It was near closing time (11.30 pm) and fewer and fewer people were coming into the bar.
Jackie was proud of herself, she spent a full day working, not shopping, not watch TV, working, when she was at the salon all she did was sweep hair for two hours and when she was at the station she, well she didn't really do anything other than answer the phone and fend off Cristina's obsessed fans.
She was pretty happy with this job, which surprised her a lot when she first entered the bar she didn't even know if she would last five minutes, but she actually lasted the enter day!
"Well, Jackie I gotta say I'm impressed, you did pretty well for your first day," Maggie said coming in from the back.
"Yeah well, I'm great at everything so that shouldn't surprise you," Jackie said with confidence oozing from her voice.
"Sure you are kid" Maggie chuckled "Anyways what are you planning to do when you get home".
"Home?".
"Well yeah, you know that place you go to avoid being homeless or just fight with your family," Maggie said sarcastically.
"Obviously I know what a home is Maggie but the thing is I don't have one, I just arrived here today hell I'm surprised I got a job as fast as I did"
"Really? Well, can't you just stay with heather?"
"No, Mary already has a full house, what with Heather, Darlene and her two kids, I wouldn't feel comfortable imposing on them," Jackie said pouting.
"You can always stay with me," Maggie offered.
"Umm I don't know, don't you think your trailer thing is too small?" Jackie questioned
"No, it can fit up to two people" Maggie confirmed
"I still don't know," Jackie said unsure
"Well, if that doesn't tickle your fancy, then there's always the sleep well motel just outside of town but after that, I don't think you have many opinions" Maggie suggested while shrugging.
"Hmm, I think I'll go to the motel it's more spacious," Jackie said, even though the thought of having to stay in a rundown, possible rat-infested motel had Jackie reeling, it would be nice to sleep in a bed again, something she hasn't done in three months.
"Suit yourself, here's my telephone number so call me if you need to, and stay safe ok?" Maggie said concern evident in her voice, it may have been a small town but that doesn't mean bad things can't happen.
Jackie noticed Maggie's concern and was touched "Thanks Maggie," she said, hugging the older woman.
"Ok well why don't you head on and I'll clean up"
"But my shift isn't over for another...25 minutes," Jackie said confused
"I know but everything is all put away and all I have to do is close up, so 25 minutes won't make much of a difference," Maggie said firmly
"Thanks, Maggie I promise to be in early tomorrow," Jackie said as she packed up her things and made her way to the door.
"Okay dear, drive safe," Maggie said as she started to stack the chairs and mop the floors.
"I will, bye!" she shouted as she headed to her car.
As Jackie drove she got to see some more of the town, of course, since it was pushing 12 it was already pretty dark and most of the little shops were closed so there wasn't much to see, but she did notice that there were no other bars in town and this place was really frickin small.
They seemed to only have a florist, yarn barn, a grocery store and a few other little shops that she didn't catch but the one thing that Jackie noticed the most was that this place didn't have a mall!
What kind of hell on earth is this!?
Now Jackie wasn't short on pretty clothes, the past 6 months have been something of a really long shopping spree, it's probable why she ran out of money so fast, but could you blame a girl? Sure point place had a mall but most of it's store catered to old people and kids, nothing for a beautiful young lady like herself. Maybe Heather knew somewhere to shop? usually, when Jackie did go on one of her big shopping sprees, she went down to Milwaukie with her daddy's Lingon.
"But with how little money I have left I don't think I'll be making trips to the mall anytime soon" Jackiw muttered to herself.
Another 10 minutes had passed before Jackie saw the place she'd be staying for the foreseeable future.
Disgusting. A word that didn't even come close to describing this place.
It was small only one story and had about six rooms but nearly all the windows were broken or extremely dirty, some even had green mouldy stuff on them, there was garbage spewed all over the ground because someone had managed to tip over the two massive dumpsters by the side of the motel, the doors had chunks of bark chewed off by gods knows what and the sign that held the motel's name had letters hanging off of it, one of them had even fallen off and was firmly planted in the ground. If this was how the outside looked she didn't even want to know what the inside looked like.
With that thought in mind, Jackie turned the car around and drove back into the town where she found an empty parking lot and got settled in for the night, she set her little alarm clock to 5:00 so she could get out of there before it started to fill up, just because she was 'fine' sleeping in a for the past three months doesn't mean she's ok with people knowing.
