California
Gettin' to Cali
I had immediate relief when I entered the station. Although it's only April, New York was at its highest of 63 degrees Fahrenheit. The air conditioners inside made a faint humming sound but was droned out by all the people inside looking for their desired trains.
"What time is my train again?" I asked my friend Paula, who had volunteered to help me with my bags. I had a duffel and a suitcase, and she had two other suitcases.
"Um... I think at 10:49..." she said. Before we left the house, we checked the time for trains to California, and 10:49 was the earliest. A train whistle sent Paula jumping, and me cracking up. "That's not funny" she said.
"Oh, but it is," I smiled. We went to tracks 30-34 and waited for train 31 to arrive in five minutes or so. Paula and I sat down in a corner across from a blonde and her daughter, who was sleeping soundly in the blonde's arms. Paula set my suitcases on the floor, and I dropped mine and the duffel.
"Do you really have to leave? Maybe she'll change her mind at the last minute, and you can stay. You know I can't live without you," Paula said.
"You'll survive," I really didn't want to think of my mother right now. She was the whole reason why I'm leaving the city and to Cali, to get away. Not like she wanted me anyway. Those were exact words right before she pushed me out the door and slammed it in my face. 'I never wanted you! Get out! You're the biggest regret of my life!'
"All passengers boarding the 10:49 train to Los Angeles, California, please step aboard and show security your ticket," the loud speaker repeated nicely four times.
"Wanna know something cool that'll cheer you up?" I asked Paula as we hustled over to the train line.
"What?"
"When I reach Cali, it'll be the exact time it is right now," I smiled. California is three hours behind New York, which is how long this train is gonna take.
"Cool!" Paula's two years younger than me, but is really mature. Sometimes more than me.
"Ticket please," a man with an old-fashioned mustache told me. He was guarding the door to the train. I gave him my golden ticket and he nodded, allowing me to go on. Another guy took my suitcases and shoved them into the part where all the bags went. I hugged Paula and got on. Inside there were red velvet booths with tan marble tables in between. There was just one window on each side of the car.
I chose a booth and sat down with my duffel. I got out my iPod and headphones and zoned out.
"What the hell?" I asked myself. My iPod had stopped in the middle of Bruno Mars. "Fantastic." it had died, of course. I looked up at someone I didn't even notice sitting across from me.
"About time you looked up instead of out that window," the guy said. I raised an eyebrow. He had brown hair that had the tiniest curl at the ends, and it seemed to change color to yellow in the sunlight. He had the deepest blue eyes that I forever envied for and pale-tan skin, like me.
"Well hi to you to," I snapped.
"I'm sorry. Let me introduce myself," he had an English accent. "Micah Covett" he stuck out his hand.
"JC Reddick," she shook hands.
"Where are you headed?" he asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" I motioned to the train. He chuckled.
"Right..." we talked for a while. Micah's from England but moved to the States when he was six. He has a younger sister, Emily, who is eight. We're the same age, eighteen, and we both are going to the same college university.
When we reached LA, we got our thugs and walked to the bus.
"Have a place yet?" Micah asked.
"Oh..." didn't think of a house, of course. And the scholarship I got isn't payin for the dorms.
"Come to my place. It's a three bedroom, and I already have a female roommate, Brooke."
"Um... Okay?"
"Don't worry, I'm not some pyscho serial killer. I was raised better," I chuckled and together, we got on the bus.
"What time is my train again?" I asked my friend Paula, who had volunteered to help me with my bags. I had a duffel and a suitcase, and she had two other suitcases.
"Um... I think at 10:49..." she said. Before we left the house, we checked the time for trains to California, and 10:49 was the earliest. A train whistle sent Paula jumping, and me cracking up. "That's not funny" she said.
"Oh, but it is," I smiled. We went to tracks 30-34 and waited for train 31 to arrive in five minutes or so. Paula and I sat down in a corner across from a blonde and her daughter, who was sleeping soundly in the blonde's arms. Paula set my suitcases on the floor, and I dropped mine and the duffel.
"Do you really have to leave? Maybe she'll change her mind at the last minute, and you can stay. You know I can't live without you," Paula said.
"You'll survive," I really didn't want to think of my mother right now. She was the whole reason why I'm leaving the city and to Cali, to get away. Not like she wanted me anyway. Those were exact words right before she pushed me out the door and slammed it in my face. 'I never wanted you! Get out! You're the biggest regret of my life!'
"All passengers boarding the 10:49 train to Los Angeles, California, please step aboard and show security your ticket," the loud speaker repeated nicely four times.
"Wanna know something cool that'll cheer you up?" I asked Paula as we hustled over to the train line.
"What?"
"When I reach Cali, it'll be the exact time it is right now," I smiled. California is three hours behind New York, which is how long this train is gonna take.
"Cool!" Paula's two years younger than me, but is really mature. Sometimes more than me.
"Ticket please," a man with an old-fashioned mustache told me. He was guarding the door to the train. I gave him my golden ticket and he nodded, allowing me to go on. Another guy took my suitcases and shoved them into the part where all the bags went. I hugged Paula and got on. Inside there were red velvet booths with tan marble tables in between. There was just one window on each side of the car.
I chose a booth and sat down with my duffel. I got out my iPod and headphones and zoned out.
"What the hell?" I asked myself. My iPod had stopped in the middle of Bruno Mars. "Fantastic." it had died, of course. I looked up at someone I didn't even notice sitting across from me.
"About time you looked up instead of out that window," the guy said. I raised an eyebrow. He had brown hair that had the tiniest curl at the ends, and it seemed to change color to yellow in the sunlight. He had the deepest blue eyes that I forever envied for and pale-tan skin, like me.
"Well hi to you to," I snapped.
"I'm sorry. Let me introduce myself," he had an English accent. "Micah Covett" he stuck out his hand.
"JC Reddick," she shook hands.
"Where are you headed?" he asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" I motioned to the train. He chuckled.
"Right..." we talked for a while. Micah's from England but moved to the States when he was six. He has a younger sister, Emily, who is eight. We're the same age, eighteen, and we both are going to the same college university.
When we reached LA, we got our thugs and walked to the bus.
"Have a place yet?" Micah asked.
"Oh..." didn't think of a house, of course. And the scholarship I got isn't payin for the dorms.
"Come to my place. It's a three bedroom, and I already have a female roommate, Brooke."
"Um... Okay?"
"Don't worry, I'm not some pyscho serial killer. I was raised better," I chuckled and together, we got on the bus.