100% Freshie Chapter 1 --PG-13

Post Reply
User avatar
librarian_7
Forever Moonlightaholic
Posts: 23481
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2009 7:21 pm
Location: wherever Josef is
Contact:

100% Freshie Chapter 1 --PG-13

Post by librarian_7 »

Disclaimer: The characters from Moonlight are copyrighted by CBS, and no infringement is intended.

Special note: This work takes place in the world of Moonlight, but your favorite vamps are not the main focus. Sorry about that; try to enjoy the story anyway. You might be surprised.


100% Freshie

Chapter 1


Danni Nicholls squinted through her sunglasses into the brightness of the Gulf Coast summer morning and tried to restrain herself from bouncing up and down on the front seat of her best friend’s pickup truck.

“I can hardly believe it, Deb” she said. “I’m getting out of that pissant town at last.”

Debbie, who was concentrating on not getting run down by faster traffic on the interstate, laughed at her. “No more lunch shifts at the Dairy Queen, that’s for sure.” Then she frowned. “I just hope you’re not jumping into the fire, Dan.”

Danni grinned. Deb was too cautious; she’d be stuck in that dying town forever. And they’d been over this time and again. “Well,” Danni remarked, “it’s hot enough out here to be a frying pan.” The flat coastal plains stretched out on either side of them without end, and the tall buildings of Houston were not yet in sight ahead.

“Does it have to be Los Angeles? Couldn’t you just stay in Houston?” Deb asked. “It’s so far to go.”

Danni shook her head. “It’s got to be far enough to get away from Mom.” She’d spent as many years in that trailer park, listening to her mother go on about Jesus, as she was willing to. She often thought it was no wonder her daddy took off all those years ago; she only wished he’d taken her along.

Deb looked at her shrewdly. “And from Bradley?”

Danni shook her head. “Bradley and I are history,” she said firmly. If his mama didn’t think she was good enough, well, privately she thought she was plenty too good for some ex-high school football star with a blown out knee who would be getting fat soon, working at his Daddy’s car dealership. Bradley Luce had always been nice to her, and she supposed she cared about him, but not enough to stay home and pine over him if he wasn’t willing to buck his family for her.

The billboards and urban sprawl of Houston were starting to flank the road, and she knew they’d be at the bus station in maybe half an hour more. She checked yet again the big open-topped tote she was using as a purse to make sure her bus ticket and the printout of the email from her new room-mates were safely with her, nestling close beside the battered, outdated laptop that had been her main link with the world outside. The laptop that had brought her the opportunity to take this step with some confidence. That and the cash she’d carefully saved from her job over the last four years. Originally, she’d thought she’d be leaving as soon as she graduated from high school, but it had taken two long years more. The only benefit she saw was that working full-time at the DQ had at least made her more money. Even so, it was only her online friendship with Hunter and Emma out in L.A., with their offer of a room at a reasonable rent, that had convinced her it was time to go, time to take a chance. They’d gotten acquainted through a website devoted to, of all the silly things, vampire romance novels, and quickly developed a friendship. She had chatted with Hunter for hours late at night, when she should have been sleeping, and gotten to know Emma the same way. When she’d told them how jealous she was that they lived in a cool city like Los Angeles, they had laughed at first, and eventually invited her to stay with them while she found her feet. She agreed, but only if she was there as a paying room-mate, not just a guest. Emma had even promised to help her find a job at the mall where she worked.

Later she barely remembered hugging Deb goodbye, grabbing her purse and suitcase and dashing into the bus station. The trip blurred after a while into interminable miles of boring scenery, as the coastal plains gave way to the rolling hills of central Texas, and the desert of the western part of the state. After that she lost track, trying to pass the time buried in one of the three paperbacks she’d tucked into her bag, and listened to her cd player until the third set of batteries wore out. She wished she had an ipod, but had chosen to save her money instead, promising herself that when she’d made good in Los Angeles, she’d buy herself all the things she’d wanted for so long.

The bus rolled on through the night, and on through the next day. Danni was beginning to think she’d never get there, that she was in hell and the bus would simply keep rolling forever. Still, the occasional stops did seem to indicate progress.

By the time she got to Los Angeles, she felt gritty and dirty from travel, tired and strung out. Once again, she retrieved the printout from her bag. She’d memorized the directions on how to catch a city bus that would take her close to her new home, but in a strange place, she felt more secure with the paper in her hand.

She never noticed the blurred shadow that crossed her path, never noticed the dangerously handsome blond man in the dark coat scrutinizing her from a slight distance away.

William Spence recognized the girl by her scent more than the picture he’d seen. She smelled the same as the traces she’d left on the letter she’d sent to his girls. Deposit check for the first month’s rent, as he’d suggested they require. He looked approvingly at her leggy, lean form, the tight, faded jeans and long sleeved western shirt thrown over a tight tank. Casual, comfortable, but not slutty. He made a brief call on his cell phone. Danni would do, he thought, once they’d gotten past the country cousin clothes and hair style, and put a little California city polish on her. He watched as she made her way through the bus station, and decided the girls had definitely done well this time. He could feel his fangs begin to push out, just a little, at the thought of this one’s blood. She’d do.
User avatar
francis
100% Moonlightaholic
Posts: 11556
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 9:45 am

Re: 100% Freshie Chapter 1 --PG-13

Post by francis »

Intriguing start, makes me want to read more. Danni Nicholls is an interesting person, equal parts naive and brazen. And a vamp already has an eye on her. Seems like Danni’s „friends“ have a little business on the side. I’m concerned for her safety. If this William can’t keep his fangs in just from smelling her, sounds dangerous.
So she found friends at a vampire site online. I know someone else who did that…
User avatar
allegrita
Moonlightaholic Admin
Posts: 45960
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 9:22 am
Location: Snuggled under the brown afghan, watching the fire

Re: 100% Freshie Chapter 1 --PG-13

Post by allegrita »

Wow--this reminds me of those "small town girl goes to Hollywood to become a star" stories. Only at least Danni has money. But she's put a lot of trust in people she doesn't know...and it looks like her trust might be misplaced. :confused2:

Gotta know what happens... on to Chapter 2.
Image
Post Reply

Return to “100% Freshie”