Elizabeth

23: New Chapters

Elizabeth

I arrive in Texas.

I only have the things on my back.

My clothes and Romeo's jacket.

He always keeps money in the inside pocket of his jacket for emergencies. There's five hundred dollars in his jacket pocket along with his ring.

I wonder if he knows that he lost this.

I can't risk the lives of my family. If what master said was true, then he could kill them instantly.

I get an Uber and take myself to a bar. It's the worst place for me to be especially if I'm pregnant. "Good morning, little lady! A little early for drinking," the bartender says. He polishes glasses behind the bar.

I sit down and don't respond to him. "Alright. I see how it is." He slides a cup of water to me. I look at him through my tears. I am quick to hide my tears and wrap up in Romeo's jacket.

If I go back to him, he can protect me. if I go back to him, he has the power to save his family. He has enough saving for all of us...

But is this the part of the story where I must realize that I am the one who must save them?

I've never had to fend for myself in the real world. Romeo was there the entire time to fend for me. Now, I'm here. Now, I'm alone. I have five hundred dollars to survive.

Will I ever see Romeo again?

"I—" I pause. "I need help," I say.

"Help," he says. "Got an abusive boyfriend?" He asks and gestures for the bruise under my eye. I don't even realize that my eye is bruised.

"No," I say. "I actually have..." I pause. We never actually told each other that we were dating. Is that what people call it? Dating? Is that what it is?

I play with the ring on my finger. How do I respond to this bartender?

"Well, I need a job," I say first.

"You come into my bar and ask for a job?" He chuckles. "I'm not hiring."

"Oh," I say. I'm about to stand up to leave, but I really do have nowhere to go. I don't have anyone to call. Even if I were putting Romeo in danger, I don't even know his number. What type of person am I?

"But we could work something out," he says. He leans across the bar and looks at me. I can't look him directly in the eyes. "Ever worked at a bar before?" I shake my head. "Ever worked?" I shake my head again. He sighs. "Then I guess we should get you started. What's your name?"

"Eliza," I whisper. What's my last name, though? If I give Ross as my last name, then my master could track me. I can't give Romeo's last name. "Eliza Diaz," I say. Surely Santino won't mind. Plus, it's a common last name.

"Alrighty, Eliza Diaz. Let's get to work."

...

Romeo

It's been three months.

She's been MIA for the last three months. No one has been able to find her. We can't even find Bobby.