From Bad to Worse
Rachel
I was feeling terrible after being abandoned in the middle of the street, with no idea where to go. It was something I could never imagine happening to me, and I was completely lost, unsure how to escape this humiliating situation.
Everything became even more challenging because I couldn't think straight; everything was happening so quickly and confusingly, leaving me dazed and feeling like there was no way out.
What troubled me the most was that, at no point, did it cross my mind that the girl I asked for help could simply open her mouth and announce to everyone that I was now one of those struggling to survive in Seattle, working in the kitchen of a low-grade hotel just to pay off an absurd debt.
Despite this, I didn't feel anger toward Lindsay.
In the end, she managed to evoke compassion from Ryan, and he agreed to give us a ride from that strange street. It was at least something positive on a day that had been terrible. I didn't want to dwell on the fact that Sarah had turned her back on me at that moment when I was stranded on the street.
What truly mattered was that we now had a ride. Where was I going? I didn't know. But at least we had a ride. As I approached Ryan's car, ready to get into the passenger seat, I noticed there was already another girl sitting there.
To make everything even more complicated (that day was not turning out to be easy at all), the girl didn't seem pleased to see us. Her expression became even more unpleasant.
"Who are these women, Ryan?" the girl asked, very irritated.
She wasn't paying attention to what was happening and stepped out of the car with her hands on her hips, glaring at us with disdain!?
"Is this Rachel!?" Now she had recognized me. "I can't believe you stopped here because of this snake, Ryan!"
This was not my day. Things were getting even more complicated now, and I couldn't contain my anger.
"Who do you think you are to talk to me like that, you idiot?" I spoke, losing control.
Ryan wasted no time and positioned himself next to the girl. It was clear she was important to him, as he was determined to defend her.
"Madison is my girlfriend, Rachel!" Ryan protested. "And I won't accept you talking to her like that."
I made a supreme effort not to respond disrespectfully to Ryan, especially when I looked in Lindsay's direction, who put her finger to her lips, indicating that I should stay quiet. I got Lindsay's message because if Ryan gave up on giving us a ride, our only alternative would be to walk through the deserted streets of the city to the neighborhood where she lived. That's my last option, asking to stay at the house of that girl I barely knew.
"But she started insulting me, Ryan!" I argued in my defense, without the previous arrogance.
However, Ryan didn't give me even a second of attention; all his focus was on the sulking girl next to him. With a pleading look, he tried to calm her with kind words.
"I'm sorry for that, Madison — the jerk humiliates himself shamelessly — Rachel and her friend have no money and no way to get home. Can we just give them a ride?"
Did Ryan need to explain my miserable situation to that ridiculous girl? Absurd! Now she was looking at me with her nose in the air as if she were superior and I were just some ordinary person.
"If there's no other way, fine," she reluctantly agreed, "but I hope this doesn't become a habit, as we have nothing to do with the problems your sister created."
Hearing the way that girl was talking about me made my blood boil, but I couldn't say everything I wanted. The situation was entirely unfavorable for me.
"Let her speak," Lindsay whispered, holding onto my arm. "We need them."
I looked at my companion with irritation, but then I remembered that I still needed her that night, so I decided it was better to stay silent.
"Thank you, dear," Ryan, the idiot, still dared to thank her for accepting to take us in his car!
"Can we get in the car?" Lindsay nervously asked. "We've been standing here for too long, and I imagine the police could show up at any moment. It will be complicated to explain everything that's happening to them."
"Of course, you can get in," Ryan indicated at the back door of the car.
Lindsay was right, of course, but her anxiety made me wonder if she had some issues with the law, and that's why she was afraid of being intercepted by the police.
After settling into the car and heading toward the neighborhood where Lindsay said she lived, I realized it was time to ask for a place to sleep that night. Tomorrow I would think of a long-term solution.
Ryan and his unbearable girlfriend were in complete silence in the front seat, so I spoke as quietly as I could, right next to Lindsay's ear.
"Can I stay at your place tonight?" I asked, feeling like I was sinking deeper and deeper. "I just realized now that I left my house key in my suitcase at the hotel."
Lindsay looked at me with an enigmatic smile, as if she knew something I didn't, but she quickly agreed.
"Sure! No problem."
I sighed in relief. At least that night, I had a place to stay.
As the car drove through the moonlit streets, I felt a mixture of gratitude and concern. As Ryan drove in silence, I mentally thanked Lindsay for her kindness, even though a strange feeling persisted in my mind.
However, for the moment, I decided not to worry about it. The important thing was that I would have a roof over my head that night, and that was all that mattered. I closed my eyes, trying to relax a little while the quiet roar of the luxury car's engine reminded me of my previous life, which I was used to.
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