Home Is Overrated | ✓

04.| spoorweg

spoorweg
{Dutch} 》railway

H a i l e e

I couldn't be more happy that it was Saturday. I could finally sit back and relax or at least I hoped to.

My sister Lenny -Eleanor- was bugging me about going to the mall. She wanted to get a new jacket since winter was approaching. Mom was busy making dinner for dad while my dad was still at work. Saturday is usually my chill day, my break from homework, friends and social gatherings since all of that tires me out. And going to the mall just sound exhausting especially when we have to take the underground train - subway- to get there. But, to be honest, Lenny's protests and whines were more annoying and tiring so I said yes.

Although Lenny is a freshman and I'm pretty sure she can go there alone, my parents still worried for her. She isn't very independent, she rely a lot on others and I kind of blame that on my parents, they still  treat her like she is five years old.

I wore my dark high-waisted black skinny jeans and a purple hoodie. I took a jean jacket just in case it got any colder. I wore my beat-up white old school vans and waited for my sister.

She took her sweet time getting ready while I read a book on my phone. She came out looking like she is going somewhere fancy. I'm going to look so stupid next to her.

"Ready, sis?" She smiled and I nodded. We said our goodbyes to mom then we headed to the underground train station. I listened to Lenny ramble about school as we made our way there.

The thing about Lenny is that she talks too much, too fast sometimes. It's hard to comperhind what she is saying but, nonetheless, I love her.

When we finally reached the mall, after making our way through hundreds of people and a lot of subways and buses, I was very much exhausted while Lenny was thriving with energy. Also, I can see a lot of people from my school here and I already regret agreeing to this horrible idea. She could have bought the jacket another time, couldn't she?!

After entering a few stores, she finally decided on a jacket we saw at H&M. It was a long black coat that made her look like she belongs on a runway. I was a little bit shorter than her. We had always thought that I would be taller than her but suddenly she grew up, in a blink of an eye.

Lenny was hungry so I told her I would pay for the jacket while she goes to get something to eat. Lenny is the kind of girl who eats everything she wants and never gets fat. While I, on the other hand, take a small bite of a chocolate bar once a week and I gain like two pounds. I envy her. I have dealt with weight issues before and it got me in a very dark place and ever since then I watch what I eat and drink. I try to exercise every once in a while or take a dance class, something to keep my body moving.

"Hailee?" I heard a familiar deep voice and I looked up to see Aries staring at me. He was standing behind the counter. He wore the black t-shirt with H&M logo on it.

"Oh, hey, Aries." I smiled at him. I handed him the jacket.

"How are you doing?" He asked while taking that magnetic thing off.

"Good, you?" I replied. I gave him the required money before he put the jacket in the bag.

"Gimme a second, my shift is over, we can hang out?" He said as he put the receipt inside the bag.

"Sure." I smiled. I took the bag and stepped aside so the customer behind me can pay. Aries said a few words to his co-worker before he took his name tag off and he put it in a drawer behind the register.

"What are you doing here?" He asked as he stepped next to me. We started walking towards the exit.

"I'm here with my sister, she wanted to buy a coat." I answered.

"How long have you been working here?" I asked.

"Few months." He replied and I nodded. We subconsciously walked towards the food court. His demeanor was relaxed today. He put his hands in his jeans pocket and walked next to me.

Lenny waved as she saw us enter the food court. Her hand dropped and she raised an eyebrow at me. When we finally reached her table, I introduced them. They shook hands. I gave Lenny her coat and sat across from her and Aries took a seat beside me.

"Do you want anything to eat?" Aries asked. I wasn't feeling hungry. Besides I could save money if I stopped eating fast food everytime I got out of the house.

"No, thank you." I smiled, he nodded and walked to McDonald's.

"Who's the hottie?" Lenny wiggled her eyebrows and I hushed her.

"We met at Starbucks a few days ago. He goes in my school, too." I answered.

"Hmm." She hummed. I sensed she wanted to ask more questions but restrained herself and I thanked God for that. If Lenny started asking questions, she would never stop.

● ● ●

The metro -subway-  was crowded to the point where my chest was pressed against Aries firmly. I was so close to him and I could feel his chest raising and falling slightly as he breathed.

When we entered the metro, there where no empty seats. There was barely any place to stand. I got pushed against Aries as soon as we entered. While my sister was pushed against me. It was hard for me to move my hands so I couldn't hold onto the handles but I managed to stay balanced between my sister and Aries.

If I was facing Lenny, I would have seen her smirk until her face broke. She is the ever hopeless romantic. She would literally ship me with any stranger I bumped into. She is a teenager so I get it, everything seems romantic to her.

I dared to stare up at Aries face. He was already staring down at me. His gaze was intense and I couldn't tell if it was because he was angry from being trapped in this tube or something else. Maybe there is something on my face? What if there is? That would be so embarrassing. I need to reach up and check. Maybe there is something in my nose?! Oh my gosh, that would be disgusting. I need to look at my camera phone. I could feel my face heating up. I felt light-headed at our close proximity. My heart started beating faster and I suddenly felt trapped. I was never claustrophobic so why was I feeling this way? Then the realisation hit me, it was the anxiety.

"Are you okay?" Aries whispered in my ear. His voice calmed me a little yet set something else on fire.

"Yeah, I just don't like crowded places." I whispered back. His hand reached for me mine but I moved mine slightly further. My hand was sweaty and I didn't want him to touch that.

"It's okay, only one station left." He said and I nodded. For the rest of the ride we sat in awkward silence as people chatted around us.

I know I shouldn't have gone with Lenny.