Unsteady

-eight-

Monday morning had arrived. I'd woken up when my alarm for school went off, at sunrise. I wished I was at home, making myself a cup of coffee and getting on my bike to head to school. Instead, I was here. 

I hadn't spoken more than three, mandatory sentences to Rachael since the argument we'd had the day before. We avoided each other like strangers on the streets of New York City. I wanted to finally return the broom to Michael, but I was too nervous that he didn't want to see me after what happened the day before with the awkward encounter. I had to say I was disappointed, because I was hopping to befriend someone my age so I wouldn't completely eliminate human interaction while I was avoiding Rachael.

I wondered if Kennedy was worried about me. She hadn't called. My mom still hadn't called again since the storm, either. I felt empty. I literally had nobody now. I was being over-dramatic, maybe. This level of extreme loneliness and seclusion wasn't a good feeling.

Four days till I was going home. Which would be the same day I would have to leave home again.
--

I went to Rachael's kitchen after a while because I was dying of hunger. I could make temporary amends with her in order to have food, right?

"Let's go out for coffee." Rachael said as soon as I stepped foot in on the hardwood kitchen floors and made eye contact with her. 

"What?" This was nowhere near what I'd expected. I expected her to give me the evil eye, jab her thumb to some box of half stale cheerios, or even make me go to Michael's house for food. Oh, I could cringe just imagining it. 

"Coffee. There are some good places around here. I want to show you around before you leave." She said, simply. 

I studied her. She looked almost like desperate. Her fake blue eyes were pleading me to say yes, and I had to say yes. Rachael was completely a mystery to me, and this might be a step in the direction of solving her. 

"Okay."

I wanted to explore New York, anyways. Not exactly my ideal choice of company, but it was fine. Maybe I could get some information out of Rachael about Michael and Mavis and all the other weird quirks about this whole situation while we were on good terms.

--

Rachael and I left her apartment as soon as we both were ready. She'd loaned me a pair of her denim shorts and a tee shirt that had another random band name on it. I hated the feeling of it. It was too big but too small at the same time.

We caught a subway. We sat squished in between a young couple with a small child and an old lady. I was fascinated by all the people hopping on and off the subway. Old faces, and young. All with a different look in their eyes. Some looked dull and bored as if they were just following a cycle of the same routine every single day. Some came in with an obvious sense of purpose, bright ambition in their eyes.

I was disappointed when we'd reached our stop. I could people watch all day.

The coffee shop was still another block away. I wondered how Rachael found this place. She didn't seem to get out much. 

On the way to the coffee shop, I saw six homeless people on the street, holding money tills, and had signs made out of cardboard and marker. The first couple people I gave a dollar to, but after a while I just smiled, sadly because I needed the money for the subway ride home. However, Rachael gave money to each one of them, along with a heartfelt smile. Some seemed like they knew Rachael, warmly greeting her in return.

"I'm kind of broke myself, but this is a good way to spend my money, right?" she said, uncertainly, after noticing my surprise. I quickly nodded as we turned into a small coffee shop in the corner of the road.