Once A Sweet Song

Chapter 2 - New Yorkers

Chapter 2

Laure ran to the subway station from the bar as fast as she could. Usually she takes a comfortable stroll to the station from the bar, which took about 10 to 15 minutes. But today she went over time and the train that took her straight to the University comes only every 20 minutes and the next one, which was also her usual one, was at half past. Her lecture started at 8:00. It was currently 7:19.

The day was beginning for everyone in Manhattan - the area near the Upper East Side. It was beautiful; little clothing boutiques flipped over the closed sign, florists at the corners tending to the flowers and cafés brewing fresh pots of caffeine to start everybody's busy day. Bakery's opened their doors to let the fresh smell of oven baked bread waft through the streets, yellow taxis were speeding around the place already and people were starting to leave their homes in a rush for their day. It was magical when it started, the whole area glowed and shined, giving off a essence of power and wealth. Somewhere she once belonged but no longer wanted to. From the way she kept to herself and dressed, everyone could tell she was just passing through. She didn't fit; she didn't have the stiletto pumps, the designer brands on her body and steaming cup of Starbucks in hand, smartphone in the other with a Gucci purse slung over her shoulder.

It was another Monday morning in the middle of the October, nothing different from the last or will be with the next. School was starting again after the Fall break and the history report assigned at the end of last month was only completed this morning. The weather was becoming chillier as the days go by, where the nights are longer and the days are shorter.

She eventually made it to the station, while the train was ringing the alarm. The breathless brunette made it in just as the doors closed behind her. She sucked in a deep breath and holding her hand against her chest.

Never again. I'm setting an alarm next time.

She suddenly realized the uncomfortable position she was at; when she quickly slipped into the train, she'd squashed herself between two people in the crowded carriage.

She held up her hands as if surrendering to say 'sorry'. She retreated as far as she could, which wasn't very far until her back hit the doors. She looked down, unable to meet their eyes from the embarrassment, and simply fumbled around her bag for her phone and earphones. She leaned back against the glass panel on the seat beside the door. She scrolled through her playlist, looking for a nice song to listen to.

Beatles. Led Zeppelin. Radiohead. Coldplay. Oasis. Pearl Jam. Janis Joplin. The Who. Daughter.

She settled for Daughter, playing the song 'Youth'. She looked out the window of the train. The endless black tunnel. It was like life; a boundless, immeasureable journey, where you never know where you'll end up. It will just slap you in the face unexpectedly with it's twists and turns, the problems and predicaments that you'll face. She never imagined she'd be here 3 years ago, but it still happened.

Well I've lost it, I'm just a silhouette

A Iifeless face you'll soon forget

My eyes are damp from the words you left

Her eyes flickered downwards, staring at the sandpaper like floor - black and covered in glitter, hard and rough. There wasn't anything particularly interesting about it - it was just that verse of the song that made her think of the past, the unforgivable and unchangeable past.

"Doors opening to your left to the platform for 1st Avenue," the intercom sounded with its electronic voice, after three or four songs. Each with a reference somewhere that made her reminisce the times that she could never return to.

Laure bounded out of the doors as soon as it opened, almost missing the platform by an inch. The wind had calmed down as the sun slowly rose. A calm and cool breeze wafted through station from above ground as she passed the revolving stoppers and paid for her trip.