Catch Me if you Can

01: Paradise City

Be easy. Take your time.
You are coming home
to yourself.
- Nayyirah Waheed 

San Francisco
June 12th  

Blake had a feeling she wasn't going to be able to get used to the hum of an active city the moment she stepped out of the terminal. The rush of cars, the bustle of crowds, the yell of shop owners and the sweet smell of food was like a whine in the back of her mind that she couldn't dislodge despite her countless attempts. It was like a whole new world for her, coming from a small rundown town in the more deserted parts of Ohio. She traced her fingers along the cool glass of the window and rested her head on the seat, inhaling long and slow, a sort of stoic sadness shadowing her eyes that exuded mourning for the loss of something more than just a home. Coming to San Francisco was meant to be a new start for her, a place where she could wipe the slate clean and start afresh without the torment of her past and the demons that chased her; it was meant to be her chance to get away and begin over. She never thought that it would lead to a new imprisonment, a place where her every breath was measured in case she inhaled too much or exhaled too little. She was caged again and all she wanted was to be free and stretch her wings instead of fretting over what she'd knock over if she did as much as move too much.

Blake shifted uncomfortably in her seat, tapping the arm rests rhythmically as her eyes darted across the advertisements that littered the sidewalks of San Francisco. Her brother – Toby – glanced at her every once in a while, gnawing the inside of his cheek in concern, but his sister refused to return his gaze with an assured one. Instead Blake stared out the window and grinded her jaw incessantly with growing apprehension as she watched the buildings sweep past them in a rush of nauseous swirls of neon color. California was such a sharp contrast to the subtlety of her hometown, the hiss of traffic and hurried crowds like a viper, coiled and ready to strike. She found the buzz of the city similar to a mosquito – irritating and persistent. Not in her wildest imagination did she ever imagine herself in a city like this; she'd planned to move to Michigan ever since she was old enough to point it out on a map. Yet here she was, sitting beside her brother whom she hadn't seen face to face since they were toddlers, preparing herself to step out and face this new world that one day she'd have to begrudgingly call her home. 

Even though she and Toby were separated at the tender age of one and two, a chance phone call four years ago brought them back together when Toby accidentally stumbled upon her number. Since then they talked regularly, sometimes even managed to video-call if the family across the hall from Blake's apartment was in a good enough mood to lend her their computer. They'd talk about anything – and everything. Blake liked to think she knew everything about her brother, but she knew she didn't. There were still things that even now they didn't know about each other.        

Back then, Toby had been a soft-faced fifteen-year-old with a little bit too much excess flab around his face and arms. Now, at nineteen years old, Toby had changed drastically. He had kind, mocha-colored eyes and definite bone structure in his face, with a cutting-edge jaw that would clench and unclench occasionally. His hair, a few shades darker than his eyes, was almost effortlessly perfect without a strand out of place. He looked away from the road and caught his sister's eye, a small smile tugging at his lips. That same expression had been fixated on his face ever since Blake came out of the terminal with her unkempt hair and rickety suitcase, her face hidden beneath a hoodie and a scowl twisting her features. Toby had pulled her in for a tight hug and slapped her back like it was the most normal thing to do. He chatted with her easily, the conversation flowing naturally even though most of Blake's answers were usually abrupt monosyllabic responses. She was still trying to comprehend the sensation of having a brother whom she could talk to every day without worrying about her dad coming over to snap at her for using up their money.