Aleisha Crooks

Making our way to the car, she felt a lot more familiar now, but something is still lingering from the back of my mind. How is she so calm? The only thing I could come up with how she got those bruises is probably because of her dad.

Turning the key, the car cranked and grumbled back to life. The convenience store that I worked at was outside of Sedona which was a desolate wasteland, but it's still part of the city for some reason. Now that I actually think about it, who in their right mind would start a convenience store on the side of the road? Well, this city is famous for its unconventional land formations and overall atmosphere which is understandable, but why in build it in an unpopulated area?

While I was ridiculing the questionable decisions of the manager I was working at, the girl beside me was silent. Staring into the distance, as if she was longing for something. She had a face I can't paint, not because it was dark, but because I've never saw someone made that face before.

"By the way, the apartment I'm staying at only has one bedroom so I guess you can sleep on the bed. I'll just sleep on the couch in the living room." I tried to break the ice by commenting about my apartment.

"Oh no, it's fine. I'm the one staying for the night after all so I'll take the couch."

"I insist, I have a day off on Tuesdays. I mean you must be pretty tired from all that walking."

"I see, thank you."

That was it. That lasted about 30 seconds. I don't have anymore to ask her because it might seem like I'm prying. With no other choice, I asked her what was really on my mind.

"Sorry, I don't mean to pry or meddle with your business, but I'm actually convinced that you are running away from home." I asked her pathetically.

"Oh? Is that so?" She replied in an uninterested and cold tone.

"Yeah, I don't mean to make you mad, but looking at those bruises and the luggage that you have with you. I was fully aware that you are running away from home because of your dad, which was fine because he was abusive." I laid out, not all, of my thoughts, but some of them to the table.

"Uh-y-yeah ha-ha, I was running away from my dad because he was abusive." She answered nervously as if she was unsure of himself.

"Well, I guess it's understandable. I've never been in that situation, but I think you made the right choice." I told her. There's still so much things I want to ask her and what led her to now, but I'll keep them to myself.

As we were talking, we arrived to the part Sedona where it's the most active. The glowing street lights complimented the sandy formation and the amount of buildings that were in the area. Locals and tourists alike are sitting outside the diners as they were probably waiting for a line due to the number of people or they just finished eating with their families. We passed by a few parking lots that were filled to the brim of various types of cars, which at some point made me felt a bit bad about the car I'm driving. Despite being midnight, this part of the city is still active which made people that admired it a bit more livelier.

On the other hand, the person beside me had her eyes glued to the window as her eyes were sparkling as she glossed over the lights from the buildings that passed by her. She too was admiring the feel of this place. Passing over the bustling buildings, we were in the local part of the neighborhood where most of the houses and apartment buildings are built. Some of the houses glowed a faint light red as the light from the streets pierced the red sandstone which were used to build some of the houses.

"We're here." I said, breaking off her momentary trance.

It's just your average four storey apartment. No history about people dying nor people doing any shady things, well, not that we know of at least. If you walk up and tried to scratch the wall, you'll notice that the paint is peeling because of how it directly it receives sunlight, no thanks to Sedona's placement on the equator.

"It looks, well, normal." She commented.

I park in the lot behind the apartment, preparing to leave, she quickly cursed in the air.

"Oh shit. My luggage." She says.

"It's probably at the diner, if your're worried about it being taken by someone then don't worry. I've been eating at that diner for 2 years now and lost many things, all of them got returned to me so we'll just go back there tomorrow." I replied to reassure her.

"You can wear my sister's clothes, but I'm not sure if they will fit you." I added.

"You are living with your sister? I thought you were alone?! Actually, nevermind. I'm going back to the diner, I'll just slee-" She hastily replied as soon as I mentioned that I was living with my sister.

"No-no, h-hey calm down." She's trying to open break the door open.

It looks like I'm forcing her to stay over, which I really don't, though a little part of me wants to provide her shelter through the things she's been going through.

"Look, my sister moved out my house a month ago. She's not there, she's in Washington with my parents." I said, trying to calm her down.

