Between the Lines

Seven - Oliver

I jolt back and forth as the train starts its journey to the Middle. The trains in the Middle are pretty dodgy. Not as bad as the ones in Lower-class, but definitely close. They still have a light scent of cigarette smoke and body odour and the same rickety back-to-back seats. Although, the overhead bag racks are intact so there's a difference.

The trains aren't any cleaner in the Middle either. A few seats ahead of me, some form of liquid is split floor and I'm really hoping it's from someone's drink, but considering last night was Saturday, I wouldn't be surprised if it was something more disgusting. The walls and windows have names, tags and well... dicks etched into them. And, in every possible place you can stash something, there's empty cigarette packets, food wrappers and a variety of gum.

But these trains are all I have. The Middle doesn't really have a bus or taxi system and I never have Dad's car to myself. And even if I could, I would probably send my family broke with the amount of fuel I would use going into the Middle whenever I wanted to. On top of that, Dad's car is nothing to Calvin's Mercedes and there's no way I would put the two in the same car park, it would be too embarrassing.

The worst thing about today is the fact that I have to force myself to make it home before 6pm. Usually I'll let myself get carried away with Calvin, sometimes to the point where I don't make it home until 8PM, but I'll be killed if that happens today. Mum is actually going to her shifts and Dad won't be home until late so that leaves dinner to either me or the freezer but considering the lack of frozen meals there was when I left, dinner is going to be up to me. And god knows if dinner isn't on the table by 7:30PM at the latest, I'm going to be the one to feel the wrath of my mum.

I pull out my phone and scroll straight to the alarms. My best tactic and only form of time management. I set a new one for 5PM, just in case. That will give me enough time to waste thirty minutes or so, make it to the station, wait out the train ride and walk home all before six.

I just hope Calvin doesn't pull out on me. I'm waiting on the day something goes wrong or for him to get bored. And I'll never know if he does. We can't communicate, and nothing I've looked into seems like it would help that situation unless we both buy that overrated plan that the government brags about so much. But we haven't even exchanged phone numbers so there isn't any possible way we could communicate. I just keep telling myself not to doubt it. It's hard to expect someone that feels too good to be true to stay though, I've learnt that lesson before.

I get off the train at five to one, so I'm not late. I always feel so guilty if I'm late to see Calvin because I know he goes out of his way to see me. But I'm on time today which is good since this is a date after all, I need to make a good impression at least once.

I have to push my way through a few crowds of people before I see the love of my life, a sleek, white Mercedes-AMG and, of course, Calvin. Calvin's leaning against the passenger door with his arms crossed across his chest, smiling at me. He's wearing a clean, loose button-up with a casual pair of jeans and white sneakers. Let's just hope I don't look too Lower-class standing next to that in my sweater, ripped jeans and very worn black and white sneakers, the only outfit I wear willingly anymore.

"I see you're early for once," Calvin says.

I stare directly at him, patting the roof of his car with a cheeky smile pulled across my lips, "I see you brought my date."

"Oh... well, okay then," he starts to back away with his hands in the air, "I'll leave you to your date then, but I'm taking the keys."

"Wait, no. Please come back." I laugh.

He comes back towards me and wraps me in a hug. It shocks me at first, mainly because I still have to remind myself that he likes me back, but I quickly relax into his embrace. But after a few seconds I get sick of holding myself up and collapse into Calvin.