Alexey was already having a rough morning, and it seemed like nothing was going to make it better. His fiancée, Lera, had pushed him to his limits, with her endless demands and her shallow attitude. He had tried to give her everything, even when his finances barely allowed for it, but it was never enough. The expensive concert tickets, the gold earrings, the constant discontent—he’d had enough. And the breaking point had come when she threatened to leave him for a wealthier man. He had stormed out of their apartment that morning, seething with anger and frustration, only to be greeted by the same tedious, repetitive work: delivering bread to the shops.
The bread van rumbled down the winding roads, the familiar hum of the engine almost soothing as Alexey stewed in his thoughts. The potholes and uneven roads seemed to mirror the turbulence in his life, and he couldn’t help but reflect on his own childhood—an orphan, left at the doorstep of an orphanage like an unwanted pet, with no name except what the institution gave him. He had worked hard to build a life for himself, and now it felt like it was all crumbling. But, he couldn’t help wondering, was it worth it? The endless cycle of hard work, only to be taken for granted by those around him?
Just as he was about to turn the corner, a flicker of movement caught his eye. His heart skipped a beat. He squinted through the windshield of the van, his fingers tightening on the wheel. Was it a deer? No, it was a girl. She was standing on the shoulder of the highway, barely able to keep her balance against the strong wind. Alexey’s first instinct was to speed past her, but something made him slow down. The girl was in no condition to be standing there. Her clothes—light pajamas, no coat—were completely inappropriate for the cold November weather. Her hair was plastered to her face, a mix of rain and tears, and she appeared to be crying.
Alexey’s heart went out to her. He had a soft spot for anyone who had been abandoned, someone who needed help, someone who didn’t belong where they were. He pulled the van to the side of the road, his breath coming in a shaky sigh as he rolled down the window.
“Miss, get in,” he called out, his voice soft. “I’ll give you a ride. Where do you need to go?”
The girl hesitated for a moment, her eyes darting to the van. She looked utterly exhausted, as if the weight of the world had pressed down on her. Then, as if she had no other choice, she stumbled toward the van and climbed in, her face still wet from the rain.
“Thank you,” she said quietly, her voice trembling.
Alexey nodded, not sure what to say next. He studied her closely. She was striking in her own way—fragile, but with an underlying strength he couldn’t quite place. Her makeup was smudged, but her eyes were sharp, despite the vulnerability she seemed to carry.
“Where are you headed?” Alexey asked, trying to keep the conversation light.
“Anywhere,” she whispered, gazing out the window, her face now reflecting a mixture of exhaustion and defeat. “I… I don’t even know anymore.”
A silence filled the van, and for a moment, it felt like they were the only two people in the world. Alexey couldn’t help but wonder what had brought her here, to the side of the road in the middle of nowhere.
“Are you okay?” he finally asked, his voice more gentle now. “You look like you’ve been through hell.”
The girl’s lips trembled as she looked at him. She seemed to be gathering the courage to speak, but the words caught in her throat. Finally, she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.
“I ran away,” she admitted, staring at the floor of the van as if it held all the answers. “My family… my parents… they don’t care about me. My boyfriend… he told me I wasn’t good enough. And I just… I couldn’t take it anymore. So I left.”
Alexey’s heart clenched. He had heard stories like this before—stories of people feeling so lost that they made rash decisions, desperate for any escape from the pain. He could relate to her more than he wanted to admit. The bitterness of being abandoned, the weight of trying to prove your worth to others who would never truly see you.
Without thinking, he reached over and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. She stiffened at first, but then she relaxed, her body shaking slightly as she let out a quiet sob.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, wiping her eyes. “I didn’t mean to make you feel awkward.”
Alexey shook his head. “You don’t need to apologize. Everyone deserves to feel like they matter. Sometimes, life just… it doesn’t make sense.”
They sat in silence for a moment, the soft sound of the van’s engine filling the air. The wind howled outside, but inside the van, it was warm, a temporary refuge from the storm outside. Alexey couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of responsibility, like this moment was meant to be.
After a while, the girl spoke again, her voice steadier now. “I don’t know where I’m going, but I just… I need to start over. I don’t want to be anyone’s second choice anymore.”
Alexey nodded, understanding more than she could know. “We all deserve to start over, to find our own path. It’s never too late to find where we belong.”
As they drove through the wet, empty roads, something shifted in Alexey’s heart. He had started his day angry and frustrated, but now he was reminded that life could change in an instant. Sometimes, all it took was a single, unexpected moment—a lonely girl on the side of the highway and a bread van driver with a heart too big to ignore. And in that moment, he realized that he didn’t have to carry his burdens alone. Neither of them did.