At the Crossroads | Eugene Martone

- chapter one -

"BUT YOU PROMISED TO SUPPORT ME. YOU PROMISED." I screamed at my mom and my dumbass stepdad Hank. We were in probably the biggest argument we've ever been in. They'd been drinking all night like they always do. It was around 12 AM here in Philadelphia, so it was getting late.

"WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO SUPPORT YOUR STUPID DANCING CAREER. WE ARE NOT GOING TO SUPPORT YOU. WHY DON'T YOU USE YOUR HEAD AND BECOME A DOCTOR OR LAWYER INSTEAD? I DIDN'T RAISE A STRIPPER." My mother shouted at me.

"Go get a real job you bitch." Hank yelled at me.

That's it.

"FUCK YOU." I flicked them both off as I ran upstairs to my room. I quickly packed my stuff in a suitcase, and grabbed an oversized black zip up sweater for the chilly weather. I went downstairs and ran out the front door. I think I heard my mom and Hank screaming my name from the doorway, but I didn't care. I just kept running.

They don't understand, they never will. I've always wanted to become a dancer-and I don't mean a stripper like my mom always assumes, I mean a dancer. Maybe ballroom, maybe contemporary, or maybe even Ballet. No matter what style. I loved dancing. It was always my passion-and ever since last year I had decided that's what I wanted to do professionally as a career. My parents supported me for a while, but that all led up to nothing as they stopped their support when I needed it the most.

I already had where I wanted to go in my mind: Los Angeles. I've always read about it, and how it was the center of the dancing industry. There were so many well known dancers that came from there too.

I hiked up a hill, and traveled to the empty streets. My medium-brown curls blowing in the chilly breeze. I didn't have a car, and I was only 15 anyways, so I couldn't drive yet. I was going to hitchhike instead. Well shit. I raised my thumb at the first car I saw, I knew he wasn't going to stop but I did anyway. All of a sudden my eyes went wide when I saw that the car stopped in front of me. It was an old man, he looked like he was in his mid 50s.

"Yeah can you take me as far south as you can?" I said, as I sat down in the backseat, placing my suitcase next to me. I figured I would have to stop at Mississippi on the way there to rest since it was going to be a long journey.

"Sure thing," The old man replied. He seemed nice. Although I never trust old men.

I chuckled, "Oh great".

As I was riding in the back, I realized that I had to get some bucks because I needed it for my trip. How could I forget.

"So uh, you usually pick up random chicks on the block or what?" I asked him, trying to strike up a conversation and seem interested.

"Yep. Been doin' it for about 20 years now." He said

We went on with the conversation, and he never realized me reaching over and sliding his wallet right out of his pants' pocket. Way to go Frances.

I grabbed the wallet in my hands and counted the cash that was inside. 50 bucks. That'd be enough for now.

~

The old man's car went to a stop as we entered Mississippi.

"Thanks a lot," I told him, getting out of the car with my suitcase.

"Hey it's no problem miss, and you take my business card 'ere too." He said, reaching over the passenger window to hand me his card, then drove off.

I took one look at the card and crumpled it. I threw it to the floor. Why did he think I needed his crap? Anyways, I started walking around town when all of a sudden it started to heavily rain. I looked to my left and saw an abandoned small house. It seemed like a good place to stay for a while. I went on inside and put my bags down, then I took off my jeans and blue oversized t-shirt ands hung them up to dry since they were wet by the rain.

I took a towel out of my suitcase and started drying my wet hair. I looked around the house. It was a nice house, made of mostly wood, that looked old, of course, but it had an upper level, and a nice cozy living room. I decided to go upstairs and take a nap in one of the rooms for a little bit, before I was going to go back though, so I did just that.

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