"Dally hold on k?" I handed him my backpack and walked into the small dinner I had been in earlier in the day. Mrs. Boggle was whipping off one of the tables. I walked towards her rather quickly.

"Mrs. Boggle." She turned towards me with a smile on her face.

"Hey darling."

"I just wanted to let you know I'm leavin'. Dallas and I are going home."

She gave me a very wise smile. "Good choice girl." I smiled "I wanted to thank you, for everything. I really appreciate it."

"You are very welcome, just remember I was your age once to, how'd you think I got here?"

I smiled. She wrapped her arms around me. "Be safe sweet pea." I hugged back. "I promise." We parted our ways and said our final goodbyes. I found Dal smoking outside.

"Ready to go?" I asked. "Yup."

We walked the whole way to the train station. It was a very large train station so much was going on in it all at once. There was a large food court with a bar, a place to buy tickets, and outside was the boarding and docking station for the trains. My dad's dad had worked on trains his whole, but he died when my dad was 13 so I never knew him. But this sure made me think of him.

Dallas and I walked up to the ticket booth.

"Two tickets to Oklahoma City please." I rather larger man with a balding head gave me a dirty look.

"Next trains at 9pm tonight. "I gave him a confused look. "Umm okay, we'll take them." He snorted a little "Fine, 20$ for two." I gave him the money he handed me the tickets. I slipped them into my shorts.

My tummy gave a low rumble. "Let's go get some food." Dal said pulling his arm over my shoulder. I was glad too; this place gave me the creeps. We walked over to the food court me and Dally ordered two burgers and two cokes. We took a seat and waited.

"I'm nervous." I confessed.

"About?" He raised an eyebrow.

"You know what about, I'm going to get killed when I get back home."

Someone bumped into my chair. It was girl about my age; she had red hair and brown eyes. I looked at her and she turned to me giving me an apologetic look. I hadn't noticed until then but her arm was in the death grip of a twenty something year old with a sleeve a tattoos. Her eyes looked frightened, the man looked about the size of Darry and was about as muscular.

I gave dally a look; he looked back implying he noticed too. The large man started eyeballing me, making me uncomfortable. I wanted to leave I wanted leave so bad, but I just couldn't leave the girl with him. I gave Dally an apologetic look. I grabbed my coke in my hands and started walking as they were wating to be seated so I took my chance. I started walking faster. When I got close enough I turned to look at Dally who sat cooly wondering what my plan was.

I slammed into both of them pouring my coke onto the girl.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! We need to get you cleaned up!" the man gave me a very dirty look but I had the girl by the arm and in the bathroom before he could say anything.

The girl was skinny and younger then I first though maybe 15?

"Thank you." She looked at me just as I locked the bathroom door and checked all the stalls.

"What's your name?" Was all I could get out. I was surprised with myself. That took a lot of balls that I didn't even know I had.

"Tiff." Her voice was quite, soft, and scared.

"Who was that man?" I asked. She got quite until then she was starring in the mirror trying to get makeup off her face.

"His names Lance, I meet him in Louisiana." I nodded "Did you run away from home?" She nodded this time.

"Will he let you go?" She shook her head and turned on the facet. "No I've' already tried."

My mind was spinning. I didn't know what I was doing, not really anyway.

I tried to put a plan together in my head. She had a few bruise on her arms and her hair was a mess. I needed to figure out how to get Lance out of the picture.

"Okay listen I'm going to help you, but you have to promise me something." She nodded a flicker of hope in her eyes.

"Where do you live?"

"Texas."

"You have to promise me you will go straight back to Texas." She nodded her head.

I put my hands on my face and rested them there.

"When I give you the okay, you run to the table I was sitting at. Understand?" She nodded.

I was wearing little shorts, and a tank top. I folded the tank top under make it to were my hips and a little bit of my stomach would show.

We slowly slid out of the bathroom. The guys saw us as soon as we emerged. I hopped to god he would catch on. I strutted over to the tall lanky man roughly grabbing the color of his shirt.

"Hey, sorry 'bout earlier." I tried my best to look seductive and tuff, but he wasn't buying it.

I stuck my other hand behind my back flicking it randomly. I really hopped Tiff saw it as my signal. She did, I felt her rush behind me and take the seat next to Dallas. Lance made a grab for her when she walked by. By now we had now made a scene, so I grabbed his hand trying to slow it down. Dallas eyed me coolly. He couldn't figure out my next move, and neither could I.

I looked at my little hand grasping his wrist.

I knew what was coming. I looked at his eyes, they were dark and smoldering. My cheeked burn, I had been in a fight or two in school but I had never been hit by a man. I heard a chair screech out. Dallas pulled me behind him. My cheek was hot but I made it over to Tiff. Her eyes were wide with shock. I took a seat next to her.

I heard a gaps come from the onlookers, Dal had socked him a good one in the eye. He sat next to the table he tried to catch himself on. "You don't hit girls, scum bag." How I loved his rough voice.

Lance had been escorted out by Dal and the manger. Dallas and I had gotten a few kind comments from people and thank you's from Tiff. I had her in the bathroom with a new shirt on and her hair in a ponytail.

"Look I really appreciate what you did for me." Tiff stared at me.

"I told you, don't worry about it kiddo just worry about getting home." I gingerly touched my cheek, my wounds would heal, but I didn't know if Tiffs would.

"Just thank you." I felt her arms wrap around me, I was surprised but hugged back.

"You're welcome hun." I pulled on her ponytail "Come on let's get outa here."

I paid for our food and her ticket to go home.

Her train came before ours, it was a bitter sweet goodbye but I knew she'd be alright. She gave us both a hug, and more thanks.

Dally slid his arm around my waist. I looked up at him. He just smirked and gave an airy laugh. His scarred hand lightly touched my bruising cheek. I sat my hand over his. He leaned in and kissed me, the kiss said everything we couldn't. I knew he was proud of me, even if he couldn't admit it.

Our train pulled in making me jump a little. We had our bags stored away. I sat on the same bench as him leaning in; I tucked my feet under my butt and rested my head on Dal's shoulder. He wrapped his arm around me squeezing for just a sec. I mumbled into his shirt. "I'm scared to go home."