Categories > Celebrities > Panic! At The Disco > Runaway

Chapter One

by Drowning_in_Irony 3 reviews

"running away wasn't as glamorous as television tried to make it seem."

Category: Panic! At The Disco - Rating: G - Genres:  - Published: 2012-06-22 - Updated: 2012-06-22 - 1750 words

3Ambiance
Hello all! I bring to you the first chapter! I tried to make it longer, since I'm now juggling two stories, so, yeah, I'll try and make the chapters long to tie everyone over.
OH and everyone go and check out MrsWayBeckett's story Summertime! I think it has a lot of potential and she needs people to audition as characters! So, yeah, run like the wind!


CHAPTER ONE


Danielle


I’ve come to realize that running away wasn’t as glamorous as television tried to make it seem. In fact, it really sucked. I’d been out here for no more than half a day and I was already running low on money. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to buy a cheese burger earlier, but, seriously, if you knew how hungry I was, you wouldn’t care, either.

Did I mention I was soaked from the neck down after being sprayed by a car speeding over a huge puddle?

That would probably explain all the strange looks I was getting. I could feel their eyes burning into me, as if they’d be able to dry my clothes if they tried hard enough. Wishful thinking, I guess. I couldn’t really blame them for their curiosity, though. I mean, if I saw a girl drenched in dirty water sitting on a bench in the middle of a bus station, carrying nothing but a small duffel bag, I’d probably be staring, too. Of course, I’d also most likely ask her if she needed help or something, but again, not like anyone’s going to do that right? No one wants to involve themselves in a drama like helping a runaway escape her horrible life.

At hearing a voice call, “Next,” I stood from the bench and dragged by feet over to the counter, ready to get my ticket.

The woman smiled warmly at me, the apples of her rosy cheeks rising as her chocolate brown eyes squinted. She was slim, dressed in a collared shirt, blue jeans, and a pin pressed to her chest that read, ‘Mindy’ in gold lettering. She couldn’t have been older 25. Her head tilted to the right a bit, mousy brown curls falling in her face before she went to tuck a few locks behind her pierced ear.

“Hello, what can I do for you?”

I smiled softly and stated through chattering teeth, “Hello, could I please get as far away from here as I can on a cheap ticket?”

She looked at me quizzically, before glancing at her laminated bus schedule, then back up at me. “Alright, well, that will be twenty dollars—”

“That’s the cheapest?”

She gave a look. “Yeah, sorry, if you want to get any distance between you and here. Anyway, you should end up in—“

I cut her off, shaking my head. “I don’t care. I just want to be away from here.”

She scrutinized me for a moment, before asking, “Honey, are you in some sort of trouble? Should I be calling the police or an ambulance or…?”

I shook my head, saying calmly, “No need to worry about me ‘Mindy’, I’m going to be alright. Just… not here.”

She nodded a little curtly, replacing the money in my outstretched hand with a small ticket.

