The Subway

Jared

Fluorescent lights heated my pale skin as I wandered across the subway platform. It was dead silent. Not a single soul was left standing in the Bronx subway station, which put me a bit on edge. There was always someone with you in the subway station. That's what made it so hard to be alone, which is what I usually wanted but would kill to get away from at this point. I probably looked like a killer to anyone else that didn't know I wouldn't hurt a fly. That's what you get for wearing all black I suppose. And avoiding all light besides the hours of blue light supplied by my phone.

I shouldn't be here. I don't belong here. This wouldn't have been an issue if it hadn't been for the inconvenience that is my mother, who was "ever popular" back in "her day" and couldn't stand to see me be "antisocial". My blood was boiling over when the subway finally pulled up. I huffed and stepped up to the doors, anxious to get out of this train station. The bottom of the doors pulsed their under-oiled pumps to open. Within seconds of my foot stepping into the car, I turned it around and tried to escape the death trap I had just gotten myself into. But it was too late. I hadn't seen a lot, but I sure had seen enough. Too much for comfort.

Standing smack dab in the middle of the subway car was Brimer High's most popular student, Annabeth Brimer. Yes, her name was in the title. Maybe that's because she was the daughter of Cam and Annabelle Brimer. The girl who is the inherent of the school is the most popular. Go figure. Her auburn hair was a vast contrast with my jet black locks, but although she tried to hide it, her skin was almost as light as mine. She peeked out from under her bangs when I stepped into the car, and instantly rolled her green eyes, which landed right back on her iPhone 6S.

To my satisfaction, I huffed at her and didn't even get an eye roll back. Then it dawned on me she probably didn't even hear me, there were Dr. Dre earbuds jammed in her ears. I sneered and grabbed onto the silver handrail out of habit. Of course, she didn't have the sense and was standing in the middle of the car. I coughed, just to see what would happen. Nothing. I increased the sound of my cough. Nada. Finally, I pulled together a sentence.

"I can't wait till this train stops and you go flying." I announced sarcastically to no one in particular. She yanked one of the buds out her her ear, probably not even caring if they broke.

"What did you say," She looked me up and down. "Um, maybe person?"

It took everything in me not to literally growl at her. "I said I can't wait for the moment I get to see you fly across this car because you don't have the sense to hold onto anything, and yes, I am a person, good job sweetie!" I retorted. She promptly rolled her eyes and flipped her curls over her shoulder, turning to face the other set of doors.

"But I get the best reception here." She sneered as if it was a known fact everyone got the best reception smack dab in the middle of a subway car.

"We are moving. It doesn't matter where you stand your position in relation to the cell tower is going to keep fluctuating." I knew how much of a nerd I sounded like, but why not let her think I was super smart?

"Ugh, whatever." Anabeth's half inch long nails pinched her earbud and pushed it back into her ear. Dr. Dre would've been hurt to see his product treated in such a way. I on the other hand took my buds that came with my iPhone 5C and inserted them gently into my ear. ACDC pulsed into my head. The sound of Anabeth's high pitched giggle made me want to scream. How could someone be so perfectly annoying and everybody just think she's perfect?!

"No no noooo!" Anabeth whined.

"What, Declan finally left you?" I remarked, to which she responded giving me a certain finger. If you thought Anabeth was bad, Declan was worse. From his dirty blonde hair to dark blue eyes, only a Declan was with an Anabeth.

"Like that'll ever happen. He's lucky to have me." She snapped back. "My phone died and my case is out of battery too." She stomped her fancy looking shoes on the rough carpet.

"Aw, you poor thing." I gave her a sarcastic sad look.

"Yeah no kidding." She huffed. "Not like your kind would understand."

I was taken aback. "My 'kind'?"

"You know, like nerds and punks and mohawks and stuff?"

"I don't know wether to be offended or grateful that the ever famous Anabeth Brimer pays enough attention to my 'kind' to know the false stereotypes."

"Go with honored, offense makes creases in your forehead." She proceeded to pull out a pocket mirror thing and fix her eyebrows.

"I mean, you would know, your skin is about as pale as mine."

"I'll have you know, I purposefully make my olive skin lighter in these harsh winter months so I don't look like a total poser." She twirled a ring of curled hair around her finger.

"Because I look like I'd fall for that. Sorry sweetheart, I have more than two braincells, unlike the rest of your petty entourage. Oh, I mean friends." I could barely even hear my U2 with all these insults coursing through my brain. Anabeth looked as if she might burst. Not that she would have a chance, because that's when the "life changing event" my mom had promised me when she convinced me to go out occurred.