Jackie woke up to rapped knocking on her car window, still half asleep she didn't acknowledge the knocking and tried going back to sleep but when it didn't relent but instead got louder, Jackie's eyes snapped open realising that she had been found, looking up at the clock she realised that it was nine o'clock four hours after she was supposed to wake up, suddenly filled with embarrassment knowing she was probably gonna have to have an awkward conversation with whoever had found her and explain why she was sleeping in her car at nine o'clock in the morning.
So reluctantly Jackie looked up to meet the brown concerned eyes of Heather Roth.
"Jackie, is that you?" Heather asked, confusion evident in her voice.
Jackie sputtered around, in her half-dazed confusion as her mind still had yet to fully wake up, trying to find the keys so she could unlock her car.
"Oh God this can't be happening, why me of all people, I would have been fine if a stranger had found me but not Heather!" Jackie thought to herself, she only reunited with Heather yesterday and this was a horrible way to make another impression on someone who you haven't seen or talked to for the better part of five years, the last thing Jackie wanted is for one of her most dearest friends to think she was some homeless person because she wasn't! Nope, not at all, She is….just..ugh...Oh! Who is she kidding? She's freakin' homeless!
"Yeah, Heather it's me, just give me a sec I have to find the keys" Jackie admitted dimly, knowing it was going to be a long day.
"O-ok" Heather mumbled a little caught off guard.
Jackie searched around another little bit before finding the keys, she took a deep breath before walking out of the car trying to formulate an explanation that doesn't make her sound like a total loser.
"Hey Heather," Jackie said awkwardly, not knowing where to start.
"Hey Jackie, what's going on," Heather said slowly, also not knowing where to start.
"Ohh well you know not much really….just the usual" Jackie replied while looking around awkwardly.
"Oh ok, soooo sleeping in your car is the usual now? Jackie seriously what's up why are you sleeping in your car" Heather asked worriedly
"Ok ok fine, well you know how I just got into town yesterday….I kinda don't have a place to stay" Jackie replied shyly.
"WHAT! Jackie why didn't you say anything, mom would have let you stay no problem, hell when I told her you were here she dropped her drink, sure she was working and when she dropped it went all over the dude she was serving, but she was still so happy" Heather was so confused, if Jackie didn't have a place why didn't she come to ask her to stay at her place?
"I know I know, I just didn't want to be a burden on you guys, I mean didn't you say there was like...five people living in your house" Jackie sighed
"Jacks" Heather sighed and put her hand on Jackie's shoulder "I know it's been a while since we've seen each other but you'll always be welcomed in our house, always" Heather spoke with such sincerity that it nearly brought tears to Jackie's eyes.
"T-Thanks Heather, that really means a lot" Jackie Sniffled wiping the little tears that had gathered in her eyes. It just felt so nice hearing someone say that, to hear that she was actually welcomed somewhere and she wasn't a burden.
"No problem Jackie," Heather said pulling the young girl into a hug "Now come on let's go to my place," Heather said walking to Jackie's car.
"Ok but wait why are you here" Jackie questioned
"Oh my work is just across from here, now come on," Heather said getting into the car.
"Damn Jackie your car is just filled with junk," Heather said in awe
"Hey! That is not junk those are all my valuables, you know like my designer clothes, make-up, jewellery, shoes, perfumes and a couple of other thi-Heather what's that look for?" Jackie stopped and asked once she saw Heather looking at her weirdly.
"Jesus Jackie how the hell can you fit all of that in there," Heather asked dumbstruck.
"Oh sweetie, to own all of this you have to know how to pack it, plus I wasn't about to sell it what if some fat girl got them or some old lady it would be against fashion," Jackie said full-heartedly.
"Wow you have not changed at all," Heather said chuckling as Jackie pulled out of the parking lot.
Hey everyone I'm back! So sorry for the long wait and I don't really have an excuse other than I had some major writer's block but like I said I'm back now and the next chapter for Friday I'll be over you will be out next Friday.
I also have been working on some other little side pieces that I can't wait to share with everyone but for now, I hoped you all enjoyed this chapter. :p
If you have any questions please go to my Tumblr-Snookstheallmighty
