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A birthday homeless
#WritcoStoryPrompt42
She chose her cleanest piece of clothing to wear. It was a festival after all and she wanted to celebrate with everyone else. When she stepped into the street a speeding car drove by splashing dirty water on her.
A tear fell down her cheek. The poor had no right to celebrate. Today was her birthday, she looked down at her now mud-splashed jeans she had only just gotten from a charity organization, that allowed you to have a meal and some clothes for absolutely nothing as they liked to help the homeless. She wanted to walk back but she knew by the time she would get there it would be shut.
It was tough enough to be a homeless person, without things like this happening. She shook her head and wiped her eyes, feeling low today, when all she had wanted was to look nice it was rare she felt like that these days, but today being her birthday she had received a message from someone she hadn't expected to hear from but still had the key to her heart.
At thirty years old and had never dreamt this was where she would end up in her life but at the age of twenty-two the streets had become her home life, mixing with people from all walks of life. It wasn't all bad, she had some really good friends she probably would have never befriended had she not been in this situation, but they had always helped her where they could and made life bearable.
Walking along the city center she looked through the windows at the pretty outfits that were hanging up, she longed for a chance to be able to afford to buy some, but knew the likeness of that was very slim, trying to get somewhere to sleep was always a high priority to her, especially in the winter months.
It didn't worry her being on the streets anymore like it had long ago, never have resorted to stealing or drugs although it had been tempting at times she never allowed herself to drop down to that typical scenario, people on the streets were judged enough and used to being tarnished with everyone presuming the worst about them and some people did resort to these things but usually there was a story to why they were the way they were, if only people would sit and listen to the people who were lost in their life's, they would understand a lot more. But unfortunately not many people would take some time out in their busy life's to get to know someone who was struggling in life. The people who did were generous with food, odd bits of change and even random things like books or odd bits of clothing or even change. Which was always highly appreciated by anyone who was homeless, even as simple as an ear to be listened too often helped someone in her position.
She walked into Berties fast food restaurant, avoiding any eye contact with anyone, something she had also learnt from being homeless if you don't want the judgy eyes then don't look up, cos they're people who automatically judge you without knowing you. Heading straight into the rest rooms she pulled a paper towel down and poured some water on to it and scrubbed at the mud splashes down her jeans, afterwards she stood under the hand dryer trying to dry the wet patches on her jeans, she frowned wishing she didn't have to be doing this, but with no choice she carried on. A group of girls walked in
"Ew do you smell that" one girl remarked to another
"Totally gross is what that is!" the other girl replied.
"Ew is it that woman?" another girl laughed, without sticking up for herself, Jenna walked out of the rest room not waiting for her jeans to dry, she knew sometimes these situations could get really nasty quickly, she didn't want any trouble.
Back out in the cold she wondered what she should do to waste some time before her meeting with Jensen. The only thing that was keeping her going today was the thought of seeing him again, she missed his smiling face, his happy words but knew if you crossed him it wouldn't be as happy, it could be quite abusive verbally, but her heart still belonged to him whether she wanted it to or not. Even after all these years.
She found Bernie, sitting outside Benny's supermarket. She sat herself down beside her,
"How's it going?" She asked gently
"Fourty pence" she answered glumly. "Hoping to get tonight's stay at the hotel and hopefully some Penny's for some food, I missed Frannys this morning" She answered
"I noticed you weren't there, I forgot to pick up some stuff for us for later, I have that meeting with Jensen didn't really think of later tonight"
"Don't worry mate, I'm feeling positive today" Bernie said with a smile. "You look lovely by the way" she added.
"Apparently I smell bad" she commented
"What? Where'd you get that from you smell like shower gel" Bernie stated,
"Some girls in the rest room"
"Oh don't go worrying yourself over some random people, that will always bring you down if you do" she pointed out. "They've just nothing better to do with their life's other than putting other people down, probably find their not happy in their own life's." she added gently.
"I know, I just wanted today to feel a tad different"
"It will later, when your with Jensen" she teased
"What if he's as judgemental?"
"Then he's not worth your time" she bluntly replied.
Leaving her friend she walked the town again, window shopping trying to make herself feel better and try to relieve the anxiety of meeting him today, so far hadn't filled her with much confidence but she was trying her hardest to not let things get to her as much as she normally did.
She started to walk toward her fountain where they had agreed to meet each other, she didn't want to be late for him, she wanted to see him approaching, she wanted to see if his reaction was a good one before he had time to compose his first reaction, a lot had changed for them both, hers hadn't been great, but his life sounded good from what he had told her.
She'd been waiting ages and ages and yet he still hadn't turned up, she sat there feeling stupid for thinking he would arrive, She spotted Bernie walking over to her,
"A no show huh" she guessed
"Looks that way" She admitted disappointedly.
"I'm sure he will have a perfectly good explanation" Bernie replied, trying to make her friend feel better
"I'm gonna' text him later" she confessed feeling to disappointed he was a no show.
"Come on, it's your birthday, you deserve a birthday drink, I earnt enough today for us to have somewhere to sleep, some food and a little drink" Bernie announced and led her friend to the off license, she was determined not to cry. A message came through on her phone,
"Sorry I didn't make it please let me
make it up to you tomorrow,
work didn't finish until now
luv Jensen"
she smiled to herself as she realized he hadn't forgotten about her and hadn't changed his mind, he just couldn't make it today. Feeling better she allowed her friend to lead her to the park where the rest of their friends were waiting for them, making her feel lucky to have such amazing friends.