I waved goodbye, before walking outside to my bus and handing my ticket to the driver, taking a seat in the back.

~~~*~

I was beginning to rethink my choice of relocation. I mean, really, if you saw where I’d ended up, I’m sure you would have your doubts, too! For one, it looked sort of abandoned. Seriously, I saw at least three boarded up buildings the minute I’d stepped off the bus. And then, once I’d actually seen people, it turned out half of them were looking to sell me drugs. Cigarettes are about as far as I’ll go, after living in my house. The smell of crack was practically burned forever into my nostrils—not pleasant, at all.

I was considering getting back on the bus and the hell away from this ghost town, but the minute I’d set foot onto the first step, the driver gave me the evil eye, so I shrunk back. After that he shut the doors and sped away.

I sighed heavily, swinging my duffel over my shoulder and walking in the direction of what I guessed was Main Street. I glanced around nervously, feeling like I was going to get jumped if I didn’t watch my back.

I came across another drug dealer with a yellow toothed smile and torn trench coat about ten minutes in. The minute we made eye contact I broke into a run, landing on a surprisingly sturdy bench around the corner.

I unzipped my bag and pulled out a water bottle, taking a huge gulp, and ignored how disgustingly warm it was. Better than shriveling up from lack of thirst, right? I threw it back in my bag, falling against the back of the bench with a tired groan. Was it pathetic that this was still better than back home? Probably, but that wasn’t my fault.

After a few minutes I decided to get up and continue with my small trek for shelter. I was beginning to lose doubts, until something caught my eye. I beamed at the sight of a motel in the distance. I began walking towards it, nearly tripping over loitering trash obstructing my path.

Once I had finally gotten to the entrance, I warily pushed the door open, cringing at the creaking noise the rusted hinges made. I took a once over of the “lobby”, my eyes sweeping over worn antique furniture, a large oak front desk, and a cheap chandelier hanging from the low ceiling, one or two bulbs burnt out. I couldn’t help but laugh quietly to myself. What a lovely place to stay.

I shook my head as I made my way over to the front desk. I pushed down on the bell-thing that you were supposed to use to get someone’s attention, only to find that it was broken and grimy. The sprinkling of tobacco dust didn’t get by me either. I really needed a smoke.

Focus, Danielle, don’t get weak.

A tired looking man turned to me, red rings under his eyes and a cigar that had long burned out hanging from his lips. He raised an eyebrow and grunted at me in question.

I cleared my throat, before saying sickeningly sweet, “Hello kind sir, I was wondering if I could possible rent a room for the time being?”

I laughed a little at my tone, before quieting down when I realized he didn’t catch the humor in it. Wow, tough crowd.

His gruff voice hurt my ears the minute he started speaking. “No vacancy.”

I was taken aback slightly by his bluntness, but attempted to brush it off. Was no one here clean and friendly?

I tried to reason with him at this point. “But, sir, I have no place to stay, might I—“

“No vacancies.”

“But I—“

“I said no vacancies! Can’t you take a hint? Now scram before I call the cops!”

My eyes widened. No matter how horrible and run down this town was…cops meant trouble. As in, a one way ticket back to my miserable drunken mother and crappy job. No thank you.

I quickly turned on my heel and high-tailed it out of there, panic overcoming me. I walked past an apartment building and a bank, before plopping myself down on the curb and letting my head fall into my hands. What was I going to do now? I had no place to stay, nothing to keep warm except for a hand-me-down sweatshirt from my sister, and practically no money—stupid Mindy. Reality was hitting me hard and I didn’t like it one bit.

It was at this time that I’d felt a hand on my shoulder, hesitant and cold. I nearly jumped two feet in the air, whipping my head upward in fear.

My gaze locked with hard brown eyes, cold and blank. Longish brown locks fell into his face, his free hand coming up to brush them away.

I tried to keep the shakiness out of my voice as I stood up and puffed out my chest. “Who are you?”

His voice had a faint, nasally tone to it, and I could hear hints of a lisp. “Jon. Last name isn’t important.” Had he been met with the same fate as me? My curiosity was gnawing at me as I continued with my questioning.

“What do you want?”

“What are you doing out here by yourself? It’s not exactly a safe area.”

“You know, it’s not polite to answer a question with another question.”

“I stopped being polite a long time ago.”

I made a face at his words, before sighing and standing up.

“I don’t feel as if what I’m doing out here is any of your concern.”

He laughed. “Yeah, well, I was looking to help you out, but if you’re not interested I can be on my merry way.”

I looked at him for a minute. “Did you seriously just say, ‘be on my merry way’?”

He rolled his eyes. “No, I said ‘be wary of clay’.”

I didn’t appreciate his sarcasm. “I ran away from home. My reasons aren’t important, or your business.”

He nodded in understanding. “Don’t worry about that, you’re right. It’s not my place to be asking. What I am asking, is if you needed a place to stay for the night.”

I was positive he could tell I was skeptical. “Okay, so, let me get this straight. You see me sitting on the street while no one is around, come up and exchange a few words with me, and then ask me to come home with you? You could be a rapist for all I know.”

I caught the way he winced at my last words. Oh, did I cross a line?

I softened a bit. “Sorry, I just don’t see how this happens usually.”

He smirked. “It doesn’t.”

And with that, he gestured for me to follow him as he turned around and made his way to the edge of town. Ah well, what have I got to lose right?
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