Chapter 1: If it makes you happy

I've been long, a long way from here

Put on a poncho, played for mosquitos

And drank till I was thirsty again

Juniper tapped her fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of Sheryl Crow. She always had a thing for music. Especially the ones that actually had a meaning. Music these days were overrated, money trending, and pointless she mused. She remembered the days of Queen and Freddie Mercury's quirky ballads. Or Sweet's eccentric wardrobe and Steve Priest's vocals. She reveled in the glory days of what true music really was. It was simple. She didn't understand a word what the artists nowadays were trying to convey.

What the hell was twerking anyway?

She shook her head in disappointment. No use trying to fall into line of today's generation. She wouldn't even know where to begin.

Well, okay I made this up

I promised you I'd never give up

The wind slicked through her fingers, pushing against her hand that was hanging out of the window, and took a long drag of her cigarette from the other hand as she lost herself in Sheryl's serenade.

If it makes you happy,

It can't be that bad

If it makes you happy

Then why the hell are you so sad?

She found herself on a deserted road, as she had the idea that she would take the scenic route rather than the freeway. It was just by some sort of luck that hers didn't run out by getting stranded on the road side in the middle of nowhere, with no civilization for miles. Perhaps her intuition was telling her she was headed in the right direction. Hence, no mishaps.

Her last town had been in another state- Nevada to be exact. The drive was endless but enjoyable. Still, waking up at the crack of dawn to avoid traffic to get to the scenic routes was a favorable suggestion than getting stuck in traffic with honking horns and impatient road rage douche bags. It was desert for hours, and every now and again, rest stop diners. Soon she felt the salty air blow through her tresses and she breathed in the oceanic aroma. It had been a long time since she's smelled Poseidon's essence. The smell was liberating.

Maybe she'd try the whole sunny beach experience, lie in the sun and get a tan thing. But first, she would try to find a motel to crash for the time being; a cheap one. Her funds were low so her spending had to be scarce.

Necessities June. Only the things you need.

There was another matter of employment. She would need to find a job quick.

Welcome to Santa Carla

From a distance she could see the pier. The Ferris wheel and the roller coaster was what stuck out the most and Juniper felt like she hit the jackpot with this road trip. It didn't take her long to get there either. The closer she got, the more she became awestruck by all the colors and the ants of people crowding it. Soon, the aroma of fair food and bar-b-que filled her nostrils and it made her stomach remember that she hadn't eaten for hours.

Juniper felt giddy. She'd never been to an actual fair before. Her mind was already made up, ignoring the fatigue that was wearing on her bones.

"Don't mind if I do."

She turned off from the main road an headed into the direction of the pier to look for parking. It took longer than she was expecting. But eventually, an hour and ten dollars later, she found a spot.

"Ten dollars just to park, what the fuck?" she grumbled to herself, slamming the door closed of her beat up Volvo.

She looked toward the amusement park and admired the sight, forgetting about the atrocious expense that she had to fork over not too long ago. It was very well worth her money.

The pier was everything she imagined it'd be. It was everything all rolled into one: food, fun, and entertainment. It was a bleak comparison to what she'd seen in movies. It felt magical. She never wanted to leave. She was hoping the itch wouldn't surface anytime soon. Because it would've been a damn shame to uproot again. But despite her previous residences, she felt a connection to the town. She couldn't explain it, there was just something about Santa Carla that drew her in.

Upon entrance, she marveled at the numerous food stands; salivating from the aroma it brought and she wanted to try everything. It was hard to choose which one she wanted to try first. But she settled for the most obvious pick: popcorn.

"One please."

The man smiled at her, pleased of her choice to come to his stand than all the others she passed by.

Discreetly, she observed him while he tossed the newly popped popcorn with the stale bunch and added a pinch of salt to the mix. He looked like a typical old local. Juniper guessed he was well into his early fifties, retired and only working because he enjoyed the wide variety of company.

