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At least, not a second time.
I slipped off the socks and then tucked them under a bush off the sidewalk. Littering wasn't something I'd normally do, but for the sake of fooling a couple of dangerous animals, I figured Mother Nature would understand.
Hobbling across the road, I ducked to the side of the bus stop so the metal canopy structure would block me from the sight of the sandwich shop. When the werewolves came looking, I didn't want them to notice me if the bus hadn't arrived yet. I'd need every minute I could get.
I glanced at the sign for the schedule, then tried to check my phone.
It was dead, of course.
"Hey, what time is it?" I asked a guy sitting on the bench, scrolling on his phone.
He didn't even look at me when he answered. "Almost 7."
Looking back at the sign, I checked the sheet and did an inward victory dance. The bus would be there at 7, and then I was home-free.
My roommate Ebony and I weren't super close, but she was definitely the closest friend I had unless you counted my mom. Which I did, but most people I met did not.
Since my mom was a few hours' drive away and Ebony didn't have much family, she and I had each other's backs. We had memorized each other's phone numbers just in case of a shitty situation like the one I'd found myself dragged into.
She would definitely pick me up if I asked, but I wasn't sure I wanted to ask. I felt bad dragging her away from her schoolwork. Ebony spent even more time studying than I did, and that was saying something because I spent all of my time studying unless I was working.
We were both in nursing classes and in the same year of school, but she was in a fast-grad program that would get her out a year early. I'd applied for that one and had gotten accepted, but even with my scholarships, I couldn't afford to survive without working almost full-time at the sandwich shop.
Now that I was no longer working there, I'd have to find another job if I wanted to keep eating.
But hey, living was more important than eating, right?
"Can I use your phone to call my roommate?" I asked Phone Guy, who still hadn't glanced away from his screen.
"No."
I opened my mouth, then closed it.
He had a right to refuse me, but well, it was kind of a dick move. I didn't even have socks to cover the bandages on my bare feet, so anyone with eyes could see that I was in trouble.
The bus arrived, and a couple people got out. Every one of them glanced down at my feet as they passed, their eyebrows lifting.
My face flushed more with every person who walked by.
I stepped up to the stairs leading into the bus right behind Phone Guy. He slid a card through a little scanner thing, and I stopped.
Shit.
"Uh, do you take cash?" I asked the driver, stumbling over my words as I dug through my bag. My wallet was in there somewhere, and I probably had a couple bucks in there. I tried to always keep emergency cash on me, even if it wasn't much.
"Nope." The bus driver sounded annoyed.
I looked over my shoulder and saw an old truck fly into the sandwich shop's parking lot. Jesse's pack piled out, all of their eyes scanning the area. I didn't see Jesse, but I was confident he was in the truck somewhere.
Shit, shit, shit.
"Pay or get out," The driver barked.
Phone Guy stepped back to the scanner, and slid his card through again. A green light flashed, and the bus driver waved me on back.
I shot Phone Guy what I hoped look like a grateful look and followed him past a few full seats. Not wanting to bug him, I didn't take the seat beside his but instead sat down in the one across from it.
With a grimace, Phone Guy handed me his phone.
