thomas had never been much of a reader. or at least he hadn’t been since he was really young. when reading was still so new and exciting, being the first to finish a chapter book would be something you run and brag to your friends about for days. but scrolling through instagram, facebook, whatever other social media in between cities on this great solo euro adventure had quickly lost appeal. especially when you really only followed your family and your friends. ex-friends, he supposed. and so, books. he bought whatever was the first to catch his eye and also in english, read it until he finished it, then bought another. a routine of sorts. it kept him busy, kept his thoughts busy.
however, even busy thoughts deciphering mary shelley couldn’t keep him from seeing her. she stood out like some sort of angel. polite and pessimistic thoughts alike caused his eyes to return to paper. she was out of his league. far out of it. but then she sat across the isle from him. he couldn’t help it, he glanced again. this time offering small, polite smile when he caught her eye. he wanted a reason to talk to her, but they were strangers. it’d been so longer since he’d had to befriends people he didn’t work with or have some other connection to, he didn’t really know how to do it anymore.
it’s when thomas stands to go to the lounge cart that he decides to speak to her. what does he have to lose? he wonders, and quickly realises, nothing. he has nothing to lose. at worst she would think of him as some creep that spoke to her once on a train. he walks part of the way to the door to the next car, before he comes back. and hand on the top of the seat beside her. “ hey, um– this might be a bit weird, ” not a poetic start, but thomas had never been much of a poet, “ but would you want to come to the lounge car with me? ” he asks with friendly smile and light chuckle – he knew how strange this was. “ i’ll shout you tea, coffee, pastry, whatever you like. just it’s kinda busy in there, and i don’t want to be that dickhead that takes up a whole table just for himself, you know? ” did she know? she was alone right now, but who’d to say she didn’t spend the rest of her time surrounded by friends, lovers. thomas would believe it. “ plus, don’t want to run the risk of some weirdo sitting with me. ” he jokes, smile tugging up the corners of her lips.
