Back to me

Chapter 1

St. Louis Missouri was significantly warmer then New York City. Karlie learned that the hard way.
Winter break had just ended and Karlie was back from her home town. It seems she had gotten used to the slightly warmer weather. Though it was still cold over there, she could get away with forgoing a coat.
Scuffing up her flats as she walked, Karlie tightened up the scarf around her neck. The silk fabric was a beautiful design, but did little to protect the woman from the harsh winds that mercilessly attacked any exposed parts of her body.
Karlie turned the corner and quickened her pace when she saw the green sign of the Starbucks she frequented on her way to campus.
A little bell chimed as she pushed the door open. Warmth spread through her frozen body, and she breathed in the smell of coffee that lingered in the air.
Karlie moved to the back of the second line. To pass the waiting time, she whipped out her cellphone and began to check her email.
From the corner of her green eyes, Karlie noticed the flash two teenage girls' phones taking pictures of the woman to her right in the other line.
Before she could glance over at the woman, Karlie was called forward.
The barista greeted her with a slight curve of the lip. "Hey, Karlie. The usual?" He moved a sharpie over the cardboard cup.
"Yep," she nodded.
The woman that the girls were taking pictures moved forward too. She set her things down as she ordered, but Karlie paid her no mind and searched through her wallet.
The barista read out her total. Karlie put her phone down on the counter so she could have two free hands. She pulled out a hand full of gum wrappers and receipts before her credit card was discovered.
Karlie paid for her drink and hastily stuffed her belongings back into the mess it came from.
There was a slight cough from the impatient person behind her, so she quickly grabbed her phone, returned it to her back pocket, and went to stand by the window.
Her name was called and she grabbed her coffee. The cup read Carly, just like always.
And then Karlie was on her way, power walking through the busy streets with a cup in hand, ready to take on the day.
She arrived onto the campus with an empty cup of joe. From her back pocket, Backseat Freestyle played. that wasn't her ringtone. Her eyebrows pulled together as she fetched the device.
On the back, near the logo, there was a cat sticker. Then she turned over the phone again and found that the caller ID showed her own phone number.
"Hello?" She pressed the stranger's phone to her ear.
"Hey, so, um," The voice on the other end sounded oddly familiar to Karlie. "I think we switched phones."
Karlie walked further into the campus, towards the dance studios. "You think?" She asked lightheartedly with a tiny chuckle.
"Also, why don't you have a lock on your phone? Someone could frame you!"
"I... What?" Karlie was utterly confused.
"Never mind," the other woman dismissed. "But can we meet up somewhere to trade back?"
"I have a small break in an hour from now. Think you could meet me here?" She tossed her cup towards the trash bin, but it hit the rim and bounced out.
Karlie quickly walked back to properly dispose of the trash. She was all for saving the earth.
"Yeah, that'll work. What school do you go to?"
"Juilliard. I'll be by the front," Karlie was quickly approaching her studio, and hurried to finish her sentence. "I'm awkwardly tall, and I'm wearing a pink scarf. See ya there."
"Wow! Juilliard is a really good-"
"I've gotta go, I'm super sorry." Karlie apologetically said before hanging up and heading into class.