Hopelessly Devoted

Chapter 13

I wiped the tear that rolled down my cheek and stared at the door, mentally murdering her. "I'll be however I want until you stop living like a whore and actually give a shit about Jacob and I."

Just like that... I jumped out of my room window and headed straight to the bus station. I've never really used the train. I know. Weird, right? I'm used to using the taxi and because I have my own earnings, I don't mind spending it on a taxi but I decided I should take a taxi to the train station instead. Sam usually picks me up from the bus stop near my house. He knows about my arguments with my mother but he was never on her side.

I walked pass the park my dad and I used to go to. The memories of us we had at this park came flooding back after mother told me everything that happened. It was too overwhelming. It hurt, it still does, but I try my best not to get it to me. Yeah, I miss him, but there was not much that I could remember of him. I was never one to talk about him but people don't ask which is always a good thing.

I got into the taxi that was miraculously already waiting there for a customer. I got into the back passenger seat and told him to drive me to the train station. It was not at all far from my house but definitely not walking distance.

"What's your story, young lady?" The old taxi driver asked.

I looked at him through the rear view mirror. "Story? There's no story."

He chuckled and smiled, wrinkles visible by his eyes. "A young lady with a big back pack in a taxi to the train station? There is definitely a story." We stopped at the red traffic light which he took an opportunity to take a good look at me. "You're not running away, are you?"

I vigorously shook my head, my palms sweating.

"It's fine," he said. "I'm not going to send you back to the bus station. You're old enough to make your own decisions. Where you headed to?"

I was about to tell him my exact location but chose not to. So instead, I told him that I was going to crash at a friend's house tonight. I was not, at all, intimidated by him. He seems really genuine and nice to talk to. He didn't look too scary as well. He was asking me about school, friends, hobbies. Life in general. He didn't even try touching on family which I was very grateful about. There were too many traffic lights around here and it was rush hour to work which made the journey even longer than before. So, I don't exactly blame the old man for trying to make conversation with me.

"I can see that you're a thinker," he said.

"Really now? How is that?"

"Well, you always seem to frown and you tend to scowl sometimes when you're silent. You have a really serious face. I'm not saying it's a bad thing but you have a face of a thinker." The car stopped again and he turned to really look at me. "You're even doing it now." I nodded in anticipation, contemplating on his words. "I'm not saying it's wrong to think all the time but take my advice, kid. Speak your mind. Don't keep it all in. There's only so much the mind can handle."

"Aren't you a wise one?"

"Didn't you know?" He quirked as he changed the gears. "I'm the next Gandalf."

That got me to laugh. "That's ambitious of you."

"Thank you."

There was silence for a moment, not an awkward one, but the kind of silence that engulfs you and makes you feel comfortable, even with a stranger. "I had a really rough start," I finally said.