Leaving you

Running

Addie 

I ran for weeks before I found safe place....

The train jolted to stop, jerking me awake. It had been 6 weeks of me running and hiding, scared that my stepfather would find me. I had looked through news reports and so far nothing had been reported of me, hopefully he had let me go finally. I got off the train and looked for signs to say where I was "Welcome to Sandfalls" a sign read as I walked past. Leaving the train station, I looked around me, this place looked perfect, a small town where I could finally stop running and start my life over. Walking down what appeared to be the main street in this town, I stopped at a little coffee shop. Looking through the window, I could see people laughing, talking and enjoying their time with each other. I took a deep breath and pushed the door open, walking in. 

Grabbing the nearest empty table, I sat down and read through the menu. "What can I get you?" A girl about my age appeared beside my table. "Um.." I looked at the menu "Can I get a coffee please and some..." my eyes scrolled down the menu looking for something to eat "pancakes, thanks" I looked at her and smiled. "Will that be all?" she questioned me. I nodded. Once she had gone I looked out the window and watched the people of the town go about their daily lives, my mind wandered to Cole, thinking about what he was doing. He would have started his senior year without me, something we always planned to do together, making memories together and celebrating our lives. That would never happen now, I hoped he was happy and able to move on without me. I thought about all the time, remembering our last night together. A noise at my table made me jump out of my thoughts, looking up I saw the girl had come back with my food and coffee. I smiled a thanks to her and picked up my coffee. I noticed a newspaper had been placed on my table, perfect I thought, this could help me find somewhere to stay and hopefully a job. I had barely enough left to last me another month. I sighed and picked up the paper scanning though the listings. 

 "So, whats your story?" the girl was back and this time she was sliding in to the chair across from me. "I'm Clara" she smiled at me. "not very often we get out of towners here." I placed the paper back on the table "Addie" I replied "I was fell asleep on the train and by the time I woke up, it was on the last stop. Figured I would find a place to stay and possibly some work and settle here for a while" Clara nodded along with my story, I got the feeling she was weighing up whether to believe me or not, then she smiled and shouted "Aunty, come over here" a small older woman appeared from behind the counter and walked over to our table. "This is Addie, she looking for a place to stay and work." Clara explained while the older woman looked me over, I squirmed not liking the feeling of being looked over reminded me to much of him. I tried to make myself as small as possible without it being to noticeable. "Well you're in luck, we got a spare room and as for work you can do a few shifts here at the café." she looked on the floor noticing my bag "is that all you got?" she asked. I nodded "I packed light, I didn't know how long I would be run.... ah on the road for." I stammered out. I saw a frown flash over the older woman's face before she smiled and looked towards Clara. "Clara, take Addie home. show her around, make sure the spare room is set up, I will call your Uncle and talk with him." 

Clara took my hand and pulled me up from the table. I quickly managed to pick my bag up before being dragged out of the café and down the main street. We soon arrived at a large gated house. "Here we are Addie. I can't wait to show you around. It will be nice to have another girl here, you seem around my age I'm 16. " Walking in to the house with Clara, felt surreal. "Um... Clara are you sure about this? You don't know me and you and your family are welcoming me into your home." Clara looked at me, as if seeing right through me. "My aunt Bell and uncle Tod took me in when I was 8, I lost my mum in a car accident when I was 6, and was sent to live with my dad." Clara's voice went quiet "things didn't work out so well with my dad, the police came and took me away, aunt Erica didn't think twice about taking me in, she had been trying to get custody since my mum passed. But my dad had taken us off the grid. " She looked straight in to my eyes. "sometimes girls like us, what we been through, we can recognize the signs in each other. Just know that I'm sorry for what you have gone through and I'm here if you need to talk or just sit in silence." I felt something wet on my face, I brought my hand up. Wait, I thought am I crying? tears began falling, everything that I had held on to for so long finally came out as i sobbed. Clara wrapped her arms around me "its ok, let it all out"