With no transportation, delivering papers might be an impossible feat.

I pushed past the doubled glass doors as the smell of ink hit my face. My lips pressed into a white slash. This was it. It was do or die. Fingers crossed!

 

***

That went swell!” I mumbled to myself as I stalked past the doors leaving Tangi Journal. Oh, I got the job all right! Just a little bump in the road, no transportation! I kicked an empty can, heading back to the hotel. I really wanted to kick Sara for forcing me to come here! No actually, I didn’t want to do that either. I wanted to go home back to Texas, back to my old job at the Dairy Queen and my friends. I huffed, chest tight with disappointment. Going back to Texas was merely a pipe dream. I slouched my shoulders. I thought about hitchhiking back a million and one times. Between Becky and Laurie, I’d have a place to stay. Their families liked me. I could get a job, save money and by next year, attend college. Become an attorney like Dad. I could get student loans and hopefully a scholarship. It was doable.

Then I thought about Sara, and all my dreams burst like a balloon. I couldn’t leave. I exhaled a ragged breath. I had to stay. Anger swooped in as I kicked a rock this time.

My head had been so far up in the dark clouds that I was right up on the gas station when I finally lifted my gaze.

The men had gone, and the station appeared empty. I made my way to one of the chairs under a tree, flopping down and making myself at home. Beads of sweat had collected across my forehead. I’d used the back of my hand to wipe the moisture away. I was a mess. My feet were throbbing as I slipped the shoes off.