Vanilla.

Mariah was sitting on a crowded train heading toward the heart of the city. Her arms were squished in front of her and her back was cramping. Sweat, cheap perfume and vanilla were the only smells she knew right now. Every time the train went over a bumpy surface the man next to her would slightly nudge her. But she didn't mind, as long as his leg stayed leaning onto hers; it wasn't much, but to Mariah it felt like everything. As soon as he had sat down a strong scent of vanilla had wafted towards her, she'd breathed it in softly, intoxicated by the simple smell.

He was a simple man, not much to say about his features really, he was all perfectly ordinary. He wore the usual attire of what was considered mainstream nowadays; scarf, tight jeans, beige trench coat and a v-neck. Like every other man in this city, how was he any different? It was simple, he wasn't. Just another carbon copy of another carbon copy.

As the overcrowded train came to a stop at an old, red bricked station the man stood up and left the train. Mariah had her eyes fixed on him the entire time, until all she could see was nothing. Her heart sunk. For the rest of the trip Mariah sat looking out the window, scenarios playing over and over in her mind of what could have been. She missed the man already.

"Jason?" Mariah absently called as she wandered throughout the train station.

"Jason, are you here?" she begged.

"Please be here, please be here." she repeatedly chanted.

Suddenly Jason was behind Mariah, he had his hands covering her eyes. Guess who, he'd said. Mariah smiled, her heart feeling heavy. She softly nibbled at his fingers, then slowly pulled his hands from her eyes.

"Miss me?" he laughed.

Mariah didn't answer, because if she did she would scare him off. Just like she did with all the others. She'd missed him terribly, it'd only been a day. She just smiled and shook her head.

He leaned in and whispered into her ear, "It's okay, I know you did."

Jason led Mariah out of the station, weaving in and out of all the kids smoking on the stations steps. It was all they had these days. They crossed the street and went into a big cathedral. A 'St. Paul's Cathedral' gift shop sign sitting out the front, Mariah couldn't help but smirk. They sat in one of the many rows where people would sit and pray. Head bowed, hands in front, eyes shut and then think really hard about everything that's bad in the world. Repent all your sins and you're okay, the devil can't have you.

"If I repent my sins, will everything be better?" Mariah asked, "Or will it just continue on."

Jason looked over at her, "Mariah, you're the only person who can change your life. Not your family, especially not your friends. Not even that big guy in the sky can do anything about it. Only you can."

"Then why do people believe?"

"People need something to depend on, anything will do. As long as they don't have to face the big bad world everyday alone. Then they're safe, they don't have to do it all alone. They have their own little safety blanket that is religion."

"That sounds lovely."

"Don't go throwing yourself away, Mariah."

Jason leaned over and kissed her on the head. They sat in silence, gazing up at the stained glass window, colors dancing around the walls and praying faces.

Author's Note

This was supposed to be just one story, but I had some ideas yesterday and it turned into another chapter :) Enjoy, tell me what you think about it.