Falling For a Criminal

The feeling I felt when I first fell in love with Rose is indescribable. Usually when I fall in love it doesn't hit me as fast as a fastball, but it did this time. She was the most extraordinary person I have ever met and I fell in love just too quickly. I looked father then I should have. Got too deep into a relationship that I knew would last as long as I wished. This is my story of how I fell for a criminal.



Everywhere I look there are gas station and fast food restaurants, truly I should stop at both, but I need to keep moving. I look at my fuel tank and notice a little E at the bottom is blinking red. 'Great... Now I have to stop for gas...' As the sun breaks the earth I squint my eyes. It's just too bright outside for 6 in the morning. I pull into a Rally, parking next to one of the gas pumps and get out of my car. I go around the back of my truck bed and make sure the couch is secure. I usually don't concern myself with these things, but now that I am finally moving to Michigan to continue my doctor career I need to save every piece of furniture I can.



I swipe my debit card and fill up my tank. As it starts to load I look in my cooler in the front seat and open it. No water? God I'm running low on supplies. The only thing left in the cooler is an apple and an orange. That won't last me 3 hours at the rate I'm going. I put the pump back on the rack and go into the main building. I walk back towards the drinks and open the fridge where everything is held. Somebody mumbles something behind me, but I don't turn around. I continue picking up the water when somebody taps me on the back and grabs my shoulder. I finally turn around and see a short, plump man with a mustache. He has a cop badge and is holding a wanted poster. I can't quite see the picture as well as I could if he was a bit taller.



"Have you seen this girl? She goes by the name of Rose, she's shorter than the average woman, but is over the age of 18." I place the water on the ground and take the paper from him. The woman on the paper is beautiful, I don't know who on earth would turn in. All I say is "Wow..." I can't manage anything else out of my mouth. I give back the wanted poster and the cop just looks at me. "I've never seen that girl in my life." Even if I chose to lie it wouldn't work. That would require me to say I did in fact knew this girl and I know where she is. Well... That would get me in trouble no doubt. The officer wipes sweat off of his mustache and once again mumbles something, probably cuss words under his breath.



I pick up the water from off the ground and walk towards the chips. I should've grabbed a basket, so I wouldn't be putting that much pressure on my back. Whatever, it doesn't really matter. When I finally make it to the chips I pick up a bag of Doritos and a tin of Pringles. To make sure nobody in this retched place stole my car, I look out on the large windows. My truck is still there, but there is somebody in the back of my truck, sitting on the couch. I move a little more towards the register and see a person sitting there. Great a hitchhiker.



I walk up to the cashier and place my items on the counter. I stare at the window still waiting for the person to leave, but they don't. "Your total comes to... $13.01." I take my debit card out of my pocket and hand it to the cashier. He swipes the card and replies "Do you want any cash back?" I shake my head and sign my name on the bottom of the paper he hands me. This is what they give now? He gave me a legit, full size piece of printer paper. I take the bag from him, and put the bottles of water under my arm. "Sir, you get a free bag of ice with your purchase of the water." I smile at him and then walk out to my truck. I set down all of my stuff and check out what's sitting on my couch.



The light shines bright on the face of the stranger. I squint and can only tell one thing. It's a girl, not a guy. I reach in my pocket and find my sunglasses. I put them on and can see the girl clearer. She has auburn hair and the tips are dyed green. She's wearing an orange jumpsuit, I lock eyes with her and I can't look away. Her eyes are the lightest shade of emerald, and even through the sunglasses they seem to stare into my soul. She smiles at me, her teeth are white and straight. Just like the girl on the wanted poster, but this couldn't possibly be her. Although, they both look similar. Same cheekbones, same nose and eyes.



"Are you done?" She asks me. "Done? Oh... Yeah." I feel my cheeks start to burn. I take my sunglasses and wait for my eyes to adjust to the bright light. She seems to stare deeper into my soul as the conversation continues. "Can you do me a favor?" She manages. "Depends on what it is." I reply back just to tease her. Her face turn sour. "For $500 drive me to Wisconsin and I'm not your problem anymore." Whoa...whoa...wait! Five hundred dollars? Couldn't she like... Get her own car, or buy an airplane ticket or... even take the bus to get to Wisconsin? Why does she have to hitch a ride?



