Compartment 1

"Well, you're not really my friend yet, are you?"

"Not technically. But I'm just saying." Caroline shrugged and brought out some chocolate her mom had packed for her. Although she would never admit her mom had packed it-- too weird. She popped a truffle in her mouth, chomping.

"... Well, either way, it's pretty cool."


Leah, who had dragged along Adam and Matilda, entered the room by kicking open the door. "You know, one day, I'll hurt that small bitch," she muttered, sitting next to Caroline without any greeting, and stealing a truffle.

"What small bitch?" Caroline asked, immediately smiling approvingly at Leah. "Hey, the ones with orange in them are good. They've got the little squiggle of orange chocolate on the top."

"Cool," Leah said, taking one of the orange ones. "Emily..." she sighed. "But I won't let it bug me! I am cool. I'm cooler than the North Pole."

"Wow. You said cool 3 times during that sentence. It's the first day of school, whatever it is can't be that important."

"That's for sure!" Leah said with a sharp nod.

Adam sort of stood in the entryway taking up space, unsure whether this had been an invitation to join for the entire trip and if he should take a seat, or whether he should just walk away and find a familiar face. Or unfamiliar, if that didn't work out. He fidgeted.

Matilda, still seemingly unaware of Adam's very presence, bumped into him as she entered the compartment, tossing her trunk haphazardly on the rack. "God, Leah, we have bitchy cousins," Matilda murmured, plopping down on the seat. "Emily, Blake... they're a riot, alright. Well, Emily isn't really our cousin, but you know. She may as well be one, since we grew up so close." The girl shivered, as if it was a disgrace to even know Emily.

"So, is she pretty? Guys like her? Does she wear extraordinarily stupid clothing? If so, she sounds like my sister Charlotte."

"HAH! I doubt any guy will even want to be near her! They'll smell her sick granny perfume and scatter! And I hate her clothing. And Blake? Well, Blake's just... eurgh. She's just so annoying sometimes!"

Dusty piped up. "Well... I think cousins are wondering things! Mine all live in America, though. And Australia. So consider yourselves lucky."

Leah turned to the boy. "And you are?" she asked coldly, before turning to Adam in the doorway. "Don't just stand there! There's plenty of space for you to sit!"

With a slight start, Adam hopped into the compartment taking a rather tight spot beside the door. He folded his hands in his lap and tried to look inconspicuous. They all seemed so brash...

Dusty smiled lightly at the new boy. He looked very kind, that new boy.

Leah sighed impatiently, and turned to look out of the window.