After Phoebe introduced us to her friend Jimmy, who worked behind the bar, I ordered a drink, taking long sips and enjoying the fire that set aflame in my throat.
My eyes began scanning the room nervously. I guess it was a habit. I tended to place men in a basket by their looks. I couldn’t help it. Running my eyes along, I began my judgments.
Stay away from him
He could be okay
Nope. Pervert.
“Meadow? You okay, babe?” Phoebe asked, holding her drink in her hand.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I answered her, because truthfully—I was okay.
“It’s okay, Meads. You’re safe in Westbeach. Trust me. My family own this town. Okay?”
I nodded my head, my shoulders relaxing an inch. “I trust you, Phoebe. You’re the only person I do trust.”
This was true, I trusted her with my life. Not only was Phoebe Rendon one hell of a beautiful woman, but she was loyal, kindhearted and loving. I couldn’t imagine my life without her in it.
“Thank you, I love that you trust me,” she answered, her eyes glassing over.
One of these days I would open up to her. Each and every day I inched closer to telling her what my life was like. I knew in my mind that if anyone was to understand, it would be her. Not because she’d been through similar, but because she was just one of those people.
“Holy effing shit,” Melissa whispered loudly from her seat. “Isn’t that Twisted Transistor?” She nudged Phoebe and I turned my attention to Jimmy as we began chatting about the latest software release from Microsoft. It turns out Jimmy was only bartending on the side, he wanted to do something with software or web design eventually, and he was in a loving relationship with his boyfriend of two years. He had a daughter from his previous wife and they had a solid relationship together as well.
I was lost in conversation when Phoebe tugged my arm, flicking her head to one of the tables. “Check it out, girl. It’s Twisted Transistor!”
“Who?” I asked because I didn’t quite catch the end.
She laughed. “Twisted Transistor… you know…”
Understanding set in. Twisted Transistor, rock band and panty wetters. Everyone who was breathing knew who Twisted Transistor was. They were the biggest rock band to hit the world since Metallica. With Ryder Oakley as the lead singer, his twin brother Ryker Oakley as the guitarist, along with Leo Akins and Tommy Stevens… Yeah, I knew who they were.
“Oh, yeah, I know who they are,” I answered, turning my attention toward the table of the hottest and most famous rock Gods known in our day and age. I smiled politely at them before bringing my attention back to Jimmy. I wished I could’ve said I was as excited to see them as much as Melissa was, but I wasn’t. I was not really the fangirl type. Except, a young Brad Pitt, he was worth drooling over.
We were pulling out of the bar when one of the Oakley brothers jumped out in front of Phoebe’s car, laughing at himself in the process. I chuckled under my breath. “Yeah, you won’t be laughing soon.”
Sure enough, Phoebe jumped out of the car and gave him an ear full. I was pretty sure that brother was the playboy one with all the tattoos. He’s the one who was seen with a different woman every night. My body shivered in disgust. Hey, I was not judging, but I didn’t understand it. Maybe one day, when I had experienced what it was like to have sex with someone who cared and it was not a dirty thing, I might be able to see the appeal in a man like that. But sex to me, was less than disgusting and I was in no way interested in ever doing it.
It was later that evening when Phoebe and I were sitting in the living room of her family home. The furniture may have been outdated, but you could feel the natural love that surrounded the walls of this house.
Phoebe handed me a glass of red wine and I took it with a small smile. She took a seat, taking a sip of her wine. The silence was deafening, but I found that this might be the perfect time to open up to her since Melissa headed home a few minutes prior.
“My dad used to lock me inside my room every day,” I blurted out. I guessed my mind had decided that I was opening up to Phoebe that night.
Pain flashed in her eyes. “Why did he do that?”
“So he could play games with me. The first time he put his hands on me, I was four. It only got worse with age.” I attempted to swallow down the memories of being locked in his closet when I was a little girl before he began raping me.
“I’m so sorry, Meadow. No girl should ever have to cop that shit from her own father. A father is supposed to be your protector. It’s terrible that you endured that.” Phoebe’s head shook around the rim of her glass.