Train Chaser
by Nyssa Jayne
"OI! Joke's over, come back!" I cried, watching the tour bus leave me in between here and there, a paddock nowhere in particular. "You got your footage, now stop!" My brother, armed with a video camera, laughed wickedly, like older siblings do.
"Run, Zac! You've got to catch up now!"
It started with a handbag that carried her essentials -- wallet, phone, keys, lipstick, mp3 player and chocolate. She bought it after she told me I was a disorganised mess.
"That's the way I've always been," I'd grinned, but she didn't seem to think it was funny.
"I'm not going to mother you," she warned. "You don't grow up, I'll... leave." I froze in panic. "I'll ride my train ticket to the end of the line!"
"I'll be good." Love doesn't know age, and wehter I was being nine or nineteen, I didn't want to lose her.
Then, an overnight bag appeared after I fell asleep in the post-coital reflection session.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm just going to take the train down to my Mum's. I'll only be a couple of days or so. I figured you woudn't mind, I'm sure you have stuff to do." I waited for the "you don't appriciate me!" snap to match the tone in her voice, but she smiled and waved, and that's all I could do back.
The suitcase came afer I came home drunk with a potty mouth after a night out with my brothers. She was fuming.
"That's no way to speak to me!"
"Aw, come on..."
"No, no, no. That's it. I'm sick of you acting like a pre-teen brat. NEver mind why I'm with you, I'll ask myself on the train tomorrow. I have no idea why you're with me -- you give me no signs."
The suitcase was gone the next day. Sadly, so was she.
I ran through allof our conversations in my mind. I was with her because I loved her, there was no rocket science involved in the decision to be with her. The conversations we'd had, my mind said, say that I never told her this. All those faux 'Cosmo' receitals weren't taking the piss, they were giving me hints.
Much like I didn't analyse my love for her (because it was so true), I didn't stop to think when I decided to go find her.
She would've taxi'd to Central Station, but it was within walking distance. I broke out into a run, too impatience to invite a third party. I could make good time if I kept sprinting, and it meant no stopping to hear the voices of reason, like Taylor's rant on love that's true will wait or Isaac's pleanty of fish speil.
Love might wait, but trains wouldn't.
I skidded into Central Station and started to hunt for the platform that matched her ticket.
"Train departing..."
"STOP!" I screamed, tearing down the ramp. I saw her stepping up onto thet train with the suitcase, overnight bag and handbag. I tried to run faster, but the train was slowly starting to move.
"WAIT!"
"Zac?"
"I love you!" With the train beginning to gain momentum, her choice was one that had to be made in a split second.
I held my breath. I watched her step off the train and stumble onto the platform. The door to the carriage closed, taking her bags with it as teh train sailed away from the platform.
"You're all I've got," she said.
"You're all I want," I breathed. Our embraces matched, setting the mood for our lips. She whispered,
"I'm glad you caught up."