any chances,” Kayla said. Then we cuddled close together in the darkness.
Train Stop
“Are you sure that I can’t convince you to stay another night?” I asked my sister as we loaded her bag into the back of my car the next morning. We were standing across the street from my apartment where the free street parking was ample. This was one benefit to living out in the sticks.
“As much as I love not being able to sleep,” Kayla joked. “I’m going to have to pass.”
“I have no idea what you mean,” I said through heavy eyes. Then I made a big yawn.
“Exactly?” Kayla said as she glared at me. “How are you going to get through work today?”
“Like I do every day,” I started. “With tons and tons of caffeine!”
“You’re crazy!” Kayla laughed. Then she looked across the street toward the building. I saw her eyes widen. “Um, who is that ?”
My head quickly turned around to see a tall, muscular looking guy with short buzzed hair. He walked out of the apartment below mine and over to his dark green SUV.
“That looks like my neighbor who I never see,” I said with my eyes fixated on him. Shaking my head, I looked back to the trunk of the car.
“You should go say hi to him,” Kayla smiled at me. “He’s hot!”
“ Shh! ” I warned her.
“What?” Kayla said while rolling her eyes. “It’s not like he can hear me.”
~
Kayla and I stood beside the tracks as the train pulled up from a distance to the stop.
“I’m going to miss you, sis,” I said.
“I’ll miss me, too,” Kayla joked.
“Can’t you be sentimental for thirty seconds?” I begged.
“Fine, I’ll miss you, too,” Kayla smiled. “Have fun in your new apartment next to that monster in the forest.”
“You suck,” I said flatly.
“ All aboard! ” called a man’s voice over the intercom. “ Northern Terrace now boarding to Eastgate. ”
“Northern Terrace?” Kayla scoffed. “More like Northern Terror.”
“Whatever,” I said as I leaned into her for a hug. “Tell mom and dad that I miss them, too.”
“Why?” Kayla said as she hugged me. “You’re just going to call mom on your cell right after I leave.”
“You’re dumb,” I said as I rolled my eyes at her even though I knew that she was correct.
“Why did you move here anyway?” Kayla asked as the train came to a stop.
“I like the forests and the natural feel,” I said breathing in the air.
“Why?” Kayla said with a curved lip. “You always got all of the guys following you around back home. What did they call you again?”
“We’re not bringing this up,” I muttered.
“Big booty beauty!” she started laughing hysterically.
“At least I’ve got an ass!” I joked. Kayla took after our father who was lean and tall. I, on the other hand, took after our mother who had full features everywhere. My family was open to discussing our wide range of differences, so jokes like these were never a threat.
The doors opened the train, signaling the end of my sister’s weeklong visit. We paused for a moment and looked at each other.
“I guess I’ll get on the train now,” she said. “Hope to see you at Thanksgiving.”
“You will,” I said smiling. “Don’t break too many boys’ hearts.”
“As if,” Kayla
Laurie McBain
The Bartered Bride
Cindy Stark
Jackie Ivie
Jeffrey M. Schwartz, Sharon Begley
Doris Davidson
Lisa Roecker
K. J. Janssen
Bapsi Sidhwa
Elizabeth George