Author's Note: It's been forever since I've updated any of my stories. Now that's its summer, I hope i can update all of my stories more frequently. This chapter is basically an introduction of all the characters. The vision will take place next chapter, hopefully i lived up to all of your characters expectations.
P.S. I have never actually ridden the California Zephyr so I have no idea if how i described it was correct. Read and Review!
Chapter One: The End Of The World As We Know It
Stanford University California
Paige shot up in her bed, her long brown hair sticking to the sweat that rolled down her face, as she let out a bloodcurdling scream. She took in a few deep breaths before looking around her dorm room. Stevie, her roommate for the past three and a half months, stood across from her holding a brown cardboard box and looking at Paige in concern. Stevie had long wavy black hair with fringe and dark blue eyes. She was dressed in jeans, black converses and a blue hoodie, with her brown messenger bag across her torso.
"You're leaving?" Paige asked after calming herself down. "Yeah. The College board gave me til the end of the thanksgiving break to move out." Stevie answered as she continued to pile things into the box. "Listen, I'm sorry you're father wouldn't let you stay longer." Paige said. "It's fine. I guess I'll just go to community college." Stevie said sheepishly. "Just because you're leaving, doesn't mean we still can't hang out. Okay?" Paige offered Stevie. "Sure thing." Stevie smiled back.
Paige pulled the sheets off her body revealing her pajamas, a pair of old grey sweatpants and a black sports bra. She got out of her bed and walked over to Stevie. "You want help packing?" Paige offered. "You know what, I've got this, but thanks for asking." Stevie told Paige, who then went to the restroom to brush her teeth. Stevie sighed before starting to pack her things again.
Brandon Stearns walked down the Stairs of his Frat House, Kappa Omega Alpha, or KOA for short. At the bottom of the stairs, he found Ryan Magnin among his other Frat Brothers. Ryan was dressed in a black linkin park shirt under a green army jacket and ripped jeans, his long black hair resting on his shoulders. "Hey Guys, What's going on?" Brandon asked as he joined the group. "We're going to see which pledge is going to be stuck with the bill for all the beer that's coming for tonight's party." Ryan laughed as the president of KOA went through the list of Pledges. "How about Dominique?" He offered. "The Biomechanical Engineer major? No way. Dude can't even hold his liquor." Brandon said. "There's nothing wrong with engineering." Ryan said back, laughing.
"All in favor of Dominique Rider say I." The President of the Frat said. "I" almost all of the brothers said in unison. "I guess it's settled." He said. "Meeting adjourned." Brandon and Ryan walked away from the group and to the front of the Frat house. "You want to head to campus and get some coffee?" Ryan asked. "Sure, but lets take my 2010 Hyundai Genesis. I don't want to ride behind you on your motorcycle." Brandon said, bragging about his new car. "Whatever dude." Ryan laughed as he headed to Brandon's Hyundai.
They both arrived to the campus Starbucks, Brandon Parking the car on the lot behind the café. "You want to mess with those two freaks who work here?" Brandon asked Ryan. "Mikey and Jamia aren't that bad. I have them both for Art History." Ryan said. "This would be more fun with Dan." Brandon said, talking about Dan Mills, another member of Kappa Omega Alpha who was out of town visiting his girlfriends parents. They both walked in and walked up to the Register where Jamia was dressed in a star bucks uniform.
"Welcome to Starbucks, What would you like?" Jamia said in a fake happy attitude. "You." Brandon said, causing Ryan to smack him on the back of the head. "Dude, not cool." Ryan said glaring at Brandon with his blue eyes as Mikey came from the back room. "Hey Mike." Ryan said nodding at Mikey. "Hey, Ryan, you ordered already?" Ryan asked as he got to his register. "Nah, we just got here." Brandon said. "I'd like a black coffee." He said to Jamia. "I'll have the same." Ryan told her, Mikey going to the coffee maker and filled two cups with coffee. "That'll be four fifty." Jamia told them both. "Put it on my tab." Brandon told her as he grabbed his coffee from Mikey and walked away.
