CHAPTER 3

The bus jerked as it stopped in front of the park. My excitement at being back at what had become my ‘Happy Place’ bubbled up from my stomach, to the frozen smile on my face. I’d skipped going to the amusement park the last three days. Instead, I spent hours in the library researching basic computer repair manuals. Though I’m not proud of it, I also tried my hand at dumpster diving. It’s not as easy as they make it look on the YouTube videos I watched about it. So not that easy. After almost getting arrested for trespassing behind a bar, I decided hanging out at Walmart was much more profitable and safer.

The food I got from there was unbelievable. So much so, that I stuffed my backpack with excess and took it to the hotel room my mother and I shared. Dad hadn’t been seen in days and mom froze up when I asked if he was coming back. She’d mumbled a bit about gambling and my heart dropped all the way to my stomach, because I knew he wouldn’t be back anytime soon. His habit had put us in this situation. What’s worse was that and she gave into his demand that she not work or go to college to become employable. I was proud of her though; she’d got several regular jobs cleaning houses, cooking for well-to-do families. Mom was even going to do a medical trial that would pay her a few hundred dollars for using her blood. All this, she got by going door-to-door, offering her help. I’m glad she’s my mom. She’s stronger than I’d originally believed. But now, I know with her I’ll be okay.

The long hill to the entrance didn’t bother me one bit. Tristan was picking me up today. I’d taken extra attention with my hair before giving up to put it in a ponytail, letting some of my curls escape, hoping it would make me look cuter. Not having any lipstick, I’d been sucking on my lips, hoping they’d turn rosy as my own version of permanent red.

Spotting the entrance sign, I sprinted through to the park. I hoped to put my backpack of all my belongings in my secret hiding place behind the lockers before anyone spotted me. Mom warned me that I’d have to find my own place to sleep tonight since she couldn’t afford the hotel. She was working at some mansion cooking all night for a party. Her eyes seemed heavy with unshed tears as she gave me the address just in case I could make it there before she closed the kitchen doors at midnight. How I would get there I didn’t know.

Phoebe, one of the girls my age who worked at the park, waved me over to her. Seeing her lightened my heart a bit. She was the only friend I’d gained since the turn in my life. After hearing her troubling story of survival, mine didn’t sound so bad.

I caught up to her while adjusting my bag on my shoulder. “Hey girl!”

“Hey back at ya! Where’ve you been? I’ve been hanging out here waiting for you way past my break time.” She gave me a hug. Her dark braids slapped against my face.

“The library, doing some research for my new job.” I didn’t want to tell her too much, just in case she tried to talk me out of it.

“What kind of job?” Her eyebrow lifted. “It’s legit, right? Not something or someone who convinced you to do something for some quick money?”

“No, not at all.” I shook my head to carry the point home.

“Then where is it? What’s the name of the company?” Phoebe pulled out a stick of gum, her trademark since she loved popping it. She handed me a piece.

Thankfully, I stuffed the sweet watermelon flavored goodness in my mouth, knowing it would stave off hunger a bit longer. “No company. A friend of mine needs help around his garage.”

She crossed her arms in front of her. “I don’t like it. Sounds suspicious to me.”

I smiled. Phoebe had to be the most suspicious person I knew. I’m sure she had reason though. “I know a bad person from a good person. I haven’t survived this summer without learning to read people. My friend is a nice guy.”

“If he’s so nice, you’ll let me meet him.” Phoebe pursed her lips. “That way if he’s no good I can find him and have my cousins beat him up for you.”

I laughed—couldn’t help it, she made me feel like part of her family. “Okay. Aren’t you late for work?”

She shrugged. “They sent me to clean the bathrooms. Lucky for me, no one’s used them yet.”

“No one uses that bathroom anyway.” I walked to the lockers, not worried about Phoebe knowing my hiding place’s location. She was the one who told me I could put my backpack there, when she spotted me passing by her lemonade and cotton candy stand daily.

“I know that, you know that, but boss lady will never know.” She laughed. “I make it sound like it’s the worst bathroom in the entire park.”

“You’re good.” I admired Phoebe; she had this thing about her, a caring way that made me feel comfortable.

“Yep, sure am. Besides, I worry about you.”

“You worry about everyone,” I commented as I stuffed my backpack behind the space between the wall of lockers.

“Not everyone. Just that…” Her eyes blinked as though she was holding back tears. “I’ve been where you are. I know lots of times you’re here because you don’t have anywhere else to go. That was me when I ran away from home.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be okay.” I reached out to rub her arm.

She shook her head. “I thought that too, until a pimp talked me into coming with him. If I hadn’t run when I saw his sidekick pull up with a van, I may be dead now. I just don’t want that to happen to you.”

“It won’t. I don’t like calling guys ‘Daddy’ who aren’t mine.” I gave a wry smile, flashing back to an exchange I’d witnessed at the last hotel my mom and I stayed at. The things I’ve seen in the last few months scared me. They scared me because when I’d lived in the suburbs, gone to school as an entitled kid, I didn’t even realize things like that or even people like that existed.

“You know, I asked around here to see if you could get a job.” Phoebe’s concerned eyes studied me.

“I kind of don’t want to spoil this place and why I like coming here. If I worked here, I don’t think I would enjoy it as much.”

“Well, they didn’t have anything available at the time, but I would’ve quit my job for you to take it. If you wanted it.”

I shook my head; no way I’d do that to Phoebe. For as tough as she acted, her family needed the money she made at the park. She told me she used her paycheck to buy food for her family.

