Status: Finished
Locked Away
I Can Feel the Pressure...
"You know, you really didn't have to do that," I said.
We were back in her car. I felt like I needed to acknowledge her courtesy.
"It's alright. I'm just trying to be a good person."
We sat for a moment silently.
"Um...thanks. What's your name again?"
"Valerie," she said.
I nodded and engraved her name into my memory. As I did this, my stomach rumbled.
"Someone's hungry," she joked.
I laughed and agreed. I was embarassed, so I covered my stomach to muffle the noise. I looked out the window for a few minutes, then saw that she was pulling into the parking lot of a Mexican restaurant. When she got out, so did I. When she sat down, so did I. She let me order whatever I wanted, but I kept it cheap. I ordered a sweet tea and the fajitas and a taco. It would only be about $7.00, due to the special. I was going to pay her back anyway.
A few minutes later, a steaming plate of fajitas was placed in front of me. I alternated between those and the chips and salsa. Valerie was probably staring, but I didn't care at all. I got up to go to the bathroom after I finished eating. Somehow, I was still hungry. I quickly left the bathroom and went to the table, where Valerie sat with a to-go order. I sat, and she slid the box to me.
"For you," she said.
"Thank you," I said, handing her $15.
She gently pushed my hands away.
"I've got this," she whispered sweetly.
I felt awkward in the car. I squirmed a little in the car, feeling the pressure of the awkwardness.
"You're looking for a permanent house?" she asked.
"Yeah."
"Look over here,"she said.
I looked to her side. A small house in a decent neighborhood was where she was pointing. It really didn't need any fixing up from the looks of it, and a "For Sale" sign was stuck in the ground.
"I live around here, and I saw this on my way to work," she explained.
She stopped the car and went to the sign to get an information flyer. She gave it to me.
"New carpet and hardwood floors. Two bedrooms, one bathroom. Kitchen and living room.
Only $90,00," I read, adding a whistle at the end. "Cheap!"
Valerie nodded and read over my shoulder. I took my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed the number listed at the bottom.
"Hello, Elizabeth Stewart?"
"Hi, my name is Lisa Walker, calling about a house I'd like to see?"
"Address?"
I squinted in the twilight to read it.
"114 Calvert Way," I said.
I talked to the realtor briefly, and we decided to come see the house in two days.
I couldn't wait.
...........................................
Two days passed by quickly. I raced out the door and met Valerie at her car. She had offered to take me to the house. We got to the house very speedily, and I raced out to meet Elizabeth.
"Hi," she said.
"Hi."
"Ready to see the house?" she asked.
"Very ready!" I exclaimed.
She took me into the house. The house was perfect. I needed it. The realtor was droning on about the new floors.
"I'll take it," I interrupted her.
"Oh. Are you sure?" she asked.
"Positive."
We were back in her car. I felt like I needed to acknowledge her courtesy.
"It's alright. I'm just trying to be a good person."
We sat for a moment silently.
"Um...thanks. What's your name again?"
"Valerie," she said.
I nodded and engraved her name into my memory. As I did this, my stomach rumbled.
"Someone's hungry," she joked.
I laughed and agreed. I was embarassed, so I covered my stomach to muffle the noise. I looked out the window for a few minutes, then saw that she was pulling into the parking lot of a Mexican restaurant. When she got out, so did I. When she sat down, so did I. She let me order whatever I wanted, but I kept it cheap. I ordered a sweet tea and the fajitas and a taco. It would only be about $7.00, due to the special. I was going to pay her back anyway.
A few minutes later, a steaming plate of fajitas was placed in front of me. I alternated between those and the chips and salsa. Valerie was probably staring, but I didn't care at all. I got up to go to the bathroom after I finished eating. Somehow, I was still hungry. I quickly left the bathroom and went to the table, where Valerie sat with a to-go order. I sat, and she slid the box to me.
"For you," she said.
"Thank you," I said, handing her $15.
She gently pushed my hands away.
"I've got this," she whispered sweetly.
I felt awkward in the car. I squirmed a little in the car, feeling the pressure of the awkwardness.
"You're looking for a permanent house?" she asked.
"Yeah."
"Look over here,"she said.
I looked to her side. A small house in a decent neighborhood was where she was pointing. It really didn't need any fixing up from the looks of it, and a "For Sale" sign was stuck in the ground.
"I live around here, and I saw this on my way to work," she explained.
She stopped the car and went to the sign to get an information flyer. She gave it to me.
"New carpet and hardwood floors. Two bedrooms, one bathroom. Kitchen and living room.
Only $90,00," I read, adding a whistle at the end. "Cheap!"
Valerie nodded and read over my shoulder. I took my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed the number listed at the bottom.
"Hello, Elizabeth Stewart?"
"Hi, my name is Lisa Walker, calling about a house I'd like to see?"
"Address?"
I squinted in the twilight to read it.
"114 Calvert Way," I said.
I talked to the realtor briefly, and we decided to come see the house in two days.
I couldn't wait.
...........................................
Two days passed by quickly. I raced out the door and met Valerie at her car. She had offered to take me to the house. We got to the house very speedily, and I raced out to meet Elizabeth.
"Hi," she said.
"Hi."
"Ready to see the house?" she asked.
"Very ready!" I exclaimed.
She took me into the house. The house was perfect. I needed it. The realtor was droning on about the new floors.
"I'll take it," I interrupted her.
"Oh. Are you sure?" she asked.
"Positive."