Insomniac Online

Five.

I don't know why I'm so nervous. I'm simply meeting another human being but the sickly feeling inside my stomach is making me want to dry heave. The weather is foggy, clammy with moisture hanging in the air. I pull my faded denim jacket around my school uniform tighter, trying to warm myself up. I'm currently sitting on a wet bench at the train station, waiting for the next train. There's no signs signalling when it will arrive or whether it's delayed. The entire platform is deserted, not a single soul to be seen.

I nibble on my bottom lip, pinching the inside of my palms with my nails in an effort to remain calm. Random pink blotches cover my pale skin from where the circulation isn't heating my body up fast enough. I try to picture Cole James and how he'll react when he sees me.

Will he even recognise me?

My limp hair, moon like face and slightly podgy filled out body. I blow out a deep breath, glancing down at my worn out uniform. The longer I look at myself, the more I begin to regret my decision.

"Hi Cole James, it's nice to meet you." I say politely, holding out a hand to thin air. I shake my head, almost laughing out loud at how pretentious and obnoxious I sound. I clear my throat and try again.

"What's up Cole James? How was the journey?" I say out loud before frowning at myself.

"What's up? Urgh, who says that. God Aspyn Leigh, you're such an embarrassment." I mutter to myself, kicking a stone with the front of my shoe. I decide to practise it one more time but my thoughts are interrupted with the sound of a distant train.

It starts off like a low hum, rumbling along the tracks. I freeze and sit up straighter, my breathing hitching in my throat. I lean forward, glancing down to the right to see if I can catch a glimpse of the train. Moments pass and the noise only grows louder as the train finally comes into view. With the fog clouding the air, the train appears to burst through it like a scene from a movie. It chugs slowly before coming to a halt. I watch in complete awe as the doors swing open.

My eyes first land on a middle aged man with dark hair holding a briefcase. We create eye contact for a few seconds and it suddenly dawns on me that Cole James may not be Cole James. I stare at this man harder as he walks towards me, his face expressionless. Before he can get too close, I plan a escape route in case I have to run for my own safety. I try to picture grabbing his briefcase from him and slamming it down into his body to fight him off.

My thoughts of committing assault due to self defence are interrupted when the man looks away from me and turns left, walking away in the opposite direction. I blow out the breath I'm holding, grateful that I won't be fighting off a possible pervert this cold morning.

"Aspyn Leigh."

At the mention of my name, I freeze and slowly turn around. Standing a few feet away from me is the Cole James I saw on his online profile. My lips involuntarily flicker up into a smile and I stand up, dusting imaginary lint off my clothes. The sight of him in person causes a small flutter to ignite in my stomach. His blonde hair is slightly damp from the weather, the strands falling messily onto his forehead. He's wearing a school uniform I don't recognise, a black blazer with a red trim. A dark blue jacket covers it and he's clutching a bottle of water in one hand.

"Hey," he smiles, a slight dimple appearing in his left cheek. I clear my throat and take a slow step forward.

"Hi," I respond, giving him an awkward half wave. I drop my arm back down to my side and close my eyes, blowing out a deep breath.

"Sorry, I don't know why I'm being so awkward." I laugh dryly, opening my eyes to look at him again. He's fiddling with the lid of his water bottle, an amused expression flashing across his face.