save me

SO I'LL USE MY VOICE, I'LL BE SO FUCKING RUDE

The room she was staying in was bare. The walls were white, a lonely bed laid in the middle of the room with one pillow and one blanket. There was no dresser but there was a closet. And despite the lacking, it was so much better than her room at the apartment. If that's what you want to call it.
  
Her room at the apartment was actually a closet with a dirty broken air mattress laid on the floor. Her things were put in a box so that they would fit. Despite the fact that they had another room she could use. She let herself pace around the room, feeling a restless urge crawl up her skin.

She didn't know the rules here, everything was different here. What would happen if she made this man upset? She didn't trust him, not one bit. As much as she hated home, she almost missed it because at least there, she knew what the rules and expectations were. Here it's uncertain.
   
A knock at the door brought her out of her thoughts as she turned to look at it, waiting for the man- no, Joel- to barge in. Except he never did. After a few moments of silence there was another knock along with a soft: "You okay in there, kid?"
   
If Ellie wasn't confused already, she definitely is now. Why wasn't he barging in? She let her feet carry her to the door as she whipped it open, eyebrows furrowed as she looked up at the man. "What are you doing?" She questioned.
   
Joel raised an eyebrow as he looked down at her. "I came to talk you? What else would I be doing?"
   
She shook her head. "No, I meant why didn't you barge in? Why did you wait?"
   
Joel looked surprised at her words, making her feel even more confused. Is that a thing that adults did? Was to barge in? "Ellie, I won't ever barge in unless you're in danger or if I think you're hurt. This is room, while it ain't much, is your space. It ain't any of my business to barge in."
   
Ellie tore her eyes away from him, feeling surprised. She wasn't expecting that response. Especially because this wasn't her room, it was apart of his house that she was intruding in. She glanced up at him. "Oh, okay then."
   
He nodded. "Alright," He said before he shifted. "Why don't you come downstairs with me so I can make dinner and we can talk about ground rules?"
   
She nodded, knowing it was best to just do what he wanted. She learned before when to listen and when not too, and this situation was one. Especially since it consisted of rules. Those would be helpful.
   
So the two of them both went downstairs and into the kitchen. Joel gestured for her to sit at the island, so she slipped effortlessly into one of the chairs while he started getting things out for dinner.
   
"Steak and potatoes okay?" Joel asked, stopping in what he was doing to glance at Ellie.
   
She nodded, never having steak before. Her dinners at home usually were leftovers or some kind of sandwiches. She had potatoes before, granted that it was from a box.
   
Joel started to get everything he needed, only stopping once he had gotten the potatoes in the pot. He stood next to the stove as he leaned against the counter. "So, some ground rules," he started, causing Ellie to stare at him. "One, stay out of the room across of mine. It's off limits. Second, don't lie to me. The only way that this is gonna work is if you're completely honest with me, I'll do the same with you. And lastly, make sure you keep your room clean and pick up after yourself.."
   
Ellie nodded, memorizing those four rules before she blinked. "Wait that's it?" She asked, eyebrows furrowing.
   
Joel nodded. "Yeah, you don't need to be babied so I think you know what you should and shouldn't do."
   
But how was she? She might do something that was okay at home but not here and then she'll get in trouble. There has to be more rules, right? Was this a trap? Maybe he decided not to tell her the rest of the rules so that way he can punish her, mom did that. "What about chores?" She asked.
   
He shook his head. "As long you clean up after yourself and keep your room clean then you don't have any."

"Why?" She pressed. She had so many at home, why didn't she have any here? Did he think that she would break something? She might be a bit clumsy at times but she was good at doing the chores.