a tale of two cities. // h.s

1

Last night I had a bad dream
That I was trapped in this city
Then I asked is that really such a bad thing?

I'm Ailen, well Ailen Brooke to be exact. Not to be confused with Island which is how you pronounce my first name, and Broke, which looks an awful lot like Brooke. I'm 18, turning 19 in like 2 months, 3 weeks and 6 days but who's counting right? Life right out of high school is truly sad, along with my age, which I guess some people would consider a 'good' thing because you're still young and what not, but then again it's that stage where you're too old to 'depend' on people and too young for people to take you seriously. I'm truly blessed. You're not asking but I'm telling. I owe my all too good to be true job to Penelope, props to her. And that all too good to be true job has me exhausted just like every end of the day.

"Come on, Ailen. Stop being so stubborn and let me drive you home." Pen and I walk out of the enormous glass building doors and head out into the busy, cold New York City streets filled with clearly noticeable tourists and business people.

"Are you kidding me? What's so different about tonight?" I chuckle and see a smoke of air escape my mouth. "I take the subway every day, now stop being weird and go enjoy your mother's birthday!"

"She's 65, the only enjoying I'll do is drinking all her wine." Pen laughs and I can tell her nose is turning red from the not too friendly winds circling us.

"I'll text you as soon as I get home."

"You should really consider getting yourself a mini-motorcycle or something Ailen."

"Eh, the subway's not that bad." Lie. The rats were the best part.

"Tell Stella I'll be visiting her soon with a special ticket to that male strip club I've been promising to take her to." She buries her chin deeper in her scarf and the action only makes me realize how stupid I was for not bringing a heavier coat.

"Actually I won't remind her, she's been asking about that ever since you told her. Keep your promise, it's getting real old." I give her a smirk and start walking in her opposite direction.

"We really need some guys, being alone is getting real old." She shouts back.

"You should start thinking about that when you're able to get your work done on time." I kid. God knows I love her.

"Oh suck it." I laugh at her raspy voice ringing through the sounds of traffic.

**

I sat in the moving subway, with people sitting on my right and left; & standing in front of me. It was always this crowded and getting to sit on the orange seat instead of standing awkwardly in the middle was a blessing. I held my bag tight in my lap, with my eyes having no where to go but on the people in front of me. Through a gap of people, about three seats on my right & on the opposite side, I saw a man, a nice looking young one with a surprising smile on his face as he drew the women in front of him on a blank piece of paper. Whenever I saw people like this, just trying to get by with the money they earned by singing or drawing, it made me really appreciate what I had.

A couple of seconds later I saw him give her the portrait as she handed him two $1 bills.. two dollars. Despite the rudeness, he still smiled at her and started looking around for someone else to draw. When we came to a stop, a harsh stop that anyone who's been on the subway on a regular basis knows to hold on for, the young man's pencil dropped down and rolled right under my feet. I immediately picked it up, not wanting it to escape my eyesight and leave him without a pencil.

Good thing I didn't have to call him or anything to get his attention because he had already seen me save his utensil. I reach over to him, trying not to hit people on the way.