Left

The yellow tiled floor was disgusting and sticky in the gas station bathroom. The mirror had spots and scratches all over it. The sink barely trickled out any water when the rusty handle was twisted all the way.

A young woman stands in front of the mirror, breathing deeply.

“It’s okay…” she said, “only four hours left until we get home, right?”

Helena rubbed her eyes hard. Camping the last few days with her friends Jenna and Caleb exhausted her. Jenna and Caleb were a couple who argued a lot. Helena avoided getting involved in the arguments as much as she could. There was one particular argument that crossed Helena’s mind more often than it probably should have. It was the one that got so bad that it ended with Jenna crashing at Helena’s for the night.

The bathroom doorknob jiggled; the door cracked open but was stopped abruptly by the chain lock on top.

“One second,” Helena said.

At the front counter of the store, Helena presented her ID to the cashier. She swapped her last bit of cash for a pack of menthol Camels. As she exited the store, she tapped the carton of cigarettes against the palm of her hand. By the time Helena’s red sneakers stopped at the curb, she already had a cigarette between her lips and was digging around in her pocket for her lighter. Hazel eyes finally lifted to the parking lot when the cigarette was lit.

The parking lot was completely empty except for one white car. The red Jeep her friends were driving was gone.

Helena’s heart dropped like an anchor into the ocean.

She did not see the Jeep, even when she walked to the road and looked both ways.

Was this some kind of prank? Would they return for her?

“This better be a prank…” Helena muttered as she dropped the cigarette butt on the ground and stomped on it.

With Craig in the driver’s seat, there is no telling why she was left here. Jenna was asleep in the passenger seat when Helena got out to use the restroom. Did Craig find out about what happened the night of the fight? Memories of that night floated into her thoughts.

“Don’t you want to be with someone you get along with?” Helena had asked.

“What fun would that be?” Jenna responded with sarcasm in her voice. Her cheeks were damp with tears and she was laying her head in Helena’s lap.

“It would be tons of fun. You wouldn’t have to worry about tiptoeing around them…” Helena paused and sighed deeply, “I don’t know. Craig is a jerk.”

“He’s just going through a lot.”

“Even if he is, it doesn’t excuse him from treating you like shit.”

After half an hour, Helena was having second thoughts about the couple returning for her. Her face was turning red from being out in the summer heat. The clear blue sky looked fresh, but the sun was brutal. There was not a cloud in sight. It was quiet out here, at least. Only the sounds of cars humming by.

Helena walked back into the gas station and towards the bathrooms. She remembered seeing a map on the wall in there somewhere.

The map she found had pieces torn off the edges. She was looking for her hometown in the endless sea of town names. Some of the names were scribbled out or highlighted. Helena did not even know which way to start walking to get home. All she had in her pockets were the pack of cigarettes, a red lighter, and her wallet that had forty-two cents in it.

“You alright back there?” Helena heard a voice from the front of the store.

Helena approached the cashier.

“My friends left without me,” she said.

“Oh crap. Do you need to use a phone?” He asked.

“I don’t know their phone numbers.”

“Can’t you call your parents?”

“I wish,” Helena thought and shook her head.

“Where are you trying to go, again?” The Cashier asked. His brows were furrowed with concern.

“Seneca,” she said.

“Shoot, I don’t even know which direction that is.”

Helena nodded her head and shrugged her shoulders, “Yeah, me neither.”

Helena’s eyes landed on a drink fridge next to the counter. The fridge was fully stocked with bottles of water priced at fifty cents each. She licked her lips and opened her wallet to recount her money, hoping to find a few pennies that she had not counted before.

“I’ll look it up and point you in the right direction. There’s not much else I can do for you,” the cashier said as he reached for his phone in his back pocket.

“Okay, thanks” she replied.

She was used to being on her own anyway.

The cashier turned his phone screen to Helena, “It’s a long way, but you’re going to make a left here at this road.”

The cashier explained the directions for Helena, and even wrote them down on some receipt paper for her.

Helena poured her change out on to the counter, “I just need a bottle of water, please.”

The cashier counted it, “You’re a few cents short, but don’t worry about it, just take one.”

“Thanks.”

Helena went back outside. The list of directions was tucked into her wallet. She tried not to chug the whole bottle of water. A drop of water trickled out from the corner of her mouth when she drank. It was not the first time she had to hitchhike home, but it was the furthest she had ever been from home.

Helena hung around the gas station for a while, unsure if she wanted to make that twenty-mile hike or not. What if nobody stopped to give her a ride on the way? Would she just have to sleep on the side of the road? Someone might call the police if they saw her just laying there on the road. They would think she were dead or something. Helena helped herself to another cigarette as these thoughts raced around in her mind.

“Of course, they only care if I’m dead,” she said and smirked to herself as she lit the cigarette.

