Chapter Two

He looked at the girl in front of him who was covered in dirt and tears her clothes were ragged he could see holes in her pants and sleeves a long tear at the seam of her shirt on the shoulder. He couldn't think much about how she ended up on his front porch but only that she had to of ran away from home.

"What the heck?" He blurted feeling uncertain and confused. "Where did you come from?" He got no reply.

He signed out of frustration. "Ok, can you at least tell me your name? It's the middle of the night and I'd like to go to sleep."

The young girl finally made eye contact with him her eyes were filled with so much fear her words stumbled as she tried to speak.

"S-Sophie An-Ander-derson?"

"And Sophie do you live around here?" He asked after calming down so he wouldn't scare her away. Though that would have been a good idea so he could go back to sleep in peace but then if she was found up dead in the woods in the morning he'd feel guilty for letting her go out in the storm that was bound to start any moment.

When the girl shook her head at his question he became worried, where did this girl come from and why was she on his front porch in the middle of the night?

"Where are you from Sophie?" He asked being more cautious of her.

"Flint Michigan, I need help please?!" She began to hyperventilate.

"Flint Michigan! How did you get from there to all the way here in Indiana?"

She broke eye contact and looked uneasy as if hiding something.

"Please can you help me? Just allow me to stay for a few days then I'll be-"

"No, I can't help you." He told her and shut the door before she could get through. How could he help a young girl like that there was no way he could invite her into his home she was a runaway.

Her scream for help and the banging on the door was a constant battle of trying to sleep through it. But when it suddenly stopped he got out of bed and went to the door to peek through the window. He could see the tips of her shoes where she sat leaning against the door. He thought she had fallen asleep and was going to leave her there till morning to see if she would leave but the sudden rain pouring concerned him. If she got sick she wouldn't be able to pay for the treatment he wasn't even sure if she had eaten anything for days she was skinny. He opened the door only enough for him to fit his arm through to support her body. When he got a firm hold of her he opened the door wider then picked her up and brought her inside. He wasn't sure where to put her at first but then thought of the guest bedroom he couldn't just let her sleep uncomfortably. He laid her down gently on the bed slipped her shoes off then tucked her underneath the blanket. It didn't feel right for him to have someone who wasn't family in his home. He had to get rid of her before noon or his family would likely talk an ear off about it continuously. He went to his bedroom and when he hit his head against the pillow he fell back asleep. He had no dream this time it was only peace. When the morning sun had fully risen from behind the trees it was nine-thirty when there was a knock on the door. He was being disturbed from his sleep once again. He rolled his eyes and walked to the front door when he opened it his eyes widened big as quarters.

"Mom dad Andy! What are you doing here?" He quickly checked his surroundings behind him in case the girl decided to walk around his house like she owned it herself.

"My baby we missed you so much!" His mom pulled him in for a hug and kiss. "Why are you still not dressed?" His mom asked with a confused expression.

"Yeah, bro what's up with you it's so unlike you?" His little brother Andy asked and hugged him.

"I thought you guys weren't coming till noon?" He asked.

"We were but your mom was so excited to see you so we left Chicago early." His dad told. He smiled in hopes they wouldn't see the worry all over his face. It was all too late now his family was in his home making themselves comfortable. While they were in the living room He made his way through the hall and quickly got ready for the day then checked on the girl to see if she was still asleep. When he saw her spread out on the bed asleep he again noticed her torn clothes. He didn't have any for women only old clothes that were his.

When he decided it in his head he went back to his bedroom and searched his closet for what seemed right for her. Then put the clothes on the chair next to the bed where it would be noticeable for her to see.

In the living room, his family was watching the office they all three were obsessed with the show while he hardly found interest in it.

"Oh hey, you're out! Davis when is it dinner?" His dad asked.

"Not till one thirty why? Are you hungry, I could make you breakfast if you want?"

"Yeah, could you, it would be greatly appreciated?"

He nodded to himself and started frying eggs bacon and sausage then remembered Sophie was bound to be hungry especially when he found out she came from Michigan to Clinton Indiana. He still had to ask questions to get information out of her when she had to be hiding something just the way she acted last night was strange she asked for help in the most fearful way he had ever heard. Though it was none of his concern it still concerned him it was annoying just thinking about it.

"Alright, whoever is hungry come to the dining table!" He hollered loud enough for them to hear over the tv. When they all came around the table they sat down and enjoyed their breakfast.

"So dad how is it being a mechanic in Chicago business-wise?" He asked.

