A face in the crowd

Tina didn't know if she'd made the right decision or not, but she decided to move out from home as soon as she graduated high school. She just wasn't going to take it anymore under her father's rule. Of course, as she packed she was certain it was under her mother's rule. 

"Oh, don't let anyone dictate you," Tay her friend who was Tina's roommate told her. She just needed to get out on her own.

Of course, there were a lot of things Tina hadn't thought about until now. Like transportation. Sure she'd managed to get a driver's license but she didn't have a car.

"You can take the bus," Tay told her. After all, Tay lived in the downtown district where all the jobs were these days. "You'll do fine." Besides, the city wanted less cars yet more ways to get to work. Of course, this might take a decade to do. But Tay and Tina worked together at the newspaper building. 

Tay had a better-paying job in a telemarketing data place. She was after all a couple of years older and was taking online classes in business.  While Tina got on at grill where people lined up for breakfast at six in the morning. 

"Oh, you're young," Tay told her a few later after Tina was too tired to move on a Friday night. Naturally, Tay knew some people they could go to the club with. "You'll just bounce back."

Yes, after six weeks, Tina wanted to call home. Was Tay's really any better? She didn't get to bring a lot. The bed was thin and Tay had the TV on all the time. Tina felt so old, but not in a good way.

"Is there any way I can come home?" She asked her mother.

"Of course, you can come home," her mom was delighted she'd called.

Tina could hardly wait for a home-cooked meal.