Shouldn't Be This Way

Chapter 3: Truth of life

For these young adults, the fluttering feeling of embarking on a journey never gets old. Late in the evening, the station is buzzing with excitement and anticipation.

The railway station is quiet as usual, and quieter now that there are less people about as the date falls on weekday. Some have newspapers in their hands, while others are on their phones. A tiny family is having a friendly conversation with one another. While they wait for the next train, they are all on their mind.

" Is it everyone here? " Jafri asked the group.

" Nooo, Putera and Jasmine are still not here, " Melur answered worriedly as there is only five minute left before the train departed.

The restless feeling finally disappeared after they saw two people running together towards them. Interestingly, the scene that unfolded in front of them looks it just come out from the 90's romantic film.

" What's that, do they already get close? " Sarah chuckled seeing them running together.

Two of them finally reached the platform while catching their breath in the meantime.

" Looking good buddy " Jafri smirked trying to imply the other meaning in his words.

" What-- " " Ouh, don't be ridiculous man, we just met each other at the entrance " Putera striking his sharp elbow into Jafri's chest to stop his pal from taunting him.

" Alright man, no need for the violence " Jafri chuckled and went away to the rest of the group.

Happy looks wore on everyone face feeling exhilarated to start the trip. While destination is always the main highlight for the most of the trip, but sometimes, the journey itself is more beautiful and meaningful than the destination especially if you riding a sleeper train with bunch of your companions. The crescendo sound of the wheels turning over the tracks reached their eardrum. The train appeared on schedule at 5 p.m. sharp.

" Okay everyone, let's goooo!!! " Jafri shouted excitedly with his foghorn voice grabbing the attention of other passengers making all of them feeling embarrassed.

" Slow... your... tune... Jaf!!! " Sarah pinched Jafri's skin while spoke in undertone voice angrily.

" Auchhh, don't rip my skin " he groans painfully.

Others just laughed and smile watching the antics of their own friend while striding to automatic platform gates.

" Thup " Putera's clumsiness resulted in his accidentally knocking over one piece of luggage.

Adam just smiles as the owner of the luggage and pat Putera's back, " Hey, relax buddy, the train not gonna leave us "

" I'm sorry... didn't see that " Putera just sotto voce his sentence feeling awkward.

" Hahaha, no need to apologise, let's go, the train might actually leave us here if we chat here," Adam said as he began to jog slowly towards the gate, followed by Putera.

Six of them finally boarded the blazing train where flip of fate are turned without knowing it is for better or for worse.

" A8 for Adam, " A9 for Melur ", " A10 for Sarah ",

" A11 for Jasmine " " and... A12 for me " Jafri distributed the tickets and showed every sleeper bunkers for them.

" Hold on a second... " Where's my ticket? " Putera remained speechless as he posed the inquiry.

" To be honest with you, I only have five tickets." Simply Put, you'll have to share a bed with me," He looked at his friend apologetically.

Putera sighed and raised his voice " Seriously dude! Don't be kidding--"

"--I'm kidding, I just love getting you riled up " Jafri interrupted and took out the remaining ticket from his back pocket.

He then chuckled and put playful expressions " It's my happy pills "

" Don't tease him Jaf! " Jasmine voice came from distance in the next room to them.

" Awww, so sweet " Jafri whispered continued to teased his best friend.

Putera only chuckled and sighed again " So matured Jaf, so matured " He snatched the ticket from Jafri's hand and then went into his bunker to unpack his belonging.

They were provided a conventional 'Roomette' bunker with a single seat, folding bed, and sink. This single private chamber is situated on one side of the train, with a corridor running down the length of the carriage to fill the remaining layout.

Irrespective of its recent decline in popularity, travelling by sleeper train is always an unrivalled experience, whether it is by metro, tube, or transcontinental train.

Many sleeper trains are scheduled to arrive in their destination cities early in the morning. The journey from Padang Besar station to Bangkok will take a total of 17 hours to complete. There's a lot of time to be killed, but there's something exhilarating about forging a new connection in your life. It may only apply to Putera if he is going out of his introvert shell, and who knows, someone like him might like this little adventure with his new cliques.