Lost By Choice

New home

I kept running in the woodsy area and decided I needed to make some stops. It was the next afternoon and I went and cashed the check. I walked down by the lake and smashed my phone. I had to go off the grid. That was the only way I could be safe. I walked to a bus station and bought a ticket. I got on and kept my head down. When we stopped at Clearwater Beach, Florida I got off. It was a nice secluded area. Hardly anyone lived down here. It was the perfect place to start fresh. I went into a little store called, Dawson's. I walked in and grabbed a few more energy bars and bottles of water. I went up to the checkout and waited there. Finally, aa guy around my age walked behind the register. "Sorry about that." He said and scanned my stuff. He told me the price and I gave him the exact amount. He gave me my stuff and I left. I went into an area surrounded by trees and in the center I found a vacant, rundown, little house. I walked in and saw the inside was no better than the outside but it would work. I looked around and thought it was cute. It was made completly out of wood. It had one bedroom and all rooms were proportional. It was abandoned yet I could still get water. It was tiny but perfect for me. On the outside there was stairs starting from the side leading to the front door, since the house was a few feet off the ground. There was still furniture in the house all covered by white sheets. I would only need a few things and then I would be set. I pulled out my wallet and put my old ID behind my new one. I grabbed out a piece of paper and made a list of everything I needed.
•candles
•lighter
•tape
•nails
•hammer
•paint

There was so many loose floorboards here and everything in this house creaked. It was definitley going to take some getting used to, but at least I didn't have to spend every second in fear. It was getting late so I decided to go to bed. I woke up, showered, and got dressed. I put my hair up and slid into flipflops. I grabbed my wallet and left. I went back to Dawson's and began looking. I picked up a little basket to put everything in. I found rhinestone covered lighters and got one in pink and another in black. Then, I found millions of kinds of candles. I started grabbing random ones in different scents, colors, and sizes. I found the hammer and guessed on the nails. I walked over to the checkout and a little girl around five appeared behind the counter.
"Did you find everything okay?" She asked me.
"Uh, yeah." I said a little confused. "Sweetheart, do you work here?" I asked.
"Yeah! This is my daddy's store, me and my brother work here. I'm Gracie!" She said holding out her hand.
"Hi Gracie," I said reaching for her hand, "I'm Courtney. Since you work here, maybe you can help me."
"What do you need?"
"Paint."
"We have that! We have a little booklet so you could choose colors. What are you painting?"
"My floor." I replied and she started laughing.
"Why?"
"I think my place could use a little more color and to help it be brighter."
"That's weird." She said and I started laughing to, because it was.
"Gracie! Let me take care of this." The guy who checked me out yesterday said coming up behind me. She walked away. "Sorry about her she just loves to talk."
"No, its fine. She's cute. I love how she isn't afraid of anyone. She reminds me of someone I used to know" I said. Me. That's how I was and look at where that got me.
"I'm Luke." He said and started scanning my stuff.
"Courtney." I replied. Just then, Gracie came back with the book of paint chips. "Thanks." I said to her.
"You're painting something?" He asked.
"Yeah." I replied smiling.
"Her floor." Gracie added.
"Just to brighten the place up." I explained.
"Nice, so you just choose a color and we'll order it for you."
"Thanks." I said and handed him the money.
"Why don't I give you a ride home." He said.
"You don't have to."
"I insist, it's raining and I have a feeling you're new here."
"Yeah." He dropped me off, insisting to take me to my house.
"Does your whole family live here?" He asked, looking at my place.
"Uh no, just me."
"Your eighteen?"
"Yeah."
"So am I. Are you going to college here?"
"No, I'm taking a year off to figure things out. You?"
"No, my parents can't really afford it right now. There are somethings we need to focus on paying for." He said. He sighed and said, "my mom has cancer."
My heart broke for him, I know how hard it is. I wanted to tell him I know what it's like and all that. But I couldn't. That means letting out more than I'm willing. "I'm so sorry." I said. "I've got to go." And without another word I got out and ran inside.