Darren flicked the windscreen wipers on. Halfway through what was supposed to be a ten minute drive home already felt more like an hour, partly due to the succession of red lights when there was nothing coming the other way, but mostly because the girl sat next to him hadn't spoken since she'd got into his car. "Just as well I'm picking you up or you'd have got soaked." he ventured. She didn't reply. He hadn't intended to even consider a female lodger but she sounded so wretched on the phone he couldn't refuse her at least a look at the place. Not that he'd had any other interest, and the mortgage was nearly due.
He glanced at... he didn't even know her name. She'd put the phone down on him when he'd asked her and when he'd introduced himself she just nervously said hello. She was tiny; a good foot shorter than him, and dressed all in black. He guessed the boots and studded belt was to make her seem tougher than she appeared. And no coat either. Just jeans and a plain T shirt. On a wet January night! He remarked that she must have frozen while she waited for him but she simply said "no" and got in the car. Whatever it was that troubled her, it wasn't feeling the cold.
As he waited to turn left he looked at her again. Nothing. It was difficult to put an age to her. He was terrible at that anyway, but thought she was somewhere between 28 and 45. She wasn't gorgeous by any means, but not bad looking. Although it didn't help that those big dark eyes on her pale face looked so sad and worried. He saw she still had her large and overfull handbag on her lap, holding onto the straps for dear life. And her fingernails were unpainted but immaculate. He found this odd, but couldn't say why.
Parking up, he looked out at the rain. It was easing off. "You want to be careful getting into cars with men you don't know." he said, and immediately regretted it. "I'm so sorry. That's a really-"
"I told you I was desperate." She didn't look at him.
He sighed inwardly. "You'd better see the room, then." he said. As they got out of the car he pulled his jacket collar up to keep the rain out then ran the ten yards across the car park toward his door. The girl walked, the rain not bothering her in the slightest. By the time she stopped next to him, Darren already had the door open. He waited for her to go in but she didn't move. For the first time she was looking at him. Really looking. Her expression wasn't scared now. It was resigned. "Are you OK?"
"I think so."
He glanced at... he didn't even know her name. She'd put the phone down on him when he'd asked her and when he'd introduced himself she just nervously said hello. She was tiny; a good foot shorter than him, and dressed all in black. He guessed the boots and studded belt was to make her seem tougher than she appeared. And no coat either. Just jeans and a plain T shirt. On a wet January night! He remarked that she must have frozen while she waited for him but she simply said "no" and got in the car. Whatever it was that troubled her, it wasn't feeling the cold.
As he waited to turn left he looked at her again. Nothing. It was difficult to put an age to her. He was terrible at that anyway, but thought she was somewhere between 28 and 45. She wasn't gorgeous by any means, but not bad looking. Although it didn't help that those big dark eyes on her pale face looked so sad and worried. He saw she still had her large and overfull handbag on her lap, holding onto the straps for dear life. And her fingernails were unpainted but immaculate. He found this odd, but couldn't say why.
Parking up, he looked out at the rain. It was easing off. "You want to be careful getting into cars with men you don't know." he said, and immediately regretted it. "I'm so sorry. That's a really-"
"I told you I was desperate." She didn't look at him.
He sighed inwardly. "You'd better see the room, then." he said. As they got out of the car he pulled his jacket collar up to keep the rain out then ran the ten yards across the car park toward his door. The girl walked, the rain not bothering her in the slightest. By the time she stopped next to him, Darren already had the door open. He waited for her to go in but she didn't move. For the first time she was looking at him. Really looking. Her expression wasn't scared now. It was resigned. "Are you OK?"
"I think so."
