Chapter 40 Blacktop Obsession
"Oh no." Kaidyn sat up, feeling very sick. It was eight hours later and her whole body was hurting and aching. Roman was still holding her, but she felt nauseous and not so good. Her nose was gushing blood and she wasn't sure what was going on.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Brian asked, flashing his phone's light on her since the sun's rays coming through the truck wasn't enough. "Oh shit." he said, scrambling for his jacket or something to stop the blood. "Rome, wake up. Wake up, Man." He shook him.
"I don't feel so good." Kaidyn said, everything spinning as she tried to get up. The moving semi was not helping. It was dark and cold and she was shivering.
"Hector, how long until the next stop? Kaidyn's got a nose bleed and not feeling so good." Brian said, radioing Hector. They were not using cell phones just in case they were being tracked so his walkie was the only resort.
"We're about twenty something miles away from our next rest stop. Can you handle her and keep her calm until then? Hector asked.
"Yeah, we got her." Brian nodded, quickly moving to Kaidyn's side, pulling her over to him. "Let me look, Kaidyn." he said, trying to stop the bleeding.
"This sucks." She mumbled, having a hard time talking with the nosebleed.
"I know. Nosebleeds suck. The doctor said those would happen." Brian explained, trying to sound relaxed, not wanting her to panic more.
"He did?" She asked, curious how Brian was so calm with what seemed to be a lot of blood.
"Yup, he did. You broke your nose and as it heals it may bleed. The cold air in here probably isn't helping." Brian said matter of factly.
"This blood doesn't bother you?" She asked, curious. She didn't want to think about the blood at all.
"Nah. I've had tons of training for stuff like this. Here, let's try this." He said, giving her something to put up her nose.
"Ugh, I probably have blood all over poor Roman." Kaidyn said, getting up and moving away from Roman, feeling embarrassed and bad for her getting blood on his clothing.
"If he can sleep through it, then he gets what he deserves." Brian laughed, only half joking.
"Ugh, I don't know why I am hurting so bad." Kaidyn grumbled, holding her arm. Her whole body was bruised and the meds were long worn off. "Why are we stopping?" She asked, the jerking of the semi making her fall into the side of the wall. "Ow." She groaned more in annoyance than anything. Brian grabbed her hand to help her get her balance back.
"Can I talk to Hector on that?" She asked, nodding to the walkie talkie.
"I can't help it if you find it." Brian grinned.
"Hector do you copy? Are you there?" She asked, playing with the buttons on the walkie talkie.
"Yeah, I am here. How you doing?" he asked, shocked she was on the walkie talkie.
"I wanna ride with you upfront." She said, ignoring his question.
"No can do, Chica." He replied quickly. "Now I'll ask you again, how are you feeling?" He asked, tapping his foot.
"I'm fine. Just a nosebleed." She lied, not going to admit she was in pain to him because he'd just go tell Shayde. "Come on, please? I can't do this cold back of the truck." She sniffled for good measure trying to guilt trip him now.
"It's never gonna work." Brian laughed at her, his bet on Hector standing his ground.
"We will see. I am sad you have no faith in me." Kaidyn grinned. She waited another minute then hit the button again and didn't say anything.
"Kaidyn, stop playing with the walkie. It's making noise every time you hit that button." Hector said.
"Oh my bad, sorry. I am bored, Hector." She said with a sigh.
"How's the pain?" He asked, trying to ignore the obvious.
"I am fine. Please, why can't I ride with you?" She asked.
"You can't be up here." he replied, not letting her bother him with her annoyed tone.
"Hector, I have blood all over me, I need to change my clothes." She complained.
"Sitting up front won't help that. We will be at the next stop in ten or fifteen minutes." He promised.
"Then I can change and ride upfront? I have never rode in a semi, come on." Kaidyn said, not giving up.
"Kaidyn, I will talk to you when we get there." Hector said with a sigh. Kaidyn grinned at Brian triumphantly.
"I am sorry but I don't see you pulling this off." Brian laughed, shaking his head.
"No faith." She grinned, accepting the challenge.
"Kaidyn, you okay?" Roman sat up, looking at his shirt, looking up and looking panicked.
"No, not at all." Kaidyn said, giving Brian an evil grin and putting a finger to her lips. She crouched down and crawled to the front of the trailer, hiding behind the cars that were covered up.
"Where she at, homeboy?" Roman asked with concerned yawn.
"I don't know. I just woke up and she was gone. Kaidyn! You okay?" Brian asked, trying to look around. "She had to have gone up there, I hope she's not bleeding out." Brian played along, keeping a somber face.
"Man, how you gonna let her get up bleeding like that cuz?" Roman pushed him, annoyed and worried.
"How you gonna sleep through that. We gotta find her. Hurry up." Brian said, motioning for Roman to go look for her.
"Kaidyn, talk to me. Where you at, Blondie?" Roman asked, walking up to the front and looking between the cars.
"BOO!" She jumped out and made him scream. She busted up laughing.
"KAIDYN! Are you serious?! You had me worried, Woman!." He grumbled, shaking his head. She was bent over still laughing.
"Dude, if you had seen your face!" She giggled.
"Yeah, yeah. Thanks a lot, Brian." He walked back with Kaidyn, holding her hand so she wouldn't lose the balance with the truck moving and knocked Brian in the back of the head.
"That was great!" Kaidyn clapped her hands, smiling.
"It's good to see you smilin, girl. That's the only reason I am not gonna stay mad at you." Roman pointed at her with a grin.
"Sorry I got your shirt all bloodied up." She said apologetically.
"It's cool. I'll send your sis the drycleaning bill." he joked, putting his favorite blue hat on her backwards.
"Sounds like a plan." Kaidyn agreed. "Why you giving me your hat?" She asked, curious.
"No reason. My bald head was getting a lil warm, you know." Roman rubbed his head, as if to make a point.
"Rome, I told you to let that go, Man." Brian leaned over and whispered. Roman still wasn't over her comment about liking his braids, making him think she liked Tej.
"You said let her sleep. You didn't say let it go." He whispered back. "Kaidyn, you do pageants. You know the trends, right? He asked, folding his arms.
"I guess so. Why?" She asked, searching in the cooler to see if they had packed anything that sounded appetizing to her since she wasn't going to get her White Castle.
"You think I should get braids? Grow my hair out maybe?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You? Get braids? With what hair?" She asked skeptically.
"Exactly. I just said if I grew my hair out." Roman rolled his eyes, tapping the back of his hat, making her swat at him. "Pay attention, would you?" he asked.
"Now you sound like Shayde." Kaidyn laughed. "Ugh there is nothing good in here to eat. I need a cheeseburger or some fried pickles." She complained.
"I hear that. Some food would be reallllll good right now." Roman agreed,
"When doesn't food sound good to you?" Brian quipped. The truck came to a stop and Kaidyn waited anxiously at the door.
"Care to place a bet on this, Brian?" Kaidyn asked, smiling devilishly as she tapped her foot impatiently.