Jasmine cocked her head to one side as she studied the picture in front of her. It was big and bold, and completely bright and explosive, and it made her smile, but she was also a little afraid to tell Cadence she had no clue what she was really looking at.

“What do you think?” Cadence asked as she clutched her hands together under her chin and grinned.

Jasmine cocked her head the other way and pursed her lips before she chewed the inside of her cheek.

“I think it’s stunning,” she said positively. “I mean, look at all the different colors and lines…” She trailed off and felt like burying her head in the sand.

Why couldn’t she just admit to her friend that, when it came down to it, she really did know nothing about art?

Cadence nodded her head enthusiastically and then opened her eyes wider, as if she were waiting for more.

“And?” she said, urging Jasmine to continue.

“And…,” Jasmine began. “And…,” she faltered and saw the look of concern in Cadence’s eyes. “And, to be honest, I don’t have a clue what I’m looking at! I’m sorry!”

She slammed her hands over her eyes and cringed, waiting for the onslaught.

Cadence stayed silent for a moment and then broke out in a loud, mischievous laugh.

“Well, I know that,” Cadence giggled. “I was just trying to get you to admit it.”

Jasmine peered out from behind her hands and scowled at her friend before she threw the paper information booklet at her and carried on walking through the gallery. She crossed her arms over her chest and, although she was angry, she couldn’t keep the smile from her face.

“You love torturing me, don’t you?” Jasmine called back to Cadence over her shoulder.

“I sure do,” she replied as she skipped over and moved ahead of Jasmine, before she sat down on a bench in front of yet another outrageous painting.

Jasmine sat down next to her and looked up at it, half in wonder and half in stupor.

“Explain it to me then, genius,” Jasmine said cockily. “Come on. Let me have your expert opinion.”

“I really don’t think there’s any point,” Cadence jested. “I mean, you either get it or you don’t.”

Jasmine knew she was being teased, but she still couldn’t help but feel a flash of annoyance as she looked up at the image in front of her. It was beautiful, she couldn’t deny that; but when she thought of art, she thought of the masters and the things that were thousands of years old, depicting historical events, and kept under lock and key in museums. Not splashes of paint thrown all over a canvas and given an absurd and pretentious name.

“I guess everyone has their own taste,” Jasmine said finally. “But when it comes to art, this definitely isn’t mine.”

“Fair enough,” Cadence smiled. “I’m only playing with you anyway. I just thought we may as well spend our Saturday doing something constructive rather than wasting it in front of the TV.”

“Agreed,” Jasmine nodded as she rose to her feet. “But, now, I’ve had enough of this place. Come on, let’s get out of here and go to the diner. After all this boredom, I’m half asleep and could do with reviving with one of Arlene’s massive coffees.”

“Sure,” Cadence said as she rose to her feet. “And all I can think about are some fries, so that works for me.”

The girls wandered toward the doorway and away from the bright and airy room filled with supposed modern masterpieces from local artists. Jasmine looked back over her shoulder and stared at them again, one by one.

“Maybe they look better from a distance,” she said, and Cadence rolled her eyes.

“Maybe you need a lesson in art appreciation,” she said as she playfully knocked into her shoulder.

“You’re lucky I’m a good friend,” Jasmine laughed. “Because I didn’t have to agree to this, today. And bear in mind, next week, it’s my turn to choose how we spend our Saturday afternoon… Just saying.”

She grinned and continued walking, leaving Cadence behind with her mouth gaping open.

“Oh, come on,” Cadence said as she jogged to catch up with her. “You can’t hold it against me forever. Anyway, this has been nice and I’m only playing with you.”

“I know.” Jasmine rolled her eyes with a wry grin. “But all I’m saying is, maybe next week, it’s my turn to play with you. Ha.”

Cadence moaned and shook her head.

The girls had been playing jokes on each other for so many years and it never seemed to get old. But now that they were in their early twenties and acting like responsible adults, it always felt good to throw away their serious attitudes and go back to messing around like teens.

“I enjoyed it, anyway,” Jasmine smiled. “It’s always good to have our quality time. We don’t hang out enough anymore.”

“I know,” Cadence pouted. “It’s just difficult. So much going on in both our lives.”

