I can’t believe this just happened. I can’t believe someone I cared so much about could do this to me. We’ve shared our lives together. How can this just be over so suddenly?
My mind does its usual thing, and reminds me that my parents were supposed to love me, and they threw me out for a lot less than this. Why wouldn’t Jeff do the same thing?
I stand and look at the house that had come to be my home, breathing heavily as I fight to keep my emotions in check.
I want to go to the door and ask him to reconsider. But I don’t. I don’t bother fighting this. I don’t bother trying to get back in. I’ve been through this all before. Instead, I hitch my bag up on my shoulder and start walking, trying my best to hold it together so I can figure out what to do.
I reach my hand into my pocket and pull out the wad of cash I have from the night of selling and count it. There’s over a thousand dollars.
“Well, at least I have some cash this time,” I say to myself, pushing it back inside my pocket. I also have a decent amount of ecstasy tablets left too, so at least I have a bit of happiness left in my life. Even if it is only chemical.
Chapter Fifteen
I realise that I have nowhere to go. I can’t go and stay with Tahlia again because if I’m there, Jeff will find me. It won’t be because he wants me back. He’ll come looking for the drugs and the money. God only knows what he’ll do to me when he realises I took them. I’ll have to get out of town.
I make my way to the train station and head toward the city. There are more people there, and I should be able to lose myself easily in the crowds.
It’s getting close to one in the morning, and the rocking of the train is attempting to lull me off to sleep. I would be stupid to sleep on the train on my own, so I force my eyes to stay open.
It’s stupid to even be on the train on my own at this time of night. But I don’t have much of a choice.
I think my face must be bruising, because I get a few funny looks from some of the other passengers. I touch it gently and wince as my tender flesh cries out in pain. He obviously hit me harder than I thought.
I bow my head and let my hair fall over that side of my face in an attempt to hide it. That will have to do for now.
Watching the dark scenery as it travels by outside the train, I see a lit up sign advertising motel rooms from $55 a night. I figure that’s as good a place as any and rise from my seat to disembark as the train slows down to pull into the station.
The motel is a short walk from the station, and I move fast and confidently, praying silently that no one stops me.
Thankfully, the worst I get is a few cat calls from party goers loitering outside a nearby club before I make it to the reception area and ask the exhausted and very disinterested looking clerk if I can have a room.
“You got ID?” he asks, sitting forward and eyeing me up and down, sucking his teeth as he takes in my appearance.
I hand him my ID and get ready to count out the money to pay for my room.”
“Can’t rent to minors,” he says immediately, and pushes my card across the counter back towards me.
“But… I need somewhere to sleep. I have cash. I can pay. Don’t send me back out there,” I plead, moving my hair a little so the side of my face is more visible to him, hoping it might sway his decision in my favour.
His eyes skim over my face, and he sits back in his chair, the back of it creaking under the strain of his weight.
“It’ll cost you double.”
I blink my eyes rapidly as I realise that at double the price, I can only stay here for ten days, without eating, based on what I have on me.
“Fine,” I say, pulling the money from my pocket and putting it on the counter in front of him.
He hands me a form to fill out as he takes the money and places a passkey on the counter next to the clipboard.
“You’ll be in room 25. It’s just down the end of the row to your left.”
“Thanks,” I tell him, handing over the form and taking the plastic card.