Estrella

Chapter 2: "Do I have something on my face?"

He just stood there. Looking at me. It was getting quite uncomfortable.

Maybe he was just socially awkward and wanted a friend but didn't know how to ask. Yes! That was probably it. "My name's Estrella, what's yours?" I asked, taking a step back. No response.

Oh my gosh, what if he was mute? I hadn't even thought of that. "Are you mute? If so, that's totally cool. You would probably know like a whole other language, and-" My rambling got cut off by the store clerk shouting. "Hey, kid! Put that down, you didn't pay for it!" I turned around to see Elle halfway through a small bag of chips that came in one of the big boxes with multiple bags.

She must've snuck off during my rambling with the man. "Elle you can't eat that baby, we didn't pay for it." I lightly scolded her. She was just a kid and she was hungry. It's what kids do. I turned to the clerk, "I'm so sorry sir, she was just hungry."

He did not look happy. "I don't care if she was hungry or not, she opened the chips without paying so now you have buy the whole box, or I'm calling the police." Shoot. I didn't bring any more money. I didn't have any more money, all of it was saved for rent since I hadn't found a job yet. "I don't have any more money," I panicked, "I'm sure we can work something out right? I mean can I bring money back tomorrow, or-"

The man from before cut me off . I forgot he was in here. "I've got it." So he wasn't mute! His voice was gruff, smooth, and deep at the same time. How that was possible I didn't know. He held a twenty towards me. "No, no it's okay, I don't want to be a burden." He could need it a lot more than I did, or give it to someone who does.

"Estrella, take it." How did he know my name? I was mid freak out when I remembered I told him. I swear I have the memory of a gold fish sometimes. "Okay thank you." The way he looked when he said it was like he was daring me to not take it. It was intimidating.

The clerk cleared his throat. I walked over and gave him the twenty which he snatched away telling me to take the box of chips and leave. I took Elle's hand and thanked the nice, strange man before walking out of the store, our ice cream beginning to melt.

I thought about what would've happened if the man didn't step in and pay for the chips. Would I have gone to jail? What would've happened to Elle? Surely I wouldn't have been in there long but still. It could've gone on my record. Then no one would hire me and we would be homeless.

I need to be more careful. I need to watch Elle better. What if someone had taken her while I was distracted? I couldn't have lived with myself.

I over thinked all of this on the walk home, not paying attention to my surroundings, another thing I need to work on.

But if I had, I would've noticed an expensive black car following me home.

*TIME SKIP TO THE NEXT DAY*

Today I'm going to go look for a job. I had to cut into my savings to pay for a day of day care for Elle. I was going to be walking all day and she would surely slow down the job search, which I needed to get today to be able to make rent next month.

I dropped her off and went into several cafe's and libraries heck I even went into a tanning salon, but so far no luck. They either weren't hiring or said they were going to get the manager and never came back. It was nearing four o'clock and I hadn't eaten in two days unless you count the ice cream last night. I was going to eat the chips, but I started my period and my appetite was gone. It was back now though, and I was going to fall over from hunger. Not actually, I had gone way longer without food, but you get it. I'm hungry!

I saw a hotdog cart and was deciding getting one or not when I ran into someone. I looked up and it was the same man from last night. What a coincidence.