Sitting on the train is nerve wracking. There are two benches across from each other that right now, I have all to myself while more of the students start to pile into the train cars. Of course, I've been there at the station since early this morning, punctual as always. I like being early. If you arrive early, you're on time. But if you are on time, you're basically almost late.
Many students just walk right by when they see I'm already sitting here, but when it's almost time to go, one boy passes by my seat again, and then again a minute or so later. I roll my eyes and stand up to tap him on the shoulder the next time his ginger head passes by the door. He turns around, startled, and he pushes his glasses up into place on his nose.
"You can sit here with me if you want," I tell him. Though really, I don't particularly want him to. Having the benches to myself would have been nice. I liked it that way. The quiet and the privacy… I wouldn't be having either of those anymore at this magic boarding school I'm going to.
He looks at me a little hesitantly, but smiles some, "Thanks." We both moved into the car and took seats on the opposite benches. I don't need any of his boy-cooties touching me…
I watch him, out of the corner of my eye. He's kind of weird. I don't like him.
He takes out a disposable camera from his pocket and takes a picture out the window. But he lowers it a second later and squints out the window. "She better hurry….I think the train's already getting ready to go," he says, pointing outside.
I bend over to look too, and see another girl running toward the door and hopping onto the train. Not a minute later, the train jostles as it starts to move forward and my stomach drops into my gut. She is actually happening. I'm leaving home and going to this magic school, and I'm stuck in this little cabin with this weird—but the door opens and the same girl from outside closes it behind her as she turns around and gives us both a wide grin. Her dark hair is a little messy and she's breathing hard from the sprint to get on the train. "Hey guys. Looks like you get to sit with me. I'm Maureen. And you are?"
"Mark," he mumbled at first before repeating himself a little clearer, and with a doof of a smile. "I'm Mark."
She grinned at him, eyes squinching up a little with the motion until she turned and nodded at me, "And you?"
"Joanne."