A suitcase full of tupperware, zip lock bags, and aluminum foil with homemade food was waddling between her legs as she sipped the well needed coffee on the train that morning. Why was she up that early going back to her small, messy, and more importantly lonely apartment, this she did not know. Morning was never her best time of day, but a nagging mother and a non approving father was enough for her this day. Spending two days with them was plenty for this weekend, Sunday was her day to relax and cuddle on the couch with a Bones marathon on TNT. What she may have forgotten through her caffeine feeding veins is that back at her apartment, there was nobody to cuddle with, and who knows if they switched Bones for The Mentalist today.
As her eyes started to close and her coffee cup slated toward to the right, she was startled by the ring of a phone, hers.
"What's up?" she asked. No need for politeness or anything of that sort. It was her best friend. You know, the kind you've known for years, and even though you've both been so busy living your separate lives, when you do make time for that long lunch during work to meet, you just pick up right where you left off. You hug, you kiss, you start pouring your heart out, you vent, you cry, you say goodbye. They were far from similar in appearance, personality, morals, or life plans. Yet for the past 11 years they have been the best of friends, sharing all their hopes, dreams, worries, tears, laughs and celebrations.
"Yeah I'm on the train now. Mom packed me a suitcase full of food. I'm not slightly kidding. With every bump, I'm worried something might spill"
"Hey I'm sorry we didn't get to see each other this weekend. Definitely next, I promise. Maybe we can meet in New Brunswick and have a girls night out. You can be my wingman." A slight laugh, and their conversation continued for a few minutes as they caught up on what's going on in their lives.
"Really? Wow. I'm shocked. You finally had the marriage talk. Well it's about time. You've been going strong for over a year." A slight frown came over her face as she tried to still sound happy and peppy for her friend.
"Mom packing you food, huh? I miss that." said a man next to her across the isle as soon as she hung up. It took her a moment to respond.
"Yeah. They're great. I don't really need all of this. I like cooking, although I sometimes don't really get around to shopping for groceries to cook with...but when I do, I'm all good." she said as she gave him a sweet smile. He deserved it, he was a cutie pie. He was in his mid to late twenties she thought, with dark brown hair, medium length, with blazing blue eyes, and a sweet kind of sad smile.
"Well it's still nice for her to help you out, my mom used to do that when I first moved out. My college roommates were very glad also."
"Yeah I'm lucky. Are you in college now?" she asked.
"No I graduated a few years ago. What about you?"
"I'm in grad school in the city. I'm really not a city girl. I just moved here, and I don't anybody. I rented a small crappy apartment in a moderately safe area. I think. I don't know where the good areas are actually."
"I live in the city. I could show you around if you want. Do you use Google Earth? There's this feature on there were you can draw on the map and add notes and things. I could make a very detailed map of where you go to eat, movie theaters, shopping, groceries, places to stay absolutely away from."
"Mass transit."
"Yes that too." he smiled.
"That would be extremely helpful. I would really appreciated it." they smiled at each other and suddenly their eye contact was broken by a couple looking for seats in the crowded morning traffic.
"You could sit over there honey, and I'll be there." the man said to his girl friend while pointing at the empty seat next to me.
"Could you please let me have the isle seat so I can talk with my husband miss?" she asked me.
"How about I sit over there and you and your husband can seat together." she said while trying to get approval from the boy she had been talking too. He smiled in approval and she went to sit with him.
"Thanks so much." the woman's husband said.
"Hi. I'm Nick by the way." he told her while putting out his hand for a quick shake. What's the origin of this polite expression anyway?
"Nice to meet you Nick, I'm Ana."
As soon as she sat down her station was coming fast. She wasn't paying attention to where the train was and time flew.
"Oh this is me. I can't believe we got here so fast. I'm sorry I gatta run. I have to meet with someone at school." with the fear of being late yet again to her meeting with her advisor she picked up her suitcase of goodies and left.
"Alright, well nice to meet you!" He yelled after her with a slight wave. "Didn't even get her number. Good move Nick." he muttered under his breath as he watched her walk briskly toward the exit from the platform.
~********************************************************************************~
"Are you serious? Come on Chris!" she yelled as he walked down the hall to the stairwell of her apartment complex.
"I'm sorry Ana. Rain check. Another time!" he yelled back and sprinted down the stairs almost knocking over the pizza delivery boy.
"Whoa!" the pizza boy said.
"Sorry man." said Chris. He didn't really mean that.
Ana is still in disbelieve in her doorway getting angrier by the minute as the pizza boy arrives.
"Half plain, half chicken?" he asked her as their eyes met.
"Oh you. Nick right?" she asked as the pizza boy's face suddenly became familiar.
"Ana, hey! What a coincidence." his heart jumped a little as the girl that slipped away on the train was his last call on this cool Friday night.
