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No wonder the woman named Talia had wanted to know if I was okay. Not only had my behavior been odd, but I’d been sitting on a beach in Southern California in jeans, sneakers, and a hoodie.
So much for blending in.
I trudged through the sand back toward the road with my head bowed.
The road was busy, but I ignored the cars zipping past and kept walking. I didn’t know where I was going, but I figured I eventually had to come to something. I was tired from traveling all day, though, and my steps were sluggish.
A part of me feared that he had drugged me, but I’d been gone too long for drugs to just be taking effect. It was simply exhaustion.
I scuffed the toe of my sneaker against the ground, doing this awkward skip-jump thing as I walked in an effort to keep from keeling over asleep.
A car horn honked, and I jumped at the sound, darting to my right toward the guardrail. A second later, a Volkswagen van pulled off the road in front of me, and the woman from the beach hopped out.
I stopped walking and waited for her to come forward. My fight or flight senses were kicking in, but I remained rooted to the spot.
“Do you need a place to stay?” she asked softly, approach
ing me cautiously like I was a frightened and beaten puppy.
I didn’t answer.
“Please, let us help you. We’re not asking for anything in return, but you can’t sleep on the streets. The police are really strict in the area, and not to sound like a creep, but you’re really pretty, and there are a lot of men that would try to do you harm.” Her green eyes were earnest, and for some reason I felt that I could trust her.
After only another second of thought, I nodded my head once.
She broke out into a large smile and nodded back toward the camper van. I climbed inside, and the guy in the driver’s seat smiled back at me. His smile was lopsided, but kind, and his long hair fell into his eyes.
My heart thundered like a freight train. I could have been making a very bad decision by getting in a car with two strangers, but at that point I had nothing to lose.
“What’s your name?” Talia asked once she was seated up front.
“Ariella.” My voice cracked from dryness and nerves. I hadn’t spoken my real name in years, let alone heard it. “I prefer Ari, though.”
“Ari,” Talia repeated. “That’s a pretty name.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled, glancing out the window and letting my hair fall forward to shield my face.
“Ollie and I don’t have much room at our place, but sleeping on a couch is better than the streets, right?” she asked with an apologetic glance over her shoulder.
I nodded. “H-How’d you know?” I asked softly.
She twisted in the seat so she could see me fully. “Ollie and I…” Her lips twisted with thought. “We didn’t always have it so nice, so we like to extend kindness to those less fortunate than us. A place to sleep, some food, clothes,” she rattled. “We know what it’s like to need some help getting back on your feet.”
I inhaled a shaky breath and forced a small smile. “Thank you.”
I really was touched by their kindness.
Traffic was heavy, so it took us a while to get to their house. Calling it a house was a bit of a lie, though. It was small, only one bedroom and one bath, with the tiniest kitchen I’d ever seen. But it had a roof and a couch for me to sleep on, so I wasn’t complaining.
“If you’d like to shower you can.” Talia pointed to the door that led to the bathroom. “You can use my things—I don’t mind—and I’ll lay out some pajamas for you.”
“Thank you.” I glanced around me at the eclectic decorations.
Despite the small size, their home was cozy. Several mismatched rugs lay scattered on the floor, creating an odd sort of carpet. The walls were all painted different colors—lime-green, turquoise, hot-pink, and orange. The couch was white with rolled arms, and patterned pillows were scattered across it. In front of the couch was an old coffee table made from worn wood. There was a large TV—the nicest item in the room—and some sort of gaming console.
Talia disappeared into the bedroom to grab some clothes, I presumed, and Ollie stood in front of the open refrigerator.
“You hungry?” he asked me.
