Lost & Found-1

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Chapter 1:

I sat on the small jet enjoying the silence of the business people around me. It was a lot better than listening to babies crying or loud groups of people yelling from aisle to aisle. Their sideways disapproving glances at me made me smirk. They reminded me of the adults back home, and once again I was reminded that I was legal, and I could finally travel to Pittsburgh without any attachments.

I guess I should probably tell you why I was traveling alone to a city where everyone was a stranger to me. First off, I was accepted into 3 different colleges in the area and I was on a mission to see the campuses in person. Second, I needed any reason to get out of the house. My father was hardly ever home, he was always away on business. In China one week, then Miami the next, all without a phone call. My grandmother was diagnosed with cancer a year ago, and it went downhill ever since. She was now depressed, causing problems with my mother and all her sisters; they were always fighting. My brother died 3 years back in a car accident and his room door was still closed, his belongings untouched. My mother didn’t know how to cope with things, so she pretended like they didn’t happen. Her outlook on unfortunate events led me to believe that there is indeed a reason for everything. These things also forced me to learn to take care of myself, and I realized to take good care of myself I would have to get away.

So I left my small town in Massachusetts hoping that I could impress someone, somewhere in the city to promise me a better life after graduation.

*

I pulled my jacket tighter after I fished around in my pocket and handed the cabbie two 20's. I dragged my suitcase behind me as the too-nice bellhop opened the doors and greeted me. It took a good 10 minutes to get all checked in and I made my way up to the 12th floor. I opened the door to find a fluffy king sized bed, half covered in pillows. I scanned the information cards before flopping down on the bed. I watched TV for a good hour before dozing off.

An hour and a half later, I was in the lobby along with a mass of people headed for the doors. I read the back and front of most of the shirts the mob seemed to all be wearing. 'Crosby-87', 'Malkin-71', 'Fleury-29', 'Staal-11'. All of them were Penguins, I assumed from seeing the logo on the front. I shrugged and made my way outside only to see a hundred cars and swarms of people headed for an arena right across the street. I shrugged, "Must have missed it" I said softly under my breath as I walked in the opposite direction over a bridge, a map of the city close in my purse, looking for a good meal and a good friend.

I walked around for a long time, gazing up at the buildings and trying to figure out where exactly I was. I was deeply distracted though, by beautiful clothes in a brightly lighted store. The door beeped as I walked in.
"Hey. I'm Sarah, if you need help with sizes or anything I'll be over there" a young girl, probably around my age said.
"Thanks."
I rifled through about 50 shirts on a rack against a side wall when I found a gorgeous vintage looking black 3/4 sleeve length shirt. It was all cotton and it looked like the whole collar plus 2 inches had been cut off so it would hang around your shoulders and there was metallic and rhinestone writing on the back. I had to have it. I looked at the size, it was an extra large.
"Excuse me do you have this shirt in any smaller sizes?"
"Oh, I'm not sure. Let me go look in the back... Small would do?"
"You got it." I watched as Sarah bounded down towards the back and looked through the pants while waiting.
"It must be your lucky day. Last small we had in stock. You know what would go great with that? These new destroyed grey jeans."
She held them up and a smile grew on my face.
"I can't resist a good fade" I laughed taking the pants from her hands.
"Here take this room and try them on."I put the whole outfit on and opened the curtain.
"Too bad you aren't taller, no offense, but you would make a killer model."
I laughed. "Everyone back home thinks different."
"Back home? Yeah. It doesn't look like you are from around here."
I spent a while telling her my story and listening to hers as she fit me with some bangles, new earrings and a killer belt. I learned she was 18, turning 19 in a month and was going to graduate high school. She also had moved out from living with her family, and lived in an apartment building a few blocks away. Apparently we had a lot in common, except she luckily had the freedom I desperately wanted to gain.
I looked in the large mirrors, pulled my hair out of its pony tail and shook it out. Soon enough I was checked out, with a whole new outfit on, and a new number in my phone.
"I have an extra ticket to a hockey game tomorrow night. Want to come with? I could show you around some of the top places after."
"That sounds great. I'll call you?"
"Sure thing. My shift ends at 6. The game starts at 7:30."
I nodded and we said our goodbyes.

I ended up finding a bar and luckily getting in. It was around 10:30 when I finally sat down and got a meal. I turned to glance at the person who sat down next to me a little while later. He was tall, looked muscular and had dark hair, from what I could tell. He was busy talking to who I assumed to be the owner. The owner was smiling really big and I heard him say "Whatever you want. On the house."
I looked away and rolled my eyes. "Great. One of those."
"Excuse me?"
My attention was brought back to the figure next to me.
"Nothing."
"Oh sorry, I thought you said something."
He was clearly older than me. By how much, I wasn't sure. I couldn't help but notice his eyes; they were like liquid gold standing out in the dark lit room. I shook my head and turned away from him.

My burger and fries came at the same time his did. I laughed in my head. Funny how I had been there 10 minutes longer.
"Nice choice."It was him again.
"What?"
"Burger and fries. Nice choice."
"You know it is the most popular thing ordered at most restaurants... Well bars in this case."
He smiled, eyes lighting up. "That it is. So what brings you to ordering the most popular meal tonight?" He was being coy now.
"A meal." I said it flatly, not expecting a response.
"Well that isn't much of a story."
"I don't like stories that much."
"Why not."
"Too much conflict."
"Ah, I see." He said slowly, trying to figure out something else to say. I figured I should fill the silence.
"But in this case, the tale is bearable. Quite simple really."
His eyebrow raised and he turned towards me. "Care to pass it on?"
I narrowed my gaze and took a sip of coke before answering."I was out in search of a friend. Then I ended up here."
"Well did you find a new friend?"
"Yes. And a new outfit."
"Well sometimes a new outfit is a new friend to someone else."
I smiled into my soda as I looked at him over my glass. He sure knew how to talk.
"Why were you in search of a friend?"
"I'm not from around here. But I hope to be soon. I figure I should get to know some of the inhabitants of this fine city before parking it here for a while."
He nodded. "Good plan."
"Well stranger. What brings you to order the boring entree?"
"A place to relax. A place to meet a friend."
"So I see we both have accomplished developing a new friendship this evening."
"It does appear. What are your plans for the rest of your evaluations here?"
"Well, I'm going to walk around Pitt's campus tomorrow, maybe do a little research. And I'm attending a hockey game tomorrow night."
"Is that so?" He asked, eyebrows raising and a smile appearing on his face.
"Yes, Penguins or something."
He chuckled. Why? I didn't know. "Well, that sounds like it could be a whole other story itself."
"Possibly."
"Oh no, I bet it will be."
There was a minute of silence between us.

I gave him a questioning look as he stood up and threw a 50 on the bar."Consider your tab, taken care of."
"You don't have to do that."
"A kind gesture for a friend. Oh yeah, welcome to the city."
"Thank you."
"I never caught your name?" He asked.
"Amanda Vitale."

He turned on his heel and walked away before I could ask for his name in return. I looked at the folded bill on the table and opened it. There was a drink napkin in the middle.
See you tomorrow and a phone number were scrawled in the middle.

"See you tomorrow?"
What the hell.