Forget-Me-Not

Chapter Three

I shook myself out of my own thoughts. The sun was starting to set. The same girl came up to me. I glanced at the name-tag on her shirt. Cindy. She was holding a tray in front of me. She asked me if I wanted anything for supper. My stomach was grumbling but I shook my head 'no.' I looked around at all the other people that needed it more than I did. I watched as she took the tray over to a mother with two children beside her. My heart sunk as one of the kids shyly took the tray. I felt a tear roll down my cheek. I quickly turned away. My mind started to wander and I remembered the first time I had volunteered there.

It was Kyle and I. I had told him that I wanted to help out at the homeless shelter downtown. He said he wanted to join me. I remembered how he and I served trays of food to hundreds of people that day. The smiles each and every one of them had on their faces when they got a tray. After that day, Kyle suggested that we help out every weekend. That was exactly what we did.

I came out of the thought. I couldn't stand thinking about Kyle after what happened today. I focused on the clock hanging on the wall. It read 8:30pm sharp. I took a deep breath in. Why is this happening to me? I though weakly. I had been trying to think of places that I could go. Nothing was coming to mind. Some of the volunteers came out and told us to get some sleep. I layed my head on my 'pillow'. It was just my bag but since it had some clothes in it, it was somewhat comfortable. I closed my eyes and prayed that I would wake up in my own bed, and that this would all be a dream.

~

The next few days were spent in my little corner. I didn't eat much, every time someone would offer me food or water I felt sick to my stomach. The only thing I ate were come crackers here and there, but nothing more. I figured I would have to leave soon. I couldn't stand to being in this place any longer. Cindy came by and told me that the shower was open if I wanted to have one. I nodded my head and she looked at me surprised, a small pitied smile on her face. I grabbed my bag and scurried into the bathroom. Cindy provided me with a towel. After undressing I ran the water. I tried not to take long. I jumped in the shower. The water was nice and warm on my shoulders and back. I quickly washed my hair and got out. I wrapped the towel around my body and wrung out my hair. I took off the towel and grabbed my other pair of clothes from my bag. It was just a pair of black leggings with a dark blue t-shirt and a pair of running shoes, but it was good enough. I stuffed my other clothes in my bag. My hair was soaking wet so I took the towel and wrapped my hair in it for about 5 minutes. When I took off the towel my hair was still wet but dryer than before. I opened the bathroom door and a burst of cold air hit me sending shivers down my spine and goosebumps to rise on my arms. I went back to my corner and sat down for a few seconds. The only plan that I had made up was to just leave this place. I hated being in this place. I hated feeling needy. I swung my bag over my shoulder and went up to Cindy. I thanked her for helping me, then I left. I pushed the door open and a gust of wind blew into me. It had started raining since I went to shower. Each raindrop felt like little needles piercing my skin. I shivered.

I had been walking down the sidewalk for about 20 minutes now. I went in the opposite direction of the shelter. I didn't look back, I just had to keep looking forward. The atmosphere around me was so grey and gloomy. The piercing pain of the rain was starting to make my skin go numb. The rain just kelp coming down harder and harder with no signs of stopping. I was soaking wet. Everybody around me was holding an umbrella, giving me questioning looks. I watched a car drive beside the sidewalk stopping for a pedestrian. My eyes started to go blurry. I rubbed my eyes but it just made it worse. My head was starting to throb and go empty. I couldn't think of anything and every time I did, it make my brain cramp. My vision went black and I felt my whole body crumple to the ground. I felt a pair of hands grab my shoulders and waist and carry me somewhere. I couldn't will my eyes open. My body was completely limp and that was the last thing I could remember.

~

My eyes opened. They felt heavy. I lifted my head slightly. I was in a beige room. It looked to be a living room. Relief flooded through me momentarily before I realized it wasn't mine. Panic started to overcome me. Worse case scenarios were swirling around in my head.

"Oh my god, you're awake!" A male voice said from behind me. I started panicking. His voice sounded familiar. He came up in front of me. Relief flooded over me again as I realized I knew him. It was my ex.

"Matt! Oh my gosh thank god it's you!" I exclaimed. We had sort of a complicated relationship. We ended up dating for a year but had a mutual breakup because we realized that we were growing apart. We stayed really good friends. I was so glad to see him standing in front of me.

"Yea, are you ok? I saw you pass out in the middle of the street. Why were you wandering down the street in this rain?" He asked a bunch of questions at once.

I explained everything to him. He listened to every word I spoke. After I was finished he told me that his parents were away for about a month on a business trip.

"Wait, so you went to school and everyone pretended not to know you?" He confirmed.

"Yea, I know they weren't pretending though." Everything was still a mystery to me.

"Hold on, follow me." He jumped off the couch and walked down a long hallway. He punched in a passcode to a small pin pad and the door unlocked. We entered the room and my jaw dropped to the floor.