“You’re telling me,” Jasmine agreed as they began to walk down Main Street.

The sun was bright and high overhead, and it beat down on them relentlessly. It was a baking hot day and Jasmine suddenly found herself missing the ice-cold air-conditioned art gallery, even if, at the time, it had been her own personal hell.

“Did you get everything sorted with work?” Cadence asked as they turned a corner and started to walk out of the center of town and toward the quieter roads that led to the highway.

“Nope,” Jasmine sighed. “I’m really up a shit creek.”

“Shit…,” Cadence said seriously. “I can’t believe it even happened.”

“Me either,” Jasmine whispered.

“Do you know if they’re ever going to re-open?”

Jasmine shook her head. She had no idea about anything anymore. She was well and truly on the breadline, and she had lost the only job she had ever loved. Now, she was wandering Slate Springs for the majority of her days looking for something new, but it appeared that the town was on lockdown. No one had any openings available, and no one seemed to be willing to take her on, even when they knew her and knew how trustworthy and hardworking she was.

The day Jasmine had been told the store she worked in was closing down, she had been in complete disbelief. It had been open for generations and had served the people of Slate Springs for decades, well before Jasmine had even been born, and she had assumed it was as stable as everything else in the town.

It turns out, she was wrong.

She still didn’t know exactly what was happening around her, but she had been aware of several closures to certain places of business and revenues of income for the town. She had first noticed the motel had closed its doors a couple of months before, and as time had passed, several other places on Main Street had ceased trading.

She had been told that, apparently, the buildings that the businesses occupied had been sold or taken over by a new landlord, but Jasmine knew the majority of the commercial property in the town were owned by the bike gang that ran everything behind the scenes.

She had been told legends and stories of the Forsaken Riders ever since she was a child. And she had both feared and admired them. She had been fascinated with the idea that a group of outlaws could have so much hold over how an entire town operated. And she loved the idea of their secret headquarters and the way they used the strip club and the bars on the bad side of town to conduct their dealings. It was such a strange way of life in her little town, but she had grown used to it and she loved it. She just wished she hadn’t lost her job.

She had worked in the store for so many years it had become a second home. It was one of the only shops along Main Street to sell women’s clothing, and although it tended to cater to the more mature woman, Jasmine had still loved being in that environment. She had thrived on getting up each morning and heading down to the store to open; she loved the bustle of all the other traders flinging up their shutters and shouting good morning.

It was a lovely place to be, as the sun had just risen over the mountains and the coffee was freshly brewed. She had always felt a certain amount of affinity to the town around her when she was in the thick of it first thing in the morning.

But, now, she had found herself facing redundancy, and having to look for something else. She felt like crying when she even just thought about it.

The day it had happened, Jasmine had been sitting at the register, updating all the store’s social media accounts and trying to bring some more trade their way. Suddenly, Lisa, the lady who owned the store, had burst through the doors with a look of sadness and defeat on her face and all she had done was shrug and sigh.

“What’s happened?” Jasmine had asked her.

“I’m sorry,” Lisa had shook her head, “but we’re going to have to close.”

“For the day?” Jasmine had asked, confused.

“No, doll,” Lisa had grimaced. “We’re going to have to close for good.”

Jasmine could still feel the sensation in her chest that had clutched at her and made her feel as if she were going to faint. It had been such a shock, such an awful surprise, that she hadn’t really been able to shake the feeling since. It had knocked her sideways and she was still trying to get her head around everything that had happened.

For a twenty-three-year-old, Jasmine had always had an adult head on her shoulders, and had supported herself and lived alone since she was eighteen. Now, she was unemployed and scared, for the first time in her life, of what the hell she was going to do. The last thing she wanted was to have to leave her apartment and go beg her parents to let her move back home. Or worse, sublet one of the rooms of her own place and live with a total stranger.

“You’ll get sorted,” Cadence broke Jasmine’s thoughts as they continued to walk out onto the desert roads. “You always land on your feet.”

Jasmine shrugged.

“I don’t want to land on my feet,” she said sadly. “I just want my old job back.”

Cadence looked at her with pity, and it made Jasmine want to scream.

