Olivia’s POV
It felt like an eternity, but the bus finally arrived, and I got in and relaxed on a chair at the back. I was nervous, but I was glad that no one recognised me. This was just what I needed.
The bus drove away, and I watched the pack I was growing to call home move further and further away. I sighed. No more Jacob, no more Nicole and no more Jaxon.
My heart plummeted. There was no more Andre either. I was alone, and I wasn’t sure if I would see him again. I pulled myself out of my own thoughts and focused on the tranquillity.
The silence rocked me to sleep gently, and as much as I tried to resist its endearing embrace, the more it beckoned on me.
My grip on my bag weakened, and I felt it fall lightly to the floor with a soft thud.
Soon, slumber enveloped me, and I drifted off to sleep.
**************************
“This is the last stop! Everyone needs to get off!”
The driver’s voice filled the bus, and a kind old lady tapped my leg gently to wake me up.
“Wake up, dear. We are here. Time to get off.”
I sleepily thanked her, grabbed my bags, and got off the bus. I was in the city, and it amazed me. The high-rise buildings and the bustling streets with cars made me shiver with excitement and fear. I could never know what to expect here. It was all so busy and bubbling with life. I felt like a small, insignificant spec.
I felt my pocket, pulled out the letter I had taken from Nicole and looked at it again.
The envelope had a postal code. I could take it to a post office, and they could tell me exactly where the letter came from.
With that in mind, I flagged down a taxi and asked it to take me to the nearest post office.
It didn’t take long, and soon, I was at the post office. I paid for the taxi and went in.
The post office was full, but I managed to find a short queue, and in no time, I was speaking with an attendant.
“Good morning. What can we do for you today?”
I pulled out the envelope of the letter and slid it towards the attendant.
“I would like to know where this letter was posted from.”
The attendant looked at the envelope curiously and then checked the computer in front of her. She looked at it for a while and then looked up at me.
“It’s a letter from Elvis Pine County, somewhere in Virginia.”
“Okay. How far is Virginia from here?”
The lady gave a light laugh and slid the paper back to me.
“Very far, my dear. You would have to be on a bus for about three or four days to get there. Most people prefer to fly there to save time.”
I stuffed the envelope back into my bag, thanked the lady and left.
As soon as I got outside, my heart sank. Three or four days!
I couldn’t be on the road for three or four days! I took out the money that I had in my pocket and counted it. It wasn’t enough and would only last me a few days in the city. It wasn’t enough to fund a four-day trip.
I sighed and stuffed the money back in my bag.
I sighed and took a seat on the bench outside the post office.
I had to stick to my original plan-stay here for a while, get some work, and then, once I had enough saved up, make the trip there!
Since my mind was made up, I found my way to the closest inn I could find to avoid being outside late at night.
*** *** ***
“Good afternoon dear, welcome to Fernando’s. How can we help you?”
I smiled back sweetly and set my bags down.
“I want to pay for a room.”
She smiled back at me and gave me the catalogue for different rooms. As soon as I saw the book and the room prices, I felt the air being forced out of my lungs. The rooms were pretty pricey for a place that was supposed to be the cheapest in the city. It only made me wonder how much the other hotels in the city were.
The cheapest room was about $200. I mentally counted the money that I had left in my bag. I wanted to stay for a few days so that I could find a job and get myself together, but staying here was definitely going to eat into my finances. I also needed to eat.
The receptionist stared at me, and her smile didn’t falter. This began to worry me. I couldn’t tell if she was irritated at my response or if I was wasting her time.
I turned and thanked her, but my eyes caught a job-opening poster by the wall beside me, and my chest constricted with hope. Is this still open?
Very quickly, I asked her about the job offer, and she nodded with a smile.
“Yes, we do have an opening at our cafe. You could work there if you are interested. And you won’t have to pay for a room. There is a room in the basement that you can stay in for free.”
My eyes shone at the offer. “That would be wonderful. When can I start?”
“Well, you can start in the evening…” After that, she told me about my earnings and work schedule.
I was overwhelmed with gratitude and happily followed the staff to the basement with my luggage.
It didn’t take long before we reached the room. It was quite small, simple and sparsely furnished, but why would I complain? I was happy to have a place to sleep and something to do to make some money.
I placed my stuff neatly in the corner, lay on the bed, and stared at the ceiling. This all still felt like a dream. I still couldn’t believe that I had run away from home.
I pulled out my father’s letter from my pocket and read it over again. I was going to find whoever had killed my father and make him pay.