Helena began walking in the direction the cashier pointed her. She could not get Jenna out of her mind. Jenna had been her best friend for years. She was the first person that Helena came out to as bisexual. Jenna was one of those people who were easy to fall in love with.

Helena woke up when she felt the blanket being tugged on. For two seconds, she was alarmed. Then, she heard Jenna’s voice.

“It’s me,” Jenna said.

“Oh,” Helena said, opening her eyes.

“I don’t want to sleep alone.”

Helena scooted over to make room for Jenna. Jenna laid down facing Helena. Helena’s eyes closed again.

Moments later, Helena felt something soft and warm against her lips. It felt like a dream. When she opened her eyes, she realized what the feeling was. It was not a dream. Jenna had kissed her.

She lost track of time, but she could tell the sun moved. She counted twenty cars that passed without stopping. Twenty times she held her thumb up to signal a need for a ride, and twenty times people said no. Her water bottle was empty, and her feet were beginning to ache.

Helena hears a car coming and turns her head to look. It’s a white pickup truck with red flames on the sides. She holds her thumb up. She didn’t care if this guy tied her up and threw her in the trunk, she was sick of walking already. The truck pulled over.

In the driver’s seat there was an older woman with long, curly, black hair. She wore a faded Metallica T-shirt and ripped jeans. She took off her sunglasses to look at Helena, “Hells bells, girl, what are you doin’ out here?”

Helena could not help but smile at the woman, “I’m just trying to get to the next town.”

“Well get in!” She said as if Helena should have already been in the truck.

The air conditioner was a luxury Helena would always appreciate.

“Thank you so much,” Helena said and pulled on her seat belt.

“Don’t worry about it. How long have you been walking, anyway?”

“I don’t know, I was left at the gas station.”

“Are you serious? That’s, like, five miles!” the woman turned down the radio to listen to Helena, “Mind if I ask how you got stranded?”

“I was on my way home from a camping trip with some people and they left without me when I got out to use the restroom.”

The woman gasped, “No way!”

Helena nodded.

“Those bitches.”

The woman was chatty. She said her name was Carmen and that she lived in the next down but was out of town for a concert. The conversation slowed to a gentle stop after a few minutes. Helena was able to lean her head back for the rest of the ride. Her eyes closed as she relaxed.

“What are you doing?” Helena asked calmly. Her face was only a few inches from Jenna’s. She felt Jenna’s hand on her waist.

“I’m sorry,” Jenna said.

“Why did you kiss me?”

“Because you’re my best friend and I love you.”

Helena was looking into Jenna’s eyes. They twinkled as the moon shone in through the bedroom window. Helena leaned forward and kissed Jenna softly on the lips.

“I love you, too,” Helena said.

Helena woke up when she felt the truck come to a halt at a stop light.

“Sleep okay? Sorry if I’m a shit driver,” Carmen said.

Helena smiled and sat up, “I didn’t realize I fell asleep.”

“Yeah. You were out, girl.”

Helena looked out the window. She saw a gas station at the corner. Parked in the parking lot was a red Jeep. Her heart jumped.

“Th-There! Can you drop me off there? I see the people I was with.” Helena said, already unbuckling her seatbelt.

“Oh shit, for real? Okay, okay,” Carmen replied and pulled into the gas station.

As they got closer, Helena saw Jenna standing with her arms crossed in front of the Jeep.

Helena jumped out of the truck, “I can’t thank you enough,” she said to Carmen.

“Don’t worry about it! Hurry, go! Before they leave again,” Carmen replied.

Helena approached the red Jeep and then called out, “Jenna!”

“Helena! Oh my god!” Jenna squealed and ran to Helena. She crashed into Helena’s arms.

“I had no idea he was going to do that to you! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Helena said and looked towards the Jeep. Craig was standing on the driver’s side with his arms crossed.

“I guess I can’t get rid of you…” Craig muttered when the girls approached him.

“What the hell, Craig? We’re, like, three hundred miles away from home!” Helena said.

“I heard what happened between you two. I thought you were my friend, Helena.”

“Face me like a man, asshole. Trying to get rid of me is a coward move.”

“Whatever. I’m still not letting you back in my car.”

“I’m not going anywhere without Helena,” Jenna said.

“Then you can stay here, too,” Craig said and pointed his finger at Jenna.

Helena grabbed Jenna’s hand, “Are you crazy? Go with him, I’ll find a way.”

“No way, I’m not leaving you here,” Jenna said.

Craig took Helena and Jenna’s bags out of the Jeep and dropped them both on the ground, “Jenna, this is your last chance. Get in or stay here,” Craig said.

Jenna let go of Helena’s hand and walked over to Craig. She stopped and picked up both bags from the ground, “Screw you, Craig. I’d rather walk three hundred miles than be stuck in a car with you.”