Before the Car | Escapes #0.5

Chapter 6

I couldn't keep the yawn at bay. It was far too early for me, and I knew I was early for work. Yet the beauty in front of me somehow made the whole trip worth it. 

Jenny was waiting for the bus. I didn't see where she came from - I wasn't early enough - but there she was. She was wearing a long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves pushed up, and a pair of jeans that looked worn. Not in the fashionable way, though; they looked like they were worn through use. 

My car was parked where I could just see her. I saw some guys loitering in the area, and I vaguely recognized them as guys I went to high school with, but they weren't being a bother to her, so I just sipped my coffee and watched, feeling like a stalker. I kept trying to push the thought out, but it kept finding its way to the forefront of my thoughts. 

In that moment, despite everything, I knew this wouldn't be the last time I'd watch over her from afar. I wouldn't do it every day, but I couldn't help but worry. My worry for her was only fed when I noticed something like bruises on her arms before she tugged down her sleeves. 

I wanted so badly to call my dad and ask him about her, but that felt too much like going behind her back. If it was something she wanted me to know, she would tell me. No wonder she was wearing that shirt in this weather. I felt my heart sink as my mind told me it could be an abusive boyfriend. The alternative - abusive parents - seemed too far-fetched. Though if she lived at home and they didn't care that she showed up with bruises, that was almost worse in a way. I didn't know much about her, but I knew she deserved a lot more than whatever she had.

Still, I couldn't bring myself to try to do anything about it. She was a minor. I was 22. The age gap wasn't that big, but the difference waiting a year to make a move made was huge. I couldn't even explain what was drawing me to her. I knew almost nothing about her, other than she was tough and she was in some sort of abusive relationship with someone. I never saw her with a guy and she always came from the same place, so I was pretty sure she was living with her family. No guy usually meant no boyfriend, so at least she was probably single. I had a chance. 

Still, that was enough. I knew I was bordering on obsessed, but I couldn't help it. Not when my dad talked a lot about her every time he came home. He loved Jenny, so he basically recounted her every move. I found out through him some of the things she liked and disliked. He was happy to tell me anything I wanted to know, but I never asked about her bruises. I couldn't. She didn't really know me, so I couldn't ask her. I only wanted to hear it from her. 

Working at the furniture store, I was able to see her when I left late sometimes. She would be getting off the bus and would look over at my car before going to her place. Because of that, I didn't mind working late. Even if it did mean working late with Sandy, the owner, just the two of us. I never even gave her a second thought because my mind was full of Jenny.

"You two lovebirds have a good night," one of the delivery guys said one night as he left, about three months into the job. 

"What are you talking about?" I asked him. He just gave me a knowing grin before he and the other guy left for the night. When I turned around and went into the break room, I walked past Sandy. I grabbed a bottle of water and went back to my seat at the front counter. "Those guys are idiots." Surely they didn't know I was after Jenny. There was no way they could know. But why would they tell us to have a good night? It wasn't like I'd ever approached her since I was fired.

"They are, aren't they?" Sandy responded, not looking me in the eye. She kept her back to me. 

Work wore on as usual. I sat in my chair and worked on finances and a little on the inventory spreadsheet. Right as I was working out the kinks, though, and was about to figure out where the extra money came from, someone turned my chair around.