Substitute

1|Lonely Girl

She could tell from a mile away.

The blurs of faces, hair strands, clothing choices and smells passed you by in a quick succession. All figures making their ways at their own pace. Some fast, some eerily slow. Some distracted, and some blankly wandering. Yet you stayed still in a wave of movement. The flashes of lights, and the slight rumbling from departing and coming trains disorientated you. Nothing was normal, but with studying abroad nothing was guaranteed to be your normal.

A string of cold sweat ran down your face in small beads. They rolled off your cheeks and tumbled to the slick, white tiles below you. Commotion coming from all around yet you stood frozen. The only movement from your body was the involuntary gestures it made without your approval; A lump moving down your throat, your arm strained in a tense hold clutching your shoulder bag. Your eyes scanning rapidly watching your every side at once.

The sea of people that forever got thinner and thicker with every second seemed stagnate at your discrepancy. A slight bump to your hip pushed you forward. You blinked idly turning your head. You were face to face with a male. He was dressed nicely in business attire, an earpiece in his right ear and his cup of coffee in his hands now spilled on his suit. Your eyes widened seeing the dark roast stains among his white dress shirt and tie. A small droplet of the brew jumping on his jet black shoes for good measure.

"Who the fuck stops in the middle of the subway?!" He yelled causing you to stammer and step back a bit.

"Who the hell do you think you are?! Do you know how much this costs?!" He started looking you up and down judging you through his grey colored eyes. "I-I umm. I'm sorry sir-."

"Don't give me that sorry crap! I've got a meeting in ten minutes! You're going to have to pay up."

"B-but you bumped into me!?"

His eyes turned from anger to a glare. You stepped back again while he got deeper into your personal space. "You don't just stop in the middle of the subway! It's your fault! Now give me the money for dry cleaning or else I'll have this reported and the police can handle this-"

You suddenly felt a hand tug you forward and pull you along into the wave of people. You turned nervously looking at the perpetrator. You saw the back of her head, it held long black  luscious locks. Your lips went to part but.

"Hey! Come back here kid! I'll call the cops!"

"Follow my lead."

You stared at the girl and nodded lightly as she weaved and swam her way through the sea of people with you at hand. The angry yells that had you frozen melting into the background noise of chatter. You griped the mysterious girl's hand, your eyes longingly staring at the back of her head as she guided you.

"Hmm~"

'She's so warm...'

Your face held a soft smile feeling the warmth from her skin. She felt like safety to you, she helped you and guided you through the sea of people all while a gentle hum came from her lips. You were underneath a haze, you lost track of time, the people in the background turning faceless as the woman was the only other person here with you.

She then let go of you and you were brought back to reality.

Taking in your surroundings you were now inside a cramped train. Your back and feet pressed up against another's. Your big doe eyes stared looking around in shock.