Melody's P.O.V
The wind from the window slapped against my face and tugged at my backpack. Ugh, stupid wind. I stood up in a bus full of people. The bus was headed somewhere, but I didn't care. I just wanted to be far away from my home. Well, the place I once called a home.

I ran away from my hometown after my parents and brother died in a fire. My parents didn't have siblings and both of my grandparents are dead. I don't have anyone. So they would either send me to a foster home since I'm still considered a minor. I didn't consider myself a minor. I graduated college three months ago and I'm only nineteen. I have the skills to live on my own. But they don't trust me, and I hated them for that.

I got off the bus at the last stop, which was in front of a Michael's. I sat on a nearby bench and took off my backpack. I searched for my list that had all the jobs I would apply for. When I did find the list, all the names were crossed off. S**t. I turned the pages to my backup jobs. Fast-food restaurant, grocery store, other stores. I groaned. None of these jobs are gonna help me get a place to stay by tomorrow. I didn't think this through.

I didn't want to apply at these places. I wanted to find a job where my skills were useful and not bagging groceries or flipping burgers. What have I done? I put down my backpack and covered my face. I was alone and had nowhere to go. I was ten miles away from my hometown, and I sure as hell didn't want to go back there. I know you can't run away from your past, but I badly wanted to.

I looked behind me and saw customers heading into Michael's. Well, might as well start here.

"Are you sure there are no openings?" I asked the manager of the store. She shook her head. "Sorry sweetheart. There are none here."

I sucked in my lips and nodded. "Okay, thanks anyway." I turned around and headed for the exit. "I hope you find yourself a good job!" the manager yelled from behind me. I waved. Me too.

I did this with all the stores in the strip mall. Neither one had an opening for me which was kind of ironic. I even asked the Burger King behind the Michael's. "Nope, no job here." the manager of the restaurant said.

I walked back to the bench in front of the Michael's. I sat down and pulled out my list from my backpack. Grocery stores, restaurants, other stores, were all checked off. I sighed and put my list back. I grabbed my phone and turned it on. I opened the music icon, played Half the World Away from Aurora, and plugged in my earbuds. I leaned back on the bench. All of sudden, tears came to my eyes. I hunched over on the bench and covered my face. I started crying. When I did, a man snatched my backpack from next to me.

I looked up ."Hey!" I yelled. I started to run after him. He dodged customers in the parking lot. I jumped over carts and landed on a platform. I crossed some bushes and ran around a tree. A cement wall came across me and knocked me down. I stood up  and looked at my knees. My jeans were ripped and my knees were bleeding. But I didn't care. I continued to run. When I looked for the thief, I saw him knocking over people at the corner. I ran over to him. When I reached him, he turned around the corner and fell to the ground. I ran over and saw him with a bloody nose. I grabbed my backpack from him and looked up. I gasped. "Didn't know you were chasing after him too?" said the ginger hair man standing in front of me.