"It's doing pretty great there is lots more work needing to be done which is great because here I've never gotten the chance to really experience what a true mechanic was until moving to Chicago."

"And he's been making much more money than before." His mom added.

"So you guys are happy then...in Chicago?"

"Yeah, it's a great city I even get the chance to try out for the football team there!" Andy told with excitement but it didn't last long when everyone put their attention on his mom when she made small sounds.

"Um, Davis?" The way his name left her lips wasn't in a good way it was like she was confused and disappointed at the same time.

"Wow bro who's that?" Andy asked suddenly surprised.

"Why do you have a girl who looks to be a minor in your house?" His dad then asked.

He didn't know how he should have felt or what to say to them. How could he explain that last night she popped up on his porch out of nowhere in tears asking for help without them jumping to conclusions without knowing anything just as he hardly knew anything about her only that her name was Sophie and wanted help?

"Sophie are you hungry?" He asked ignoring their questions.

She nodded in response with a small shy smile.

"Alright, there's a plate in the oven for you?"

When Sophie was gone his family looked at him strangely like he had lost his mind. Though that may have been true he couldn't have just left her out in the rain.

"What? She's only staying for a few days until she finds a new place to stay."

"Davis, she's a minor she can't find a new place? And she's not much of a concern to me but now with you yes do you know what can happen in only a short time with only you two alone, you can't have a man and a woman alone together it just doesn't work like that?" His dad told.

"Woah wait a minute why are you bringing all this up? She only just last night woke me up by knocking on my door in tears covered in dirt and, in torn clothes, and you expect me to not help?"

"No your dad didn't say that he just said you can't be alone with her?"

"Yeah, and what are you going to do when all you leave and she's still here?" He told with a hard glare leaning back into his chair.

"Then you better not let that happen?"

"But didn't you just say that she couldn't find a place to stay because she's a minor...you want me to just get her out of my house and make her go out without access to shelter food or water?"

"No, we don't." His dad said.

"Then what do you want me to do? If you want her gone before you all leave so bad then tell me what to do!" He raised his voice for the first time to his parents. His dad had a raised brow while his face said are you done all over it and his mom looked as if startled then Andy had a hard-to-miss smile that covered half his face. When he couldn't stand it any longer he went to the kitchen and before he went outside he took a second to look at Sophie who looked back at him with her cheeks stuffed with food. When he noticed her wearing his shirt that was now stained with egg yolk and bacon grease he regretted ever giving his clothes for her to borrow. He was disgusted by her presence and her clumsiness. When footsteps were heard from behind him he hurried outside to the barn. He was still needing to care for the only animal on the farm. He put a halter and lead onto the animal and lead it out of its stall to the outdoors to eat and get plenty of exercise.

Up in the loft was where hay and other supplies were being stored. He brought down a slab of hay and threw it out for it to eat. The next thing he had planned to do was clean the stall. He grabbed a shovel and rake from the loft and then began cleaning out the stall.

A moment later Sophie came running up to the barn saying, mister and came up behind him in the stall. He was confused about what was going on when Andy came a bit after.

"Wow, she can run?" Andy said taking a breath while leaning his arm against the barn.

"Andy, what is going on?" He asked and put the rake down to cross his arms.

"Well-" Andy exaggerated and got cut off by Sophie.

"He randomly came up to me in the kitchen and grabbed me by the shirt and what he called helping with the accident I made on the shirt, which I'm sorry about by the way? He stood too close for my liking." She told still hidden from Andy behind him.

"Andy she is off limits no touching her even if there's a mess on her shirt."

"Ok? But whatever your name is if you don't like people close to you why are you standing up close behind Davis hm?"

"I've known him longer." She told.

"Now what I've heard from my big bro Davis is that you have hardly known him for a day?" Andy said tilting his head in question.

"I've still known him longer than I've known you and I trust him more than I trust you?"

Andy laughed. "Bro she's funny?"

"Can you both just let me get back to cleaning this stall?" He asked but pleaded in his mind.

"Can I do it?"

"Huh?" He slightly turned to face her.

"Yeah can I do it, I mean it's all I could do for you since I will be staying in your home for the time being?"

"Ok give it a shot then." He insisted and backed away. He watched her unsure if she would be able to lift the full shovel when the manure was a bit wet and made it heavy to lift. When she started to struggle Andy chuckled in the back corner watching from a distance. And without his help, she had got the idea of only picking up little by little but what he had never imagined happening had happened and it only caused Andy to laugh hysterically.