Page 7 of Meet Me at the Metro

You planning on staying out all night?

Don’t know? It’ll depend on the other’s plans, I suppose lol

Right. Well, when you figure it out, keep me updated. That is, if you care to keep up this long-distance thing at all…

I’m fine with keeping you updated? It’s just been a long day. I didn’t bother asking Harv or Evie for all the details. They just extended me an invitation, and I accepted.

Harv? Got a nickname for him now?

Just let me know when your escapades are over, okay?

I dial his number and try to tame my racing heart and rising frustration. He finally picks up by the fifth ring.

“Yeah?” he answers apathetically.

“Yeah?What is your deal? Am I not allowed to make new friends while I’m here?”

“You can make as manyfriendsas you want, Eleanor.I’m just saying that it seems a little odd you’re going out withHarvand don’t seem to know what time you’ll be back.”

“You’re getting in your head. It isn’t like that.”

“It seems exactly like that.”

“Well, it’s not. Trust me.Please. I’m trusting you.” After a few seconds of silence, I decide to speak again. “I want this to work. I wantusto work. I really need your support right now.”

“I want this to work too, but I just don’t know...”

My stomach drops. “You don’t know? What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means I don’t know, El.”

“Just talk to me. Please, just tell me what you mean.”

“I just need time to think about this all, okay?”

A lump of discouragement and dread settle at the back of my throat. I can’t find the words—nor the will—to answer him.

What did he need to think about? What did I do wrong? Was he truly thinking about throwing away what we built after I had just barely gotten here?

“Look, I’m about to leave to go out with the guys.” John’s words snap me out of my panicking inner monologue.

“So you can go out, and it’s fine, but it’s a problem when I do it?”

John sighs. “I’ll message you in the morning, alright?”

“Fine,” I say with a slight tremble in my voice. Clearing my throat, I do my best to keep my tears at bay. “I’m sorry I left. I really am. I miss you like hell already. I just—I wish you could be happy for me.”

“I know,” he mumbles over the distant chatter on his line. “I’m sorry, Eleanor. I miss you, too. This is all just really hard for me. I gotta figure things out. I love you. Text me when you get home, okay?”

“Okay,” is all I can seem to mutter. “I will.”

A ripple of laughter escapes on the other end of the line, but I decide not to dwell on it or the conversation that just happened as I hang up the phone.

Sadness weighs on my heart even though I know I should be happy. After all, I’ve finally made it to the city abroad to chase my wildest dreams, but no matter how hard I try to fight back my tears, the stress and tension from today have my composure crumbling. I shove my pillow to my face to muffle my pitiful sobs in hopes that my roommates won’t hear me.

I make sure to get all my pent-up emotions out before finally forcing myself to finish getting dressed. I wipe the residual evidence of my breakdown from my face and slip into a casual black tea dress and a pair of white canvas sneakers. I don’t bother putting on any makeup despite my now puffy eyes, blotchy cheeks, and reddened nose. The last thing I want to do is keep them waiting, so as soon as I’m completely ready, I hurry out of my room and down the hall.

“Sorry to take so long, you guys. I’m all readynow.”

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