20 Chapter 20: NJ transit, Part 2

As though they were a gang without fashion-sense, Tammy opted for a blue streak in her hair and her selected outfit matched similarly to Melina's but the clothes laid differently on her thin black frame than the clothes on her friend's more robust body type.

April leaned back against the wall and twirled her finger through the red streak in her dirty-blonde hair.She opted to avoid leggings and her pasty-white legs looked almost translucent in the light of the train car.Her faded green army jacket and crocheted purse only accentuated her frumpiness but for April, this was as good as things were going to get.She had the book-smarts, Tammy had the common sense and sex appeal while Melina had the confidence.

Before they could settle in for the hour ride to the city, a conductor in a polyester black vest, white shirt and black pants stepped in front of them."Tickets," he said as he outstretched one hand and kept the other close to his chest, clutching his hole puncher.

"Here you go.These are for the two of us," Melina said as she handed two tickets to him.The conductor grabbed them and with the speed of a lightning-branded superhero, his hole-punch clicked to what sounded like fifty clicks, leaving only one clean tiny hole on each ticket.

He then glanced at April and she said, "I need to find my money."She searched through her purse.He stared at her for a bit.The bill of his hat rested on the thin wire rims of his glasses."I'll come back for you," he said as he walked away."Tickets, tickets," he said as he walked down the aisle of the car.

Quickly deep in the thick of pointless conversations filled with "likes", giggles and split-end twirling, the trio talked their way past Edison, Metuchen and MetroPark.The train filled with more and more commuters, basketball fans, and a man whose face was covered by his black hood.He grabbed a seat back in car 7489.Oblivious to their surroundings, the friends continued their conversation.

"Remember Canada?" asked April and she started laughing, digging deep into her purse for cash she knew she didn't have.She forgot to tap the MAC for cash at the Student Union before they left.

"I was like, so drunk, I had no idea how I got back to the hotel," April started."You all just left me in the club."

Laughing and leaning into Melina's shoulder, Tammy said, "You were so wasted."

"Yeah, we should drink like that tonight when we get to the club," Melina suggested.

"No way, the drinks would be a fortune in that place," April said.

Tammy's head moved back and forth as though watching a tennis match.

"Duhh.But I like, used to live around there and its close to my favorite liquor store.At the counter, we can buy the little bottles of alcohol for like $1.25 each.It's the same as having a regular cocktail," said Melina.

April looked down at her saggy crocheted purse and said, "We'll never be able to sneak the bottles inside."

"No, we'll drink them and then go in already lit," said Melina.

Tammy laughed and offered a high-five to the commander-in-chief.

"Oh, I gotta show you this video.It's like, so funny," Melina said as she unzipped a pocket and took her phone out of her jacket.She turned it sideways and she and Tammy watched a video.The lucky passengers around them were treated to the loud volume of the phone.April sat back against the wall and pressed her knees together.She looked like a marionette tossed aside without it's strings.

"Don't worry about the ticket, girl," Melina said to April without looking up from the screen, "I got you covered when he comes back."

"Thanks," April said as she shoved her purse to her side.She was grateful that Melina's dad spoiled his only daughter.

Melina looked up toward the wall beside her and then at the other wall across from her."It is like, so weird that on this side there is a poster for gambling in Atlantic City while on that side there's a poster for gambling addiction.It's like, duhh."

Rahway, Linden and then Elizabeth.More and more passengers filled the train and for some of the stops, the conductor announced that passengers toward the back of the train needed to move forward to exit due to track maintenance at the stations.

"After the club, we have got to go to the diner.I like, love that place," Melina recommended.

"Oh I love that diner!Those blueberry pancakes are totally what I need," agreed Tammy.

"Remember the pancakes we had in California?" Melina said.

"I remember those amazing towels in the hotel," said Tammy.

"I still have one," April laughed.

Melina was born and raised on a pedestal and to her, money was as easy to come by as the next paper towel on the roll.Her dad gave her whatever she asked for.Tammy was along for the ride and if Melina was paying, she was in.She had money of her own but didn't need to spend it on anything.She was smart and knew how to work her friend.April, not as fortunate in the cash department, relied often on the kindness of strangers and truly appreciated when Melina paid for trips and weekends in New York City.Her scholarship got her into Rutgers and away from a one-bedroom apartment in Pennsville shared with her father and three brothers.

"Girl, you are crazy.But tonight, we are going to party," Melina snapped her fingers.

"We can't stay too late.I do have to work in the morning," April said.

Eyes glued to the phone screen, Tammy quipped, "yeah but your shift doesn't start until eleven.And it's coffee.You pour it into a cup and serve.Easy as pie."

Melina giggled.

"It's not that easy and it's not just coffee," April started to say but quickly realized her friends were focused back onto watching a video from their California trip.

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