"We don't do tabs." Jamia called out but Brandon ignored her. "I'll pay for the both of us." Ryan said as he fished out a ten dollar bill and handed it to Jamia. "What are you two doing tonight?" Ryan asked Mikey and Jamia. "Nothing, why?" Mikey answered. "The frat's having a party tonight. You think you can make it?" Ryan offered. "We'll be sure to stop by." Mikey responded, Ryan walking away.
"I don't want to go." Jamia pleaded. "Come on, It'll be fine. You said it you're self you wanted to make more friends. This is the perfect opportunity for you to do just that." Mikey encouraged her. "Fine, but just for thirty minutes." Jamia told him before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Excuse me." Brandon said as he exited the star bucks, carrying a black coffee in his hand, as he bumped into Annabelle Hawkes, a tall and skinny redhead with hazel eyes dressed in a light pink shirt and light blue short shorts. "You're excused." Annabelle mumbled, looking down as she passed him and entered the starbucks. "You're here!" Blair shouted from a table beside the window, her red hair tucked behind her ear to expose her dark green eyes. "Yeah, The owner made me stay late." Annabelle confessed, taking the seat across from Blair.
"So what did you want to talk about?" Blair asked Annabelle. "Today is the anniversary of my mom's death and… I don't know how to stop hurting." Annabelle confessed. "Listen, The first step is to drink tons of beer." Blair said, laughing. "That's not even funny." Annabelle said seriously. "I'm serious, what you need is a distraction. You don't have to drink, but come to tonight's party at Kappa Alpha Omega." Blair said. "A Frat party? I don't think so." Annabelle responded. "Brandon will be there." Blair said. "Just for a few minutes, but then I'm leaving." She told Blair, slightly smiling.
"Puh-lease. You really think Brandon is going to notice a pipsqueak like you?" Hillarie Finland said from the table beside them, Her short black hair with white streaks slightly covering her face as she glared at them with her intense blue eyes. "And he'd go for you, a simple white castle cook?" Blair asked. "We'll just have to see about that." She responded before getting out of her chair and headed out to her old red jeep wrangler, dressed in black sweatpants, a white tee and old sneakers.
The Carolina Zephyr
"Would you like something to drink?" a woman asked the young couple at the table as she pushed food down the aisle on a trolley. "No thanks." Adie Chantal responded as she looked at the view outside the window, dressed in a pair of jeans and a black Middleton University Sweatshirt. "Beautiful isn't it?" Takbir mumbled, his arm around her shoulder and his chin resting on her red hair. Takbir was also dressed in a pair of jeans and wore a red jacket over a simple black tee shirt. "It is." Adie mumbled, as she watched the rocky mountains passed by as the train they were on blew its horn. "I wasn't talking about the mountains." He informed her. "You are so cheesy." Brigitte Warner laughed from the seat across from them.
Brigitte was tall with straight waist length dark brown hair that had red highlights here and there with bangs hovering over her dark green eyes which were surrounded in eyeliner. Her lips were colored in her favorite dark red lipstick and her nails were painted their usual color, black. She was dressed in her favorite Sum 41 band tee and leather jacket and a black mini skirt with knee-length boots and tights. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her right ear, which like her left ear, had two piercings, her vine tattoo showing on the wrist of her right hand as she did so.
Brigitte was someone Adie had met at Middleton U. They were both enrolled in the same Journalism class and hit it off from day one. Brigitte was everything Adie wasn't used to in a friend. Unlike Paige, Brigitte gave people she didn't trust a bad attitude, she was very down to earth, mysterious and sarcastic. She had a very rebellious outlook on life which often got her into trouble but underneath, she was kind.
"We gonna make a pit stop or something? I need to stretch my feet." Brigitte complained. "Plus you two being all mushy is making me nauseous." She snuck in. "The brochure says we're going to make a pit stop in Denver to refuel on gas." Takbir said. "Great!" She said standing up. "Where are you going?" Adie asked, seeing Brigitte walk away. "The sightseer lounge car. Whatever crappy movie they're playing has got to be better than watching a giant piece of rock covered in snow." She said, walking out of the car. As she walked over to the lounge car, she passed a couple coach seats.
