Effortless (h.s.)

Chapter TWENTY SEVEN - train hugs

I grabbed the front of my trench coat and held it closer into me, cars were whirling past on the street next to me creating even more of a breeze. It didn't take long to waltz up to the station though.

I searched around for a clock while I entered the building but the wind was knocked out of me when I entered an absolutely beautiful building.

The architecture sent shivers down my spine, the ceiling was rounded to fit in a huge window on the upper level. Flags of different countries hung around the length of the walls, adding color to the station. In front of me was a huge escalator, leading down underground to where the trains were. But above the escalator, was a clock.

6:18AM.

I snapped out of my trance and hustled over to the escalator, pushing my way on because there was a crowd of people also trying to go down it. There was security blocking the entire entrance to the train and I felt panic set in. I pushed through and as expected, they tried to push me off as well, but when I held up my train ticket, two of the guards looked at each other and hoisted me past them.

Once I was on my way going down the guarded escalator I immediately spotted the train. It was two-story and green paneling. Before getting off the escalator, I turned around and looked back up to all of the people at the top of the escalator.

Girls from the ages of ten to twenty were desperately trying to descend the escalator.

They were in a frenzy of some kind, my head fell forward.

I shrugged it off and hurried over to the train, making my way over to a conductor and showing him my ticket.

"You look young, going to LA all by yourself?" He didn't look over the brim of his hat to speak to me, just handed me back my ticket.

I started to walk up the stairs to the train, "I live there by myself."

He turned around and looked at me up and down, humming and nodding to himself, "Good for you, love."

I couldn't help but smile at the elderly man, his fine lines and winkles showed that he was a big smiler himself. His pepper gray hair peeped through his navy blue conductors hat with golden buttons around the sides of it.

"Thank you," I whispered, feeling the slightest bit of joy by the simple kind gesture he had given me. It made my heart flutter with joy. I bowed my head to him before continuing up the stairs, venturing off to the left door I was being ushered into.

My phone started to ring, but I ignored it and sat down in a booth by myself.

I shoved my bag into the seat first and then scooted in next to it.

The train started to move slightly, I made it in the niche of time.

I breathed out and tilted my head back but my sense of relief was shortly lived when I heard that same man who had just spoken to me yelling, "You cannot do that! No changing cars while the tr-"

I looked up to see the conductor through the small glass window of the train door, he was glancing down at something then quickly reverted his eyes back up. My head moved out into the isle to see better, I watched the man slip money into his pocket.

The beating of my heart started to increase, it pumped and echoed in my ears.

It was like all my senses began to fail me except sight. A ring covered hand snaked through the small opening the sliding door and pried it open revealing a pair of white sneakers entering the cabin.

I could hardly hear the train car's door I was in slide open. A familiar friend in all black sweatpants and a vintage looking sweatshirt stood in the doorway. His eyes darted around the train desperately searching for something, or someone.

I shot up from my seat. My tripped over themselves and I stifled forward, his dark green eyes made their way onto me. His shoulders fell the second our gazes met.

He turned around and started to slide the door shut behind him but before he could completely close it, I ran and engulfed him in my arms. His smell invaded my senses and I couldn't help but tear up, he still cared.

His arms wrapped around me slower than I expected, I was scared to let go and see an unamused stare.

"I wasn't expecting such a warm welcome," he muttered into my head, I gripped on tighter when his lips pressed into my hair line.

I opened my watery eyes and through the window I got the view of the conductor smiling in the next car over. His squinty eyes shimmered, I picked my head up slightly to smile back but he turned around and walked up the middle of the aisle, opening and shutting each car door behind him. He made his way up to the front of the train without another glance.

I pulled back and peered up at Harry through my wettened lashes, "I really don't like it here much," I let out a small laugh and went to wipe the tear trickling down my cheek but Harry's thumb got to it first.

His warm smile sent butterflies into my stomach, warming me up from the inside out.

"Thank god for that."