She sat down in a seat that was maroon plush velvet in the second-to-last compartment. It was full, almost. Then, a boy with mouse brown hair and a banner of freckles across his nose walked over to her.
He quietly said shyly, "Could I sit here?"
She stared quietly at him. "Sure."
He flashed a shy smile. "So, what are you doing with a dog?" He glanced at Jessica, and shivered slightly.
"My parents were just going to toss her out. I don't care if I'm not allowed to have her, I'm keeping her anyway."
She looked adamant and stubborn. She looked up to see what he would say. He gave a curt nod.
"I respect that."
Lily nodded too, a smile hinting at the corner of her mouth. "If you want to stay here, let her get to know you. She might attack."
He shivered, and looking a bit nervous, he patted her head. Jessica growled.
"Uh oh," said the boy with a grimace, "I don't think she likes me very much."
"Try letting Jessica, yeah, that's her name, sniff your hand, and talk to her like she's a person, an equal, not an inferior 'she.'"
He nodded. "Well Jessica, my name is Paulo Berness. You have a really nice friend here." Jessica looked over Paulo with a scrutinizing eye, and then slightly she thumped her tail on the floor, a sign of approval.
Paulo looked relieved. He sighed quietly with relief.
Suddenly, Magic started purring, still intertwined about Lily's shoulders. Paulo jumped, and then noticed Magic.
"What else do you have?" He asked with a smile, "A Chihuahua in your purse? A finch in your hair? A mouse in your sneakers?"
Lily giggled, trying to imagine what a mouse in one's sneaker could feel like.
Paulo opened up his backpack, and a gray rat popped out. "This is Norvie. He's cool. You see, rats actually make good pets."
"How can a rat make a good pet?"
"Well, they're easier to train than dogs, uh, no offense meant Jessica. They are smarter than gerbils or hamsters, and they're really sweet and playful."
"Oh?"
"Here, do you want to hold Norvie? Just give him a chance to sniff you."
Lily gulped, then offered her hand to the rat, Norvie. Delicately, it sniffed her hand. Eew, I can't believe it's touching me! Eek, I am touching a rat!
Norvie's whiskers brushed up against her hand, and slowly he climbed on it. Slowly, he sniffed her more carefully. Then, he licked her. His tongue was smooth and pink. Suddenly, he made a loud chattering noise. "What was that?!"
"He's teeth grinding. It means he's happy. Try flipping him on his belly and tickling him."
She slowly turned him over and tickled his stomach. The grinding grew louder. Swiftly, Lily massaged his stomach more. The rat lay in a state of bliss, smiling almost, teeth grinding at the top of his lungs.
She slowly came to a stop, and Norvie blearily looked a bit disappointed. Yawning, he then gave her one last lick and jumped back onto Paulo.
"See? Not that bad, huh?"
She sighed. "What an adorable little animal." He beamed, and the ice was broken. For the next ten or fifteen minutes, they talked about everything, about school, and home, and family.
Suddenly, another boy looked at Lily, then Paulo. "Paulo, move!"
Paulo got a frightened look in his eyes. Flashing her a nervous smile, and a look that said, 'Bye I gotta go,' he picked up Norvie and left.