Terrible Advice From a Career Temp- Chapter One: First Step in the Wrong Direction

"You're not ditching me to go off with Lindo. Are you?" Jackie asked Piper in a hushed tone on the bus when she caught her texting him. Piper, knowing the truth sounded bad to say out loud, answered, "Not a chance, but he's been hard to get a hold of because the band is touring, and we really do have to sort out the details if we are moving in together before school starts." Jackie scoffed, "He's a roadie, not the President. He could answer his phone at any time he wants. He could see you anytime he wants. Chico State is an hour's drive away. He's ghosting you."

Piper ignored her instead opting to pay attention to the Principal Mrs. Ito, who was tapping the bus's mic and clearing her throat to give a message. "Okay, kids, now we're getting close to the hotel for our weekend of 'Senior Bliss' at the Wild River's Park!" She announced as the bus full of Community High School students cheered. Mrs. Ito continued, "I'll remind everyone of the ground rules. Because the Hotel and the Park are connected, you can walk between the two. Students are not to go anywhere alone and not without informing a Chaperon where you are going. You are also expected to follow the curfew of being in your room by ten at night and not being out of your room before seven in the morning. There will be room checks! Your trip includes three provided meals for which you are to show your class voucher or wristband. You are all to follow the school's dress code in the hotel and at the park. Absolutely no smoking, no drugs, and no alcohol! No cohabiting in other students' hotel rooms, or you will be sent home. Violation of any of these rules will result in your being denied the opportunity to walk at graduation next Saturday. Use your best Community High manners and most of all, have fun!"

Piper wasn't concerned; she hadn't planned to go to her own graduation. She and Lindo had already figured it out. They were supposed to meet up that night after he finished wrapping up work. Jackie might not have had faith in Piper's boyfriend, but she did. After all, he might be aloof, but Piper had been with him for two years by that point. He always eventually came through. Jackie had never liked him because he was a senior when Piper was a sophomore. Jackie considered him to be too old, but Piper didn't see it that way.

Lindo and Piper are both a year older than the other students. Lindo because he was held back a grade, and Piper because she was put in a year later than the other kids her age. The reason for this was that her family had moved across the country when her parents divorced. The other kids gave her attitude when her birthday age didn't match theirs. It was a sore spot that she was teased for over the years. However, Lindo had a way of making her feel comfortable with that, as if this terrible blight about herself was a minor detail.

Piper was ready to move past grade school. She couldn't wait to move in with her college boyfriend and leave all the high school misery behind.

The bus pulled up to the hotel, and all the students settled into their rooms. Piper and Jackie had dinner with their classmates and went to the park until the last call, when the chaperons rounded up all the students at the entrance for a head count. Piper and Jackie were lucky enough to have Mr. Maize, the speech teacher. He was completely uninterested in the students. It was widely rumored that he only went on the trip because he had a crush on Mrs. Everly, the new lunch aide. Both were also married to other people. Piper thought they'd make a strange pair because both had unforgivably noticeable gaps in their front teeth.

Mrs. Everly, or as Piper had recognized her from the night shift clerk at the Circle K that was up the road from her low-rent apartment building, Palm Winds Court. Something that she suspected Mrs. Everly didn't want the general student body to know. Piper, who had a mother who had to work demeaning jobs and was called out in school by those without empathy, knew it was polite to keep to herself, how she knew Mrs. Everly.

Piper had fun with her friends, still she was eager for Lindo to stop by after the last room checks of the night. Chelsea-Lou Vonn and Gail Penta were across from Piper and Jackie. Mr. Maize had his charges stand outside their hotel room doors as he walked by and checked them off for the night. As soon as he finished and was safely out of sight, Chelsea-Lou asked if they wanted to watch scary movies with them. Jackie accepted the invitation, while Piper declined, expecting Lindo to text her that he was coming by any minute. "Suit yourself.." She said, before turning back, "...but if he ghosts you again, don't say I didn't call it." Jackie warned. Piper couldn't take someone wearing hot pink unicorn pajamas seriously. She shrugged Jackie off as she went to the other girl's room. Piper did her hair and make-up as she waited.

At midnight, Gail came by to see if she wanted to watch the next movie while she waited for Lindo. "Racheal Snyder brought a bottle of her mom's guava wine...it's terrible" Gail giggled as she tried to entice Piper into engaging with the sleepover next door. However, Piper could not be persuaded. It was well past two in the morning when Jackie came back to go to sleep. Piper pretended to be asleep when she came in, feeling too embarrassed by everyone knowing what had happened to risk having a conversation. She curled up under her blankets despite being too hot, leaving the pillow on top of her head in shame. Jackie made no acknowledgement of her.

