Headphones and Trains (iii & iv)

Headphones and Trains1

iii. The next day (four coffees, a pair of jeans, and three homework assignments later) we met again. This time, we didn’t accidentally bump into each other. It went more like this:2

I squeeze into my previous spot against the wall and lean back, backpack tucked behind my legs and book out. Three stops later, someone waltzes right up to me and grabs my book. 3

“Persuasion?” Nate’s face was uncomfortably close as he examines my worn copy of Persuasion. I blinked once and wildly snatched for my book, hoping that he hadn’t seen the bookmark that I had casually stuck in the back. Too late.4

“Wait, you’re reading Jane Austin with a Harry Potter bookmark? Doesn’t that clash? A old classic added with one of the worst series invented by mankind? I think you’re ruining the integrity of this book.” He mockingly held it over my head while raising one perfect eyebrow. Not only was I too short to reach for my book, but he had better eyebrows than I do! It should be illegal to be that gorgeous for a boy. 5

He returned my book to me and I tucked it back into my backpack. Silence ensued. The train bumped and jolted as we steadily rose up until real sunlight entered the compartment. Nate scowled at the blinding sun and positioned himself right next to me. 6

“So, did you actually last two stops without me, your human shield?” I rolled my eyes at him and childishly screwed my face up in a mock imitation of a monster. 7

“Yes, I scared everyone else away. They were terrified of me. Rawr.” 8

“Stop that,” he laughed, “people are staring.” 9

“I know. But do I care? Nope!” 10

“Stop causing a scene. A true lady shouldn’t do that.” 11

“Screw it. It’s my fun so let me have it. Yes, I did survive. I actually beat a guy over the head with my purse.” Nate scoffed at my response. “Nate?” 12

“Aa?” He had one hand in his backpack and lifted out a pair of headphones before depositing them around his neck. His scowl deepened when he realized that they wires were hopelessly tangled. 13

“Where are your friends?” He stopped pulling at his headphones and looked at me. Again, I was struck at how brown his eyes were. All Asians were normally known for their brains, but I thought their looks were right up there. Or, at least Nate’s. 14

“They don’t take this train. Dan and the rest go to a different school.” 15

“Oh.” The train jolted to another abrupt stop. Someone aught to inform the higher people that trains could probably give you a migraine from all their sharp stops. 16

It wasn’t until we had zoomed past two stops that I realized he didn’t know my name. I lightly tapped on Nate’s shoulder and told him of my realization. He laughed.17

“I can’t believe I’ve gotten this far without asking your name.” He exclaimed in genuine astonishment. “Though, it was unfair how you knew my name before I got a chance to learn yours.” Nate pushed me; a boyish smile lighting up his face as he did so.18

“Fine. Hello, nice to meet you Nate.” I stuck my hand out in a mock greeting. “My name is Jane Prince. The one, the only, the extraordinaire.” 19

“Hello Miss. Prince. It’s nice to meet you.” He shook my hand and I marveled at how easily he grinned. I leaned back and let my head rest against the window. The cold slowly soaked into my pores. Closing my eyes, I lightly hummed a few bars of my favorite song and let the rocking of the train sooth my tired mind. 20

Nate didn’t bother me; he was amusing himself by bobbing his head to something and lightly tapping the tune onto the metal pole. Occasionally, he imitated holding a guitar and strumming a couple bars. 21

We rode in silence, like the day before. 22

The customary screeching, the regular pushing, and the constant noise jolted me from my reverie. “Excuse me,” someone politely muttered to me as he pushed into me. I froze in shock as I saw a middle age man push intimidation against me, one of his hands on my arm. This wasn’t like the normal perverts on the train who just wanted a peak. I shuddered as his hand rubbed up and down my arm and tried to push as far away from him as possible.23

“Hey, hey.” He whispered into my ear. The train bucked angrily and he took the opportunity to push even closer. His dark intentions rolled off of him and I turned my head away, as if I could escape from this torture. Personally, I didn’t know why middle age men sexually harassed younger girls. Didn’t they have enough people in their age groups to date? 24

“Hey, hey,” the man froze at the voice. His eyes widened as he realized he had just been caught. A scowl quickly replaced his look of shock and he roughly shoves me back into Nate. 25

“Bitch tried to steal my wallet. I was warning her—“ Nate’s hand slammed into the metal pole, a few heads turned our way. I looked up to see his eyes narrow and a flinty look entered his eyes. 26