"Tourist on vacation?" he asked, making idle chit-chat while he made her order.

Juniper smiled and shook her head lightly. "Yes and no. First time here, thinking of staying for more than just the tourist season."

The man laughed. "Honey, here in this town, everyday is tourist season."

He handed her a big bag exchanging for her dollar bills and then tipped his ranch hat off to her.

"Welcome to Santa Carla darlin'. Maybe I'll see more'a you here hopefully."

She beamed at his hospitality. He seemed nice enough.

"Maybe, huh?"

She held up the bag. "Thanks for this."

"Not a problem darlin'. You take care now. Enjoy the rest of the boardwalk, it's more fulfilling during the day than it is at night."

Something about his last comment made her skeptical. He didn't elaborate further. But the hidden meaning was there. She didn't understand what he was trying to convey. Not like he was obliged to, she was just a mere customer he'd just met after all.

So she pretended to ignore it. "I will, thank you."

She walked off, as he waved goodbye. If she had looked back, she would've seen a grim expression plastered on his face. Santa Carla was the best and worst place to be. Especially if you weren't aware of the unspoken rules of the townsfolk.

She idly passed by the people playing games from the different stands, every so often glancing at the different types of games they had to offer. She found them all so exciting. Walking farther into the boardwalk, she checked out the little kiosks of cute nick knacks from jewelry to souvenirs. She couldn't get enough of the atmosphere. Even the little boutiques. This was the kind of place she was looking for. She could definitely see herself becoming a local of Santa Carla.

Maybe she'd find work specifically on the boardwalk. She could only wish the universe was on her side this time. It had to be if it brought her here. Because despite her lack of faith, she still believed in fate.

She fingered the charm of a sliver caged robin wistfully, trying to refrain from buying it. But her battle was lost to the sentiment she harbored so fast and she realized she was already handing the item to the clerk. If she ever had to leave, she would bring a piece of haven with her.

"How much?"

The girl looked no older than eighteen. She looked like she wanted to be anywhere but where she was. It didn't help that the sun was facing her directly. Juniper almost felt sorry.

"Twenty bucks." she replied with a little sass.

She fished out a bill from her pocket and handed it to her, ignoring her attitude.

"You know anywhere that's hiring?"

The girl scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Look around lady, this place if filled with opportunity." She emphasized with sarcasm.

Juniper just smiled as she was handed back her change. "Thanks."

Satisfied, she placed the necklace over her head, the charm resting just below her rib cage and admired how right it felt around her neck. It looked good, she vainly thought.

Deciding she'd take the girl's advice, she searched around for places looking to hire.

Surprisingly, it didn't take long. She came across an old fashioned diner with a wanted sign.

Help wanted: Bus boy

Juniper Von Tess was never picky at her choice of employment. As long as the pay was decent enough for her to get by, she would do anything they asked of her. With serious determination, she marched inside and was greeted by a hostess who sounded like she'd done this a million times; greet with a smile and pretend to be excited for the customer who just wanted to get in and get out. She found it amusing because the younger generation she'd encountered had given her the impression that really don't care about you, just your money kind of attitude. While the more older generation was more welcoming and sincere about their greeting.

"Let me just get you seated and I'll send a waiter over."

"Actually," she started, "I was just wondering if I could speak with a manager."

The hostess gave her a look of dread, thinking she'd done something wrong. She obviously did not know how to mask her emotions too well. Juniper could read her like a magazine, it was just that predictable.

The girl was ready to rip her a bunch of apologetic excuses, not really knowing what she was apologizing for before June saved her the time.

"I wanted to inquire about your wanted sign by the window."

She paused and gave her a blank look, letting her words sink in.

It took a while.

"Oh...OH! You mean the bus boy position!"

Juniper smiled. "Yes. That one."

The hostess let out a relieved sigh and laughed at herself. "Hold on, let me get him for you."