The next day, the girls had fun at the park. Although some did give Piper a few jabs about being stood up. Piper downplayed how much it hurt. Apparently, she had missed out on a lot of fun while she was waiting around. Lindo texted her sometime after lunch. He wanted to meet Piper where he was staying. Piper checked his location; it was twenty minutes away. Piper said he'd have to meet with her later that night, because she didn't have a car. Jackie immediately had questions about Lindo's request. "Why doesn't he just come here? You're taking all the risk going to see him. Kellie Greenridge's boyfriend came to the park to hang out with her. He drove all the way from Sacramento to see her. Not that Lindo can crash in our room. I won't cover for you. If I can't walk at graduation, I'll tell my parents it's your fault, Piper."

Piper was shaken in her confidence in Lindo; that was for sure, but to her, Lindo was her life after childhood. She had already applied and gotten into the same school as him, but she couldn't afford college even with financial aid if she didn't have Lindo to rely on. He was already established, and he had an apartment with roommates in Chico. Lindo knew the college lifestyle, too. Piper felt like she needed him to help her along. Piper explained to Jackie, "He's my ticket out of here. I have to try or else I've gotta drop out before I even start." There was more to it than Piper let on. Things had been going downhill for their tiny family for some time.

Piper's father, Cleaver, had stopped his court-ordered payment of child support to her mother when Piper turned eighteen. The timing was awful, especially because Piper's mother, Dena, had to downsize twice in recent years. Once, when the local area was particularly hit hard in the recession, causing Dena to lose her job, and the second time, poor Dena developed an autoimmune disorder that greatly slowed her down. Their one-bedroom one-bath apartment was cramped as it was, and now with Piper's younger sister, Sofie, getting pregnant by he idiot boyfriend, Benny Boy, whose family kicked him out, their place was practically standing-room-only. Piper did what she could by getting small jobs, like babysitting or doing light yard work when she could, but nothing panned out to be consistent enough to have her own car or pay major bills. She was desperate for things to work out.

Jackie was probably right that Piper was seeing what she wanted to see in Lindo, but to Piper, he was her best chance. Piper had her mind on her phone all day. That night was their last night at the hotel. In the morning, the class would go back home after check out and breakfast. Piper couldn't fight the sinking feeling that Lindo really was full of false promises. Emotional devastation aside, Piper realized she was up a creek if she couldn't get out of town for school or work.

Her career counselor at school had told Piper to have a backup when she finally passed the ACT with a minimal score. "This area is in what is considered an 'economic downturn' or, in other words, the industries are moving to other places. What's your backup plan?" Mrs. Salt asked Piper, who answered, "Is OnlyFans an option?" Mrs. Salt laughed. Piper had been serious.

There was no plan "B" that sprang to mind for her. Cleaver had all but disowned her when she was still in elementary school. It happened when the judge presiding over her parents' divorce had asked her if she wanted to live with her mother or father. Piper instinctively said she preferred her mother. Her father went ballistic, something he did often enough to scare her, especially when she was little, which was why she answered the way she did to the judge. The judge noticed Cleaver's reaction as well and granted Dena full custody of both daughters, Piper and Sofie. Cleaver, ever the self-entitled man, held a grudge against the two girls thereafter.

Piper had never liked her father, even when her parents were married during her youth. When they split, he remarried quickly to a woman who avoided her completely. Piper remembered how Cleaver made a point to take her and Sofie to the mall to buy himself and his stepchildren things in the stores, but never them. At holidays or celebrations, they received hand-me-downs packaged as gifts for photos that Cleaver could use in court.

When she or Sofie were hurt, Cleaver would dismiss them, only for Piper to see him drop everything for his stepfamily if they so much as sneezed.

The only subject Cleaver cared about regarding Piper or Sofie was getting rid of his child support payments in court. He would nag them during the few visits they had with him. Trying to guilt them or belittle them for all that he gave his "ungrateful kids." Piper didn't like him, and he was resentful of her because he knew it.

On her eighteenth birthday, Dena said she was glad Cleaver didn't do anything petty like send her last child support payment in pennies. Piper was surprised he didn't. Sofie did tell Piper that Cleaver posted on his Facebook account a picture of himself opening a bottle of champagne, holding up the last child support payment check with the caption "Finally free of one! One more to go." Sofie asked, "Did he even send you a birthday card?" Piper frowned, "Nope." Sofie mumbled, "What a jerk."

After breakfast, Piper saw Jackie in the lobby waiting for the elevator. Racheal was with her. Piper was about to wave to them, realizing they could not see her from their angle, but she stopped when she overheard Racheal sympathizing with Jackie,"... too bad you got stuck with such a wet blanket..." She knew they were talking about her. Piper hadn't had fun on this trip. She had been too worried about her future, and with Lindo bread-crumbing vague messages to her, she had a toxic hope that things weren't what they appeared. Piper decided it was best to take the stairs.