"Can you not just take a bus?" I question. All I want is to get out of this situation, and continue driving to Michigan. She bites her lip, well here comes a lie. "No I can't. For reasons that don't concern you." Is she being serious right now?! She wants me to drive to Wisconsin and is being entirely too rude. Maybe I would have driven her if she wouldn't have acted like that. I shake my head and she's all of a sudden mad at me. "Okay, then maybe I should bump I should bump the offer... how about $700 and I will be out of your life forever." I roll my eyes. I rub my stubby beard and think for a moment. 'If I don't accept, she will be mad. If I do, I will have to sit 29 hours with her, but I do get paid $700. JOHN STOP CONSIDERING IT! I tell myself sighing. "I suppose, BUT I want to know why you are asking me." Seriously?! Did that just come out of my mouth?



The girl looks down at the ground disappointed. "I...I Robbed a bank, and then escaped the police. They are trying to find me. Luckily I found an old abandoned barn and hid in there for 3 days. When I peeked out of the door there was a police officer pointing a gun at me. He didn't even want to arrest me all he did was shoot my left calve. While I was trying my best to run I had to cross a fence and now there is a large gash still bleeding where he shot me. It's been 1 day and I've only seen one cop. Well... I probably should get stitches, but I didn't want to see a doctor just in case they were to turn me into the police..." Well her story is interesting... Should I trust her? I don't see why not.



"Do you need help getting down?" She nods her head and I help her down from the truck and notice how short she is. Can't be more than 5'1, she only comes up to my rib cage. She turns around showing me the true large gash on her calve. There is pus coming from the wound and I see a little bit of the bullet deep in her flesh. Her story must be true, I know not to trust as criminal, but I can tell she is in pain. I squat down and look at her leg a little more. Her leg is inflamed and pus is leaking out, but it is quite obvious it is infected. I stand up. "Well good for you... I'm a doctor. I can fix your problem, but it's going to hurt. I just need somewhere I can fix it in peace, probably a motel room or somewhere." I trying to decide my options. She looks worried not knowing what is going to happen next. I pick her up and take her to the passenger seat in my truck. It's a good thing I bought the truck with five seats and not two. I open the door and lay her down. "Hang on." I need to grab a towel so the pus doesn't ruin my seats. I pick up a rag towel and bring it to the seats. I lay it down and take the girls leg laying it across towel. Pus starts to ooze out and the girl sits up making sure I can shut the door.



When I shut the door I grab the free bag of ice that I got with my purchase and pour it into the cooler. I'll worry about the rest of the stuff after I fix up this girls leg. I get into the driver's seat and start up the car. I fix my mirror and the girl is looking right at me. She's crying too, I wonder if it's the pain or the fact I let her stay in my car... "Just to make it not obvious you are a criminal we need to get you some new clothes. I'll run in, but what size are you?"



She looks up at me and wipes the tear and sniffs. "Shirt- Adult S, Pants- 0, and shorts- Adult Xs." I pull into the parking lot of Target and park the car. "DON'T MOVE!" I tell her. She laughs. "I wasn't planning on it." I run into the store and go straight to the women's sections. I find a pair of ripped black jeans and find a small which hopefully is a zero. Just in case it was the wrong size I pick up a thin white belt for her to use if she needed it. I walk over to the tank tops and search for the right color to match the black. I pick up a red tank top and black faux leather in a size s. Dangit, she didn't tell me her shoe size. Ugh maybe I should just grab a pair of boots and hope they fit... Why and I spending so much on her? It's not because I care, just simply the right thing to do. Still she is a stranger that got arrested. I take what I have and leave the shoes where they are. She'll just have to take the fact that I'm probably spending close to $75 on clothes she will wear once or twice. I go to the check-out line and see red and blue lights flashing outside. Oh no, Rose. She probably scared out of her mind, or maybe she's not. I don't care about her. I don't care what she thinks or her emotions, wait I do. You know what? Leave it alone.



"Um, sir are you okay?" The cashier asks me. Oh god I spoke out loud. "Um, yeah I'm fine. Just this and make it quick I have something to do." I cover up. The cashier raises her eyebrows and scans all of my items, putting them in a bag. "That will be $89.15." I swipe my debit card. "Have a wonderful day sir, thank you for shopping at target and please come again." I yank the bag from her hand and speed walk to the exit. A police officer stops me at the exit and asks me "Have you seen this girl." I push his hand down and run before he can catch me. I unlock the car and Rose's head shoots up. "What's going on?!" I throw the bag at her and she catches it. I start the car and speed out of the parking lot. When we are finally on the main road. Rose asks "I never got your name? What is it?" I take a deep breath and look at her. "John, my name is John." She smiles at me. "Well thank you John." I nod at her.



I can't believe myself, trusting a criminal and getting away from the cops in one day.... I didn't think I'd ever do those sorts of things. One day I'm planning to pursue my dreams and live in Michigan, and not I'm falling head over heads for a criminal and girl I don't even know.