THE JOURNEY TO THE CITY

Valeria has been here before with her father so she knows his friend's office, she walk as fast as possible to the office, she gave the door a soft knock and entered after hearing a familiar voice respond from inside.

"Good afternoon sir"Valeria greeted with a smile.

"Good afternoon Valeria, how are you doing?"The man replied with a smile too.

"I'm fine sir"Valeria said smiling

"Congratulations on your scholarship, I'm proud of you"The man said smiling and feeling proud

"Thank you sir"Valeria replied with a genuine smile.

"Here's your ticket, CTA yellow line"The man said giving her the ticket he had booked earlier

"Thank you sir"Valeria said collecting the ticket.

"Have fun in the city"The man said and Valeria nod before leaving the office to board the train.

She sits next to the window and pray her partner is either quiet or friendly and not all those grumpy or pervert passenger. While in her thoughts and bringing out her phone to read 'The big secret of the Simpson' on webnovel, a girl sits beside her.

"Hi, I'm Hannah"The girl greeted giving her hand out for a shake

"Valeria"Valeria take her hand not wanting to be rude.

"Do you stay here in Skokie?"Hannah continue the conversation

"Yes and you?"Valeria replied seeing the girl as weird

"I'm here to visit my aunt"Hannah said smiling ear to ear

"That's good"Valeria replied wanting to get back to her novel on webnovel.

"Where are you heading to? Evanston?"Hannah asked and Valeria phone beeped

"Excuse me"Valeria said picking her father's call

"Hi father" She greeted

"How are you? Have you board the train?"Her father asked

"Yes father, I should be there in an hour or more"She said

"Take care of your belongings, I will. be waiting for you"her father said

"Okay father"She replied and he hanged up at his end.

She turn back to Hannah her seat partner.

"You have such a caring father"Hannah said sweetly

"Thank you"She replied not feeling comfortable with the conversation

"So where are you heading to?"Hannah asked continuing the previous conversation

"Chicago"She replied not comfortable with the conversation

"Oh. I'm heading to Evanston to visit my grandparents"Hannah said smiling

"That's nice"Valeria replied not wanting to be rude.

"Have fun in Chicago"She said with joy in her voice.

"And you too Hannah"Valeria replied realizing she doesn't know when to stop.

The train moved after all the passenger have settled in.

"So where will you be visiting in Chicago?"Hannah asked after a while.

"I'm going to visit my father"Valeria replied not telling a stranger the truth

"That's so sweet of you, there are nice places to visit in Chicago and my favorite place is the Millennium Park"Hannah said happily

"Oh! That's nice"Valeria replied uninterested

"You should visit Willis tower too, you won't regret it"Hannah added not minding if Valeria is interested in the conversation or not.

Hannah kept talking about all the places she has visited in Chicago while Valeria do the listening. Valeria wondered what type of human being talks not minding if she's responded to or not.

"Last stop...Howard station"The automated machine announced

"Oh that's my stop, it's nice meeting you"Hannah said before standing up to prepare to get down

"Same here"Valeria replied with a smile that looks like she saying 'lastly, I can have peace of mind'.

The train stopped, all the passengers including Valeria alighted.

"Bye Valeria"Hannah waved after alighting.

Valeria heave a sigh of relief before walking to book a ticket for her next journey which will be longer than the previous one.

Few minutes later, Valeria board the train hoping not to have a noisy seat partner. Fortunately for her, it was an old woman that sit next to her, no disturbance and no distractions. She brings out her phone to chat with her friends who she hasn't thanked for a great congratulatory party after the train moved.

@Valeria[Hi girls]

@Alexis[Someone finally remembers she has friends, how are you scholarship girl?]

@Daisy[Don't mind Valeria. She's probably on call with her so called best friend since morning....haha]

@Valeria[Chill girls...I'm good, what about you girls?]

@Alexis[Good miss scholarship. Have you been hooked up with Dennis since morning that you forget about us?]

@Daisy[Why a have question...haha. She has obviously been on call with Dennis]

@Valeria[Funny! None of those have been happening...haha. I'm on a train right now going to the city, my father called this morning and said I have to be there today]

@Alexis[Oh really? Does Dennis know about this?]

@Daisy[Why are you talking like this Alexis...haha. He definitely knows. We are the side piece here]

@Valeria[I'm sick of you girls comparing the relationship I have with you and Dennis. He doesn't know and you are the first I'm telling this, anyways I came here to thank you for yesterday, it was such a great evening and I won't forget it]

@Alexia[Don't be angry! We were just joking. You deserve every bit of last night]

@Daisy[Awwn...you truly deserve every bit]

Valeria reads the message but did not bother to reply since she's pissed off already.

Talking of Dennis, she hasn't talk to him after this morning and he did not bother to check on her. She read the novel she has been willing to read but couldn't because of her talkative seat partner 'The big secret of the Simpson' and didn't even know when thirty minutes passed. She stretched a little bit before sending message to the novel group chat she's in 'Miyan writes well'

@Valeria[Hi guys....Who has read chapter 20?]

@member1[Please no spoilers.... tears]

@member2[No spoilers!!!]

@member3[Let's get there so we can discuss it, I'm in chapter 18]

@member4[Let's not spoil it for them but they won't expect it...teary]

@Valeria[I won't do that! They won't....teary]

@member4[My ship sankಥ_ಥ]

@member2[I'm so eager to read this now! On my way]

Valeria and the members continue chatting, she was so deep in the chat that it was until the automated announcer announced her busstop before she realized it was time to get off. She alighted at Garfield station and took the green line to University of Chicago which took ten minutes.