One Step Away

⊱Chapter 2⊰

I didn't get home from work until late that night again. I decided I should cut down on the mac n cheese for now and eat something healthier for once, so I whipped up a caesar salad. While I ate my dinner, I decided to tell my best friend, Tessa, about the subway guy.

[Text to: Tessa (Bestie <3) -11:07 PM]Hey bestieee!

[Text from: Tessa (Bestie <3) -11:07 PM]Heyy Caralyn! Wassup?

[Text to Tessa (Bestie <3) -11:08 PM]You won't believe what happened to me today on the way to work...

[Text from: Tessa (Bestie <3) -11:08 PM]???

[Text to: Tessa (Bestie <3) -11:10 PM]So I was late to work, and I was running to catch the subway, and I bumped into this guy. I wanted to stop and apologize, but I was already late and I didn't have time to, so i just shouted 'sorry' to him. When I was about to get on the tram though, the guy grabbed my hand and gave me my bracelet. Apparently, I'd dropped it when I bumped into him. Anyways, he was so handsome! I still can't stop thinking about him...

[Text from: Tessa (Bestie <3) -11:11 PM]OMG BESTIE!! Did u get his number??

[Text to: Tessa (Bestie <3) -11:11 PM]NO! I don't even know his name! The subway was leaving, so I had to go. He was about to ask me something too...

[Text from: Tessa (Bestie <3) -11:12 PM]Don't worry, bestiee! You'll find him again! I'm sure of it

[Text to: Tessa (Bestie <3) -11:12 PM]I hope you're right

[Text from: Tessa (Bestie <3) -11:13 PM]I'll help you look for him when I get back from vacation.

[Text to: Tessa (Bestie <3) -11:13 PM]You're on vacation?

[Text from: Tessa (Bestie <3) -11:14]Yeah, my dad made arrangements for a last-minute trip to the Bahamas with a coworker and his son. We just arrived an hour ago

[Text to: Tessa (Bestie <3) -11:16]That's awesome! When do you get back?

[Text from: Tessa (Bestie <3) -11:16I'll be back in three weeks. I've got to go now- we just arrived at the beach house

[Text to: Tessa (Bestie <3) -11:17]Okay, have fun! <3

[Text from: Tessa (Bestie <3) -11:20]Good luck finding your train guy! <3

Smiling, I turn off my phone, bring my bowl into the kitchen, and start the dishwasher. I peek into my mom's office to say goodnight, but she's got her head on the keyboard, fast asleep, glasses askew. I laugh quietly and walk into her bedroom to grab a pillow and blanket off the bed. Moving the keyboard aside, I gently lift her head onto the pillow and drape the blanket around her shoulders. I place a soft kiss on her forehead and surrender to my own bed.

⌯

Days pass, and I don't see the mystery train boy again. I keep hoping to catch him in the subway station on my way to work, but at the end of the day, I still see no sign of him.

Days turn into weeks, and weeks turn into months, and before I knew it, summer break is over. My last year of high school began tomorrow. Tessa was busy all summer after she returned from the Bahamas, so I never had a chance to see her before school started. I continued to attract guys' attention at work, which only made Blaire even more determined to convince me I should get a boyfriend. Unbeknownst to her, I had finally found someone I was actually interested in, so when I declined guys over and over again, I actually had a reason for it.