Citry

1.

"Well I guess this is you", mom smiled, nudging me towards the train.
I turn to hug her before noticing my dad crack a pretend smirk.
"Poppy", I place my hand on his left shoulder, "I'll be fine. I'll call every night and I will be back soon. It's just a couple of months you two will be fine with Carey here" I smile.
He nods before kissing my forehead, "enjoy yourself."
"I will see you soon sweetie", mom waves me goodbye.

I sit still in my seat after lugging my suitcase overhead as everyone passes by me to their seats before a conductor comes over to me.
"Where are you heading little lady?" He smiles with a pen and paper.
"Nashville, Tennessee" I smile back.
He whistles "You have a long way to go, enjoy your trip darling", slapping a note with the letters "TN/NAS" on it.
I turn to face the window only to see my parents grinning and waving. I smile and wave back before the train begins rolling forward.
I pop in my earbuds tilting my head back as the train picks up speed.
I begin dozing off before remembering, I need to document everything. I reach into my overhead pulling out my red notebook, with "Kat B." stamped on the cover in black ink.
I scribble out everything that has happened so far with my forest green pen that is always attached to my book.

I glance around the train before locking eyes with a boy diagonal from me. He flashes a dimpled smile before turning back to his phone, pretending to text someone. He tilts his phone up in my direction trying to sneak a picture when his flash goes off, catching many of the passengers' attention. A few of them toss him dirty looks, I just giggle and wave him over to the empty seat next to me. He refuses, embarrassed, and turns away, staring out of his window.

I continue writing in my book, adding what I'm seeing. The people in the seat ahead of me appear to be an older couple. The trees and houses we're passing by that I can see through the window. I try to take it all in and make sense of it, understanding that this is simply a change in pace and experience. While writing, my manager's voice rings in my head. "Take lots of pictures, document everything, and don't ever go to bed without at least writing about your day." I'm trying my best to remember all of this, but as I get to my second line of writing, we pass by the last sign of the city. I'm officially out and exploring on my own. No mama, no poppy, no paperwork and meetings on the "next big thing". Just me.