“It’ll all be fine,” Cadence rubbed her shoulder.

“Well, it has to be,” Jasmine said. “I just wish someone would give me a goddamn job. I mean, at this rate, I’d even consider working alongside Arlene in the diner!”

The girls looked at each other and burst into laughter as they carried on walking. Jasmine was glad for the laughs, and knew her best friend was the only person who could truly lift her mood in such uncertain circumstances.

“Speak of the devil,” Jasmine said as the diner came into view ahead of them. “I wonder what kind of mood she’s going to be in today.”

They chuckled together as they approached the battered old building at the side of the highway, as trucks roared past them and pulled into the parking lot.

“I think bitch mode will be fully engaged,” Cadence said seriously. “And I expect we will become victims of it within approximately three seconds of entering.”

They climbed the steps and Jasmine braced herself for Arlene and the bad attitude that seemed to follow her around like a hanging cloud of smog. For as long as both of the girls, and many members of Slate Springs, could remember, the diner had been plagued by Arlene and her terrible customer service.

“We can’t be the only people in town who don’t understand why Joe doesn’t fire her,” Cadence whispered as they stepped through the main door and the bell tinged over their heads.

“Maybe they’re banging,” Jasmine smirked.

Cadence shot her a don’t do this to me look and tried to hide her amusement as Arlene came storming over with a pen tucked behind her ratty hair and a look on her face that would suggest she had just tasted sour milk.

“Hi, Arlene,” Jasmine offered nervously. “Can we get a table?”

. The girls moved away from her as quickly as they could and made their way to the back of the room and slid into one of the booths.

“Jeez,” Jasmine whispered. “Cold as ice.”

“At least she didn’t speak this time,” Cadence whispered back. “I mean, usually, I get some form of abuse or a look that could kill. That seemed pretty tame from Slate Springs’ Ultimate Bitch.”

“I guess you’re right,” Jasmine nodded as she flipped open the menu and let her eyes scan down line upon line of dishes.

It was funny; even though the diner’s menu was varied and long, they never seemed to have half of what was listed. Jasmine had been going in there for so long she pretty much knew, by heart, what would be available and what wouldn’t, and so she always stuck to the same thing… The strongest coffee she could get her hands on, and a stack of pancakes.

“What are you getting?” she asked Cadence, who was licking her lips and smacking them together as she studied the menu in front of her.

“I don’t know,” she said. “All I can think about is fries.”

“So, get fries,” Jasmine laughed.

“No,” Cadence huffed. “I have to think of this figure.”

She ran her hand down the side of her waist and winced.

“You’ve got a smoking hot bod, Cadence. What are you talking about?” Jasmine half-laughed with disbelief.

“We’re not getting any younger, Jas,” Cadence said matter-of-factly. “We have to start thinking about the long-term implications.”

“We’re twenty-three!” Jasmine threw her head back and laughed with exasperation. “Calm it down, will you, you’re talking like we’re fifty-three.”

“Well, we will be before we know it,” Cadence said as she looked off into the distance with mock sadness.

“Well, in that case,” Jasmine said with a wicked grin. “We better get you laid as quickly as possible. We don’t want your life to pass you by and for you to only have had terrible sex with terrible boyfriends!”

Cadence threw the menu across the table so it slapped against Jasmine’s hands and she hissed at her to shush.

“I can’t believe you’ve just shouted that out in here,” Cadence scowled.

“And I can’t believe you made me go to a modern art exhibition just so you could gloat and make me feel small,” Jasmine smirked with a raised eyebrow, happy she had finally been able to get a little revenge on Cadence and the superior attitude she had thrown about all day.

“Okay, truce,” Cadence rolled her eyes. “It’s a good thing you’re my best friend and I love you.”

“Aww,” Jasmine grinned. “I love you too.”

“How delightful,” Arlene broke their banter and stepped up to the table with a hideous scowl on her face.

The girls looked up at her and tried to smile, but they were each finding it as hard as the other. Being pleasant to Arlene when she was spitting so much poison was practically impossible. 

“So, come on,” Arlene said as she chewed her gum. “What are you having?”

Jasmine could see the panic in Cadence’s eyes and she raised her hand as if she were asking permission to speak to take the heat off her.

