My statement seemed to hang in the air as I glanced back out the window, noticing Tony’s eyebrows furrow in confusion as I looked away. I couldn’t help but think about the truth of my admission. He had asked why I needed a fresh start, why I had moved to California and the truth was, I didn’t know, at least not anymore. I had always thought that it was because I was trying to get away, away from my past and everything that happened to me after the incident but now that I was sitting here, in a little diner, in the darkness of the morning with a complete stranger, I wasn’t so sure anymore.

I had been running away for so long now, I can’t even remember what it was I was running from to begin with. Running was just all I knew how to do.

A silence settled between us and I noticed Tony giving me small glances every so often, his face deep in thought and I knew he wanted to ask me what I meant by that, before he had a chance to though I suddenly realized that I was watching the sun rise, which meant it was now alright for Darlene to speak the word morning but more importantly, it meant that I needed to get home.

“Shit,” I muttered, sitting up slightly so I could pull the ten dollar bill I had out of my back pocket.

“What?” Tony asked curiously, watching my every move.

“I need to get home,” I said, finally retrieving my money and slapping the crumpled bill onto the table.

“Why?”

“It’s morning,” I said flatly.

“So? It’s been morning all night.” He said, watching me intently as I started sliding down the booth so that I could stand up.

I paused briefly as I wrapped my head around his comment, letting myself smile slightly before I stood. “It’s daylight.” I clarified.

He blinked back in confusion. “What? You have a thing against the sun?” he asked, chuckling slightly.

“Actually, yes.” I said, reaching down and picking up my sweater off the booth bench.

“What?” he laughed, giving me a confused smile.

“Oh, and by the way, you’re wrong.” I said, a slight smile forming on my lips as I turned to look at him and I couldn’t help but wonder if I would ever see this attractive stranger again.

“What?” he repeated. “Wrong about what?”

“I have a tattoo.” I said with a smile, thinking about the rather large piece that was carved into my side, along my ribcage. It had taken nearly three sessions and it had cost me a hefty lump sum of cash before it had been finished, but it was everything I had wanted it to be, everything I needed.

A smirk formed on his lips as his eyebrows rose in surprise. “Really? Well maybe you can show me it sometime.”

I chuckled. “I doubt it, that would involve me taking off my shirt.”

My eyes widened slightly as I realized what I had just said. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely wasn’t innocent but I was never one to openly flirt like that, especially so bluntly, and especially not to a man I had only met about an hour ago. Tony’s lips curved up into a crooked smile and I couldn’t help but notice how intrigued he seemed to be, shaking his head slightly as his eyes roamed across my torso, probably imagining what exactly I could be hiding under my shirt.

I bit my lip, struggling to form words as he stared at me so I just decided to leave it like that, turning on my heel and walking away from this man who unexpectedly changed my night, causing a warp in the routine I had established since moving here. I had spent every night, or morning as it technically was, eating alone at that table, watching the ocean, getting lost in my thoughts. Not tonight though, tonight I had not been alone, my thoughts didn’t consume my head, replaying the horrors of a childhood gone wrong.

I couldn’t help but curse myself as I walked out into the daylight of another morning as I exited the diner because I realized that I had actually liked talking to Tony, I liked being with him, and that terrified me. I wasn’t supposed to like being with people, I was supposed to enjoy being alone, it was all I knew how to do anymore, at least that’s that I had thought.

---

“Okay, so I’ve been meaning to ask,” Lucky started, pushing another box into the corner of the small storage closet we were in. “Why bartending? You are one of the best bartenders I’ve seen and I can tell you’ve been doing this for a while.” He turned, sitting on the box he had just been carrying around and wiping his hands on his legs, looking up to me expectantly.

I shrugged, placing a bottle on the shelf above me. “I’ve never really stayed in the same place for too long and one thing every place has is a bar, let’s just say it was in my best interest to know everything I could about making a decent drink and satisfying drunk people.” I chuckled slightly, throwing the now empty box I had been sorting through out the doorway.

Lucky laughed. “Why are you always moving around? What are you searching for?” he asked seriously and I paused, taking in his words. I wasn’t sure why I felt so comfortable around Lucky but I kind of liked that I could tell him to truth, well to an extent, I could never tell him the real reasons why I felt the need to move around so much.

“What makes you think I’m searching for something? What if I’m actually running away from something?” I had a joking tone in my voice but my words rang nothing but the truth, something I knew Lucky would never pick up on, which is exactly why I said them.

He chuckled softly before his demeanor turned serious. “Even if we are running away from something, we are always searching for something as well, something, or someone to save us, or, in some cases, run away with us. Even if we don’t realize it.”