She chose her cleanest piece of clothing to wear. It was a festival after all and she wanted to celebrate with everyone else. When she stepped into the street a speeding car drove by splashing dirty water on her.
A tear fell down her cheek. The poor had no right to celebrate. Today was her birthday, she looked down at her now mud-splashed jeans she had only just gotten from a charity organization, that allowed you to have a meal and some clothes for absolutely nothing as they liked to help the homeless. She wanted to walk back but she knew by the time she would get there it would be shut.
It was tough enough to be a homeless person, without things like this happening. She shook her head and wiped her eyes, feeling low today, when all she had wanted was to look nice it was rare she felt like that these days, but today being her birthday she had received a message from someone she hadn't expected to hear from but still had the key to her heart.
At thirty years old and had never dreamt this was where she would end up in her life but at the age of twenty-two the streets had become her home life, mixing with people from all walks of life. It wasn't all bad, she had some really good friends she probably would have never befriended had she not been in this situation, but they had always helped her where they could and made life bearable.
Walking along the city center she looked through the windows at the pretty outfits that were hanging up, she longed for a chance to be able to afford to buy some, but knew the likeness of that was very slim, trying to get somewhere to sleep was always a high priority to her, especially in the winter months.
It didn't worry her being on the streets anymore like it had long ago, never have resorted to stealing or drugs although it had been tempting at times she never allowed herself to drop down to that typical scenario, people on the streets were judged enough and used to being tarnished with everyone presuming the worst about them and some people did resort to these things but usually there was a story to why they were the way they were, if only people would sit and listen to the people who were lost in their life's, they would understand a lot more. But unfortunately not many people would take some time out in their busy life's to get to know someone who was struggling in life. The people who did were generous with food, odd bits of change and even random things like books or odd bits of clothing or even change. Which was always highly appreciated by anyone who was homeless, even as simple as an ear to be listened too often helped someone in her position.
She walked into Berties fast food restaurant, avoiding any eye contact with anyone, something she had also learnt from being homeless if you don't want the judgy eyes then don't look up, cos they're people who automatically judge you without knowing you. Heading straight into the rest rooms she pulled a paper towel down and poured some water on to it and scrubbed at the mud splashes down her jeans, afterwards she stood under the hand dryer trying to dry the wet patches on her jeans, she frowned wishing she didn't have to be doing this, but with no choice she carried on. A group of girls walked in
"Ew do you smell that" one girl remarked to another
"Totally gross is what that is!" the other girl replied.
"Ew is it that woman?" another girl laughed, without sticking up for herself, Jenna walked out of the rest room not waiting for her jeans to dry, she knew sometimes these situations could get really nasty quickly, she didn't want any trouble.
Back out in the cold she wondered what she should do to waste some time before her meeting with Jensen. The only thing that was keeping her going today was the thought of seeing him again, she missed his smiling face, his happy words but knew if you crossed him it wouldn't be as happy, it could be quite abusive verbally, but her heart still belonged to him whether she wanted it to or not. Even after all these years.
She found Bernie, sitting outside Benny's supermarket. She sat herself down beside her,
"How's it going?" She asked gently
"Fourty pence" she answered glumly. "Hoping to get tonight's stay at the hotel and hopefully some Penny's for some food, I missed Frannys this morning" She answered
"I noticed you weren't there, I forgot to pick up some stuff for us for later, I have that meeting with Jensen didn't really think of later tonight"
"Don't worry mate, I'm feeling positive today" Bernie said with a smile. "You look lovely by the way" she added.
"Apparently I smell bad" she commented
"What? Where'd you get that from you smell like shower gel" Bernie stated,
"Some girls in the rest room"
"Oh don't go worrying yourself over some random people, that will always bring you down if you do" she pointed out. "They've just nothing better to do with their life's other than putting other people down, probably find their not happy in their own life's." she added gently.
"I know, I just wanted today to feel a tad different"
"It will later, when your with Jensen" she teased
"What if he's as judgemental?"
"Then he's not worth your time" she bluntly replied.
Leaving her friend she walked the town again, window shopping trying to make herself feel better and try to relieve the anxiety of meeting him today, so far hadn't filled her with much confidence but she was trying her hardest to not let things get to her as much as she normally did.
She started to walk toward her fountain where they had agreed to meet each other, she didn't want to be late for him, she wanted to see him approaching, she wanted to see if his reaction was a good one before he had time to compose his first reaction, a lot had changed for them both, hers hadn't been great, but his life sounded good from what he had told her.
She'd been waiting ages and ages and yet he still hadn't turned up, she sat there feeling stupid for thinking he would arrive, She spotted Bernie walking over to her,
"A no show huh" she guessed
"Looks that way" She admitted disappointedly.
"I'm sure he will have a perfectly good explanation" Bernie replied, trying to make her friend feel better
"I'm gonna' text him later" she confessed feeling to disappointed he was a no show.
"Come on, it's your birthday, you deserve a birthday drink, I earnt enough today for us to have somewhere to sleep, some food and a little drink" Bernie announced and led her friend to the off license, she was determined not to cry. A message came through on her phone,
"Sorry I didn't make it please let me
make it up to you tomorrow,
work didn't finish until now
luv Jensen"
she smiled to herself as she realized he hadn't forgotten about her and hadn't changed his mind, he just couldn't make it today. Feeling better she allowed her friend to lead her to the park where the rest of their friends were waiting for them, making her feel lucky to have such amazing friends.
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