The Boy:
I woke to a curtsey call from some bubbly young girl
“Mr. McLean?”
“Yeah,” I said half asleep
“This is your curtsey call you asked for to remind you that you have…”
“Oh yeah thanks,” I said and I hung up the phone before I would hear that cheerful voice again. My head was pounding. I turned to see what time it was, the clock read 1:34pm. I sat up, but when I did the room started to spin. There was an empty bottle of Jack on the coffee table sitting next to a mirror with white powder and a razor on top. My two lovers kept me company last night, the only things I can count on anymore; Jack and Coke. The best lovers I’ve ever had. A red light was flashing on the phone; I pushed the button and a voice said
“You have two unheard messages,”
“AJ man, are you there? Call us when you wake up,” I heard Nick’s voice say
The second message;
“Man, its 12:30 we’re going to have to do the interview without you.”
“Sorry guys,” I said as I stood up out of bed and walked over to the coffee table. I dropped to my knees. I needed just a little to get me going. I leaned my head down to the mirror and snorted. I sat back, and leaning up against the couch, I sniffed hard and rubbed my thumb and index finger over my nostrils and then rubbed the back of my hand against my nose. I closed my eyes and felt it go threw me. It’s like it hits a little trigger in your brain. Like a light switch, if there were ever a drug that gave you power it was this one. I sat up and moved my head back and forth. I had to get out of this hotel. I had to get away. My coat was lying on the chair next to me. I grabbed it.
“Where are my sunglasses,” I mumbled to myself as I rummaged throw my stuff. I finally found them in my jacket pocket. I opened my hotel room door and looked back at the empty shell I was leaving. As the door shut the “Do Not Disturb;” sign swung back and forth.
I didn’t know where I was going, but I figured wherever, the subway would get me there. I paid my fees and got on the subway. I had the choice to sit next to some teen with his headphones on full blast, or an old woman knitting what looked like baby booties. I deiced to stand. The doors were about to close when a slender hand separated them.
A beautiful girl pushed her way in; she looked like an Angel. She was slender with beautiful blonde hair flowing down her back; she was with another man. She caught my eye as she walked by and smiled at me. But I could tell that she could see from my face that I was fucking high. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Her boyfriend was talking a hundred miles an hour on his cell phone. His hand was resting softly around her waist. I would have done anything just to be his hand. She seemed sad; we would have had something in common. She caught my eye again, she made a movement with her mouth and what she seemed to be saying was “hi” I made the same silent movement back “hi”. her boyfriend finally stopped talking and whispered something in her ear. The next stop was theirs. They made their way to the doors and she looked at me this time, and said out loud,
“Bye,”
“Bye,” I said back as the doors closed and they made their way down the plat form.
The Girl:
I woke today in a Manhattan apartment, its Lenny’s apartment. Mine isn’t quite as nice. Lenny’s my manger/boyfriend I’ve been seeing him for the past five years, straight out of High School. My parents wanted me to be a doctor, but I wanted to be a singer or an actress or both. Moved to New York with a couple hundred and a bus ticket, I got a job busing tables in some diner in the Bronx’s; Lenny saw me and said I had the makings of a star. I believed him; he has gotten me some high paying gigs. Sometimes I think Lenny sees things in me that aren’t really there. He’s lying next to me asleep. Told me he’s got some gig tonight and is going to take me to it. Some producer’s house, the Backstreet Boys are going to be there… Oh great I thought, I had never even listened to the group but tonight I was going to meet them. I asked Lenny what the point of me meeting them was. He said I was going to sing for them, and if they liked me the producer was going to consider producing me.
“No more late night shows at those cheesy night clubs Meg, this time you could be a star!” Lenny told me.
Lenny had been telling me this for the past five years. I was starting to think I was just Lenny’s star, but I agreed to do it. What’s the worse that could happen? It’s not like I’d never been turned down before. Lenny put his arms around me.
“What’s wrong Meg?” he said kissing my shoulder
“Nothing Babe, just a little tired, I had a long shift last night.”
“Meg, why don’t you just move in with me? I’ll support you; you won’t have to work at that shit hole anymore.”
“It’s not a shit hole Lenny, It’s a five star restaurant, and I’m the favorite waitress, plus on a good night I can make four hundred bucks in tips,” I said turning to face him.
“Fine then my love, what time is it?”
“Its 1:00.”
“Man, how long have I been out?”
“Sense… well for awhile, did you have a long night?” I asked mischievously
He turned on his back with a smile on his face, “You should know, you were riding me hard!” he laughed
“You jerk!” I said hitting him with a pillow
“I’m starving, how about we go get some lunch, huh?”
Lenny wanted to take a cab but I thought the subway would be faster, we got to the subway and Lenny had to dig through his pockets to find the right amount of change. We were running a little late and it seems the crowds move the slowest when you need to get somewhere. Lenny’s phone rang; it was the producer asking questions that I didn’t feel like answering. But fortunately Lenny did.
The subway doors were closing so I had to run and stick my arm through them. It almost chopped off my arm but we got in. I’ve always loved riding the subway, Lenny hates it but not me, and you can always find the most different people riding it. When the doors opened I saw a man, he was very handsome, he had what looked like brown hair covered up with a ski cap, he looked very sad, and lonesome. And it might have been my imagination but he looked a little drugged out, I walked past him and smiled. He didn’t smile back but seemed to watch me the whole time. Lenny might have been upset, but if I liked steak or lobster was obviously more interesting. I leaned up against Lenny and he put his hand around my waist, Lenny sometimes likes to let everyone know that I’m his. I looked up again and saw the man looking at me, there was just something about him that drew me to him, and I said “Hi” silently under my breath. He made the motion back to me. Then Lenny hung up the phone and whispered in my ear
“You’re going to shine tonight! Here’s our stop.”
As I walked past him again, I said “bye,” he didn’t say anything back, but I could feel him watching me. I wondered who he was. But I guess we all wonder who strangers are on a subway...
Author's Chapter Notes:
This Story is also known as "You're Beautiful"
