I took one last look in the mirror. I stared at my magenta and candle apple red streaked hair. I tried to scrunch my dark curls a little more. Maybe it was time to go all one color again.

My eyeliner was beginning to smudge in this heat. I kind of liked how it looked though. My black t-shirt was beginning to stick to me and I was debating if i should put on shorts or keep the baggy jeans.

“Screw it!” I thought, “He knows what I look like. Take me as I am or not at all.”

“Mom!” I yelled, “I’m heading out. My train will be here soon.”

“Alright just call me when you get there.” She yelled back.

“Yep.” I said.

A safety net is always good to have, no matter how old you get.

Walking to the train for me was like my time to zone out. A time I could clear my head. It was my sacred space. I just put my headphones on and pushed the play button on my CD player, and I was ready to take on the day. I just let the hard sounds of the drums and guitar to take me away filling my ears with inspiration.

I took a deep breath when I reached the station. The air was beginning to smell crisp. The leaves were started to change shades and the world seemed to have a tinge of orange. Summer was slowly drifting away, and this maybe that last hot day before the bitter cold would swoop in. 

My phone rang in my pocket, waking me from my dreamy state.

“Hello?”

“How is it going?”

“I am waiting for the train right now Mags.”

“Okay, well if you need me to call in an emergency just in case, yeah know..?”

“I don’t think that would be necessary.” I laughed.

I heard the train horn in the distance. I looked down the track.

“Hey, Mags. I have to let you go, okay. The train is here.”

“Alright,” she sighed, “Remember if you need me I can leave work in a heart beat.”

“okay.”

“Oh wait!”

“What?” I asked stepping onto the train.

“Are we scheming tonight?”

I found an empty seat and slunk into it. “Thank god for the air conditioning,” I thought.

“I guess we are.”

“Cool, I’ll pick you up later.” She said, “Crap! My manager is looking at me. Ah, Yes Ma’am we can make those kind of arrangements! The pink roses sound great. Thank you, bye.”

I laughed out loud, “You Goober!”

I hung up the phone and placed it back in my pocket just as the conductor was coming around collecting tickets. I handed him a ten and he stamped my ticket.

I sat with my head against the window while my music played. I daydreamed as the trees sped by and turned into building as the city began to show. I was starting to feel anxious about this meeting, and wondered if I should show at all.

“what is wrong with me?” I thought, “Its not like I haven't done this before.”

The train began to pull into the station, after what seemed like forever. When I stepped off I decided to just take my time and walk the rest of the way. I needed more time to think and catch my breath. I started having doubts again. 

“What would I say to him? What would he think of me? Would he think I was strange? Would he like that about me?” After I had walked about the two and a half miles from the train station I started to see my school. My heart started  pounding in my chest. "Its going to be alright." I thought, "Its going to be alright. It's just coffee and talking to a friend. That is all." A part of me was already getting my hopes up though. 

"He's just a friend" I whispered. 

And there he was. 

He must have noticed me too, because he looked up from his sketch book and stood up, smiling. 

Tall, hazel green eyes, brown hair, and wearing the black hoodie he always wore to class. 

I walked up to him slowly, but I didn't look away. I was locked into those eyes. 

"Hi," he said.

"Hi." I smiled back.