In the room for the final check out, Jackie had already packed her things and was in Gail's room. Just as she was about to meet the class, outside where they were gathered to line up for the bus to pick them up in front of the hotel. Piper checked her phone as she took it off the charger. The screen showed that Lindo was calling. Piper picked up, sitting on her bed. "Hey, babe." He said as if there was no reason for her to be upset with him. As if she hadn't been texting him, worried sick about what was to become of her. "Sorry, I missed you. This gig has been crazy." Lindo explained without really explaining himself. Piper interjected, "Lin- I thought you were coming to get everything planned with me to move in next month." He paused, then said. "Sure, babe. We're going back up that way. I can meet you at the hotel." Piper winced.

The buses were already boarding. With all of her friends upset with her for waiting on Lindo all weekend, she didn't like chancing it waiting on the unreliable Lindo. Lindo must have sensed her hesitation, "It's cool, babe, I'll be there in a few." Piper, against her judgment, relented as if the words coming out of her mouth were already a regret, "Okay, meet me at the hotel in room 201. Text when you get here." She hung up, looking at the clock by her bed. It read 7:50 AM.

Just then, Gail knocked on her door. Piper opened it. Gail had always been nice to Piper. Gail said, "Mr. Maize wants you to come down now. Jackie already checked out. Everyone's waiting on you." Piper acknowledged her, but she had to see things out with Lindo before going home. Piper faked a smile as she lied, not even believing herself, "It's cool my boyfriend is picking me up right now. My mom called the hotel. I'm already checked out."

Gail's forehead wrinkled in concern. "Are you sure, Piper? It's a three-hour ride home. You'll be stranded if he doesn't come." Both knew Mr. Maize wouldn't verify Piper's story. Piper reassured Gail, "I'm nineteen, if Lindo doesn't show, my mom will get me or I'll take a Greyhound home." Gail, obviously not liking this plan, replied, "I'll tell Mr. Maize your mom already picked you up. Seriously, if Lindo doesn't come. Call me." Piper, in bitter-sweet appreciation, answered, "Thanks, Gail. Really." Gail went back down.

Not long later, Piper heard the buses pull out of the parking lot below, leaving her behind. Piper curled up on the bed. Either Lindo would call or house cleaning would kick her out. Piper wasn't sure what would happen first. She must have drifted off because she awoke to a knock on the door and a young woman wearing an apron shouting, "House Cleaning!" The maid walked right in, not accustomed to waiting for a response.

Piper looked at the clock; it read 12:55 PM. Then she looked at her phone; she had no missed calls or texts from Lindo. He had ghosted her, again. When she stood up, it startled the maid. "Oh my God! I didn't see you there." The woman remarked. Piper calmed her, "My mistake, I must have fallen asleep. My dad's waiting for me across the street. Sorry about that!" Piper said as she swung her bag over her shoulder and jetted out of the room as fast as she could. Piper grabbed a free tourist map from the lobby on her way out. She decided to go to the nearest gas station as she tried to figure out the situation she had put herself in.

She wanted to kick herself for being so stupid as to wait for Lindo. It was over one hundred and ten degrees outside. The sun was burning the back of her neck as if a hot pot was being pressed against her skin. Piper had on thick blue jeans and a white, flowered camisole top. The fabric stuck to her uncomfortably with every movement she made. As she walked, she scrutinized Lindo's every word to her from their previous conversation. She concluded that he was probably drunk from the night before and passed out as soon as he hung up.

She left him a rude voicemail as she stood at a crosswalk after her call was ignored. She was hours away from home. There was no way her mom could get her. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't. The household only had Dena's old Geo from before she was married to Piper's dad. It could barely go further than the nearest grocery store and back, and even then, it was likely to need to be jumped or push-started.

Piper was too dehydrated to think by the time she made it to the Stop 'N' Go. She bought a bottle of water and a nacho cheese burrito. She sat at a side table inside, waiting for it to cool down. The cashier had over-microwaved it at the checkout. Piper had only taken eighty-one dollars with her on the trip. She was down to her last thirty-three dollars and forty-three cents that she counted twice on the gas station table.

She looked online to see what the going rate for a Greyhound ticket home would cost, and if she could walk to the terminal from where she was. She was seventy-nine dollars short of the bus fare and fifteen miles away from the station. She put her head down on the table so she didn't scream out loud. After a minute of trying to compose herself. She gathered her thoughts to make a plan to go home. Ideas like hitchhiking near the freeway or posting a Craigslist ad to see if any takers were going in her general direction all sounded like ways for her to end up as a victim on a crime show that makes the viewers wonder how anyone could have been that reckless.

She was about to call Gail to ask for help, not that Gail was in a position to give any, but the sting of "I told you so" was still too strong for Piper to give in just yet. Piper slouched in her chair, letting the crush of defeat pull her heart into the pit of her stomach, forming a knot.