The male inside the coach had yellowish blond hair and startling green eyes with a scar beneath his right eye. He was dressed in an olive green Berlin T-shirt that showed his muscles, dark blue jeans, and vans. The Female has a slight build with medium black hair and green eyes. She was wearing a pink T-shirt with the name "EMMA" on it, a pair of purple jeans and white shoes.
"Are your parents still mad at you?" The male asked Emma. "They're ok with me taking my courses online but they're still a little angry about the fact that I'm moving halfway across the country to be with my boyfriend at his new job." She answered. The guy dropped his head and looked at the ground. "Cole, I wanted to come." She told him, taking his hands in hers. "Plus, It's California. I'd be crazy to say no." Emma said, a smile spreading across his face. He took her face into his hands and kissed her on her forehead.
Brett Jacobs awoke to the voice of the Trains conductor on the speaker in his coach. "We're just a minute away from Denver, Colorado. We will be stationed there for a half hour for refueling, washing, and servicing. Please take the opportunity to check out souvenirs sold at the station but please do not leave the station platform area, and return to the train as soon as the departure announcement is made." The conductor said, the train's breaks screeching as it slowed down.
Brett was slightly overweight but not superbly. He had a buzz cut of black hair and wispy sideburns. He was dressed in a light blue button down shirt and blue baggy trousers. Brett had been a substitute teacher in Chicago, Illinois and had recently been transferred to San Francisco, California which was fine with him.
He looked at his notebook on the spot of the couch where his head had been while he slept and noticed it was soaking wet. Brett had written a short story out of sheer boredom and was told by his friends that it would make a great novel. Now, what he had written so far was covered in drool. He angrily chunked the notepad at the window in frustration before opening his door and stepping into the hallway as other passengers headed to the exit.
He followed them as everyone exited the train and entered the stations platform. Brett took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air for the first time since he boarded the train. He scanned the area and saw a stand that sold baseball caps. He headed over to the stand, his wallet in his hand, ready to buy whichever cap he liked.
Alex's life had been really hard the past year. First off, His father committed suicide seven months ago after his older sister Liz died in a freak accident at a construction site. His mother then moved them both to Denver in attempt to start anew. Everything was going great up until his sixteen birthday two weeks ago. His mother was running late after getting held up at work and was racing home. She ran a red light and was in a car accident that resulted in her becoming brain-dead. It had been decided by social services that Alex would now have to live with his uncle Anthony in San Diego, California.
"Here's your boarding pass, Mr. Jones." Alex's social worker said, handing him his train ticket. "Why couldn't I go to San Diego on a plane like any other normal person?" Alex asked the woman. "It's thanksgiving weekend. The airport's overcrowded." She answered as He took the boarding pass from her. "Now hurry up, the train's leaving at six thirty." She said, Alex turning around and heading for the California Zephyr.
Dan Mills shuffled on board of the California Zephyr, his girlfriend, Bianca Jiggens, close behind. Dan had short brown hair and brown eyes. He was tall, muscular, and dressed in an old jacket, baggy jeans, and old sneakers. Bianca had short black hair, blue eyes and was slightly shorter than Dan.
"They hated me!" Dan said, getting into their coach. "They didn't!" Bianca protested. "Maybe if you didn't get drunk at their anniversary party, everything would've ended up differently." She suggested. "So this is my fault?" Dan asked. "No… Yes… I mean, You didn't have to throw my mom's china plates out the balcony." Bianca admitted.
"This is bullshit." Dan shouted, walking out of the coach and leaving Bianca in there alone. "That was intense." a brown haired male said from the doorway. "Umm… Who are you?" Bianca asked the pale blue eyed male. "Brody. Brody Holland." He said introducing himself. Brody was dressed in casual yet expensive clothes with a pair of glasses over his eyes. "Bianca." She replied shaking his hand. "Was that your boyfriend?" He asked, motioning in the direction Dan walked off. "Unfortunately." Bianca breathed out. "Well, it was great meeting you." Brody, said before walking away. Bianca felt something stir within her. She hadn't felt butterflies in her stomach since the day she met Dan and that feeling left a long time ago.