After Tonight

I loved long rides.
Whether it was in a car, plane or a train, it gave me time to think. To see some beautiful parts of downtown I never really came across. All I could see right now through the foggy window were the city lights.

I looked down at my ipod and put the volume down. Yellow by Coldplay. Shaking, I pulled the scarf around me tighter.

"Excuse me?"

I practically jumped; the voice startling me out of nowhere. I didn't realize that a girl was standing right there.
Brown hair and brown eyes. She had the gentle look of a puppy.
I paused the music.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry", she said, pointing the seat next to me which my guitar case occupied. "But is it okay if I sit here? Everything else is taken."

"Oh. Sure, it's all yours." I removed the guitar and laid it on the floor on my side. Reaching from my pocket, I took out a cigar.

Right after I lit it, I noticed her staring at me.

"Sorry, does the smoke bother you?"

"No, not at all."

Silence.

I looked out the window. "Huh. We're not moving."

"What?"

"The train. It keeps stopping."

"Really? Oh man, I'm in a hurry!"

I turned to her. "That sucks."

"Oh yeah! I have to send him a text." She took out her cellphone and started typing real fast.
Whoa. Okay. I never had a cellphone, so her fast typing just surprised me.

"There." She closed her phone.

Staring at her wide-eyed, I said, "Dang, you're quick. High school girls these days." I snorted and looked out of the foggy window again.

"High school?" She made a sad face. "I'm only nineteen!"

"Nineteen?" I laughed. "Sorry, we're the same age."

"The same age? Now way! You're lying."

At the next moment, the intercom turned on.

"Attention all passengers. Because of the snow this train will be travelling slower than usual. We apologize for the inconvenience."

She pouted. "I hate this..."

I looked at her. "Do you need something in New York?"

She laughed slightly. "No, actually. I'm moving there and try to look for a job."

"Really? Wow, me too."

"You're moving to New York too? I figured you were from there. You know, like in a tour or something. You look like you're in a band." She nodded at the guitar.

I stared at the cigar between my fingers. "I was in a band. Back home."

"That's soo cool! Where are you from?"

This girl is just so curious.

I was about to answer when she jumped. "What?"

"Sorry, vibration!" she laughed and flipped open her phone. "Hi, it's Audrey... yeah, my train keeps stopping. I have no idea what time I'll get there. Probably not until really late... Are you sure? Sure, thank you. Kay, you too. Bye." She pressed End and put her cell in her purse.

"You got a boyfriend in the city?" I grinned, taking the cigarrette out of my mouth.

She nodded. "Mmhm. We went to high school together. He's a year older than me. Now he's at an art college in New York and he told me to stay behind until I've saved enough money to be able to stay with him." Her eyes grew bright. "I'm really looking forward to seeing him everyday now." She looked at me.

"I'm sorry I keep rambling on about myself to some stranger." She grew embarrassed.
I laughed, "No, it's alright. Keep talking. It seems like we're going to be stuck here for awhile."

The snow was increasing and it became colder.

"Oh, good idea. Okay, you want to listen to me kill time?"

Tch. She was too much like a puppy.

"I just can't stop talking about him! Tyler is really nice and on top of that, really cute. He can sound pretty dumb when he talks though."

I burst out laughing. "Haha, sounds dumb when he speaks!"

"Hey, want a beer?"

"You bet I do."

She stood up and waved at the man giving out beverages, going down the aisle. "Two beers, please!"

A second later, both of us opened our can of beer.

"Okay, let's have a toast." She said happily, holding out her can.

"Toast to what?" I said blankly.

She paused. Trying to think of something but failed. I took out my cigarrette out of my mouth. Opening my window, I threw it outside and close it again.

"How about to two girls, same age and meeting in the same train. It's not everyday you see such a coincidence. And one more thing, my name is Arriane." I grinned, holding up my beer.

"That's such a pretty name!"

"Thanks. Yours too."

And I clinked our cans together.

Do you remember the day we met, Audrey? The train would keep starting and stopping. It ended up taking at least four hours until we've reached New York. However, I wasn't bored at all. You talked on and on about yourself and you never asked about me.

But that was good. I was trying to avoid talking about myself.