June nodded and watched her sashay to the back kitchen. A few minutes later, a man with receding hairline and looked like he hadn't showered in days walked out in place of the hostess. He wore a dirty apron that had food stains smeared on the front of it as if he wiped his hands after every meal he prepared. He had an obnoxious arrogant aura about him when he approached closer and he wreaked of sweat.

"You the one 'inquiring' about the bus boy dig?" He asked.

She nodded and held her hand out. "Hi, I'm Juniper Von Tess."

The manager looked at her hand skeptically but shook it anyway. "Roger Bird. What can I do you for?"

"I'd like to work here sir."

Roger gave her a mock stare and bellowed a laugh. "Is that so? Well, Miss 'Von Tess', what can you offer me that all these other hoodlums can't?"

Juniper raised a brow, not put off by his question. She had been there before. Employers trying to intimidate you to see if you had the will to take on the job. "Well for starters, I've had experience in the food industry, so I'm no stranger to handling food or customers. All you pretty much have to do is put me where you need me to be. I'm your gal." She replied.

Roger was not expecting that answer. No, he more or less expected she'd be a nervous wreck, probably use her looks to her advantage and seduce him into giving her the job. He was actually hoping she'd do the latter. But she was confident in every word she spoke and she sold herself as the best thing that could ever happen to his diner.

"You ain't afraid to get your hands dirty? Manicure might get messed up picking up after paying customers and throwing out the trash."

June just shrugged her shoulders. "I'm a tomboy at heart. What's a little food mush in the nail gonna hurt?"

They stared each other down, waiting to see who would back out first. June meant business and Roger was just looking to scare her for coming off overly confident. But he had already decided the moment she opened her pretty little mouth.

Roger was the first to break contact, once more bellowing out a hearty laugh and clapped her shoulder roughly. "I like your spunk kid."

Juniper took that as a sign of praise and smiled. "Thank you sir."

"First order of business, don't call me sir. Everyone here calls me Roger. Remember the name kid."

"So when do I start?"

"You can start tomorrow. Pay is minimum wage plus tips if these cheapskates decide you're worth their tourist money."

"Dress code?"

"Bussers wear all black. Black shirt, black pants, black apron. No exceptions." He replied.

"Duly noted. Thank you for this opportunity."

Roger waved off her appreciation. "Yea, yea. Anyways, paper work is in the back. You legal to work in the U.S. right? Cuz' I'll tell you now, I'll march you right back to the border if you is."

"That's...a bit discriminative don't you think?"

"Save the free rights speech kid. The last thing I need is border patrol breathing down my neck because I'm harboring an alien. I got a business to run."

"Right. No, I'm legal. American through and through." She assured.

Roger led her through the back door to the kitchen and into his tiny hoarded office. Papers were collecting dust bunnies and Juniper wondered when was the last time he tidied up. She watched him ruffle through his crowded drawers, before he found what he was looking for and slapped it into his even more crowded desk causing the dust bunnies to fly to her face. She coughed a little, fanning the air with hand to clear away any debris from her sight and smell.

"You live here right?" He asked, ignoring her struggle to breathe.

She shook her head. "I literally just got here. Moved from up north."

Roger mimicked her actions. "You telling me that you just drive from wherever you came from and thought, 'Oh, I'm gonna get a job and live here!'" He mocked, pitching his voice high on the latter.

She laughed and wheezed at the same time. "Actually yes. That's exactly what I thought."

Roger found the humor in her logic too. "You all kinds of crazy kid. But I guess it worked in your favor this time."

His last comment hit home for her. She honestly hadn't thought about it that way. In retrospect, she picked up a habit of facing life head on looking for a purpose; a sense of belonging, disregarding the obstacles she had to go through to find it. It had always never worked in her favor. But she pushed ahead anyway to get where she needed to be. Not to say she's seen the worst of life, just enough things to go wrong to let her know that it wasn't meant to be and that she just had to cut her losses and move on. So when Roger mentioned her predicament, she smiled at the thought of life finally siding with her. Fleeting as it will be, she would make the most of it.

