Warren awoke just before his alarm chimed. He swiftly turned the device off and sat up in his bed. He stretched his arms and legs before walking over to his dresser. He grabbed the clothes he laid out the night before and sauntered over to the bathroom.
Warren took a quick shower while humming tunelessly to himself. After a few minutes, he exited and hurriedly toweled off and stepped into his clothes.
He turned on mom's ancient blow-dryer and went to work on his shaggy hair. He wasn't quite sure what he was doing, but he felt that using a blow-dryer wasn't rocket science, and not long after he was sure his hair had dried enough.
He ran a comb through it and stepped out to have a quick breakfast of toast.
His father came out, yawned, and made a pot of coffee. He offered Warren some, but he politely declined.
"You seem to be in a good mood this morning," he remarked.
Warren shrugged. He fought the urge to smile but couldn't help but feel the corner of his mouth rise. "Just have a good feeling about today."
Unconsciously he played with the band he had kept in his pocket. He had stopped by his Grandma's and retrieved the wristband that was tucked into the shrine.
Warren's father rose from his chair and strode over to the fridge to grab some eggs. "I'm also feeling rather chipper today. Why don't I make us some eggs?"
Warren hesitated. Truth be told, he wanted nothing more than to bolt out the door and start his journey, but he had second thoughts. Eggs sure did sound nice, and it had been a while since he spent some time with his father.
"Sure," Warren nodded. He sat in his seat at the table and withdrew his phone to look back at his notes, and to chart his course.
Daniel Graham hummed to himself as he cracked some eggs and scrambled them up. A beat later, Warren could hear the unmistakable sound of bacon sizzling on the pan.
Warren's stomach betrayed him by rumbling. It didn't help that scents had infiltrated his nostrils.
"So the festival is coming up, huh?"
"Yeah," Warren replied into his phone. He fought the urge to snicker at a particular note he read. "It'll be quite the event."
"I'm sure," Daniel sighed. "You know, maybe when this highway is finished, maybe we can take a vacation?"
Warren shuffled his feet underneath the table. He stood up to walk over to the fridge and grab the jug of apple juice tucked in the corner. "Maybe."
He wasn't in the mood to make conversation. He was feeling gracious enough to spend time with his father, but dialogue with him did not interest him in the slightest. Especially when it came to his obsession with his highway project.
Daniel Graham continued his discussion about the highway plan, but Warren tuned him out. He double checked his email to make sure that the ticket confirmation was there, and he was relieved to see it was still there.
Warren looked up to the soft clattering of scrambled eggs and bacon steaming on a plate in front of him. He thanked his father, who nodded in appreciation.
"Alright, have a good day at school, Warren. I'll see you when I get home."
Warren returned the goodbye, and dug a fork into some egg. He checked the time on his phone, and saw he was making good time. There was no need to rush.
Warren ate. He was grateful for the food. It had been some time since his dad had last cooked for him. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time they ate breakfast together, like a family. He guessed that today wasn't the day.
Regardless, that wasn't a worry on Warren's mind at the moment. His right leg started to thump under the dining table, as anxious thoughts on the journey ahead clouded his mind.
He took a swig of juice and pushed the thoughts away. It'll be fine, he thought optimistically. This is Max we're talking about.
One last bite of bacon, and he was done. He rushed over to the sink and rinsed out his plate before placing it in the dishwasher. He swiftly washed his hands and toweled them off before checking his phone.
He still had plenty of time, but still, he wanted to get there early enough to avoid any excess anxiety. He grabbed his carrier case with his mobile game console and shoved it into his backpack, as well as a phone charger just in case.
With that, he grabbed his keys and set out of the house. He locked the door behind him and wished briefly that his dad had followed through on the promise to get him a car. Although, knowing his father, he'll probably wait until after Warren graduates.
Nevertheless, he bought a train ticket for this very reason. He put the code in for the garage to open and grabbed his bike and partially rusted chain from deep in the unit. He wheeled the vehicle out and started to close the door and lock it up when a familiar voice interrupted.
"You didn't tell us we were taking our bikes today."
"Hey, Alyssa," Warren continued to wheel the bike out to the edge of the driveway, where his two friends were waiting at their usual spot. He mentally kicked himself for forgetting to text them.
"You look different, Warren," Daniel interjected. "Did you cut your hair?"
Warren reflexively reached a hand up to his hair. It wasn't short per se, but it was definitely trimmed down and looked far nicer than the wild shagginess it was prior.
"Uh, yeah, I did. I nearly forgot about it."
"You've been acting so strange lately," Alyssa thrust out, point blank.
"I have?" Warren asked.
"Yeah," Alyssa and Daniel walked over to Warren who wheeled over his bike to the edge of the parking lot. "Some days you seem like a different person. And whenever you are your normal self, you seem so distracted."
"Alyssa and I have been talking," Daniel submitted. "And if you need anything Warren let us know, please."