She heard her phone ringing. Lindo was calling. Piper picked up, "Jesus Lindo! I'm stranded because of you. Pick me up at the address I'm going to send you, right now!" Lindo, on the other end of the line, was taken aback. "I'm not getting you if you're going to be a bitch about it." Piper looked at her phone; it said it was almost four PM. Lindo had slept the day away while she was going in circles, scared and alone. "Whatever, Lindo. I'll be nice. Just get me... Please." He agreed, and she sent him her location.

Piper was pacing back and forth in the store. The staff had already turned over to the evening shift by the time Lindo showed up. The first cashier was sympathetic to Piper. As for the second one, this cashier was much more rude. He pestered her by repeatedly asking her when she would leave and why she was hanging around. Piper had to use her most patient of tones when reassuring him that she was leaving soon. He demanded she buy something to be allowed to stay. She purchased coffee, but he complained that she had made a mess at the coffee bar, despite the area not having been cleaned when she first got there.

When Piper folded and wiped the self-serve bar down for him, without much argument. He started to realize she was in a bad way. By the time Lindo came, nearly two hours later, Piper was completely frazzled."Really, Lindo?" Piper said to herself upon seeing him. She had to walk to him from the gas station because he hadn't bothered to come inside to look for her.

Luckily, she saw him through the window, or he might have left her again. She bit back her rage because she needed his help. Piper power-walked to his car, which he parked at the pump to fill up. "Yeah, I went to the place you sent me, but it must have been the wrong location." Lindo lied, and Piper knew it. "It's fine, let's just get home, my mom is freaking out," Piper said, trying to open the passenger door, but found it to be locked.

Lindo used his key fob to open it, but before she could sit down, he said, "I'm not going home. I still have a few more gigs in town to do. This summer's just getting started for me. I thought we could get comfortable in your hotel room." Piper realized he was just trying to hook up. She was enraged by his behavior; so much so she couldn't help but say, "I was automatically checked out of my hotel room when the class left. There's no room to go to. Not that I would want to do that with you anyway, not after stood me up all weekend."

That was certainly not the answer he was expecting. Lindo walked around the car in indignation. He seemed to be mumbling something to himself for a second before he blurted out, "Stop being a two-faced bitch! I came all the way over here, didn't I? You begged me to stay with you, then you bullshit me now? I don't have to do anything for you. Fuck you! I'm out." He fumed, clicking the car door to lock on her, before going back to replace the fuel pump and taking off. Leaving Piper in the dust, her mouth agape in shock at how quickly that escalated against what she was hoping for.

Piper stood still as Lindo's taillights faded away. She scrambled to process what had just happened. Her phone was at three percent battery life. She had left her charger in the hotel room that morning when she scurried out. She was about to walk back there to see if they still had it when a black sedan pulled up to the pump next to the one Lindo had used. Out stepped a handsome man with ropey muscles, with a crew cut and a dark polo shirt with a Marine emblem on it. "Wow. That guy just had a hell of a temper tantrum." His voice snapped Piper back to the here and now. Agreeing she said, "He really did." He focused on her, "You good?" Piper starting to look back to the hotel across the roadway, whispered unconvincingly, "yeah."

The man fueling his car shook his head, "No, you're not. I saw that guy drive off without you." Piper, not wanting to lose more time than she already had that day, pulled her duffel back over her shoulder as it had fallen beside during her exchange with Lindo. She wanted to make the bus station before it got any darker out. "It's fine. Bye."

"Suit yourself." The man said, just as Jackie had when Piper chose to wait for Lindo rather than go with the people who cared about her. Piper turned around, knowing this was also how she could end up being murdered, but so could walking on the side of the road in a city all night. She examined this stranger. He looked only slightly older than her. He had very kind eyes. It put her at ease.

She let down her guard, maybe out of pure exhaustion, saying, "My name's Piper. That's my boyfriend, or was, I guess. I live in Shasta County. Are you going anywhere near the Greyhound station? If you are, can I please catch a ride with you?" She finished realizing how pathetic and stupid she must sound and how bad an idea her request was. He leaned on his car for a second. Sizing her up. Then uncrossed his arms and smiled, "My name's Hawk. I'm coming up from San Diego. If you want, you can ride with me. I'm going to Bella Vista."

Piper accepted his offer by saying, "Okay, but no funny stuff. Seriously. I've had the worst day. I can help pay for some of the gas to get there." She hoped he didn't want her to pay the entire amount, of which she knew she didn't have. Hawk put his hands up, "No worries at all. I just appreciate the company." Piper texted her mom and sent a picture of Hawk's license plate, saying, "Phone's about to die. I'll be home later tonight. Got a ride home from another person on the trip." Then got into the car. She was either saving herself a lot of grief or about to get a lot of it. Either way she was moving on from her plans with Lindo.