The rhythmic clunking of the train travelling over the rails was all but completely drowned out by the clattering of a loose panel somewhere over the head of Sollux Captor. He hadn't been lucky enough to get a table seat, so he was resting his laptop on the fold-down "Table" attached to the chair in front of him. He'd started the journey with precisely 3 hours of battery. It was a four hour train ride, and he was in the process of saving all his work before the thing died on him.
There was nothing to do but listen to music, look out the window, and try not to knock shoulders with the distinctly creepy older man who was sat next to him and kept staring at him when he thought Sollux wasn't looking.
Boring... boring... boooooooring...
"Hey kid... Kid..."
Sollux started awake, finding himself slumped against the window, drool running down his chin in a way that certainly wasn't as cool as he'd like to make himself out to be. The guy he was sat next to was shaking his shoulder, trying to get his attention.
"Guh? The fuck do you want?"
"Isn't this your stop?"
It registered that the train had stopped, and Sollux looked out of the window, at the name of the station that was written on a sign not too far away.
"...Oh THHIT."
He jumped too his feet and grabbed his backpack from the overhead rack, tucking his computer under one arm and bolting for the exit, only pausing to scoop his compact bike from the large luggage rack next to the door. His fist pounded the door release and he jumped for the platform.
The whistle blew, the door locked behind him, and the train started to pull away.
Sollux leaned on his knees and just stood there for a few seconds, still not completely awake. That... had been too close.
He hadn't even thanked the guy for waking him up... oh well.
Shoving his backpack on, he picked up his bike (Which was neatly folded up into the shape of a suitcase) and headed to the exit. From his pocket he unfolded the set of directions he'd printed out and started mapping out the journey in his head.
Boston North Street to Harvard was a three hour bike ride, but he couldn't really afford to take a taxi. He was on a tight budget as it was, anything he could save he would have too.
Hell, if he hadn't attained a scholarship he wouldn't even be GOING to Harvard.
It's hard, trying to live in the world of the rich when you don't have any money.
It's hard, and nobody understands.
It's dark before he even reaches the dorms, the golden glow from the different windows being warm and inviting. He folded up his bike and pulled his keycard from his pocket; looking for the right dorm, having it memorized already.
He was so tired, he hoped his roommate was already asleep so that he can just pass out and leave the awkward introductions for the morning-
"Well, well, well. What have we here?"
Fuck.