Warren almost shrugged, but he felt that would be a bad move. He did appreciate that they were worried about him, and a part of him wanted to explain the bizarre nature of the past months, but how could he? They would never believe him. Besides, he was in a rush. As rude as it was to say, they were only slowing him down.
"I appreciate that," he replied hesitantly. "But I'm okay, right now."
He climbed onto his bike. "Anyway, guys, I have to get going."
Alyssa strafed aside to stand in front of the bicycle. "Where are you going? School starts soon."
"I'm not going," Warren answered simply.
Both his friends' eyebrows raised. Judging from their reactions, he was almost surprised their jaws didn't drop.
"Warren Graham skipping school?" Daniel exclaimed.
"Did you hit your head or something?" Alyssa put her hands on Warren's handlebars. Warren shook his head and decided it was best to tell the truth… somewhat.
"No, I have a date."
Warren gently moved Alyssa's hands as she recoiled from the surprise. "You have a date?"
Daniel chimed in. "Do we know this person?"
"And how did you two meet?" Alyssa interjected. "I knew something was up! Daniel, you owe me 5 bucks!"
Warren threw up his hands. "I really don't have time for questions right now, guys. "I have to get going if I'm going to make the train."
Alyssa backed up enough to give him space. She eyed Warren carefully, while Daniel seemed impressed. "This must be serious if you're taking the train. Have you met her before?"
Warren mulled the question over. He decided it would be the last question he'd answer, because he really did have to get going. "Yeah, actually." He may not have met her in person, but he had experienced her life. He knew everything he could have asked for in her, and he felt that was as close as it could get to the truth. "But it's my first time visiting her."
"No wonder you seem so distant," Daniel commented.
"You better let us know how it goes!" Alyssa demanded.
Warren sighed with relief. They seemed to have bought his excuse and they were letting him leave, finally. "I will. Lie for me with Ms. Grant, would you?"
Alyssa smirked. "You needed to ask? I got you."
Warren nodded, and with that he was off. If he was going to make it, he needed to start now. His two friends watched him leave, as he went the opposite direction of the school. When he was an appropriate distance away, Alyssa turned to Daniel.
"I don't believe him. Something is up, and he's not telling us."
*
The roaring of the train underneath him. The landscape passed him by in a flash. The other passengers either talking with their friends or sitting quietly with their headphones in.
Warren had his headphones in for some time, but took them out. His leg was bouncing with anticipation as the announcement from the conductor came overhead that they would officially arrive in Seattle after one more stop.
Warren opened his notes in his phone and read them over again to both pass the time, and to rehash what he knew about Max. His fingers played with the blue band he wore over his wrist. He mentally went over, yet again, what he was going to say to her when he saw her.
His mouth was suddenly dry when they pulled into the station. Warren left the train and ran over to a vending machine. He paid the $1.50 and produced a water bottle, where he drained a third of it.
His mouth felt better, but a pit in his stomach opened up and the anxiety threatened to engulf him whole. He attempted to swallow the lump that was developing in this throat and mentally told himself to calm down.
That's when he saw a flash of brunette hair amongst the multitude of soon-to-be passengers. His eyes locked onto the back of the girl's head and he gently pushed his way through the crowd.
She turned slightly to watch a street musician with a mixture of pink and purple hair strumming her guitar and gently singing a song. The girl's face tilted just enough that he could see blue irises, and a smattering of freckles.
It was Max. His heart fluttered instinctively but she was still farther away than he would have liked. Warren closed the gap excruciatingly slowly. It was like pulling teeth, trying to get through the immovable people that seemed very willing to get in his path.
He tried to catch her eye, but she didn't seem to be paying him any attention. Finally, he was about 10 people or so away, when the announcement came to board the train for Seattle.
Warren muttered a curse, but he followed the crowd of people to the train. Unfortunately, he lost Max in the crowd, but he couldn't worry about trying to find her again. He wasn't the biggest fan of crowds, and he was certain she wasn't either. However, she had to be far more used to the bustle of Seattle than he was.
He managed to squeeze himself through the door. The crowd of people shuttled into the train seemed three times larger than when they arrived at the station.
He mentally grunted in frustration. He was so close to Max, but for some reason he never accounted for the amount of people that would also ride the train.
Warren kicked himself. How could he be so stupid to not take that factor into account? He scanned the crowd for any familiar faces, and felt a tickle of panic when he couldn't find the freckled face he was looking for.
He sighed and shifted around. He turned 45 degrees to his right and nearly jumped out of his shoes.
Max was right next to him. She was so close to him she was practically breathing onto him. Her face was turned away from him, and her blue-gray eyes started out the window, dissociating from the world around her.
His throat had dried up like the Sahara. He searched for the proper words to say, but there was just so much that needed to leave his lips. His almond eyes turned to follow her gaze out the window, and a small part of him enjoyed watching the landscape roll by with her. For the first time he was able to enjoy sharing something with her in his own shoes.
