Flashing Lights (completed)

Chapter 2

The ride there wasn't too bad. I'd ridden a train before when I was a kid. A couple of summers my parents would take me into the city when I was young-before our family turned into a shit show. We'd do sightseeing and shopping. I remember looking up at all those tall buildings and feeling so small and yet ready to take on the world. It was so noisy compared to back home but it was alive! That's where I fell in love with art. 

One time, there was a man sitting along the Riverwalk with a canvas, paint, and brushes. He was wearing just as much paint as he was using on the canvas, but he was literally in his own world, not noticing the people watching him as he paints the beautiful skyline that was right in front of our eyes. It was an indescribable feeling watching this canvas turn in to what I was seeing around me. With each brush stroke the picture came to life. And that's when I knew, that's exactly what I wanted to do.

As soon as I got to my seat on the train and settled in I popped in my ear buds and hit shuffle on my playlist. I watched people scramble to find a seat. Some nervous and some look like they take the train everyday. I see a mom try to corral her two children to sit still for most of the ride. They looked like twins maybe, brother and sister, throwing food at each other and sticking their tongue out while their mom wasn't looking. It made be chuckle a few times. But I was thankful the little shits weren't sitting too close to me. I'm not a big fan of kids. The little girl had to go to the bathroom once and as she walked by way too slow she was just staring awfully hard for my liking so I gave her a glare and stuck my tongue out at her, she winced as she ran off scared. That too, made me chuckle to myself.

Once we got to the union station and I step off; the energy of the city was electric. Just like I remembered. The trains coming in and out of the station. Voices everywhere. Taxi's honking. The sound of people everywhere. I just stood there for a second to take it all in. Still I can't believe I made it here.

 This is probably the happiest I've been in a year but its suddenly stripped from me when I think of her. And the fact that we were suppose to be here and doing college together. She would be bouncing with excitement and probably wouldn't of shut up for the entire train ride, which would have annoyed me. But now, I'd give anything to be annoyed by her again. 

I'm bumped out of my trance by some asshole trying to talk on his phone with his shoulder, carrying his bag in one hand and a coffee in the other. I really want to yell at the cocksucker but I decide against it. See, I just got to the city and I'm already behaving. This is good. 

I grab a cab and head straight to Chicago's School of Arts.