“Come on girls, you have to start getting ready,” my best friend, Ashley’s mom yelled while turning the lights on. We all groaned, not wanting to get up. I eventually sat up and so did my three other best friends. Gabby, Ashley, Kylie and I started to slowly get dressed in the clothes we had packed and planned out for today and got ready to go. It was Ashley’s birthday and her parents had agreed to bring us into the city.
“I’m so excited!” Ashley exclaimed.
“Me too,” I agreed.
“Same,” Kylie and Gabby said in unison. We eventually all finished up and headed upstairs. It was 9:00 AM.
“So what are we doing in the city again?” I asked.
“We are going to this waffle place for lunch and then just kind of walking around the city,” Ashley told me.
“Sounds good to me!” Gabby said.
“I love waffles!” Kylie exclaimed. We all laughed. Ashley’s parents walk into the dining room where we are all sitting, with the keys.
“Alright girls, it’s time to go!” We all hop out of our seats and walk out the door. The late winter air is cold and I can see my breath. Gabby and I went in to the last set of seats, with Kylie and Ashley in the seats in front of us and Ashley’s parents in the two front seats. Ashley’s dad pulled up the navigation to the subway station in Hoboken, where we would park the car and take the subway into the city.
“It looks like it will take us about 45 minutes to get there,” he told us.
“Ok, let’s go,” Ashley’s mom pulled out of the driveway and headed to Hoboken.
After a 45 minute car ride filled with the four of us singing as loud as possible, we had finally arrived.
“Come on girls we have our MetroCards ready.” The four of us walked over to  Ashley’s parents who were waiting for us at the gate to get into the subway. They each swiped their cards to let us through and then swiped to let themselves through after. We walked onto the platform, trains rushing back and forth through the tunnels. People bustling through the station, bumping shoulders with strangers, not caring about their surroundings.
“We have to get to Train B, which is a little farther down,” Ashley’s dad said, looking at the signs on the wall. We hustled through the station, each of us holding on to one another, as to not get lost in the sea of people flowing around us.
“Alright, here it is,” Ashley’s mom said pointing at the sign above us. We waited on the platform when finally we heard the roar of the train coming closer. It appeared out of the desolate tunnel and pulled up to all of the people standing and waiting.
“Stay together girls and hurry on, we are right behind you,” Ashley’s dad yelled over the masses of people flowing into the train around us. The four of us pushed our way in, squeezing onto the already filled subway when suddenly I turned around and noticed the doors closing. A look of terror took over my face when I saw Ashley’s parents on the other side of the automatic doors.
“Guys, we have to get off this train, Ashley’s parents didn’t make it on,” I said worried.
“Oh my, what are we going to do, we can’t be by ourselves,” Ashley said terrified.
“We can try and get off at the next stop and maybe they can meet us there,” Kylie suggested.
“But what if they got on the next subway to try to get to us. Ashley, try and call your parents,” Gabby said. Ashley quickly pulls out her phone and presses her mom’s contact. She puts the phone to her ear and waits.
“I don’t have any connection, the call won’t go through.” We all just look at each other. What do we do now?
The subway comes to a halt and we all almost fall down like dominos. The doors open smoothly and the people around us brush past and head off the train.
“Why don’t we get off here and then go up to the street and then Ashley you can try calling your parents again,” I said as I move towards the doors. We all quickly get off the train, “Guys, make sure to stay together, we don’t want to get separated,” I said.  We find the stairs up to the street and push past everyone going up, to the top. We find a bench near the exit from the station and all take a seat.
“Ashley, try calling your parents again,” Gabby said pointing to Ashley’s phone. Ashley, once again, takes her phone out and presses her mom’s contact. She puts the phone to her ear.
“Oh my gosh, hi mom...Yes, we are all okay...We got off at the next stop and are sitting on a bench right outside of the station,” she looks up at the sign over the station, “we are at the station on 33rd street...okay see you soon,” she hangs up.
“So, how long until they get here?” Kylie asks.
“Well, they have to wait for another subway to come so they can get on, but she said 30 minutes. We just have to stay here until they come.”
“Okay, sounds good,” I said. We all just took out our phones, and the waiting began.
I can’t believe we were sep- my thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone yelling our names.
“Mom!” Ashley hops off the bench and hugs her parents.
“I’m glad you guys are okay, I was so worried,” she says hugging all of us.
“We just had to stick together and we were fine,” I tell Ashley’s mom.
“Well, I’m happy you did, now who’s ready to eat!”