The Lonely Girl

Chapter 2: meeting him, meeting her

Rose p.o.v

For a while, I just sat there in front of the boutique. My tummy still hurt, but I had nothing that could help to lessen the pain. After two hours the owner of the boutique came outside and walked up to me. "I see that you mean no harm, but I would rather for you to go. I have two sandwiches in this bag for you so at least you have something to eat. I am sorry but you are scaring my customers away." I didn't really know how to respond to this. It was kind of her to give me food but kinda rude to ask me to go away. Nonetheless, I thanked her for the food and walked away. 

It was still raining and cold. My hoodie was by now completely soaked. In need of a dry place, I walked faster. I had found a mall and walked inside. I walked over to the bench where I ate my sandwiches. They were really good and my tummy felt better when I finished eating. 

After that, I walked around the mall. I looked at all the pretty things. The toy store I liked the most. From a distance, I could see all the stuffies they sell. I started to imagine how I would play with them, how they would offer me comfort, how I would cuddle with them. Oh how much I wanted that. Comfort. Suddenly I was snapped out of my fantasies with the stuffies by a security guy. 

"Hey you, little girl! This mall isn't for homeless people. I have to ask you to leave the mall," the man said. I looked up at him. He was quite tall and well built. I couldn't go against him. He would overpower me in a second. Not that I wanted to fight the guy, it just made me aware that I shouldn't piss him off. So I would try just once to ask to stay. Because I could see that it was still raining and here in the mall it was nice and warm. 

"Please s-sir, I... I will not break or s-steal anything. I just want to look around if that's okay?" I tried to sound as adult-like as I could. Even though this man could easily be the cause of me slipping to my little headspace. But I couldn't have that now, could I? I needed to be a big girl. 

"Like I already said. This place. Is not. A place. For. Homeless people." He looked at me sternly. No, don't give in, you can't slip, I scolded myself. "Go away or I will drag you out of here." I looked at him with pleading eyes. I turned a bit around to look outside and then back at him. I really wanted to stay here. 

"P-please sir, please let me stay. It's cold outside and it's raining. Please let me stay here. I pinky promise I will not disturb anybody." I said as politely as I can with a small smile. But instead, he looked mad and grabbed my arm and dragged me outside. I whimpered because his firm grip was too tight. 

"S-sir, sir it hurts. Please let me go." But he didn't listen, he kept dragging me toward the entrance of the mall. Once outside he gave me a little push and said: "I warn you, never, ever come back here again or I will call the authorities. Understood? " 

I gave him a slight nod and he walked away. When he was gone I looked down at my feet and huffed in annoyance and defeat. Then I noticed I missed something, Belle. No, no, no, this can't be true. I looked back in the mall and I saw Belle laying down on the ground. Before I could act I saw someone put her down in the trash bin. 

No! I ran inside to save my only friend. Unfortunately, I didn't come far. The security guy saw me coming back in and started dragging me away from the bin. 

"I will NOT warn you again little girl. You are NOT welcome here. GO AWAY!" He shouted. 

"Please sir, I will never come here again but my stuffie is over there in the bin. I will just get her out of there and I will be gone. I promise, sir. Just this once, please?" I had clasped my hands together to beg him to let me go in. 

"Aren't you too old for that stuff? Never mind, I am not going to ask you again. Leave this mall this instant!" He gave me a hard glare. I pleaded with my eyes, tears already streaming down my face. But he didn't care at all.