I had been driving all day and its now 9 at night. I had a few rest stops on the way and I was filling up on gas. My belly rumbled and echoed around the car. I had about 200 dollars on my card and 40 bucks on me which was alright for now. I needed something to eat otherwise I'll get tired, though I wasn't running from anything.
Other than myself of course.
I parked the Truck in an old country diner, it started to rain so I pulled my hood up as I got out. I ran inside the diner as quickly as I could, the rain now falling fast, as it made a small dinging noise when I entered. It was an old fashioned type of diner, with the yellow and red seats along with the matching salt and pepper with tissues in the centre.
There wasn't a lot of people in here, two boys sat at one table eating meals, a teenager and her mum sat eating dinner obviously tired. I walked slowly to the end table and scrunched my hair ends up into my jumper as it had still gotten wet from the rain and sat down.
A lively old women came over, she wasn't old but she wasn't young, with a spring in each step and a huge smile on her face with her notepad. She clicked her pen with a smile, a warm smile, a trusting smile.
"What can I get for ya?", She said smiling, a true smile.
"Uh I guess a coffee and um a cheese burger and fries would be great as well if your still doing hot food", I said to her unsure and awkward. That's just how I am I guess.
"Of course Hun, would you like any sauce with that?", She asked, still smiling just writing it down on her pad. I shook my head and she smiled at me once again and went back to the kitchen as I could hear her shouting my order. I tucked my jumper firmer around my body as I was freezing cold, also tucking my arms in.
It was warm in here but I was still freezing.
I stared out the window into the darkness, we were pretty much in the middle of no where, a perfect spot for travellers to grab a meal and disappear, and that just what I needed. I knew that as soon as dad got drunk again he would be in rage that I left. I always thought he was bipolar or something.
He probably was.
I didn't even realise I was daydreaming, before the old lady came back with my food. Huh. That was pretty quick for a diner.
"Monty is on the ball all the time Hun", The lady said to me with a cheeky smile. I blushed realising I said it out loud.
"Um, is there a town near here?", I asked her, She nodded and started to explain to me the nearest town is an hour or so away.
"But it will be really hard to get lodging at this time of the night Hun, and what are you? 16? 17?", She asked with a curious look on her face, obviously looking at my bruises. I just nodded, not wanting to tell this stranger my life story.
"See, you look like you don't want to talk about it, so why don't you sleep at mine tonight, of course you can go in the morning, but I cant stand the thought of your sleeping on the streets or in your truck tonight. I'm a grandma so it will just stress me out. We can go after my shift and you've finished your food?", She said, as I just looked at for a moment.
She didn't look like a killer, but then again who does? She noticed this and brought out her phone.
"Here, this is my family. My daughter, my sons, and my grandchildren", She said with a hearty smile.
"I just want to help Hunny, the place is a cruel world for a girl your age", She smiled with care and sincerity.
I nodded to her with a smile, my eyes tearing up slightly. I never got this kind of love at home and this women didn't even know me. She smiled and left me to eat my food, I could only stomach half of it as I was so stressed about dad telling the others, not that they would care, but I didn't fancy the long lectures and the hard glares I would get if they ever wanted to find me.
Which is unlikely lets be honest, but at the same time a tiny part of me wanted them to care, but I also hated them, hated them with everything that I had. No. Ive decided, they act like I didn't exist for years, so I guess I'll do the same to them. I would shun them if they ever came here, not like they could find me.
I was long gone and I was never going to go back.
Maybe if dad died or something for his funeral, oh shit that sounded really dark, but still it is what it is.
I finished my food after an hour or so, and opened my backpack and got my book out. I was reading for an hour or so when it turned half 11. The old lady came out without her apron.
"You ready to go?", She said with a smile, does she ever stop smiling? I only nodded with a smile back.
"I'm Linda by the way", She said and held her hand out as I shook it.
"Matilda", I said back quietly. I was shy in front of new people, I didn't have many friends due to my amazing brothers, and I never got a boyfriend, even though they acted like they didn't care, I had a boy for a playmate once when I was 6, and they freaked the fuck out and stalked us the whole time. When I grew up I think they realised they couldn't just tell me bullshit stories to make them leave me alone, so instead they just ignored me.
Like I said, not a lot of people are kind to me.
"That's a lovely name, that your truck right there?", She asked pointing at my stuck. I just nodded and stood awkwardly next to her. I still didn't trust her a little bit.
"Oh well just follow me then and try not to get lost, its only a ten minute ride", She said and waved to me as we both got into our trucks. I know its stupid to follow a random stranger but what else was I suppose to do? I was so tired, and it was only for one night anyway.
I followed her into a small area of houses, three or four in the middle of no where, but there was a small shop on the opposite, as well as another diner. It was obviously a tiny areas, with about twenty or so people living here, so I guess it didn't really count as a town.
I got out the truck and threw my backpack on my back. I walked up to her as got out and she smiled at me and put a hand to my cheek, in which I flinched back.
"Look, I can tell you've been through some shit, due to the markings on you face, but its alright, no one will hurt you ever again here, we look out for each other", she said with a huge smile, which made me smile slightly back. She brought me around to a set of apartments I couldn't see before as it was behind the houses. There were eight apartments, 4 on the bottom and 4 on the top, kind of like a motel.
"This use to be a run down motel, but they use it as homes now", She says, obviously answering my question. I nodded and she went up the stairs: room 6 was on the door but it had a mail box beside each door to show that they were individual houses. I looked around and saw an old broken down motel sign on the ground.
She opens the door to show a small room, but now there was a built in kitchen on the side, with two or so counters, and a sink, a cute pink couch covered in pillows and blankets, a small side table with three chairs connecting so it looks out of the window, and a small t.v and coffee table in the centre.
"It isn't much, but its home I guess", She said with a smile staring at the space. It had a worn down carpet with a huge fluffy white rug under the sofa and the coffee table. She motioned to follow her and I took my shoes off and put my bag down quickly as she led me into a bedroom which had a room opposite which is a bathroom.
It was pretty cosy with a double bed and a set of paints and tons of brushes everywhere.
"I love to paint", She said smiling at me then adjusting some pillows on the bed. I nodded as I followed her back into the living room. She started to move some more pillows and blankets around as I just stood there awkwardly.
"You can sleep here for the night if you want. How long do you plan on staying?", She asked me, not looking up.
"Um, I'm not really sure where I'm heading, just keep driving I guess", I said quietly looking at her whilst she listened to me. Which was odd, as no one really ever listened to what I wanted.
"Um, I just wanted to say thank you for letting me stay here, I really appreciate it, no one has ever been this kind to me before, like, ever", I said with a huge smile on my face. She nodded but looked kind of upset.
"It's alright Hun, I'm just a lonely old lady, stay here as long as you need, I'm sure you could get a job at the diner, and we could get you your own apartment as there are two or so vacant", She said figuring it all out for me as she help my hands. I nodded and a tear slipped onto my cheek. She noticed and flicked it away, whilst pulling me into a huge hug.
I cried as she hugged me tighter and tighter , it was a real grandma hug and she just had that kind and loving feeling to it, in which I never got.
"Its okay Hun, just let it out, shhh, its alright", She said slowly and she patted my hair down, something of love, something only Celina has done for me.
"We can sort everything out, now do you want a hot chocolate, I'm sure there is something on the T.V to watch.", She said and pulled me away so she could look at my face, but held be at arms length. I nodded with a smile and she grinned back.
She went into the kitchen as I slumped onto the sofa.
I liked it here, it felt like home, something that I really wasn't use to at all.