Brave the Storm and Embrace the Rain

I stared out the window of the train as the rain poured down and beat against the tin roof, plop, plop, plop. I sighed and rested my head against the huge window, ignoring the people around me with my earbuds in and my Itouch turned all the way up. I thought about my grandparents too and how they had shipped me off on a plane to my father who had been absent for two thirds of my life.

"Indiana," They had said, "It's time for you to go."

"Go where?" I questioned as I brushed past them and into the kitchen to make a sandwich.

"To your father's place in New Jersey." My Grandma Ruth said slowly.

I froze, tossed the honey turkey on the island in the kitchen and turned to face the white haired woman with a look of suspicion in my eyes.

"Hell, no," I told her and continued to assemble my lunch.

But the next thing I knew I was being boarded onto a plane headed for New York city and told to catch a train afterwards. Now here I sat with my dark, curly locks tucked behind my ears and my 'My Chemical Romance' hoodie pulled up over my head to hide my hair. I licked over my lips and sighed while pushing my black sun glasses up over my eyes. I watched out the window as the train flew past trees and more trees, and occasionally a little town on the outskirts of a big city. I watched as people got on and off of the train quickly, holding things overhead to block from the rain that was pounding down from the heavens.

A girl about my age got on with an older woman, they took the seats next to me. I didn't pay them any mind until the light haired girl glanced at me uncomfortably.

"Can I help you?" I questioned, tugging on my hood to make sure that it wouldn't fall and expose my hair to the world.

"I'm Brooklyn," She greeted, ignoring the obvious rudeness in my voice.

"And?" I replied, turning back towards the window and reaching to plug my head phone back into my ears.

"What's your name?" She questioned eagerly, running her fingers through her natural hair.

"Indiana," I told her with out thinking, "But call me Indy."

"That's a different name," Brooklyn replied, offering me a smile.

I nodded and let the conversation drop between us. We were both silent for a while. That I was thankful for.

As the train neared my destination I started to check my ticket to find out where my stop was. What the place was called.

"Where are you headed?" The girl asked again as she and who I'm assuming was her mother stood up.

I glanced at my ticket, "Summit," I told her.

She giggled, "Than this is your stop!"

I rolled my eyes at her enthusiasm and pushed my sunglasses back up onto the bridge of my nose. I grabbed my things from the compartment under the seat and followed the woman and Brooklyn to the door of the train.

"Who's coming to get you, doll?" The older woman questioned as we stepped off.

I shrugged and groaned as the rain fell onto my hood and shoulders, "Probably my father."

"Well why don't you call him? We'll wait to make sure you have a ride, right Mom?"

Brooklyn told me with a grin on her face as she looked up at her mother for reassurance.

"Of course, Brooklyn." Her mother replied and shuffled so that she and Brooklyn were standing under the overhang of the building. I followed slightly.

I pulled my piece of shit cell phone out of my back pocket and dialed my Dad's number. He answered quickly and prompted me to find out where I was.

"I'm at the train station already." I told him, "Are you coming to get me or not?"

"Of course, I'll be right there, Indy, I just live a few miles away."

"'Kay, bye." I replied and clicked my phone shut before he could reply. "My Dad's almost here. He lives around here, apparently." I told the mother and daughter duo.

"That's great!" Brooklyn exclaimed, "That means that we'll be going to school together! Here, let me give you my number!" She yanked my cell phone from my hand and began to type things in.

I rolled my eyes but let her continue as I pulled a cigarette out of my jeans pocket. I pretended not to see the look I got from Brooklyn's mother or the look of pure surprise that Brooklyn had on her face when she looked up. But she wiped that look off quickly and handed my phone back to me with a smile.

"Text me or something and we can figure out what classes we'll have together." She grinned.

I shrugged and nodded with the cigarette still between my lips. A smirk came to my face as the ashes fell to the wet concrete of the train station.

"Text me!" Brooklyn called as her mother pulled her away.

I nodded, "I will," I replied and leaned against the building, taking another drag.