Is this the place we used to love?

Is the place that I've been dreaming of?

-Lily Allen

Chapter 1

10 months later…

As the bus rolled to an excruciating stop I felt a mix of tribulation and dread as I exited the bus. It was the troubled part of me that was winning over and had me checking my shoulder and pulling my hoody closer around my head, hiding my face from view. I read the sign for the bus stop, La Push it read, I looked out on the ocean and breathed a sigh of relief. I had made it to the place that had occupied my dreams and thoughts for months.

I still don't know what drove me into the ocean that day. I guess a part of me just snapped. Even though I will carry the scars of that punishment on me for the rest of my life I can't bring myself to regret it. That day gave me two escapes that I frequently needed to revisit, the first being the deep senseless ocean. All I had to do was close my eyes and no matter what was happening to me I could feel comfort of being submerged and taste the salt in the back of my throat.

The other escape was one I did not intentionally visit, but that was always welcome. It was the deep bronze eyes of my savior. It would come at the strangest of times, but I would be doing a task and flash back to those eyes. I would see the awe, anger, pain, and confusion all over again.

I have often wondered about the man the eyes belong to.

I shake my head of those thoughts; they are pointless and disappointing. I focus more at the task at hand. I grab my bulging bag containing all the personal items I have left in my possession and try to decide what to do. It was getting late already, the sun already starting to disappear down the horizon.

The bus stop is near the downtown and I know I at the least need to find some food to eat, then I can work on a place to stay. I see a small diner named Diana's that looks warm and inviting, I pull my bag onto my good side but still feel the pain on the other. I need to check on that as soon as possible, I think to myself and I begin walking toward the diner.

I enter to a bell ringing over the door; I take in my surroundings and observe that besides the older women working behind the counter there is only one other patron here. That's not good for me, small numbers mean you get signaled out more.

I am just about to turn around and find something else when the women behind the counter calls to me, "Hey sugar you come on in now, we don't bite. Just seat yourself wherever." Her voice is soothing and accepting and I don't want to be rude to the first person, I set myself in the booth in the farthest from both the waitress and the other patron.

As the woman walks over I notice that her name tag labels her Diana, she must be the owner I think to myself. She is a short woman, slim but still curvy. She has a glow about her, an aura that screams friendly. She has dark skin, similar to that of my savior, and soft features. If you were to look up mother in the dictionary I believe this woman's picture would show up.

As I was inspecting her she was equally inspecting me, I see her eyes travel across my face as if she is connecting dots, I look into her eyes and see the pity in them. I hastily look down. I haven't had time to see the damage done yet, I cleaned myself of blood before I got to the bus station but I wouldn't be surprised if my face wasn't a mashup of bruise colors by now. I decidedly don't make eye contact with her when she final arrives at my table.

She gives me a menu and I quickly ask for a water, my throat and mouth being so dry even talking makes them ache. As she moves away to get my drink I search for the cheapest thing on the menu. I don't know how long I will have to make the money I was able to save last and I know that staying somewhere is going to end up being the most expensive. When she returns I order a simple BLT sandwich and still, without eye contact, ask her where the bathroom is located. She directs me to it and then moves behind the diner counter to get cooking.

Once in the restroom I turn to the mirror and find what I was expecting. Below both eyes are deep purple bruises, they extend and meet on the bridge of my nose which is slightly swollen. I have a small cut above my right eye but I already knew about that from when I had washed the blood off me. As bad as my face looked my side felt infinitely worse.

The fight began when I had accidently dropped a wine glass, somewhere in the middle of the fight it ended up cutting my side pretty deeply, I had bandaged it to the best of my ability but there is only so much I could have done in a short time span.

I stripped of my oversized hoodie and stood in just a sports bra and my bandage, I could easily see bruises lining my body. A particularly large one stood out on my back, descending onto my backside. I could see a little blood had seeped through the bandages, I began unwinding them. The more I unwound the more blood was uncovered. When I was finally free I could see that the wound was still bleeding, it was too deep to have had scabbed over by itself yet.

I grabbed paper towels from beside the sink and began to try and clean in out, with each dab they quickly were filled up with blood as well. I was on my third pull of towels when suddenly the door opened and in walked Diana.

I froze. Shit.

How had I forgotten to lock the door, I thought to myself.

She was looking at my hard while inspecting my injures, eyes lingering on the large boot shaped bruise on my back. I could see pity in her face and surprisingly understanding. She seemed to be debating something, then resolve crossed over her features. She spun on her heel turning around and walked out. I could hear through the door her saying, "Earl, I am so sorry about this darling but I just remembered I have to be home early to prep for one of Paul's friend birthday. I don't want to kick you out but I really do need to get going soon."

I was confused, she wasn't telling him about the girl bleeding out in her bathroom? Is she just going to pretend like it didn't happen? I was more than fine with that and began quickly wrapping my bandage back on as I heard her talking some more with this 'Earl' fellow. I threw my hoodie back on and left the bathroom just as Earl was getting into his truck to drive home.

I made a beeline for my bag, but Diana beat me to it, "Honey, you need to go to the hospital and get that fixed up." She said it in such as matter of a fact way.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I say. Real smart, I think, act like she didn't just seem you sliced open from front to back.

She put her hand on her hip and looked at me sternly, "Look, I don't know you and I won't pretend I do. Now, that being said I use to be a nurse and I know that a gash like that will only close from stiches. So, either you are going to the hospital or I am just going to have to take you to my house and sew you up myself."

I stared at this little, strong women who must be at least five inches shorter than me and I have never felt more so like a little girl being given an ultimatum by her mother. I contemplated her options; I know for a fact that I cannot go to the hospital. Besides the fact that I don't have the money for it, I also don't want there to be records of me being here. He could find me that way.

"I'll go with you."

I thought my answer was going to surprise her but instead, she acted as if that was what she had been expecting the whole time.

"Good, now thats settled, let me just lock up really quick and we can head onto my house, you can eat your sandwich if you like," she says pointing to the BLT in front of my bag, "you're skinny enough as is. We need to get some meat on your bones."

I downed the glass of water, thankful for the relief it brings and eat the sandwich quickly while watching her busy herself around the diner putting things away and counting cash. Once done, she heads over to me and offers to carry my bag. I protest, but she is having none of it, "With the wound you have, you shouldn't be lifting anything." She easily lifts the heavy bag and trots outside the restaurant, me following closely behind her.

She locked the door to the diner and then made her way to the edge of the building, there was parked a small blue Ultima. I hesitate when getting, "Ma'am…" I begin.

She cuts me off, "Please call me Diana, I have a feeling we are going to get to know each other really well," she finishes with a smile and a wink at me.

I give her a half smile, "Diana," I emphasize, "I don't want to get blood on your seats I say awkwardly…

She is having none of it and goes on about how she knows how to get all kind of blood stains out.

I nod, get it, fasten my seat belt, and hang on for the ride. As we were driving away I realize that Diana is acting like stitching up a random girl is an everyday occurrence, she hasn't even asked what–

"So are you going to tell me what happened or would you like for me to guess?" she said cheerfully from the seat over.

I groan, maybe the hospital would have been the better idea.

Author's Note:

Three guesses who Diana is. :)