What comes your way*editing*

What I missed

It had an icy feel to it. Like a tiny needle puncturing my skin, it didn't last long, not until a million more tiny needles start attacking my body. I jolt upright. The sky lit up by the street lights, fogged by the light rain. I grab my jacket that I used as a pillow and I grab both of the handles attached to the suitcases. I turn my head to both sides, before my eyes catch an unused bus stop.

I quickly take cover under the plastic roof. My leggings stained with milk are now soaked with water droplets, making the leggings heavier than before. I wipe off my phone screen before checking the time, 6 hours have passed.

Looking around I spotted a light up gas station across from a strip mall. I am not sure where I am, but it's so familiar. I try to grab my phone but my stomach interrupted the reach. I reach for my suitcase closest to me. I pull it onto the bench while opening it. I search around for some money before I find $2.50.

I hide my suitcases under the bench of the bus stop. Pulling my hood above my head I run towards the gas station. The door makes a small jingle sound as I open the door, the guy behind the counter looked up from his book, nods, and goes back to his book. I turn to the shelves looking for any type of food that would replenish my hunger and thirst. Grabbing a bag of peanuts and water, I head to the counter. The name tag on the guy's shirt read Kalen Cabot.

"Is this all?" He asks as he rings the merchandise.

"Yup." My voice croaks. He looks at me like I said something stupid.

"Is your voice okay?" I nod.

"Total comes to $2.20." I hand him the money and make my way out of the station.

The rain, heavier now, falls down my face, soaking my white shirt. To minimize what's left of my dry clothes, I ducked my head under my hood, using the bag as a shield, and head straight to the bus station. Opening the bag I grab the water and open it. My phone buzzes in my pocket. I turn on my phone, I got a notification that there was WiFi, which I silently enjoyed. With the free WiFi that I now have, most likely because of the strip mall, I look up bus tickets. I couldn't do anything with 30 cents, so nevermind about bus tickets, I might have to walk, but to California? I only have one water bottle and a bag of peanuts. I could hitchhike, but I don't think anyone is going that far. My plan is to move in with my uncle who lives in California. He's a pretty sharp man, but is getting old and needs help on his farm I gave him a heads up letting him know I was going to pay a visit, he was so excited that he already had a room ready by the end of the call.

"Here." I look up to see Kalen handing me a cough drop. "It won't kill you."

"I don't know you."

"I don't know you either, now that we got that out of the way, take the cough drop." He glances toward the luggage.

"I'm not homeless... or poor" I open the wrapper and pop it in my mouth.

"With that amount of stuff, I am pretty sure you ran away." I chuckle.

"Why do you think that? You don't even know who I am." He leans back looking at the sky.

"You're right, I don't you, so I can assume that you ran away. It's the only reason anyone comes here anymore"

"So you're a runaway pit stop?"

"You could say that. Need a lift somewhere? Maybe back to your house?"

"No thank you, I'll stay here, it's quite comfy really." I pat the bench.

"Uh yeah I can't do that, these benches are supposed to be runaway free...Why don't you stay at my place?" I squint at him, this boy... Kalen? Was crazy.

"Once again Kalen I don't know you, why would I-" He takes out his phone and shows me a picture.

"Look familiar?" I take the phone and zoom in. There was a little girl, around 10, with bright green eyes, and a hospital cap on. There was an older boy who looked like Kalen but skinnier. Then there was a 15 year old girl standing next to the little girl holding her hand. Her short black bobbed hair messed up, she was smiling. It hid her large bright blue eyes.

"Tori..." My eyes start to water. "Is she okay?" He takes back the phone.

"Yes, shes fine, it's never been the same." He looks at me again. "I don't think she will remember you, you look.... Different."

"I've changed its been 3 years since then."

"She missed you." I wipe away my tears.

"I would like to see her. Where is she?"

"Remember when we all went to California? Well she loved it so much that she wanted to stay there forever." What a coincidence. "I was going to go visit some friends there this weekend, we could both go and visit her?"

"I would love to, especially for her, but I don't have the money, and I don't want to take yours." His face drops.

"You could pay me back." I grab his hand.

"Kalen, I can't do that, as much as I want to go, I can't possibly do that." He points to the sign behind him.

"Job interviews were invented so that you could find a job." I look where he was pointing and there was a company looking for someone to drive a car from Nevada to California.

"So we are going to do this?" He nods his head.

"It's normally what I do when I go there, they pay for gas, hotels and anything in between, we just have to get the car there in time. If you don't you pay more than what you would before."

"Does it work?"

"Does what work? The car? Well it depends, sometimes it's a pretty decent car and sometimes its a crappy one, you just have hope it will get you there in time."

"I meant the scam? But does it matter? They give you a free car, so Let's go. Anything to get me there." He turns his head in my direction.

"You meeting someone in California? I thought you would want to see if I was telling the truth... I got out our memory box just in case."

"You still have that? But my uncle, you remember him from last time right? I planned to go stay with him for awhile."

"Oh ya, him, he still got that farm?"

"Last time I checked he did." I open the peanuts and take a couple and eat them.

"My shift ends at 11..." He looks at his watch on his wrist. "So like 20 minutes, ah im so glad my boss doesn't look at the cameras." He gets up turning to me, he motions be to follow. "You can in the back of the store until we have to leave." He grabs my suitcases and we make our way back to the station. He walks around the side of the gas station heading to the back, where a metal door painted green with scratches scampering up to the ceiling stood.

"So I guess just stay here for a while until we have to leave." I nod and take my stuff back before sitting down on the lonely bench. I look around the small room, it was useless to have. There a bunch of trash lying around, along with boxes. I start to walk around the room, touching the broken and unused shelves and boxes. I noticed a box labeled Good with curious intent I open the box. There was a bunch of cigarettes neatly placed. I grab a couple packs and shove them in to my suitcase. I dig around the box a little more before moving on the other boxes.

"That's called stealing ya know" I turn around fast, scared that I had been caught. I drop the alcohol in my hand, letting it shatter into a million pieces.