You're in my Seat ~ M. Sturniolo

Chapter eighteen - row homes

I run to his car, throwing the bag I quickly packed in the back of the van. I had said goodbye to Peyton and told her to call me if she needed me. Now, it was just me, Matt, and the road for six more hours.

"How is she" Matt turned to look at me.

"Start driving, I'll pull up the directions. She's at a gas station right now and the store owner is letting her stay for a bit" I begin to explain while Matt pulls out of the parking lot. "She's being looked-for my people that my mom owes money too. My mom ran and left her by herself"

"I've never really heard you mention your mom" Matt sounds a bit surprised.

"There's nothing for me to mention. Unless I'm trauma dumping but I can't do that. She's a shitty person" I flatly say.

"You can talk to me if you need to Vivi. I won't think of you any differently if that's what your worried about"

"I don't wanna make things awkward. We have a long time in this car together"

"I promise nothing will be awkward. I'm not forcing you to talk. Just here for you if you wanna" he shrugged.

"Well then..."

I sit there for an hour talking about, well not like complaining about my mom.

"You know, once when my dad was on a business trip, she left me and Peyton alone for two days on a drug mission. I was fucking seven. Peyton was three" I almost laugh. "We never told my dad. He still doesn't know about half of this stuff"

"Why don't you tell him?" Matt asks.

"He's already having a hard time leaving my mom. They were high school sweethearts. He loved her and was broken over the divorce. He didn't want to love her, but you can't control love. I didn't wanna add more to the hurt. They got divorced and that's enough for me"

"So Peyton ran away with her" Matt laughed slightly, trying so somewhat lighten the mood.

"Peyton had a hard time with leaving mom too. She didn't abuse Peyton like she did me. Peyton doesn't know how terrible she is" I sigh.

"Oh"

"It's fine Matt. You don't need to feel uncomfortable"

"Okay" he hesitated.

There it was. The awkwardness he promised would be there. It was silent for a few minutes. Matt just stared at the road ahead while I looked around in an uncomfortable boredom.

"Wanna play some music?" I suggested.

"Put it on" he handed me his phone.

"I don't know your password. Here" I passed it back.

He pushed it away, still focusing on the busy highway, "it's 0801" he said.

"Oh...thanks" I entered the password and opened Spotify. I played a random playlist that looked good from his library and put his phone down.

When listened in a less awkward silence than before. Matt still had a good few hours of highway ahead of him so he wasn't really using the gps. I had fallen asleep in the passenger seat. It was a coping mechanism for stress. I can't be stressed if I'm not conscious, right?

RING RING RING

"Hey. Vivi. Wake up. Peyton's calling you" he tapped my shoulder.

"Huh? Oh. Here gimme that" I take the phone from his hand. I answered the call and put it on speaker.

"Hey Peyton. Are you okay?"

"Vivianne. Are you almost here? It's dark out and the gas station closed so I'm walking around trying to find a place to go" I could hear her sniffling, trying to hold back tears.

"Peyton, we still have a few more hours. Please find a place to go. It's dangerous to be walking around at this time of night"

"I'm trying Viv! It's 10pm! Everything is closed in this damn city!" She starts hyperventilating heavily.

"Peyton. Listen to me. Find somewhere to go"

"I'm trying!" She yells. It was clear she was about to have a panic attack. She was breathing very fast and she was in a very stressful situation.

"Hey Peyton it's Matt" he took the phone out of my hand. "Take a deep breath. You're okay. Just take a deep breath. Can you do that for me?"

"Mhm" I hear her voice trembling over the phone.

"Keep taking deep breaths. Look around. Tell me where you are. Describe it"

"I'm in Philadelphia. Big streets, traffic, row homes, there's a lot of trash, there's a plaza with a lot of closed stores down the street" she stuttered.

"You said there's row homes?" I say.

"Yeah"

"Okay listen. Walk down the street. Look for a house that has kids. If there's kids toys outside, baby on board car stickers, any type of thing that's shows signs of a family with young kids. Knock on the door, and ask for help. Ask to stay for a few hours. Tell them that your sister is on the way but that you don't feel safe outside"

"I'm not knocking on a strangers door!" She protested.

"Peyton please. You're safer in a house with kids than you are out on the streets of Philly by yourself at this hour"

"I'm scared Viv!"

"Just go Peyton"

She walks up the block and spots a house with a minivan in the driveway, kids toys outside, and lights on.

"I found a place"

"Knock on the door"

I hear her sigh but then softly knock her hand in the door. I hear the sound of a woman opening the door and greeting her. She talks with the women and explains her situation. The woman lets her in without hesitation.

"I'm in the house now Viv. The lady who lives here is really sweet. She's giving me food and blankets"

"Make sure you thank her a lot. Offer to do her dishes and shit. Seriously"

"Okay" she half laughs. "I'm gonna go now. Bye Viv. Love you"

"Love you too Peyton"

I hang up the phone and let out a sigh of relief.

"I can't believe all of this going on" I stare out the window.

"I couldn't even imagine. At least she's safe right now, so you can chill out a little bit"

"That's all I care about" I open my bottle of water and take a sip. "You want a bottle? I brought a lot" I offered Matt.

"Sure"

I handed him a bottle. Our fingers grazed over each others. Normally, with anyone else, I would think anything of it. But with Matt, it was weird. We made eye contact and I quickly looked down and broke it. For some reason, ever since the prom night, things have been weird between us. Did I kick him too hard in my sleep or something? Why was he being so weird?

Joemommasmells69 Messages:

Hey Yall!

Idk how I feel but it's definitely a chapter... whatever it was a filler anyways 💅

Suggestion, tips, ideas, questions, comments, concerns please comment here

Don't forget to drink. Do you know what happens to little girls who don't drink their water? They die.             ...Now drink up 🥰🥰🥰

Love ya!

-Joemommasmells69