Runaway Girl
Lisa slowly walked into the Greyhound station. Today was the day she decided to go to Seattle. What was in Seattle? Who knew. What wasn't in Seattle is the better question? She didn't have her parents....well her mom and stepfather. She didn't have to deal with her friends. And better yet she didn't have her past haunting her.
"One ticket to Seattle please," Lisa said.
The lady didn't question anything about Lisa's age. Though she was only fifteen she could easily pass for 18 or 19. That's what always got her into trouble with her parents. Her stepfather always called her demeaning names. Lisa had a social life and they held it against her. Saying she was sleeping with half the town. Actually that had only been her stepfather. But her mother. Did she ever stop him? No. She just stood by and watched all the chaos.
"Here you go miss. Have a good trip," said the lady after she told Lisa all the instructions of reboarding on the bus and for luggage. Her nameplate revealed the name Tamera.
"Thank you," Lisa said in a softlike whisper and then she walked to an empty seat and waited. Waited for her new life to begin. She was scared. She knew noone in Seattle. Lisa knew it was a long trip from Texas to Seattle. But she didn't care. She decided that on the trip she would figure out a plan. Fifteen minutes later the loud speakers intruded on her thoughts.
"Bus 1515 to Seattle is now boarding."
Lisa got up from her chair and carried the only luggage she had with her, her school backpack. As she waited in the line by the door she looked out the window. At the home that was once hers. Where she had once been happy. She shook out of her thoughts before tears would show. She didn't want anyone to be suspicious about her running away. She slowly walked to the ticketer and handed him hers. He ripped them apart and pointed her towards the right bus. When she got on she walked to the middle part of the bus and sat alone. It wasn't a packed bus which she was thankful for. Ten minutes later the bus was about to pull away but then stopped. Someone was late. There was another passanger. Lisa wished they would hurry up so she didn't have any second thoughts about leaving. She watched as the teenage boy walked onto the bus. He had gotten a lot of stares. Even she stared at him. He looked familiar. But she just couldn't pinpoint where she had seen him. When he sat down next to her she cringed. She always hated seating partners on this bus. They were always annoying and would never shut up. So she decided to put on a CD before he got settled in and would start up a conversation. When she rummaged through her bag she found her old Hanson CD. It was all scratched up. But since she hadn't listened to it for six years she decided to put it in anyway. Lisa had once been a little teenybopper when she was nine years old. But soon grew out of it when her older cousins made fun of her for liking them. She only bought one CD of theirs, Middle Of Nowhere. They had a few follow that one but she didn't pay attention. Actually in the passed two years she never heard anything about them. She wondered where they were and what they were doing. But then when the bus started pulling out her thoughts shook back to her family as she listened to the song,"Weird". She couldn't control it anymore. Tears started to slowly sting her blue eyes. She thought about her real father, her mom, her friends, and her boyfriend. After all the happy thoughts she reminded herself why she was running away. Her stepfather. He was abusive mentally. And she couldn't take anymore. She had to get away from it. Not long after the boy noticed the tears he slowly tapped her. Lisa ignored it. But he was persistent. She took off her headphones and stopped the CD.
"Are you okay?" The boy asked concerned.
"N-no." Lisa stammered.
"May I ask what's wrong," he asked quietly so that the other passangers wouldn't start to bother her too.
"Everything," Lisa was surprised that she didn't say,'nothing' like she usually did.
"Okay. But like what?"
"Stuff you wouldn't even begin to comprehend."
"Well I would like to listen and help you if you'd like."
Lisa just stared at the boy. Noone ever showed this much concern since her real father. Her father who had died when she was eleven years old. Her father was the one person who knew what she liked and wanted to hear. Her mother was also very caring. But she was so scared of impressing people the wrong way that her main concern was just simply herself.
"Well....I just am...I'm...running away," Lisa finally let it go. She really didn't want to run away. She was scared as hell.
"What? Why?" The boy asked in shock.
"B-because, I can't live in my house anymore. My stepfather. He is so mean. He hates me and he shows it well."
"Well what about your mom?"
"She is so afraid to lose him that she doesn't listen to me anymore."
"I'm sorry. I don't know what to say," he said sympathetically.
"It's okay I didn't expect you to," Lisa replied while gaining control of herself a bit more.
"Where are you running to?"
"Seattle."
"Who or what is in Seattle?"
"Nothing," Lisa answered with dry sarcasm.
"Okay. Can I ask you another question?"
"I guess so."
"If nothing is in Seattle then why go there? You are obviously alone here. And why not try to living with someone else until your mother sees what your stepdad is like? I mean instead of going somewhere you will most likely not find anyone who does truely care about you."
Lisa thought about it. He was right. She could always live with her Aunt who adored her. And not only her, but all kids. She couldn't have any children so she knew that they were precious.
"I never thought of that," Lisa said quietly to him.
"Obviously. Why don't you get off at this next stop?"
"I want to...when will we be there?"
"I think in about ten minutes."
"Okay. Thank god..I don't want to be alone. I'm gonna go to the bathroom." Lisa said while getting up.
"Alright," he said while giving her room to walk out to the aisle.
Lisa walked to the bathroom. And freshened up. She looked hideous. Her eyes were puffy and dark. She looked so lonely. No wonder the boy knew her feelings. They weren't well hidden. She was relieved that she was going home. She wanted help. She didn't want to be alone anymore. She wanted all her friends back. The ones who were afraid to come to her house because of her stepdad. A few minutes after these thoughts she returned to her seat next to the boy. When she got there he was by the window. She looked at him funny.
"Oh. This way you wouldn't change your mind about going back home."
She smiled for the first time in a while," oh...okay. Thanks."
"No problem," he replied.
They both sat there in silence until the bus came to a halt.
"Thank you again," Lisa said.
"It's okay. What is your name anyway?"
"Lisa," she answered.
"Nice to meet you. Now will you do me a favor?" he asked.
"Sure."
"Don't change your mind. And don't run away again."
"That sounds like two favors. But I give you my word." She smiled once more to the boy and he smiled back. Then she got up and walked off the bus. Her backpack in hand. She walked to the payphone. As she walked the bus pulled off. She turned around and took one last glimpse at the bus and then the boy. She suddenly got upset because she didn't ask for his name. But then she remembered to call her aunt. When she got to the phone she opened her bag and looked for her wallet. A few CD's fell out of her bag. She went to the ground too pick them up. As she put them in she noticed her Hanson CD had a piece of ripped paper in it. She opened it up and took it out. She read it and began to cry.
Don't give up. You will never be alone. I will always be here if you need me.
Zachary Hanson
She was embarressed. She was so wrapped up in her problems she didn't realize where she had seen those deep brown eyes before. He was once her starstruck crush. She would think to have remembering him. But then she chuckled. She didn't care anymore....now he was her guardian angel. She would never forget him. And as she held the paper close to her heart she noticed that he had included his address. She knew that right when she settled into her Aunt's house that she was going to send him a thank you letter. She read the note again and again.