“Never, I repeat, never touch her again.” His hand protectively pulled me behind him as he scowled down on the terrified man. “If I see you even so much as look at her, I will have your head.” He growled out and turned around to face me, protecting me (once again) from the stares. 27

I shivered (more from the shock than the cold window behind me) and pulled my jacket closer around me. This was the first time that someone had stuck up for me. A bubbly feeling erupted in my chest and I quizzically gazed up at Nate, who was still scowling. 28

“You OK?” the concern in his voice made another painful bubbly explode inside me and I nodded, my face flushing. “Good, I would have probably killed myself if you got raped right in front of me.” My gaze snapped to his face, only to see him turn his face away and scowl. I leaned back and closed my eyes.29

“Your stop passed.”30

“Screw it. I’m waiting until you leave. Who knows what type of fuck heads are littered around London, I’m waiting.” 31

32


iv. It had been a week since our last encounter and Nate faithfully protected me from any train perverts. Usually he boarded and quickly sought me. Once he found where I was leaning and reading my book, he would protectively stick an arm around me, sort of like a security blanket. 33

We spent a lot of time together and I learned a hell of a lot about him, and from him. I found out that he was the eldest in a family of six. His mother, him, his younger brothers (twins), another brother, and a lone sister all shared one house. 34

“You really live in one house? With six people? I would murder my siblings if I had that many of them!” 35

“Trust me, it takes all I can muster not to murder them and burn their corpses.” I openly laughed to his response.36

(I also found out that he was an aspiring musician. He wasn’t that bad of a singer (he had forcefully shoved his headphones in my ears after I giggled to make me listen).)37

“You sing?!” My mouth was open catching flies. He lightly tapped my chin.38

“Shut up, Jane. Since you so mockingly giggled at my dream, what do you want to be?”39

“A doctor.” Silence, Nate scoffs so loud that a couple heads turned.40

“You, a doctor?”41

“Yes, me a doctor. Got a problem with that, Bon Jovi?” 42

“No…”43

“What’s with the long pause?”44

“Nothing.” 45

(After one interesting conversation I even found out his favorite song.)46

“You actually like Chris Brown?” I was astonished; I consumed this fact while munching on my tasty blue berry muffin.47

“Got a problem with that?”48

“What is your favorite song by him?”49

”Dreamer and Run It. Why?”50

“Just wondering. You don’t look like a Chris Brown type of person.”51

“Fine, inform me of your wonderful musical taste.” 52

“English, Bon Jovi.” 53

“Favorite song, you moron.” (Some squabbling ensued.)54

“Here Goes Nothing by Neversaynever.” Bon Jovi cackled and shook his head as he pulled out his Ipod. “What?”55

“I didn’t peg you as a light rock lover.” 56

“Oh shut up. I love them.” I intelligently stuck my tongue out at Nate. He tried (and failed) to catch my tongue. 57

(Most of the time, I was looking forward to the forty minutes we spent together. High school students weren’t always as cocky as we—adults—thought them to be.)58

Today it was a particularly cold day, I had my hat tucked over my unkempt hair, a colorful scarf wrapped around my neck, gloves hiding my fingers, and two coats on to beat back the cold. My near frozen hands were wrapped around a steaming bottle of Orange Tea and I leisurely sipped it when Nate slipped next to me. 59

“It’s fucking freezing out.” 60

“A charming greeting, if I may say so myself.” Nate stuck his tongue out at me and pulled his blazer closer around him. It wasn’t until now that I realized he wasn’t wearing any coat or anything. “Nate!” I exclaimed angrily, “where is your coat? Your hat? It’s got to be thirty something degrees outside!”61

“Thanks Sherlock.” His voice was dry as he huddled close to me. My face flushed when I realized our proximity. 62

“Here,” I briskly tossed my scarf around his neck and stylishly wrapped it. I giggled. He looked absolutely comical. Nate, the serious high school student who wanted to be a musician with a rainbow colored scarf thrown around his neck. He scowled.63

“You know,” his face came closer to mine; I could see our breaths mingle together in the air before simply disappearing. “There are other ways to get warm.”64

“Huh?” my eyes evidently spoke of my confusion because he sighed and inched his face closer to mine. 65

“God, Jane. For someone so smart, you’d think you would get the hint when it kicked you in the rear.” 66

“Wha—“ he softly pressed his cold lips against mine. I froze but quickly melted under his skilled touch. Nate’s hand slipped to the small of my back and I found myself on my toes trying to deepen the kiss. We broke apart for a moment, my eyes a little glazed and his were…wary. I smirked and leaned in for another kiss.67