Suddenly and violently, his phone began to vibrate in his pocket. Max didn't pay him any attention as he hurriedly dug the phone out of its space.
Dad? Oh shit, he knows that I skipped school.
He unlocked his phone and he saw numerous texts and a missed call from his dad, and even one from his Grandma. Heat rose to Warren's cheeks. He somewhat expected his father to be worried about him, but he wasn't expecting this amount of panic.
Warren played the voicemail left by his dad and held it up to his ear. He could just make out the crackled audio.
"Warren, where are you?!? Your school called and said that you never showed! This is completely unlike you and wildly unacceptable! Do you realize how much this hurts your chances at a scholarship and how much damage it does to my campa-!"
Warren locked the phone once he hears the first syllables of the last word. Warren skipped school for the first time in his life, and the one thing his only living parent worried about was his reputation!
Figures.
Max had no reaction other than sighing and checking her own phone.
He trepidatiously unlocked his phone and deleted the message. Another voicemail had popped up just after that one, but it was only his Grandma, who called while he played the previous voicemail.
"Warren, we both know this is unlike you. But I'm not as worried as your father. I have a sneaking suspicion that you're doing something important, but I want you to call me when you have the chance and let me know you're safe. Oh, and why haven't you visited me lately? Do you not realize how much time I have left?"
Warren couldn't help but smile at his Grandma's dark humor. It was grave, he knew that much, but the weight on his gut lifted just enough for him to breathe a little easier. At least his Grandma found the ability to worry for him.
Still though, his Dad did have a point. Why had he gone all this way? Max hadn't given him a second glance. It was like she didn't even recognize him, which was absurd. They had been switching bodies for the last… what was it? Two months? Three months? How could she not realize it was him and in the flesh?
But back to the point, his Dad was right. What if this excursion does cost him a chance of a scholarship? Did he jeopardize his future for the slim chance that Max would recognize him? That she would date him?
On the next stop, he had to go home. This charade had gone long enough. He was going to see Seattle at least, if only for a bit. But how much was there to see? He felt he had seen everything. He had seen the space needle. He'd been on the inside of one of its most prestigious schools. He had drunk its world famous coffees.
On this next stop, he was taking the next train home.
After taking another glance at Max, he knew he couldn't let this adventure be for nothing. Even if she wanted nothing to do with him. Even if her attitude completely contradicted what he had in his notes; Warren had to see this journey through.
But now the hardest part. He had to say something.
He licked his lips, which had become dry. He took a swig of the water he still had, which helped, but it didn't soothe his nerves.
It was now or never. "H-"
"We are now in Seattle. Thank you for choosing Mass Transit Trains!"
Suddenly the doors were opening and he was feeling the crowd beginning to shove. How did he not realize how close they were to the stop? His eyes immediately locked onto the brunette in front of him, who began moving away from him.
He tried to say something, but someone's elbow inconveniently dug into his ribs at the same time. He grumbled a complaint, yet he was beginning to lose his target because she was able to easily slip through the crowd with her small frame.
Desperation creeped down Warren's spine. He managed to stumble his way through the mass of people and stepped out onto the platform. Finally, he was able to find his voice.
"Max!" he cried out.
His eyes scanned the crowd. He looked for the pale figure amongst the sea of Seattlians.
Tentatively, he called out her name again. "Max!"
Something hooked her. Some invisible force hooked her around her solar plexus and pulled her and her gaze behind her to the voice. Somehow some alien part of her knew that this shrill, boyish voice saying her name was calling for her.
Maxine Caulfield stopped in her tracks. She didn't recognize the stranger's voice, nor could she see the boy who it belonged to. Yet her eyes curiously scanned the crowd.
She started to move. Once more she heard the voice and she pushed through the crowd to find and identify the source. It was tough going. It was approaching the middle of the afternoon, on a Friday, and each individual of the crowd seemed like they wanted nothing more than to not pay attention and get in her way.
It was a slow and agonizing process, but one last time she heard the name. Max's head snapped to the right, and finally she saw him. It was a boy, taller than her with fair skin. His wavy hair blew in the wind and his face was contorted in urgency.
He was close enough that she could make out his features, but distant enough that she couldn't talk to him. At least, not without shouting, and she was not keen on drawing any more attention to herself.
"Attention: we will be boarding in one minute."
At this point: she said fuck it. Who was this stranger, who not only knew her name, but wanted to get her attention so badly.
"Who are you?" she yelled back. "What's your name?"
He took off the blue band around his wrist and he drew his arm back. "My name is Warren!"
The band spiraled through the air. Max watched it as it soared seemingly in slow motion. She watched her hand reach up and grab it, like she was watching it unfold on a television screen. Once it was in her hand, she glanced down at it. Some part of her being knew that she needed to have it on. She put it on her wrist and glanced up.
He wasn't there.
And she couldn't remember his name.