Queen For A Day

Hello Manhattan

Before I knew it, the week was over and the day of the New York trip was here. I'd be lying to say I was excited; I was ecstatic. It was a chance to leave my own personal purgatory, a time to become someone new. 

My life isn't that bad, I just find it overwhelming sometimes. I live with my mother and brother. My mother's an alcoholic who likes to bring random men home and my brother's a video game addict who likes to call me a whore whenever he deemed necessary despite the fact I still had my v-card in possession. Mom just loves to leave bills unpaid while she spends all our money on booze, ciggarettes, her dates, and new clothes for herself. My brother, Jamie, just loves to yell at me when I ask him if he wants food or if he can do me a simple favor. I would love to go to my dad for help but he has a life with my stepmom and they're very anal people. It's not easy to deal with people like that is hard when you grew up without rules.  

Being overwhelmed leads me to a nice little depression. Depression and I have known each other ever since I can remember but Depression goes away the second I hit the city. The city is bursting with life and so many different choices. It's filled with possibility. It's filled with diversity. It's filled with life.

Needless to say, I was ecstatic for this trip. 

On Saturday, I stood in the train station with Jasmine, Sophia, and Gabbi waiting for the goddamn train. I am normally a patient person but we had to wake up early in order to make the college visit scheduled at 11. I'm not patient this early in the morning. 

"I'm going to say this once and one time only," I said to my friends with a stern tone. Jasmine's brown questioning eyes reached me first. 

"What is it?" she questioned with narrowed eyes. Gabbi and Sophia's blue eyes soon followed suit. 

I gritted my teeth. "I am sorry for the complaining I have done and that is yet to come this morning, but in my defense, it's not even 10 o'clock yet. I don't even have breakfast this early." Their eyes instantly softened with humor. "I mean if I eat this early I'll get sick and then I'll just complain more. I promise I'll complain less when I get my food, but until then, I'm sorry." 

Sophia laughed at me as if it wasn't 8 in the morning. "You're too funny." 

That's exactly how my friends responded to me or they would say "You're too cute" which typically is not my favorite response. Sophia should know better than to do that. She was my oldest friend. The blonde girl, only a few inches than my 5'3" stature, had become practically family after being friends with her since first grade. How we exactly became friends, we'll never know. Sophia didn't have much of a memory and I just have a hard time remembering that year. She was obnoxious, vulgar, strong willed, kind, and hot tempered but still my pale best friend. And by pale, I mean palest friend I have. The only difference between her and paper is that she had tan freckles covering a good percentage of her body. 

"I was going to go more with pathetic, not humorous," said Gabbi with her usual sarcastic yet jovial tone. The girls snickered.

Gabbi was someone who I could probably joke with for hours on end, which we constantly did. We first discovered how awesome we were together in french class my sophomore year over our mutual dislike of our teacher. Soon we started being a bit disrespectful in class together and our bond has stayed ever since. She was then drafted into my group of friends by me; I thought her spunky attitude accompanied with a 5'10" height and beautiful brown hair was perfect for the group. 

"Gabbi, it's too damn early to be sassy right now! I'll get back at you for that later though." I sighed and check my wrist. 10 more minutes before the train arrives.

"I don't see how you can be so cranky. You've been so eager to go on this trip for months and the day of you're acting like a diva," Gabbi replied. 

"I told you, no food equals no happy Mandy." 

**

The train ride passed with the girls laughing at my expense, me napping, and waking up to enjoy the scenery of cars passing on the busy highway. My exhaustion was wearing off and excitement was now coarsing thorugh my veins. 

I couldn't even control myself. "Guys! Guys! Guys! We're almost there! Oh my god! Oh my god!" My voice gradually rose as I spoke. If I weren't so excited, I would have cringed. "Oh my god!"

Sophia laughed. "You sound like a preteen girl about to see her favorite pop artist." The comment didn't faze me. I was too excited. 

"We're almost at Grand Central, Mandy. we just have to stop at Harlem then we're practically there," said Jasmine. She came to New York frequently; she practically was a New Yorker herself. 

I squealed at this news then proceeded to do a little happy dance. "So from Grand Central, we're getting a cab to St. John's and then NYU, right?"

"Nope, we're going to the hotel first then we get the cab."

"Kay, kay, kay. I think I've got it! I'm just so excited! After the tours we're going shopping; I just love shopping. I'm so excited," a devious idea entered my head and I knew it showed. Gabbi looked at me questioningly. I knew it was the same look I'd have in french class. 

"What is it Queen Evil?" Gabbi asked. 

"I'm not evil, I'm just creative in devious ways." I winked then a wolfish grin spread across my face. 

"That look tells me otherwise. Now spill." The girls all threw their questioning looks my way. Let's just say that I was not the most innocent person around. Living without rules does that to a girl. 

"Let's go out!" 

Sophia glanced at me with a confused look. She was the innocent one. "That's what we're doing, we are going to New York aren't we?" 

I laughed maniaclly as the train stopped signalling that we were in Harlem. "No, I mean club! Or throw a hotel party! Let's make something of this night." I winked again renforcing my devilish ways. 

"Are you nuts!? We're going to New York City! Not to Connecticut cities but fucking New York City!"  Sophia practically yelled. "There's scary people, strangers, and so much danger! You really are fucking crazy."

I rolled my eyes. "Forever the goody two shoes I see. AND everyone's a stranger until you give 'em a chance."

"Well I'm down," said Jasmine. We weren't best friends for nothing.

Gabbi shrugged. "I guess I am too, but the second things start getting weird, I'm leaving."

I pouted, "But that's when things just start getting fun!"

"I swear, sometimes I don't know if you're too cool for me or just too dumb for yourself," said Sophia in her motherly tone. 

I grinned, "I think it's a little of both." I pulled out my brown gold puppy eyes for her. "Will you please say yes to this adventure? An adventure not possible in Connecticut or any other state for that matter! An adventure that will sure be the best time of your life! An adventure-" A hand clapped over my mouth. 

"If I say yes will you put your puppy eyes away and shut up? I find your puppy eyes very pathetic." I nodded as I felt my mouth turn up at the corners. "Fine, but I'm with Gabbi. The second shit gets weird, we're out."

I smirked. "I can live with that."

Gabbi gasped, "We're here!" When did the train start moving again? Well screw rationaly thought. 

"Hello Manhattan. Ready or not, here I come!"