Part 1 Introduction (Liv and Taylor)
The coins clicked into the small booth. She looked at the dirty coins that had once been golden and had overtime aquired gewy substances, dirt and grime. Her eyes flicked to the booth man who looked at her with bemusement. She bent over to grab her leather bags. They felt heavier than they had been before she entered the trainstation. She strode over to a lonely bench that sat at the corner of dark and dank. Next to it a trash can rested. Small nats zipped around it. She pulled out her blue Iphone. "3 messages". Tears threatened to spill over as she unclasped her gloved fingers with which she held her phone allowing it to drop into the soggy garbage filled depths of the trashcan. She exhaled deeply as it hit the bottom with a heavy clunk. The station was lonely considering the time. It was a Sunday. A snow glittered Sunday. The parts of the station that were exposed to the outside let in a biting chill. As it did she pulled her puffy sleeved ski jacket closer. Paranoia consumed her as she remembered why she was not in the safety of her appartment. Every click of a heel sent her into a frenzie. She shuffled uncomfortably in her seat. The wind blew a gust at her. The leaflet that had once been in the safety of her coat pocket threatened to escape. She slapped her side preventing it from flying away. It was the only beacon that allowed her to hope. Slipping it out of her pocket she smiled. Kids her age would not usually hope to go to a boarding school. Aspecially when they were bound to graduate in just years. On the cover of the pamphlet her name had been written. Livvy Anne Sue. For her she had three more years until she would have been able to escape her old life. Only two weeks ago did that fact change.
Her vision blurred as the small train turned the corner. It was better than any christmas tree she had ever hoped for. Its lights worked. It flashed so happily, bulb ornaments hung onto the outside, it chimed and it bore the best present of all. It was here to take her away. She checked her bag to make sure she had no trackable devices. The only thing she managed to find was a small ipod. The home screen framed a glowing picture of what her family used to be. Three small children including her wrapped in the arms of loving parents. Not the abusive fosters. She knew she couldnt keep it. She looked down at her arm pulling the sleeve of the jacket back to reveal a yellowish purple bruise. The plum purple matched he fabric of her jacket, she cringed in disgust. She looked back to the train. Livvy peared in through the windows searching for the boy that had brought her the beacon of hope. No faces were seen. The train appeared to be empty. Ghostly even. Fear gripped her. What if he had been joking. Maybe he was just kidding, or didnt think i would go through with it. She didnt think she had had any reason to doubt him. His deep blue eyes had always held a sincerity she could never bear to deny. " I can find you a way out of here if you would like." She remembered him running his fingers through his deep brown hair, pulling the pamphlet from his backpack. "I am going there next year. My sister was going to go to on scholarship. But she decided to finish out highschool back here. I think i could pull a few strings if you really wanted me to." Her eyes lit up soaking in every word. She jumped rushing to pull him into her arms. At first he was baffled, but then his face relaxed into a gentle smile and accepted the gesture. "Thanks Peter."
The short train slowly creaked to a stop. Snow billowed around the small cars. The electronic doors swung open, sweeping the dusty air. Livvy dashed onto the train not bothering to look back. She looked down at her ticket. It had crumbled in her grasp. Her seat was located at the back of the train which gave her plenty of time to think of an alternative plan in case things didnt go as planned. Life didnt go as planned. Livvy didnt go as planned. She became aware of the warmth of the cars and as she did she began to defrost. Her pant legs soaked with melted snow. The pain pills she took before she left began to wear off. She was hoping it would last. She tugged at her coat sleeve once more. Her once small arm had swollen to a considerable size. "Crap." she hissed at her arm. She tucked it carefully away looking around for any security gaurds that might have boarded the train. The last time she was caught was when she was looking down at her sore beaten leg. A neighbor of hers that lived in the same apartment complex decided my foster parents (my rude abusive aunt, and my oaf of an uncle) should be checked out. But as it turns out no one listens to children. The cops didnt even put the case on file. They blamed her injury on "sneaking out". Little did they know her "sneaking out" was "getting the hell away from her abusive fosters". After that night she got an earfull. "Livvy, we didnt sign up to be your foster parents if that means you have the neighbors call the cops on us every other week. You dont want to have to be a ward of the state do you?" She drooped her palding head in fake pitty. "I hear they are not very nice to the children there." She smirked and went back to watching her reality TV show or whatever that ugly witch wanted to watch. Livvy had to pass her to walk to my room and as she did she felt a hard blow across her back. Her shoulders pursed into a winced as mist drew to her eyes, stopping for half a second imagining the read fist mark that now stained the skin on her back. "Get out of my sight."
"Livvy!" A warm voice floated through the air. Instantly putting her at ease. Peter stood smiling. That smile made her crazy. His teeth seemed perfect, flouresent even. It brought her familiarity. Peace. She ran to him and drew his dark coat into her arms slowly bringin his body closer to hers. Behind him stood a taller boy. He was at least a year older than them. He cracked her a smile. His green eyes sparked. That smile was unsettlling. She felt her face burn. She looked away quickly as she collected herself stepping away from Peter. She could still feel the boys peircing green eyes on her warm chesnut hair. She felt unworthy of their presence somehow. She became aware of her destressed jeans (not purposly ripped just from previous accidents) she wore her old combat boots that had faded along the soals from sun exposure and other elements present in Chicago. She pulled her hair away from her face scooping it behind her ear. "uh, oh yah this is Taylor Ice, he is the son of your benefactor." Peter stepped back pointing at Taylor. "You may call me your heighness."
"Yah okay, I am Liv." he smiled. "Cool Liv, Like the roman numeral." Her eyes flickered. His voice came out in a southern drawl. Even though he looked anything but. He was not punk but not quite southern charming. The accent made him more approchable though. " I didnt well I just have my friends call me that I did-" He just shook his head. "I am messing with you, I am gonna call you Rome though I give all of my friends nicknames. Peter over here is douc-" Peter shoved him out of the way. He leaned over to Liv. "He thinks he is funny just laugh it makes him happy." Taylor made a face of bemusement. Liv let out a snorty giggle. He smiled in response. "I can see you guys are gonna get along fine. Our car is this way. Watch out for the old lady in 9 she keeps asking for was it Plum Juice?-"
She laughed but zoned out looking at the view passing outside. Skyscrapers wobbled. The height of them made them seem like they swayed in the Chicago wind. She looked at Taylor. He stared at him in absent awe. She couldnt tear her gaze away from him. There was something so captivating about him. His pouty lips smiling. She let out a large sigh. No one like him had even bothered to acknowledge her. Peter was great but he had made it obvious that they had a brother sister relationship. Taylor was perfect, in a dorky way. He had a rather odd laugh. It was highpitched and echoed through the train. No one had ever done this to her before. She waited until they were deep into their conversation. She held her hand against her forehead. Unfortunately she was not sick. Just crushing.
Crushing Hard.
