How I found myself in this situation is beyond me. Well, maybe I know, but I don't like to admit it. As much as you might think it's impossible, I still have pride. There is still something in me that keeps me from thinking back to all the paths I took on my road here.
Yes, I was a bad girl. So bad that my parents didn't know what to do with me. I fought and screamed and did all the things they told me not to, all the while knowing that I was hurting myself. When I reached an age I knew they couldn't hold me, I ran. I ran fast, I ran hard and I didn't stop. I'm still running to this day, and as I run I do the things I have to do to survive.
I see him looking at me as he drives slowly by. Hesitantly he stops and the passenger windows roll down.
"Hey there, need a ride?" he says , unsure of himself and the situation.
I keep walking but slow my pace as I shift my bag from one shoulder to another.
"Hmm, do I look like I need help? Am I a damsel in distress for you to save?" I say mockingly as I approach his car. It's not a fancy car and I know I should just keep walking because I don't want to have to pay in the only way I can for this ride.
"you do look like you could use a ride, I usually don't pick up strange women in the middle of the night, but it's supposed to snow and you look cold and tired." he says meekly.
"Ok, so long as you know that I'm just taking a ride and nothing more." I open the door of the sedan and swing my bag onto the floor of the passenger seat as I sit inside. I resign myself to what I am going to do and I'm actually ok with it.
"So, where are you going?" he asks as he puts the car into drive and slowly drives down the dark road.
"I don't know, where are we going?" I ask warily as I slump back into the seat. The car is warm and it takes me a minute to warm up after being out in the cold for so long.
"Well, I was just heading home after work, but I'll take you where ever you need to go, within reason." he says, stifling a yawn.
"I was just heading south, I don't really have a place in mind. So you can just take me as far as you're going and drop me off on a main road. I'll make my way from there." What I really wanted to say was take me to your place so I can have a hot shower and a warm place to sleep, but I just couldn't bring myself to it. Damn my pride.
"You're not seriously going to walk out in this are you? There's a bad storm on the way , look it's already starting to snow." He was surprised.
"I don't really have anyplace to go, so I guess that will have to do." I reach down and pull my bag onto my lap, unzipping it and rifling through, trying to look nonchalant.
"Well, I don't know, I think maybe you could come back to my place and crash on the couch for the night, you really look like you need some sleep."
Finally! I mean, he took long enough to offer and I jumped at it, but not too obviously. I was really willing to do whatever he wanted so I could sleep and get warm and clean.
We pulled up to his apartment building 10 minutes later and I followed him to a second floor apartment. When we go inside I can tell he's a bachelor. The place is sparsely furnished and none too clean, but I'd been worse places and looking a the sofa I sighed in delight. It was big and comfy looking, if not a little old and worn out. I followed him into the room and set my bag in the corner as I took off my insufficient winter jacket and thin gloves. My hands had thawed out and were starting to burn and sting .
"Make yourself comfortable while I get some extra blankets and a pillow for you. If you want to shower the bathroom is the first door on your right down the hall and there are towels in the closet in there." He was quiet and a bit shy as he went to the hall closet and started pulling out the bedding for the couch.
