Off Track

Part 2: Keeley

I blew out a breath, realizing how close I came to eating concrete. How embarrassing. I thought I was getting the hang of walking in heels, but apparently not. I wasn't used to dressing up. I was more of jeans and flip-flop type of girl, but my interview today required me to look my best.

"Thanks," I said to the person, straightening my button down blouse and skirt. When the person didn't answer, I looked up. It was the guy from before, the one with the headphones. He was good looking in a messy sort of way, although his hair could have used a good brush through. Those black locks were running rampant. But what stood out for me were the dark circles under his eyes. It looked like he hadn't slept in awhile, if at all. Yikes. And I thought I had problems.

He must have noticed my perusal because the blank look he was sporting briefly dropped away. His eyes, so dark they almost appeared black, narrowed. It looked like he was going to say something, but instead he shook his head and looked away.

I felt bad. I knew it was rude to stare, but he looked so tired. I was about to apologize when he pulled the hood of his khaki jacket over his head so it shielded his face and walked away.

Ouch. It wasn't like I was coming on to him. I had a boyfriend for goodness sake!

"God, why isn't anything going my way today?" I muttered.

A sharp wind blew through the station. I rubbed my arms, an eerie feeling crawling down my spine. Felt like someone was watching me. Wary, I hurried up the stairs to platform twelve.

It was crowded. More crowded than I thought it would, but then again, it was a Saturday afternoon. I squeezed my way over to an empty space near the back. Scanning the crowd, I saw the older man. He was just as nervous and jumpy as before, actively avoiding any human contact. I wondered where he was going. This train went all the way up the California coastline.

Close by him was the guy in all black. He still wore that amused expression and I wondered if it permanently etched on his face. Not wanting to get caught staring, especially by him, I averted my eyes.

As I studied the other passengers I noticed how self involved everyone was. They were so busy in their own little worlds they weren't aware of anyone else.

I glanced to my right, and then quickly looked forward. Crap. It was the black haired guy who saved me. What were the chances we'd be on the same train? Now he was going to think I was stalking him or something.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw him look at his cell phone. Curious, I leaned ever so slightly to my right so I could catch a glimpse of the screen. Apparently someone named Violet was calling him. I watched as he sent the call straight to voicemail. Several moments later, Violet called again.

Headphone guy as I liked to call him, gave a small but telling sigh. Whoever this Violet chick was, she frustrated him beyond belief. I bet it was an old girlfriend.

My brother had a few of those that wouldn't leave him alone, especially now that he had won the state football championship and got a full ride scholarship to one of the top football colleges in the States. It'd also inflated his ego like a balloon. For months now, he'd been strutting around the house like a peacock, so damn proud of himself. Not that I could blame him. Everything was going perfectly according to his plan. Mine...not so much.

At first, my plan had been simple. Get accepted into college and then go to aforesaid college. And as it was, that's exactly what happened. I got into my number one choice. It was everything I wanted, but as months passed, and the reality of spending four more years in classrooms loomed, I started to get cold feet. That's when I went to my guidance counselor who handed me pamphlets on taking a gap year. I'd never heard of it before, but basically it allowed me to take a year off. I could go and volunteer in a foreign country and the school would hold my place till I came back. The more I thought about it, the more I realized this was the right path for me.