Someone called Phoebe’s name.

She grabbed my hand. “I gotta go. That’s boss man and he’s a real grouch. If you need anything, here is my phone number. I wrote it down to give to you the other day.”

“Okay, thanks!” I said to her disappearing form.

I hopped on the balls of my feet. Now to go to the front of the park to see if Tristan had actually come to pick me up. He didn’t know how much his help meant to me. How anxious I was. One thing I learned from Phoebe though, was not to show the desperation. If you did, someone may take advantage. Tristan maybe freaked out and run away. Or figure I was so needy that it disgusted him.

The park was getting busy. I rushed through the incoming people to get back to the gate. He didn’t tell me where he would pick me up, I just hoped he meant up front. The lines were long. People were hanging around waiting on others, but I headed to where I could see cars at the drop-off area. I stuffed Phoebe’s number in my back pocket and paced a bit while I watched for him. Too bad I had no way to call her, even if I needed to. Being broke meant pawning my cellphone for food.

After a few hours of pacing, waiting, and praying he would show up, I knew he wasn’t there. I sighed, wiping a stupid tear off my face, and searched for a place I could have the belting out cry I’d been holding in for months. Oh, fudge it; I couldn’t hold it back. A whimper escaped as I started towards the bathroom just inside the gates. The crowds had thinned and my sight was blurry as I ran. The moment I bolted, someone grabbed my arm to jerk me back into a broad chest.

“Hey, hey, what’s wrong?”

Arms pulled me close. “Sorry I…” My gaze traveled upwards. It’s him. Tristan. I choked out, “You came?” I sniffed, remembering I’m not supposed to show my desperation. “Uh, someone stole my money,” I lied, sort of. It’s happened before but not today. Hopefully, the day it happened doesn’t count. I just can’t stand for him to think I’m a stalker girl or something.

“Want me to go to security with you? They’ve got cameras or something,” he asked while searching around. “I’d parked the car because of the line, then had to take a call.”

I sniffed.

Tristan continued to rub my back. “I saw you start to leave and was trailing you, then you ran off.” He used his finger to tilt my chin upwards. “You sure you don’t want to go to security?”

“No. No, I’m ready to go. You know, get to work.” I swallowed and stepped back from him before I wrapped my arms around him and never let him go. With each moment he’d shown concern, my heart melted and reached for him.

For a moment Tristan appeared to be studying me, like he didn’t believe I was okay. Then he shrugged. “Good, we’ve got a lot to do.” He placed his hand on my lower back to nudge me ahead.

After a short walk, we got to a yellow sports car with dents and rust spots. Tristan curved around me and unlocked the door. “Sorry about that seat, it’s pretty ripped up.”

“I don’t mind.” I widened the door and slid in.

Within a moment he got in and locked the doors.

“Is this yours?” I asked, impressed he’d earned his own car.

“Nope, it’s part of our job for today.” He gave me a smile—one that melted me all the way to my toes. “My car looks better. It’s my showpiece that helps me get jobs. Totally decked out with a dashboard computer system that I sell. Also, cameras on the rims, and trunk.” He started the engine; the revving made my entire body shake, I braced my hands on either side of the seat.

Tristan laughed. “I know one thing, this car might not be worth all the work I have to do to get the computer in it. The owner wants to refurbish this thing.”

I laughed, wondering how much money someone would pay to fix the car. And why would they want to put a computer system in it before the outside was repaired.

We didn’t speak for a while. I caught glimpses of his profile and realized he had a few scars on his face. A deep gash, small, but permanent just under right his eye.

“Do you live far from here?” The trees passed by once we got on the highway.

“Nope, just one exit up. What about you? Where do you live?” His eyes never left the road. I was grateful for that.

“I…uh,” clearing my throat, I answered, “about two bus stops north of the park.”

“Good, I’ll drop you off home after we’re done. I don’t want you to have to take the bus home.”

The sour feeling of the lie I’d made sat in my stomach. I couldn’t keep it up. It would spoil our time together. Something about him, the way he just treated me with a sense of concern made me want to trust him. Take the blossoming friendship he offered.

“I um, I have to be honest. My family—we’re sort of in between homes right now. So tonight I plan on going to the hotel near the park.” The hotel was around the corner from my mom’s work. Hopefully, we’d be able to rebook a night after my mom got paid. When she took those jobs, she used a heavy accent, which prompted most people to offer to pay her in cash after the work was done. If I made it to her in time, she’d tell them that I was there to help her, and she’d let me find a spot to sleep while she finished up the cleaning or cooking.

“Is your family buying a house or something? Friends of ours stayed in a hotel while their house was being built,” he said.

“Uh, no. But we plan on moving into a stable place soon as we find one.”

Tristan nodded. “I’ll drop you off wherever you want – even at your in-between home.”

His hands flexed, tightening on the steering wheel as if he was thinking about what to say next.

“That’s why this job is important to me,” I rushed out, not wanting pity or kind words.

“It’s okay, the job is yours. As for your situation, I understand. It was touch and go for us after my father died. You’ve got nothing to be ashamed of with me. I don’t care about those things.”

“Me either. As long as I’m with my family, I realized the other things don’t matter as much.” At least that’s what I kept telling myself. But the truth was, I wasn’t with my family. My brother was at my aunt’s and my father was nowhere to be found.

I just hoped. Really hoped, I’d be able to be with my mom tonight.