. I have a good one picked out for you.”
I took a quick breath, waited. From the speakers blared:
“Dirty, rotten, filthy, stinkin … “
(Oh holy crap on a cracker!)
“She’s my Cherry Pie
Cool drink of water, such a sweet surprise
Tastes so good, makes a grown man cry
Sweet Cherry Pie … ”
As soon as the song started, I began swaying, not moving my feet which felt like they were frozen on the spot, just leaning my body side to side like I was balancing myself on the deck of a rocking boat in a storm. Then I thought, oh, to hell with it, just have fun! I closed my eyes and let the music wash through me, beginning to feel more comfortable, imagining I was at home listening to my stereo in my room, not out here in a field with hundreds of strangers in viewing distance. I started rocking to the music, letting myself, go, shaking my head, whipping my hair, kicking my legs, shimmying to the beat. I could hear the crowd cheering and I responded with a wink as I slid my forefinger into my mouth and sucked it before slowly pulling it out.
I was so caught up in my own little world that it took a while for me to realize someone was up on the truck bed dancing alongside me. Jonica. She gave me the same snarky smile as before and then turned her attention to the cheering onlookers. I knew right away what she was up to, showing me up. She gyrated, blew a kiss, bent over and began shaking her butt at the bikers who loved every minute of it. Someone else was enjoying it too. Boom-Boom was leaning on the truck bed, her dark eyes shining, a malicious smile on her pretty face.
“That’s it, Joni,” she crowed. “Show the bloody slag how it’s done!”
Fine, I can play that game too, I thought. I crowded Jonica, started aggressively bumping my hip into her. She stood her ground and gave me such a hard bump that I stumbled and almost fell out of the truck. I regained my balance and shoved her back. Our eyes locked, neither of us were smiling now. This was a test of wills. I was determined not to back down. Jonica and I continued to bump our bodies together, amazingly keeping in time to the music.
I slammed my hip into her leather-covered ass. Jonica had to grab the side of the truck. The crowd was whipped to a frenzy as I moved in to pitch her out. But Boom-Boom grabbed my ankle and Jonica hooked my other foot with hers. My arms flailed as I hurtled forward, out of the truck, landing hard in the grass and dirt. Melissa and Foxy rushed to me as I scrambled back up to my feet. Mallory and Carole stood, frozen in wide-eyed shock. My eyes filled with angry tears, more embarrassed than hurt, my fists clenched, watching Jonica smile, wave and play up to the cheering crowd.
Sensing trouble, Kojak killed the music. Boche and Vegas Pete approached the truck, ready to prevent a fight. Needless to say, they were the minority. Just about everyone else was itching for violence. Including me.
“What the hell was that all about?” I hissed at Jonica as she lightly hopped down from the truck bed.
“No offense, sweetie. You looked like you were lost up there,” she replied with a shrug and a smile. “Just trying to help you out.”
“Thanks for nothing,” I muttered.
From somewhere in the shadows, Tiny’s drunken bellow: “Kick her ass, Peanut!” Followed by a loud long belch.
I took a small step forward. Jonica stood her ground, spread her feet, looked me right in the eyes in total seriousness and said in a low voice that only those of us close to her could hear, “You don’t REALLY want to try anything, do you?”
I took another step toward her. Missy grabbed my shoulder, Foxy held tight to my arm. Boche and Vegas Pete inched closer.
(this is crazy this is crazy this is crazy this is crazy)
A few tense seconds passed. Felt like an hour. I shrugged myself free from their grasp. My gaze never left Jonica’s.
Another time, my eyes told hers.
I’ll be ready, her eyes answered back.
I started to turn away. Everyone relaxed. Crisis over. But then …
“No, I didn’t think so, chere.”
I whirled back, lunged at Jonica. She was caught off-guard by the unexpected quickness of my move and the hard slap to her face that followed rocked her head and sent her stumbling back into Boom-Boom, who managed to catch her before she fell. Vegas Pete and Boche grabbed me before I could continue my attack and Kojak jumped off the truck, positioning himself in front of Jonica to block her from coming after me.
In a loud voice, Boche declared, “All right! That’s enough! This ends right now, yes?”
The crowd did not like that at all. Oh, no, they definitely did not. A chorus of boos and a few scattered “Fuck, no! Let them fight!” chants filled the air.
Vegas Pete’s grip on my wrist was so tight I couldn’t have fought even if I wanted to. And part of me did. The bitch embarrassed me in front of a bunch of people. It made no difference that I would never see most of them ever again after tonight. They were here. They saw her do it. That’s enough. Even as these thoughts swirled through my brain, I heard Melissa’s voice in my ear.
“I’m so sorry I got you into this, Sissy.”
That did it. That was enough to stop me. All that anger, all that frustration, gone. My body relaxed. I knew my sister would blame herself if anything bad happened.
“It’s okay, Missy,” I reassured her. “I’m not gonna fight.” I turned to Vegas Pete. “I’m fine, Pete. Really. No more trouble from me.”
Foxy chimed in, “I believe her, Pete.”
Vegas Pete looked at Boche, then they both looked at me. At Foxy who nodded. At Missy’s frightened face. Back at me. Then, at the same time, they both let go. Melissa breathed a relieved sigh as we turned and moved away from the truck.
Boom-Boom let out a hooting laugh. “Don’t go away mad, slag! Just go away!”
Boche whirled on her. “Ta Gueule! Shut your mouth, Boom-Boom!”
Boom-Boom turned to him. “Don’t you start with me, Frenchy! You’ll regret it, yeah?”
Boche replied in a quiet but firm voice. “Let it be, Boom-Boom. It’s over.”
The angry girl opened her mouth to reply but Jonica’s hand on her arm stopped her. The two of them walked off into the shadows.
Kojak, in his best cop voice, said, “Okay, everyone. Show’s over. Let’s break it up, huh? Get back to some fun.”
Bummed out that the expected fight never happened, some of the crowd went to drown their disappointment with more Bud. Others crawled into tents and onto blankets to let off some steam in other ways. Kojak climbed back on the truck and started the music up again. But the Buffalo Chip Dance Show was over for the night.
“Laurie, were you really going to fight?” Carole asked as soon as we joined the others.
“Of course she was!” Mallory insisted. “The bitch was asking for a beatdown!”
(stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it)
“Laurie? Really?”
“Huh? Really what, Carole?”
“You were REALLY gonna fight her?”
“I don’t know. Yeah. Maybe. I guess.” I turned to Mal. “Can I have the keys again? I’m gonna head back to the Airstream, maybe lay down for a little bit.”
“You want me to come with you?” Missy asked as Mallory handed me the keys.
“No, Sissy, you stay here and have fun,” I smiled to reassure her. “I’ll be fine. I swear. I just want to lay down.”
Her look was still doubtful. But she finally grinned.
“I’ll leave the door unlocked in case I zonk out.” I turned to Foxy. “Thank you for backing me up.”
“Hey, no problem,” the blonde smiled.
In a quieter voice, I continued, “I need a favor. Please keep an eye on my sister. In case those two psychos come back and start up some more of their shit. Get her out of here fast.”
Foxy nodded. “You got it.”
“Thanks.”
I gave Boche and Vegas Pete a little wave. Boche waved back, Pete winked, then they both watched me walk off into the night, turning back to the party only after I had disappeared from sight.
*****TO BE CONTINUED*****
