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Apparently jumping the turnstile, running 10 minutes to the station, and accidentally bumping into that one bartender that just got off his shift wasn’t enough to make the last train.
Vic panted, comically putting both hands on his head, and quieting cursing as he watched the last train to Downtown leave the station. He looked at his phone, which read 3:45 AM. Along with another seven texts from Jaime.
He looked around the platform. There was no one around, except what looked to be boy, around his age but taller than him (not very unusual) wearing a black hoodie and denim jacket. He had a guitar case with him, covered in stickers, and was sitting on the bench right by the entrance. He also had a backpack with him, a plain black one with a couple pins on it. Vic contemplated sitting next to him but decided against it. For now. He doubted he could stand for the next six hours. It was a Friday night, which meant the next train would be coming at around nine, as there was no six am trains to bring people to work.
The bench kid noticed his staring and smiled back. Vic looked away, a slight bit of embarrassment stinging him. It felt a bit rude to ignore him, however he wasn’t mentally ready to hold a conversation.
He put his headphones on, a pair of silver headphones he got for Christmas his Junior year in high school. They were kinda shit, they never got loud enough, but the noise canceling effect was a great for sensory overload.
However this night made Vic feel antsy. It was too quiet. Too little noise, as opposed to the usual of way too much. He almost felt like he should have started a conversation with the other person on the platform.
“You can sit if you want,” A voice said. It was the bench kid, who had somewhat of a high and slightly raspy voice. “The next train isn’t coming until nine am.”
“Oh,” Vic said, “Thanks.”
He took a seat. The kid smiled again. A beat of silence fell over the two as Vic sat down.
“I’m Vic,” He said, taking his headphones off again, “By the way.”
“Kellin,” Bench kid said.
“College student?”
“Gap year.” Kellin replied, “That might last, we’ll much more than a year.”
“I see,” Vic said, “I’m also in a gap year. Told my mom to give me one year to try and make my band work.” (Vic decided a little oversharing was okay tonight)
“You’re in a band? That’s awesome!” Kellin said, “I’m also in one, but they’re all so busy in college we really haven’t done much.”
“You the guitarist?” Vic threw out,
“Lead singer. I’m actually really bad at guitar.” He said, laughing to himself, “What about you?”
“Lead singer and guitar.”
Vic caught himself staring at Kellin again. He noticed black wavy hair sticking out of the hood of the beanie and a Nirvana shirt under the hoodie. He also had large, pretty blue eyes, a pretty face, he was just very pretty and Vic was a bit more nervous now. He also noticed that he was shivering.
“You look cold,” Vic said, his voice softening as to not come across as a creep, “I know we just met but…” He started taking off his jacket but Kellin laughed again,
“No, no, no I’m fine!” He insisted, “Keep your jacket. You’re gonna get cold.”
Vic smiled, “Okay. I’m not that cold actually, it’s pretty normal November weather. I’m a Chicago native.” He remembered the forecast saying it was about 38 degrees for the low or something.
“I’m from like…this tiny town a full hour and a half North of downtown. In McHenry County. Super close to Wisconsin.”
“It gets like, desolate out there,” Vic shuddered, “I’m a city boy, I can’t stand the country.”
“Me too. I hated it there.” Kellin muttered, “Everyone else there hated me.”
Vic didn’t really know what to say after that.
“I’m glad I’m leaving.” Kellin said, “I’m on my way to the big city. Leaving the nest. Well, not intentionally.”
Vic wasn’t really sure how to reply, “I’m sorry,” he said, kind of mumbling.
Kellin bit his tongue, “Sorry, I’m oversharing now. I’m at that point of sleepiness.”
“You’re fine,” Vic reassured, scooting a little closer to Kellin, “You don’t have to say but…could I ask, why?”
“My parents kicked me out. I left my photo album out on my desk, which had pictures with my ex in it. Apparently, he didn’t like the fact that I date guys. A week later, he kicked me out.”
“That’s…that sucks.” Vic said, trying not to dwell on whether or not he should have asked the pretty stranger that question.
“Let’s talk about something else, I’m sorry I overshared aga—” Kellin started,
“Don’t worry about it.” Vic said, “What am I gonna do? Get pissed at you opening up about your shitty dad?”
“I guess you haven’t had your ear talked off about the subject like some of my friends,” Kellin said, “Anyways, I’m serious about changing topics. Why are you here on a train platform at 3 am?”
“Fell asleep at the studio. I had writers block and sat down to listen to something for inspiration and suddenly it was 3 am and I had slept for four hours,” Vic sighed, “Now we’re here.”
Kellin laughed, “I’ve done that a ton.”
“And you?” Vic started, “How did you end up here? I mean, like…we’re only 20 minutes away from the city.”
“I just…didn’t know where to go. I hopped on the Metra and took it as far South as I could. Then my friend texted me, telling me he had a guest room until I can find a job. That was, until I realized I had been at this random diner for two hours and it was almost 3 am.”
“Honestly,” Vic started, “I would be scared shitless if I was sitting alone on a train platform in the dead of night. You seem pretty okay right now though.”
Kellin laughed, his face breaking out into a full, genuine smile, “I am, indeed, scared shitless. And honestly? I thought you were some weirdo who would try and mess with me but then I saw what you looked like.”
