Be My Guest

Caleb

I was cold. I was hungry. I was thirsty. I was convinced that it was impossible to make it out here.

What job?
What money?
What family?

I sighed and stopped at my next destination: the brown suburban, stone-brick house. This was probably the most trusting one I've been to today. There had to be something in this bag.

I had to hurry and find something quick. It was about to rain any second now.

I opened the lid up and gripped the black trash bag to pull it out the bin. I sighed as the nasty smell ran up my nostrils. You would think I was used to it by now.

I dumped the bag on the concrete. I quickly stuck my hand in, rummaging through, trying to find something decent to eat. I had to be quiet before anyone caught me—I never got caught.

"Shit," I cursed as my finger touched something sticky and slimy.

After two minutes of searching, I gave up.

I took my hand out and brushed it across my recently torn jeans. My clothes were dirty anyways. It wouldn't make a difference.

I was about to put the trash bag back in the bin, until I heard a voice. My head snapped back, and my eyes widened.

"What are you doing?" a female voice spoke. The security lights of her house came on.

Shit.

I couldn't see the girl clearly as slowly stepped down her stairs. She paused a bit before walking over to me.

She didn't look as scared as I did. She could call the cops on me—she could even have a gun.

I began taking steps back, until I was under the big yellow street light.

"Wait, don't go," she said. She took slower steps towards me, until she ended up under the light also.

I could see this girl better now. She had curly black hair and brown skin. She was absolutely gorgeous—too gorgeous to shoot me.

"What are you doing in front of my house? Who are you?" she asked in a calm tone.

I sighed and gulped a great lungful of the cold nights air.

"Sorry to disturb you, miss. I was looking for food," I simply said.

"Are you homeless?" she whispered.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again. Hearing someone else calling me that hurt more than I thought it would. I pursed my lips together and nodded.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Caleb," I spoke.

She stared at me, her eyes moving up and down my body. Why was I still here?

I sighed and put my hands on my pockets.

"Well, I'll be going. Uhh...sorry for being on your property." I bent down and picked up the bag.

I sniffled and dropped the trash bag back into the black bin. I felt her gaze on me the whole time.

My eyes landed on hers again, and we stared at each other for about 4 seconds, before I broke eye contact.

"Have a good night, and my bad, again, I said.

I turned around and began walking into the darkness. I didn't know where I was headed, but at this point, I didn't care.

I felt so embarrassed to be caught living like this. I never in my life figured I would have to dig in other people's trash just to find something to eat.

"Hey!" I suddenly heard.

My head shot back into the direction of the sound. The woman was still outside, looking at me.

"Hold up!" she yelled. I turned my whole body around and watched jog towards me. When she caught up to me, she took a deep breath before she spoke.

"Come inside," she spoke.

My eyebrows creased. "Huh?" I asked.

"Come inside. I'll make you dinner," she said.

My lips parted, trying to find the right words to say.

"A-Are you joking?" I asked.

"No," she said and tilted her head.

"Miss, you don't have to."

"It's about to start pouring. It's the least I can do, really," she said.

I couldn't grasp the situation. I would be surprised to even get a bag of chips, but dinner?

I've never met anyone who was so trusting of a stranger. I didn't know her and she didn't know me. She could've been one of those serial killers who befriended people on the streets before they attacked. I stared at her, wanting to find any clue in her face telling me not to go inside that house.

"Miss-"

"Call me Gia," she said.

"Gia.. I really have to go."

"It would make me very happy if you joined me," she said in a hopeful tone. "Do you like spaghetti? I can make some for you."

I gave her a small smile in return. Her tone was genuine, so I couldn't refuse.

"Aight," I said.

"Awesome! Follow me." She turned around and began walking in the direction the house was. I hesitated a bit, but then I followed behind her.

I took many deep breaths. Nothing like this ever happened in the past three months. I don't think this shit happened in general. I couldn't mess it up. Not again.

I didn't want to disappoint her. What if she asks me a lot of questions that I don't wanna answer?

I took one more deep breath. It was only dinner, I reminded myself.