If These Sheets Were the States

I kicked my bag and let an irritated sigh fall from my lips. The cell phone I had purchased the moment I stepped foot in New York was either not working, or Alex was ignoring my calls. It didn't make any sense to me. It was his idea for us to lie to our parents and travel this far. I'm alone in America, I slept on a boat and now I can't even contact the boy who started this whole thing. I did my research before I left home. It wouldn't take Alex that long to get to where I am, but I do know him pretty well. He'd have to stop to nap, and eat, and nap some more.

Still, I really needed him to answer my calls. I know I got the number right because I've had it memorized since he sent it to me when we found each other online. I was terrified that something was wrong. What if he got mugged? Or into a car accident? Better yet, what if he decided this plan really was crazy and he didn't want anything more to do with me?

The panic filled my gut, but the fact remains, there was nothing I could do about it until he called me back. Besides, I had bigger issues to deal with. Like the fact that I was in New York City with just enough money to last me a few days at these ridiculous prices. Even more so, I'd just gotten denied from a hotel because I wasn't old enough to book a room. What kind of nonsense was that?

My arms were already sore from hauling my bag around with me everywhere I went and I felt uncomfortable carrying everything I had with me, money included on my shoulder as I roamed the busy streets. After one more call to Alex going unanswered, I decided to find a coffee shop so I could have some energy and charge my phone, just in case Alex did call me back.

"Here, let me help you with that."

I tried not to act weird or awkward as a stranger held open the coffee shop door for me, because my bags were getting in the way. It was a man, he didn't look much older than I, but he did look just as exhausted as myself. I formed the best smile I could and thanked him, trudging up to the counter and requesting a latte. After a few minutes of shifting my weight due to the bags, the cup was slid toward me and I paid my fee.

Getting into my chair was a bit complicated. My bag never left my arm, which made bending over to plug in the charger a task. But I did it. With my phone on charge, I allowed my body to rest fully for the first time since this trip began, and God, was I thankful for my latte.

"I'm sorry, miss, I couldn't help but notice you seem a little lost here. Do you need directions somewhere?"

"Uh," I tried to smile as the stranger from before gave himself permission to sit down beside me. "I actually don't have anywhere to be."

"That explains the bags," he flashed me a grin. Under all of that exhaustion, he was a beautiful person. "You got denied a hotel room, didn't you?"

My eyes nearly buldged out of my head. I shouldn't have said anything at all. Now he knows he can carve me like a pumpkin and rob me blinde. I took a long sip of my drink and tried to ponder of my next words, but they fell out before I could stop them.

"Are you stalking me?"

"No," he chuckled, tapping his fingers on the table. "I got denied too when I first got here. I'm only eighteen and some places won't let you get a room unless you're twenty-one. So what are you, fifteen? Sixteen?"

"Seventeen.."

The man sat back in his seat and rose an eyebrow to my bitterness. Something about him made me unafraid, but I knew Alex would want me to keep my guard up. Now, if only he would call me back.

"All right, seventeen, I have an offer to make you." This time, his smile made me feel flattered. With the sunlight coming through the glass windows, he didn't seem scary at all. "I finally got a hotel room in a dump, the thing is, I only need it for a few days but I can't afford to keep it that long. You are my last hope. We both need each other. I'll barely be there, but you can stay with me if you front half of the fee."

I was taken aback. Alex would probably kill me if he knew I was even considering this offer, but on the other hand, I was stuck. I didn't travel all the way to the states to turn around and call it quits. I would at least stick this thing out until Alex called, but doing that meant I would have to stay on the streets without the help of this stranger. At the very least, if he robbed and murdered me, I could say I died for love.

Closing my eyes for a short moment, I began to nod my head. This was only temporary.

"Okay. But if you turn out to be a creep, you should know that I'm more dangerous than you could ever be."

"Calm down, seventeen. I'm not going to.. Do, anything. I just need help. My luck is shit."

"Then I guess you're right," I bent over to unplug my phone and shoved the charger back in my bag. With the phone in my pocket, I gripped my latte with a smile. "We need each other."