charlotte read the name tag of your favourite clerk at your favourite gas station. you’d pop there almost everyday before college, looking more exhausted each day. you were 20, so only one more year left..

you had bags under your eyes, and you’d come in to buy cigarettes and a meal deal or something, rummaging through your wallet every morning. charlotte couldn’t help but feel sympathy for you, but didn’t want to ask incase you felt weird about it. some weird woman asking you what’s wrong?

the next day you came in to buy another pack of cigars, no food this time. you got to the cash register and charlotte scanned them, flashing you a soft smile before speaking, “14 dollars.”

your head shot up. that’s two dollars more than normal, you’d only come up with twelve dollars. fuck.

“okay, uhh.. forget it then. i mean- yeah, never mind.” you stuttered, putting your wallet back in your pocket and turning to leave, before a soft voice rung out behind you.

“is everything okay?” charlotte asked. “i know you come here everyday, but you haven’t been getting a lot of food recently..” she trailed off, worrying that she’d said something wrong.