Vic looked appalled, deeply offended by Kellin’s honesty. A little self-conscious too.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I dunno,” Kellin continued, acting coy, “You’re…just….” He groaned, “I’m not very good with words.”
“No continue,” Vic said, “Please?”
“You’re pretty,” Kellin blurted out, before his already big, crystal-like, blue eyes shot open, “I mean, sorry I—“
“Thank you,” Vic said, smiling, “You’re also, really handsome.”
A beat of silence fell over the two as they stared at each other. Like two teenagers who just held hands for the first time.
“This is, impressively bad flirting,” Kellin said, “Like, really…”
Vic’s face went completely red. Kellin felt bad and immediately said he was joking. Again, they both fell silent.
Vic had moved closer to Kellin at this point, the two sitting shoulder to shoulder, Vic’s backpack at his feet. Kellin pointed out the white stitching on it and spiderweb designs embroidered onto corners of the backpack. Vic actually hated spiders, they were everywhere during summer’s back home in San Diego. But his bag looked cool with them.
Kellin was resting a hand on his knee at this point, spinning what looked to be a fidget ring on his pointer finger with his thumb. His hands were quite pale and veiny, the chipped black nail polish he had on contrasting greatly with his skin. Vic moved his hand closer to Kellin’s, and the other stopped playing with the ring. They held hands for what seemed like hours.
It was sweet. Warming too. Kellin’s hands were blocks of ice in comparison to Vic’s that were kept in his jacket pocket. The warmth that spread through him wasn’t that weird giddy feeling, that incredible overwhelming feeling of joy and anxiety, the one Vic knew as being in love. It was comforting warmth. A warmth he could gladly live with for awhile.
“I hope I’m not reading into this in the wrong way,” Kellin started, “You like me.”
“I,” The words got caught in Vic’s throat, “Yeah. And I would definitely like to get your number and take you out for coffee or lunch or…whatever you would like to do. Sometime.”
“I’d like that too,” Kellin said, squeezing Vic’s hand tight.
“Here,” Vic said, taking off his jacket,
“No I’m seri—“
“You’re in a denim coat and it’s in the thirties,” Vic said, “My friends say I’m a walking space heater. Hopefully, that’s true.”
Kellin moved slightly closer, letting Vic drape his peacoat over them both. Vic noticed he smelled like fresh coffee. And he was a little bony, but that didn’t stop him from wrapping an arm around his waist.
“I know we just met so like,” Vic started, realizing how clingy he was being to this almost stranger “Tell me if this is too close for comfort.”
“You think I have a problem with the handsome stranger I met an hour ago on a train platform getting handsy?” Kellin said, playfully, “You’re fine, sweetheart.”
Kellin fell asleep soon after that, humming something to himself that Vic couldn’t reciognize (probably one he wrote.) Vic rested his head on Kellin’s, listening to his soft humming until he drifted asleep.
-
Stepping into the door of the kinda too small, always too warm apartment felt like the biggest relief. Vic immediately took off his coat, kicked off his shoes, dropped his backpack and layed down on the couch. He sighed, his back cracking as he did.
“Hello to you too,” Tony said, walking over to Vic, “Where the hell have you been?”
“I slept on the train platform.”
Tony nodded, sipping a steaming cup of coffee “Glad you’re still alive.”
He had a sweatshirt on, despite it being almost 70 degrees in the house. Their landlord just loved to keep the heating insanely high, for reasons unknown.
Vic stared off at the ceiling, “I also have a date planned, He sat up, swinging his legs down to the floor.
“Andria?”
“Nope.”
“Girl from Sweetgreen?”
“Not a girl,” Vic corrected him, “You’ll never guess where I met him?”
Tony’s eyes widened, “You’re gay?”
“Bi.” Vic corrected, “Surprised you had no idea. Jaime figured it out the third day we met.”
Tony rolled his eyes, “Not my fault you try and get with every emo chick you meet.”
“Dude that was one time,” Vic said, “And she turned out to be a lesbian anyways…”
“Vic?” A voiced yelled from down the hall, “Vic is that you?”
“Jaime, Vic’s going on a date!” Tony shouted back, “With a dude.”
“Oh cool,” He shouted, “I’m going back to bed now. It’s too early for this.” A rustle of sheets was heard, followed by silence.
“So where did you meet this dude? At a coffee shop? Like some korean drama or shitty fanfic?”
“Last night,” Vic said, “On the train platform.”
Tony paused, furrowing his eyebrows, “Elaborate…”
Vic felt his face heat up, “Listen, he’s around my age. He’s doing a gap year though. His name’s Kellin. Both of us were stuck there against our own accord and we got to talking and…just kind of hit it off.”
“Seriously?” Tony took a seat next to Vic, “That’s some meet-cute, romance novel bullshit. But good for you I guess,” He put a hand on his shoulder, “Unless he turns out to be a douche. Then he doesn’t deserve you.”
“Dude we haven’t even gone out yet,” Vic whined.
“I’m just saying!” Tony insisted, before pausing to sigh, “But look, I trust you. I’m not actually concerned.”
Vic nodded, smiling, “Good to know.”