Meet Me on the Metro {No Longer Available}

Chapter 1

"And I've always lived like this, keeping a comfortable distance. And up until now I had sworn to myself that I'm content with loneliness. Because none of it was ever worth the risk, well you are the only exception." The Only Exception Paramore

“Your dad will see you now.” I can’t believe I need permission to go into my dad’s office.

“Hey, what do you need?” My dad stood up.

“Just came to see you.”

“You can sit.”

“I’ll stand.” I clutched my uniform jacket in my arms. My dad went to the window that spanned the length of the wall and looked out. I watched him stare out of his 23rd story office window at the river and the expanse of the arch.

“So, what do you need?”

“I am going to be home late tonight. I am going out for a little bit.”

“Okay, is that all?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Because I have work to do. So you should go.”

“Fine,” I left without saying a word and without turning back. I have been finding myself spending more time out of the house lately. My dad has been working more hours, and I don’t have a mom. Being with my friends is better than being alone or watching everything I have fall apart at the seams.

“Ready, Leah?”

“Yeah.”

“What did your dad say?”

“He has work to do.”

“As always,” Lane and I set off across the busy city streets. Walking away from my dad’s office across the street from the Hilton, I sighed. “What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know.” Lane and I are best friends and go to the same private school in St. Louis.

“Well we have the whole afternoon.”

“So, I just don’t know what to do. I feel like I have seen everything in this city.”

“Well we do live here, and we probably have.”

“I would suggest the arch, but that seems a little much for an afternoon.”

“It is a little much.”

“Do you just want to go back to the school and hangout in the black box?”

“Might as well. Mr. Brown stays after anyway.”

“He is probably looking at one act’s for the convention.”

“Let’s hope.”

“I wonder how late my Dad will be home tonight.”

“I have to be home at 7. So that gives us another 4 and a half hours.” It was a short walk back to the school. The hallways were still clearing out, and I noticed that some kids had already changed out of their uniform of a blue plaid skirts (girls) or black pants (guys), white shirts with a red tie underneath a gray sleeveless sweater vest, and black suit like jackets with the school logo on the pocket. We also wore nice black shoes of our choice (most chose low top converse.) We stopped to say hi to a few people, but made it back to the black box. Mr. Brown looked up from his desk.

“Hey girls,” he smiled. “Here for another fun afternoon with Mr. Brown?” You would think being a theatre teacher he would be gay. But he is totally straight.