Safe Haven

Chapter 3

Frida woke up very early the next day and decided to take a bike ride to clear her head. She hoped that it would take her mind off of those horrible memories. The morning was cool and misty, the sun was just starting to rise and some people were still asleep. Though she didn't like to get up early she did like mornings like these. They made her feel calm, happy, and full filled especially with the wind blowing through her hair. In a brief moment of bliss she closed her eyes and lifted her arms up so she could feel the wind better. It felt wonderful until she heard a loud horn. Her eyes snapped open and she saw a truck heading right for her. It was coming too fast for her to react, she was going to be dead on the spot. But fate had a different plan in mind because just as the truck was about to hit her something, something coming at great speed, ran out into the street, grabbed her, and pulled her to the sidewalk out of harm's way. When she realized that she wasn't dead, she opened her eyes and saw that the fast thing that had saved her was Manny or rather El Tigre. He stood there, panting and looking at her with green eyes filled with fear and relief.

"Are you crazy?" He asked her still panting.

"What?"

"Why in the name of God would you ride your bike like that?! You could've been killed!"

"What's it to you?" She stood up and brushed the dirt off herself. "Not like you care."

"Excuse me? Correct me if I'm wrong but I not only saved you but I risked my life in doing so! So does that mean anything to you?"

"Okay you saved me, you did your job, thanks now leave me alone."

"I see you're still as reckless and ungrateful as I remember. You were always putting yourself in danger and whenever I saved you you would get mad at me."

"I never asked you to save me you know."

"Well what was I supposed to do? Let you die?"

"I can handle myself."

"You almost got hit by a truck!"

"Manny we're not kids anymore okay? We're adults now. I'm a grown woman so it's not up to you to worry about me anymore. If something happens to me it's on my head not yours. Now if you'll excuse me I have to get a job."

Manny watched as she turned to her heals and walked away. She had changed a lot more than he thought. She seemed angry, upset, annoyed, and hurt. He wondered how she got that way. He knew what happened between them was bad but it couldn't have been so bad that it changed her completely could it? No it was something else but what? He didn't have time to worry about that he needed to get to work. He worked as a mechanic at a local car repair shop. It didn't pay much but it paid the bills so he wouldn't complain.

Frida got a job working as a waitress at a diner. For some people that job was easy but for Frida it was difficult because part of her job was that she had to be nice to everyone even if they were rude and there were plenty of rude customers.

"Hey waitress where's my coffee?!" One angry customer demanded.

"It'll be right there." She served one table their food then brought a cup of coffee to the man. "Sorry for the wait sir."

"Well it's about time! Honestly what is it with help today- Hey don't I know you from somewhere?'

"No."