Fatal Attraction

Chapter Two

It's nearing eight o'clock and I was getting hungry, like Starvin' Marvin. Eleanor had asked me what time I wanted to go back to the shelter. I told her I was getting a little hungry so it might be best to head out soon. I wanted to get McDonalds on the way and she was more than happy with that. I said my goodbyes to Max and Liam shortly after that.

After we got our food we stopped at Holiday off of Main St in Anoka. Stepping out of her tiny Fusion I gathered my phone and wallet. A black 2013 Chevy Tahoe pulled into the lot, driving up to another pump. I didn't think anything of it except for I wished I owned that truck. I walked up to the register.

"Can I have a pack of Newport Menthol 100s?" I asked the cashier.

"Sophia! Fancy seeing you here!" Violet's voice squealed. I turned around slowly praying that she didn't see my annoyed eye roll.

"Hi Violet." I smiled. I turned around and paid for the pack of cigarettes. I made a mental note to thank Eleanor for keeping me afloat and helping out when I need it. I never ask her for money. She offers. She's always been kind and a little too caring in my opinion. In her spare time when she wasn't with Claire, Daniel or I, she would be volunteering at Soup Kitchens and visiting the Elderly.

"Are you heading back to the shelter?" She asked. "Theodore and I were just heading that way if you wanted a ride."

"No- I mean I am but my friend is outside waiting."

"No I'm not." Eleanor's soft and delicate voice popped out from behind me. I jumped. "Hi, I'm Eleanor."

Violet smiled widely at Eleanor, seeming almost in love at the sight of her long blonde hair flowing past the small of her back and her petite structure. I shook my head, laughing quietly to myself.

"Hello gorgeous, the name Violet." Violet stuck out her hand, her eyes gleaming with lust.

"Hello." Eleanor smiled. Eleanor switched her gaze towards Theodore and asked, "Who might you be?"

"Theodore." His reply was short and his voice baritone. "Come on, Vi. We need to go."
"Wha- oh?" I glanced between Violet and Theodore and tried to figure out what his problem was. There was a hidden message and I was determined to figure it out. "Alright well I guess we will be going. Sophia would you like to go for that walk later?"

"Sure. Find me when you get back." I replied sweetly, walking out of the gas station heading towards Eleanors car. We pulled out of the lot and sat in silence. It wasn't but five minutes that we were at the shelter.

"Alright well call me in the morning and we can get started on finding you a job." Eleanor said excitedly. I shook my head and laughed.

"Okay text me when you get home!" I said before shutting the door.

I pressed the doorbell and waited a couple of seconds for someone to buzz me in. I signed in quickly, wanting to claim a shower before somebody else had the chance too. I grabbed the towel that hung inside my locker and the shower boat sitting on top of a stack of clean clothes and walked towards the bathroom. The water was warm and welcoming. My muscles relaxed underneath the water droplets pelting against my skin. My thoughts wandered mindlessly into a sudden dark oblivion.

Four years of being homeless, selling my body and soul just to survive in a world so cruel, so unfair. I was stuck running from one person and I hid in plain sight. I had been running from my Demons and Monsters for a little over a year when Lenny had found me. I was settling down underneath the tarp I had pinned between a garbage bin and an old apartment building in downtown Minneapolis. I could hear the parties and the sirens and the life that was going on around me. After spraying febreze fabric refresher on my sheets I had bought from the Dollar Store earlier in the day, I laid down on top of four fleece blankets, three comforters and a mattress pad and slid between the sleeping bag that my homeless neighbor, James had given me the week before after he had bought himself a new one. I was just about to pass out into a semi peaceful slumber when I heard soft footsteps walking in front of my dumpster.