11. Chapter Eleven
Chapter Eleven
Emma
I had been planning to go back to work, but I couldn't bear the thought of telling Cassie all about what happened, so instead I took the first train home.
It wasn't my usual train, but the ride was uneventful, anyway.
I was too deep in my own head to lose myself to the pleasure of the rails like I usually did.
Every bump and jolt of the track felt like an accusation, like a jab at me and my failures.
If the trains were destroyed, I would be the reason.
Me and my terrible taste in men were going to destroy the island I loved.
I had to do something about it, but I had no idea what.
My usual wine, ice cream and reality show binging weren’t doing the trick to lift my spirits. I was too upset and worked up worrying about the trains.
It felt like the world was ending, or at least, that it would on the island without the trains.
Wouldn’t the island be devastated to lose the trains?
Or was Miles right, and I was the only one who cared about them?
Would everyone be fine with having to switch to cars even if they were a more expensive, less reliable means of transportation?
I almost called Cassie for advice when I spotted Gauge's name in my phone. He cared about the trains, too. I wasn't alone.
I clearly was insane, though, since I hit the call button before I could think better of it. I hung up almost immediately, but not quickly enough. since he called right back. I stared in horror as my phone began to ring with his immediate call back.
I couldn't answer. I hardly knew him, but not answering after I'd called him first was also really rude.
I settled on a cop-out, hitting reject and texting him instead.
I'm so sorry, didn't mean to call!
The response came almost instantaneously.
Gauge
Don't worry about it! But now that we're talking, how'd your meeting go?
I wasn't sure what to tell him. I barely knew him, but it was nice knowing someone else cared about me.
No, about the trains, I corrected myself.
He cares about the trains, not me. It was nice to not be alone in that.
Even Cassie, whose texts I hadn't been able to force myself to return after the meeting, only really cared about the trains because she cared about me.
Gauge, though, actually cared about the machines themselves.
Honestly?
Gauge
I'll take whatever I can get
The joke made me actually laugh out loud. Maybe it wasn't that stupid of me to have texted him after all.
Truthfully, it didn't go great
Gauge
I doubt that's true
I sighed, unsure how to explain that my ex was spearheading the project. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to. I ended up settling for a simpler version of the truth.
The guy running the project has it out for me
Gauge
What's his problem?
He hates trains
And fun
And me
More me than anything
We dated for a while
Gauge
…You dated someone who hates trains?
I laughed loudly at that before quickly replying.
I know, I know, horrible taste
Gauge
Have things changed?
Now that I know he hates trains? Of course, I can't stand him
Gauge
Because of the trains?
I was smiling at my phone now. Gauge had a great sense of humor.
It's not alllll about the trains
Gauge
But it's sort of about the trains
Yeahhhh - it's sort of about the trains
Gauge
Bit of a rail rider?
I blushed at his words, wondering if he had some way of knowing how accurate that was.
Something like that
Gauge
Good to know
Gauge
But that's actually not what I meant
Huh?
Gauge
I meant, do you have better taste now?
I was so glad he couldn't see how red my face was. Of course he wasn't talking about the trains. Did I have better taste now? I hadn't been with anyone since Miles. No one had really interested me. Although, Miles hadn't either, but that hadn't stopped me.
Couldn't say, haven't been with anyone since
I wasn't sure why I was being so honest with Gauge. He was nice, and distractingly handsome, but he was a stranger. Maybe that's why it was so easy to talk to him.
Gauge
What do you say we go grab a drink? Take your mind off things?
I considered it, but the wine I'd already consumed hadn't helped and I didn't really want to leave my house. He was right, though. I needed a way to work out my frustration. I needed to do something to get Miles and his crusade against the trains off my mind.
…Or you could come over?
I couldn't believe I'd sent the message, but when his reply came through…
Gauge
Give me a time and place
I couldn't bring myself to regret it.
What I did regret was only giving myself thirty minutes to make me and my apartment look guest ready.
After five minutes, I abandoned the pretense of cleaning and put on a new pink lingerie set and a little bit of makeup.
There wasn't time for much else since he'd be there before I knew it.
I was shocked to find that I was excited, not anxious.
Before my encounter with the conductor, I hadn't been worked up by anything besides riding the rails in longer than I could remember.
Maybe Gauge would be good for me, and if not, I could always work out my frustrations riding my favorite train tomorrow.