Home is Where the Heart Is

Chapter 8: Forsaken

It was pitch black outside with plenty of shadows and barley any cars passing by. I'm guessing nobody would care to see a teen on the streets, carrying a heavy load of her new survival kit.

The walk was hell, because my shoulders and feet ached, and directions, routes, oh my all so abound. It was around a good 30 minutes before I entered the lobby of my local Inn.

It was the safest place for a beginner, and just a good 10 miles from my house! It was a ghost house, with the typical bored teenager as a desk receptionist. Except..she was just tired, with plenty of Starbuck cups to wake her up. I hope I could pass as an adult..I'm only 5'8". The rooms were almost full, but the lobby..abandoned. Except the Koi Aquarium and antique portraits of still-life art.

The girl looked up and got herself ready. "Welcometothe *cough* Maplerockinnhowmayihelpyoumiss?" her eyes drifted around the place, as if she had a case of neurosis.

"One room, king sized bed, one week". I confirmed. She didn't seem to cautious.

"Name?"

"Linda..Ryder". Aha. I totally fake named! And sure enough, she handed me the key as I handed her the $75 bucks. I got the top balcony, which was an amazing lookout. Just up the elevator, down the carpeted corridor and shazam. New temporary home!

It was a minuscule bathroom and powder room, king sized floral bed, TV, cheap Gamecube and ironing board space. I dropped my bags at the sight, and flopped onto my new bed. It was sort cheap but felt like a cloud from heaven. Oh so plush and angelically soft..everything seemed so glamorous in my eyes. The TV was really a small flat one but it seemed as if it were a plasma screen, the shower Amazon Rainfalls, and the blankets? Beds or flowers or sheets of snow. I turned on the TV to my favorite show: American Dad.

Too many decisions! Take a shower? Gaze at yourself in the mirror, without anyone making rude comments about how ugly I was, or TV? I chose the shower, when my phone buzzed. It was a text message from Beckett. Shit. Did he find out?

Should I open it? Should I delete it? I fought it, and the words were shocking. This had to be a lie..I was awestruck. This jerk..he was proven right. He just made my throat feel stiff, lips quaver, and eyes squint and sting.

Fuck this. Dropping the Blackberry on the bathroom counter, I locked myself in the bathroom for a long shower session, AKA crying my eyes out. The words that stained my phone screen read:

"Do you honestly know how much of an attention-grabbing bitch you are? No wonder your parents barely see, you they hate you. In fact, everyone hates you! Get the hell out of my face for life, and chug bleach, you stupid bitch.

P.S. I never liked you, so get your hopes lowered. If you have any, in that souless mind of yours."