I stood there, speechless. Ever since meeting Lucky I had made him out to be just some college frat boy who opened a bar right out of college because he didn’t want to work in the real world, which to be honest, is actually what he did but standing here in this storage closet with him, I realized that maybe Lucky wasn’t as dense as I thought he was. Maybe he actually knew what it was like, maybe he actually knew the truth behind my lies, maybe he just knew. I smiled softly at him before I turned around, ripping open another box and beginning to empty the various alcoholic beverages.

“Alright, well I’ve got some bar owner things to do,” Lucky said with a laugh, getting up. “So try and go through as much as you can but I expect you behind that counter by nine missy.” He said, giving me a smile as he walked by me.

“Yes sir,” I said playfully, causing him to chuckle as he left, leaving me alone to sort through the shipment that had arrived earlier today.

It had been a little while later when I was trying to put the last box up on the shelf. I managed to push it on the too small space and took a step back, admiring my work as I had managed to put away the whole order with about fifteen minutes to spare. I went to turn, completely forgetting about the empty boxes I had been carelessly throwing on the ground and stumbled as I tripped on one, losing my balance. I placed my hands out in front of me as I braced myself for the fall that was coming. I fell forward, catching myself before my face slammed into the hardwood floor but not before my forearm caught the corner of another box, causing the skin to split slightly and a dark spot to form around the cut.

There was a trickle of blood that escaped but I was more concerned on the gnarly bruise that damn box was going to leave as I stood back up, clutching my arm. The skin around the cut was flushed and I could already see hints on blue and purple creeping up under my skin. I sighed, sitting down on a box, wincing as I ran my fingers over the now sensitive area. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, not realizing that I was triggering a memory as I did so, one that I couldn’t climb out of as it quickly engulfed me, smothering me.

“Effie, stop moving, you’re making this ten times harder on me.” Emily scolded as she gripped my ankle tighter trying to keep me from squirming.

“But it hurts!” I whined, pouting my lips as I watched her rip open the bandage.

“Well why the hell were you climbing that damn tree in the first place?” she huffed, setting the bandage down so she could grab the peroxide.

I just shrugged lamely. “I wanted to see the world, ow!” she poured peroxide over the scuff on my knee.

She chuckled quietly. “Effie I swear, you are just something else.”

I smiled, watching as she worked her magic on my knee before I frowned. “I just don’t want to be stuck here forever.” I whispered and her hands paused before she continued.

She sighed as she placed the bandage on my knee, glancing up to look at me, a look of adoration and just pure love on her face.

“Effie, you can do whatever you want to do, you are an extraordinary little girl and someday, you will get everything you ever dreamed of. You still have so much to learn though so you can’t leave just yet.” She giggled. “One day, Effie Jane will see the world, I know it.” She winked at me and stuck her tongue out.

I laughed at her, going to stand back up. She collected the first aid kit, putting all the supplies back into the plastic container.

“Will you come with me?” I asked suddenly, looking down at her.

“What?” she asked smiling, though I could tell she was confused.

“To see the world. Will you come with me and see the world?”

She grinned, her face lighting up and her eyes turning soft as she once again looked at me, nothing but pure love on her face.

“Of course I will, silly! I could never leave you. It’s you and me forever Effie, just you and me.” she pulled me into one of her bone crushing hugs and I laughed, wrapping my arms around her as well, pulling her close as I repeated her words.

“Just you and me.”

I gasped, my eyes flying open. I was breathing heavily and I felt tears pricking at my eyes. I blinked quickly, pushing them back and away from the surface. I hadn’t cried over Emily Jane in ten years, I wasn’t going to start again now. I took in a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh as I stood up, kicking the boxes around on the floor so I could get out. I kicked at another box forcefully, my foot causing a small hole to form and I stumbled forward, leaning in front of the wall in front of me as I tried to calm my ragged breathing.

Of course I would have to remember that. The one day when Emily promised me that she would never leave me. The one day that Emily Jane told the biggest fucking lie of her life.

I sighed again, pushing myself off the wall and standing straight. I ran my hand through my hair, flipping it over my shoulder. I heard the noise of glasses clanking together and I decided it was time to start doing what I do best, pouring drinks and helping people forget their troubles. As I made my way up front I couldn’t help but wish that tonight something would happen to help me do the same. I wanted something, or someone to help me forget the day that everything turned to shit.

I just wanted to forget it all.

Notes

eep, sorry this is a little shorter but I wasn't to sure where too take this without making it like ten pages long so hopefully I gave you enough to work with @Lost in Neverland ;) bring it on!

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