The Forgotten Child

2

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.