A gap of love

An offer

Are you alright love?"

He asked her in his strong Northern accent.

Mia wiped away some tears and nodded, and put on a brave smile.

Ryan didn't want to leave her in her plight alone, as everyone else on-board the bus had and went to get his stuff, to sit in the seat in front of her to not make her uncomfortable as the youths had.

"You alright kid?"

He asked her again, and saw her slowly look up at him with piercing hazel eyes, still moist with tears.

"I have had a bad day, that's all."

Ryan snorted.

"Yeah looks like that, we all have them."

Mia looked away out of the window for a moment.

"So you and your boyfriend must have had a bad break-up."

Mia looked at him sternly, in fear he was about to scold her for having a private conversation on a bus in front of many people.

"We don't get to choose where we have that conversation, for a break-up. It can happen anywhere, on buses, at home or in the street. We don't get to choose who overhears the details."

Mia smiled, and even giggled at his comment because he seemed right to her about the matter.

"He took all my fucking money, all of my savings. I have nothing."

Ryan put down his laptop bag once more, and looked at Mia.

"Do you have a place to stay, with family or something?"

Mia laughed.

"I was living with the arsehole."

Ryan smiled, understanding the predicament she was in all too well.

"Ah that does present some problems."

Mia grinned.

"Yeah, it does a bit."

Ryan leaned back against the wall of the bus.

"What about family, do you have anyone you can call and stay with?"

Mia sighed.

"Everyone I know is outside of the city, and my family weren't' all too happy with me being with him in the first place. My father would want me to suffer, to see the error of my ways as it were."

Ryan knew the sort of fathers like that, regardless of what his daughter or son had done, he would have taken them in and gave them a bed, if he ever would have kids that is.

"So what are you going to do? Stay on the bus all day, find some doorway you can sleep in for the evening?"

Mia didn't know how to answer that, the idea had crept into her mind in sleeping the night in the big, famous parks of the city. But then some were well known for Dogging, and other nightly activities.

Mia turned to look out of the window, wondering where her life was going to go now.

"I have a spare bedroom, with a key. You can lock the door yourself, I have no other keys that can open that door."

Mia turned and listened, surprised at such an offer from this man.

"It would give you a place to lay down your head, get a few hours' sleep and be able to think things through carefully."

Mia looked at the man, he looked old enough to be her father with his balding head. But he was big, built, like a man or a bear with his thick beard and brown eyes.

"Why? Why would you even offer me something like this? You don't even know me."

Ryan sighed.

"Honey, if I took everyone at face value I'd be a lonely person. I see your situation, and I want to help. The room can be locked from the inside, so you have nothing to worry about. No question of payment will ever come up. I am just lending you a helping hand, so how about it?"

Mia didn't know what it was, but the man seemed warm, genuine, and a good man. It was dangerous taking up such an offer from a stranger, but if she had the key to the room she could lock herself inside safely and not worry about anything.

"Do you live locally?"

Ryan nodded.

"Two more stops, you ready?"

He asked her, sure her answer had been a yes and his offer was taken up on.

Mia nodded, she had nothing to lose.

She stood, and they collected their things before climbing downstairs on the two-story bus and when the bus reached the stop, they got off.

The walk was short, nothing was said as Mia watched the man from a distance as he took her towards a small block of apartments.