"O-oh, I-I'm sorry. To be honest, I'm just nervous that I'm staying over a person's house that I've just met." She spoke her mind out. I know the situation she's in is nothing to take lightly that's why I tried to be as welcoming and open-minded as possible.

"I'm nervous too. Except for my sister, you're the first girl that'll enter my apartment. I apologize in advance if it's a bit messy." I spoke my thoughts to reassure her once again.

She breathes in. "Let's go."

We entered the building, stepping on a red carpet that stretched along 4 rooms on the left. Various noises can be heard. From babies crying, people fighting, moaning sounds and people shouting were all simultaneously raining upon our eardrums. The stairs was at the end of the hall so that was probably the worst impression to give her about the state of the building I'm living in. We made our way up to the second floor which was much more worse. People shouting and visible flashing lights that can be seen the window caught our eye as we passed by the second room.

"They're really living the life." I said while my guest is just looking there, probably wondering how someone can live in this environment.

Enduring another set of stairs, w're at the floor where my apartment is. More specifically, the fourth room that's next to the stairs that leads to the roof.

"It's by the end of this hall." I commented while looking back. Suddenly, familiar footsteps reverberate through the floor. I gulped.

"Hey! Simon, I see that you're back from work." Her voice echoed behind me.

"H-hey Ms. Garcia, I will have it by next week. I promise." I pleaded to her while the girl is looking at us wondering what we were talking about. "You better." She replied, smiling threateningly as she walks down the stairs.

"Rent?" She asked as I sighed.

"Yeah." I lazily replied, but this was too much. Imagine having someone over your apartment then suddenly, your landlord reminds you and your guest that you haven't paid rent. "Sorry about that." I tell her while opening the door. "Don't be, it's normal." She said as she was looking at me struggling with the lock.

*click*

"There, I really need to get this fixed." I said while wiping the sweat from my forehead. "Come in." I said as to welcome her. "Oh, ummm, sorry for intruding." She shyly said.

"I guess you must be pretty tired so I'll point you to your room." Leading the way, we passed by the bathroom. "Oh yeah, this is the bathroom. So you can just go in here and do your thing." God, what was that Simon? You absolute buffoon!

She was looking around the living room when we passed. I have nothing, but two couches in front of the television. No plants or carpets, nothing. It was the type of room you would confine a patient in from an asylum. She looked like she wanted to say something, but she didn't. Going through the short hallway on the left of the living room, the bedroom. The bed was spacious enough for two people and next to it is a short cabinet with a lamp on top of it. That was it. This is literally the most bland episode of MTV cribs. "So yeah this is where you'll be sleeping." I said.

"Oh, y-yeah thanks."

-I stopped there

I tried to make small talk, cause this was insufferable. The awkward silence will be the death of me. "So what are you going to do tomorrow? I mean we can report him to the police and you can stay here for a bit, but that would be too weird wouldn't it?"

"L-let's not report him, b-because he's still my dad you know?." She replied.

"By the way, what would be 'too weird' " She added which caught me off guard. Do I really have to spell it out for her? I'm a guy. She's a woman, We literally met hours ago and now she's staying at my room. How dense can this girl be?

"No, I thought that it was weird because we just met hours ago and now you're staying at my house."

"Oh yeah that, ha-ha."

Oh god, how are you going to expect me to reply to that when it leaves no room for me to. I'll just end it here for now, we'll just discuss it tomorrow on what she should do. For now, she should get some rest. " S-so, we'll just talk about what you should do next, tomorrow morning, for now you should rest."

"Yeah, that would be really helpful. Thank you, Simon." She replied, smiling at me.

What was that?!

"Y-yeah, goodnight." I replied.

That really caught me off guard.

Making my way to the living room, I turned on the T.V to distract myself that the situation I'm in is out of my expertise. I composed myself as I was flipping through the channels as a plethora of shows was in the palm of my hands. Ranging from Cooking shows, late night Mystery shows, some Korean Drama and your generic RomCom that they always air during 12:00 PM.

I switched the channel.

It was static and I drifted away to sleep.