9. Sy
9
SY
Getting up ass early was something I’d only do to make Jenna happy. I wiped the sleep from my eyes and threw on a plain white t-shirt, rolling a slight cuff onto each arm to frame my slender biceps.
I slipped on a pair of loose jeans and my Doc Martens. Although I’d done a good job of keeping our first day a secret, I knew the ferry would be a little damp and that the walking would be a bit intense.
Once I combed my hair in the small mirror on top of my towering dresser, I opened my door.
“Good morning!” A chipper Jenna sounded from the coffee pot in the kitchen.
My eyes widened. “Hello.” I sounded far more exhausted than I felt, a deep rasp coming from my throat.
“Coffee?” Before I could even answer, Jen was pouring the large carafe into a thermos for me.
“Please.” I smiled as I leaned against the wall opposite the kitchen counters, my eyes wandering down her outfit.
She looked cute, not that different from my own outfit. Her hair was in a ponytail, the light brown hair just grazing her shoulders as her head swiveled around, just barely touching the cropped black t-shirt. Baggy brown trousers cascaded down her long legs, the pleats highlighting her waist.
Swallowing, I grabbed the thermos from her hand. “You look cute.”
“Thanks, so do you.” Jenna winked as she cradled her own to-go mug, excitement plastered on her face.
I took a look down at myself. It was almost too similar to go out in public but it was just different enough that I’d let it fly. Really, we were just two sides of the same queer-style coin.
Checking the clock on the stove, I snapped my fingers together. “Ready?”
“Definitely.” Jenna nodded.
I guided us out of the front door, locking the apartment behind me before trodding down the stairs. At the base of the stairs, I walked us out toward the Financial District where we’d catch a ferry.
As soon as we started moving, Jenna was suspicious. “If I guess correctly, will you tell me?”
I couldn’t stop myself from rolling my eyes, despite the smile taking over my face. “Can’t you just enjoy it? Do you have to make guesses?”
“Answer the question, damnit.” Jenna nudged me with her shoulder as we walked.
“Sure, I’ll tell you.”
Nodding, Jenna tucked her hands into her trouser pockets. “Cool.”
As we walked, we could feel the sun warming the street. There was still a chill at night that wore off as soon as the beams of light smacked into the concrete of the sidewalks in the morning.
I could smell it in the air, the shift from spring to summer. It wouldn’t be long before businesses put up their pride flags and friends started planning beach days.
After two blocks, I stopped us at the M15-SBS bus stop and pulled out my phone to pay.
“A bus?” Jenna questioned, her eyebrow raising, “Downtown? What could there possibly be to see in FiDi?”
The shorthand made me laugh. Of course, we were technically heading down toward the Stock Exchange but it was not at all what I had in mind.
But the bus saved me from answering the question as it pulled up in front of us. We hopped on, scanning our phones against the digital screen at the front of the bus before waltzing to the middle of the bus.
It was just us a few commuters who were running a little early to the office. So we took a seat with a view and watched as the city slowly passed by us. The familiar awnings and crowded, narrow streets of Chinatown quickly shifted to towering office buildings and suited dudes with the same haircut.
“I love the bus.” A soft smile rested on Jenna’s face as she watched out the window. I hadn’t seen her look at the city like this in a minute; her eyes were always plastered to her phone, answering work emails.
Under my breath, I whispered, “Me too.”
Before long, I was pulling the long yellow cord overhead signaling to the bus driver that we were ready to get off.
Over the speaker, a robotic voice filled the cabin. “South Ferry, Terminal. Please stand clear of the doors.”
As I stood from my seat, Jenna followed suit with a surprised look on her face. “A ferry?”
Once we stepped off the bus and onto the street, she jumped up with excitement. “Oh! I know what we’re doing!”
“Oh, do you?” I turned around to eye her, playing up my suspiciousness.
“Yep.” Jenna crossed her arms confidently as we crossed the street to Battery Park. As we moved through, toward the railed edge that faced the Hudson Bay, Jenna laughed. “It’s an interesting first choice.”
Whipping around, I kept walking backward. “How do you know? You haven’t confirmed it.”
“Don’t need to.” Jenna bit her lip playfully. “But fine. We’re going to the Statue of Liberty, aren’t we?”