“I’ll just get a big cup of coffee, thanks,” Jasmine said. “And some of those blueberry pancakes.”

Arlene didn’t say a word, she just jotted it down on her notepad and then sighed and rolled her eyes with impatience as she looked down at Cadence.

“Erm…” Cadence was scanning the menu and Jasmine was sure she could hear her panicked heart beating. “Erm…fries?” she offered as she looked up at Arlene.

Arlene looked back at her with some kind of pretend sympathy and then snatched the menus out of the girls’ hands and marched back toward the cash register.

“Oh my God,” Cadence breathed a sigh of relief. “That was intense.”

“I can’t believe how nervous you just got,” Jasmine laughed. “It was hilarious.”

“Shush,” Cadence scowled. “She’s always terrified me.”

“Well, it’s a good thing we don’t have to deal with her much in the real world, then, isn’t it.”

“Just in here is bad enough,” Cadence said with a nervous grin.

When Arlene brought the coffee, she slammed the cup down on the table and glared at Cadence again.

“You don’t want anything to drink?” she barked at her, and Jasmine tried not to laugh as she watched Cadence jump with nerves.

“I forgot to order,” she said slowly. “But, yes, I think I would like an erm… A…”

Arlene clicked her teeth with frustration and put her hand on her hip as if she really didn’t have time for any of this.

“Just a water,” Cadence broke. “A water would be great.”

Arlene marched off and was out of sight before either of the girls were able to take a breath, and Jasmine couldn’t help but collapse in the seat and start to shake with laughter.

“Oh, God,” she said through gasps of breath. “I really hope I don’t end up like her. Stuck working in this diner because there’s nothing else, hating my life, and then ending up a bitter and twisted old spinster.”

Cadence laughed and shook her head with a warm smile.

“Don’t be so silly,” she beamed. “As if that would ever happen to you.”

“Jeez, at this point, who the hell knows,” Jasmine joked.

Arlene came back over to the table with a glass of water and placed it down in front of Cadence before she stormed off again.

The diner wasn’t particularly busy for a Saturday afternoon and it made it feel a lot worse having Arlene’s mood in there, and so close to them. When the place was packed full of bodies, it never seemed so bad.

“I wonder where all the weekenders are,” Jasmine sighed as she looked out toward the highway and the rolling mountains in the distance.

“Who knows,” Cadence yawned. “This town has been so quiet lately, I’m starting to wonder what the hell is even going on.”

Jasmine nodded as she thought of the stores that had closed along Main Street, and then she turned and looked back over to the motel. What had once been a place where people had lived, stopped off at, and had made feel alive, now looked completely dead and empty.

“I wonder when Sarah will reopen the motel,” Cadence said, as if she were reading Jasmine’s mind.

“Maybe she won’t,” Jasmine whispered as she turned back to face the table. “I don’t know what’s going on around here, but it’s weird. I’ve never known Slate Springs to be so quiet and eerie.”

Suddenly, from way off in the distance, Jasmine heard the roar of engines, and she was sure she felt the ground beneath her tremble. Her heart raced instinctively and she gripped the edge of the table and bit her lip with excitement.

“Do you feel that?” she asked Cadence. And Cadence smiled and nodded back.

“I do,” she said. “I wonder where they’re going.”

They both turned and looked toward the window, and watched as, over the horizon, the band of bikers broke into view. There must have been twenty of them, all on wild, glistening machines, racing fast beside each other, making the earth shake, and looking so goddamn bad and dangerous it made Jasmine’s heart flutter and her pussy ache.

The convoy of bikers all flashed past the diner in a matter of seconds, and she moved closer to the window, quickly, to get a better view.

“There go the Forsaken Riders,” Cadence said breathlessly.

“Yeah,” Jasmine whispered.

Arlene broke the moment by slamming two plates down on the table between them but was gone before either of them had the chance to thank her.

“Well,” Cadence said. “Bon Appetit… I guess…”

And Jasmine couldn’t help but laugh. It may have been a miserable roadside diner, but the company was good and she had to admit, she had lots to look forward to. She just had to stay positive and trust that fate was leading her in the right direction.