Nothing Important
It felt colder that day then it had all summer, and as she waited on the train platform the winds changed directions and began to wildly blow her hair. The bright red train had already arrived and was waiting for the students. She and her father were one of the first to arrive and the station was empty except for the random train worker and the girl and her father. It was very early and the first rays of the sun had not even begun to pour out onto the landscape.
"I am sorry it is so early, honey," the father began as he pulled his daughter into an embrace, "but the boss needs me to get in early today and sort out those Anderson papers."
The girl's chin reached to just above her father's shoulders and she slightly turned her head and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "It's okay dad, at least I can get an empty apartment this way."
The man held his daughter at arms length, "Isabella," he began, his eyes were slightly glistening, "Won't you at least come home for Christmas?"
Isabella cast her eyes to the ground, "I can't," she said as she brushed her hair away, "it's just too much." Her voice was quivering as she looked up at her father, "it's just too soon."
Her father's eyes were kind as he saw a tear spill from her eyes, "I know, it's hard, pumpkin. It's just that," his voice caught, "I won't see you for two years."
She smiled as she looked up at her father, "It will be just like I am at school." Staring earnestly into his eyes she added, " I promise I will write to you as much as I can. Besides," her eyes looked down, "this is what she would have wanted."
The man sighed and pulled his daughter's chin up to face him, "I know sweetheart, just be careful."
"I will daddy," she said, "I promise." He smiled and looked down at his watch, realizing he was running late he gave a swift kiss and hug to his daughter and left. She stood on the empty platform for a moment and then bent to pick up her bag. She turned and looked at the bright red train. With a sigh she started up the steps at the end of the train.
Once on the train she began to make her way to the room where the rest of her luggage was stored. As she made her way toward her compartment she felt a pleasant breeze play with her hair, she turned her head and saw a man, dressed in ragged clothes, in the compartment right beside her. The man's window was slightly open and the man was staring directly at her. Startled she gave him a small smile and continued on.
In her compartment she thought of her father making his way to work. She would miss him. Thinking back their last words she realized that the man that been staring at her had his window open.
"I wonder if he heard us," Isabella thought, "he wouldn't understand anyway." With that reverberating in her mind she leaned back in her seat and drifted off to sleep.