"Guess so huh?"

"There's a motel not far from the boardwalk a few blocks away, cheap too. Just tell Al, Roger sent you." he said off-handedly.

"That helps a lot thanks!"

He dismissed her gratitude and waved her off. "Yea, whatever. Just leave the paperwork on my desk after you're done. See you tomorrow kid."

The motel was in the exact place Roger had said it would be. Not that he'd lie. She had lingered a bit longer after she let the diner, exploring the rest of the fair grounds. By sundown, she watched the boardwalk come to life. One by one, the rides and stands lit up like a colorful beacon and she was glad to have witnessed such a magical sight.

She couldn't fathom why local man from the popcorn stand was wary of staying past sunset.

Soon after, her excitement died down, which made her body remember the weariness from the road trip. Tomorrow was the start of her new job and she wanted to be prepared to bustle through the day without gassing out from exhaustion. She had to keep up with her first impression after all.

She grabbed her night sac, locked her doors, made her way into the check-in office and rang the bell.

Moments later, an older gentleman appeared from the doorway. His movements were very languid, and he took his time walking over to the counter.

He eyed her and then in a very condescending tone he said, "Can I help you little girl?"

"I uh...Roger sent me sir. You must be Al? I'm looking for a place to stay for a few months."

The old concierge squinted his eyes at her suspiciously. "How old are you?"

Juniper blinked. "Twenty-six...sir?"

"You don't look twenty-six. You look like you're fifteen. Did you even start your menstrual cycle yet?"

He looked serious too.

Juniper chuckled and placed her drivers license on the counter and slid it over to him. "It's the height sir, it throws a lot of people off."

He took her I.D. into his hands and observed it with scrutiny, fiddling with the edges to see if it'd come apart at the slightest touch and claim fraud. But it seemed legit enough.

When he was satisfied, he casted papers her way and told her to fill it out while he made a copy of her I.D.

"How're you paying?" he asked.

She broke out a wad of bills and passed it to him. "Cash in advance."

Al shuffled the bills in his hands reminiscently. "You don't see these anymore. Now all you young'ins use credit cards these days."

"I don't have time for credit cards. With my lifestyle, I think I would have an outstanding balance."

Al gave her a pointed look. "And what is your lifestyle missy?"

The last thing he needed was a fugitive on the run or something.

"Travelling sir. Exploring the country before I go abroad."

The old man nodded. "Ahh...a wanderer."

She smiled. "Yes sir."

Technically she wasn't lying. She has been travelling from state to state, maybe not in the way she was expecting too, but it allowed her to see and experience different things and meet different people. She dabbled in many mediocre careers, which developed herself to become a jack of all trade of sorts. It's definitely helped her in a financial sense as well as becoming street smart.

"What the hell provoked you to do that?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "A spontaneous decision. I had the idea in my head one day, and I packed up all my bags, got in my car and just...left."

He would think she was on something stupid if she told him the real reason. So she settled for a vague reply.

Al just shook his head in the same fashion Roger had done prior. "This is the result of the future generation? Stupid kids and their impulses."

Juniper laughed at his dry humor. He didn't have it completely wrong. "You only live once right?"

"There's living, and then there's just plain stupid. But you seem respectable enough. If you know what's good for you, you should go right back where you came from and forget this place."

There it was again.

"I must be stupid then." she replied.

Al passed her the keys and regarded her one more time. "I hope that idiot doesn't put you on the night shift. The world ain't what it used to be."

It had been the second time the warning of staying past curfew was mentioned. And it was the same vague caution.

Al didn't wait for her response, his job was done and he'd left in the same way he came in, leaving her to figure it out on her own before it was too late.

The Lost Boys © Warner Bros.

Sheryl Crow: If it makes you happy