3 - Fated meeting

"Wake up, please come on, get up, hurry they're going to kill us" the voice in my head whimpers.   My eyes snap open staring into the darkness, my mind fuzzy, my body aches laying on the familiar lumpy mattress on the floor in the middle of the room.  I ease off the mattress, praying I don't wake them, I crawl along the floor, making sure I don't hit any loose floorboards that creak, as I make my way out of the door.  I take a steadying breath and continue down the hallway to the bathroom at the back of the shack.  I stand inside grabbing my clothes and bag out of the tub, I get dressed quickly, grab my shoes and gently open the back door just enough for my body to slip through and shut it.  I slip on my shoes and run down the path into the forest and inhale deeply allowing the fresh air to expand my lungs.  It's still dark, I walk just inside the treeline of the main road hoping they don't come after me.  The forest is silent the only sound is my feet crunching the dried leaves as I make my way. 

Seeing the lights of the Diner in the distance, I sigh in relief, I whisper to myself, "Happy 18th Birthday Charlie Dabb," today I'll work my shift, act as I normally do, only today I'll take all the stashed money in my locker and get on the bus and never look back, forget the past 13 years of my life in it's entirety.  The Diner lights come into view and I walk around and enter from the back.  I put up my bag and pull on my apron.  I walk out of the door from the kitchen to the dining area and see Margie already with a customer, he's a handsome guy sitting in the last booth, sipping on coffee.  My voice is low, "morning Margie, sorry, I guess I'm late."

She turns to greet me and her hands go to her mouth, she grabs my shoulders, "oh dear God Charlie, what have they done to you?"  her eyes wide and glistening with unshed tears.  

My brows furrow in confusion, "excuse me, I need the bathroom."  I glance at the guy at the table, who's eyes haven't left me and hurry to the rest room.  I look into the mirror and tears flood my eyes, my nose is broken, my face is one huge purple mess, my lips are split.  I mumble, "I'm so numb to this I don't feel the pain," I adjust my wide headband that covers the bald spots on the top of my head, from where they pulled it out dragging me around the house.  I wash my face to remove the dried tears and come out of the rest room.  

Margie's face is red, "can I call the sheriff now, will you please tell someone?"

My eyes dart to the handsome stanger and shake my head at her, I try to smile, "Margie, I fell and face planted, you know how clumsy I am."  I turn towards the guy in the booth, "have you ordered?"  He nods and before he can say anything, headlights hit me from the front of the diner.  I turn on my heels and  head to the kitchen.  I see John, Margie's husband, cooking the order for the guy already , I yell out to him, "hey John, morning."  He grunts and continues cooking.  

I hear the buzzer go off, telling us the door has opened out front,  I hesitate before I turn to walk out, when it goes off again and I hear yelling,  I freeze, as my step-dad's voice rings out, " Get your ass out here Charlie, we weren't done with it yet?"  My body moves on it's own as I run to the walk-in and sit down on the crates in the back, my body shakes with fear as tears stream down my face.

I wait until Margie opens the walk in and pulls me out, "there gone, darling, your safe for now, please let me call the Sheriff, they can take you to safety, leave this area."

I shake my head at her, "I'll be fine Margie, I just want to finish my shift today, please." I go to the sink and wash my face with cold water, I wait for John to plate the food.  I pile them on the serving tray, put it on my shoulder and walk out to the table, 2 other guys are sitting there.  I grab the platter stand and place it out and put the serving tray on it, I turn holding 2 plates, "who has the french toast?"  

I hear a voice that sends shivers down my spine with one word, "MINE" my head snaps toward it and I'm met with a greek god, his smile is wide, but then fades into a frown, as he takes in my face, my eyes lift to his, they're blue,  like the deepest part of the ocean and I feel a tug in my heart.  My hands shake as I place the plate down in front of him and stumble back a bit, one hand covers my heart as the other fly's to mouth trying to stiffle the word the voice is yelling in my head, a whisper leaves my lips before my hand slaps it shut, "mate?"  I turn to the serving plater and remove the other items, placing them on the table.  I look at the floor, "is there anything else I can get for you?" 

The guy that was here first sweetly offers, "can we buy your breakfast Charlie?"

The greek-god must take offense to his offer and grunts at me, "thanks, I think we're good, but please check back in on us, Okay Charlie."

I shake my head at the other guy, "not necessary, but thank you anyway."

I go into the kitchen, my heart is shattering by the way the greek god's blue eyes held pity or disgust for me, either way, I hated it.  I've never felt so dirty, so ugly in my life and that's saying something for me, my step father and brother have made me feel so worthless, but this, that man out there, the way he looked at me, that made the last 13 years seem like practice for this very moment of pain.  The voice in my head is making me crazier by the minute, screaming "he's our Mate, he will protect us, go back in there."  I rub at my temples, this is crazy, what the fuck are you talking about, either make sense or be quite.  I walk back out to the counter and start placing out settings for our morning rush, not realizing I'm talking out loud to this stupid voice in my head, arguing with it.