⋅˚₊⋅˚౨ৎ⋆˚𝒯𝒽ℯ 𝒜𝓇𝓉 ℴ𝒻 𝒟ℯ𝒸𝒾ℯ𝓉 ˚⋆౨ৎ˚⋅₊˚ ⋅

⋅˚₊⋅˚౨ৎ⋆˚𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉ℯ𝓇 1 ˚⋆౨ৎ˚⋅₊˚ ⋅

The water falling from the clouds drenched the outside scenery and tormented my attempt to fall asleep. Every crash of thunder sent a harsh rattle throughout the train on the way to Thornridge. Each shake and thrash bounced by head heavily against the window, sending me out of a much needed sleep.

        "We'll be there soon so you might as well just stay up, Aurora," Clarie whispered, shaking me semi-awake.

        Claire Evergreen has been closer to me than anyone else since the young age of five. Sure, I've known my other friends for the same amount of time, but me and her have a connection like no other. For the longest time, my parents have gone to parties and events to brag on and on with other parents about their wealth. In their eyes, everything is never not a competition. If you're not the best of the best, you might as well be the worst. Without fail, each and everyone of my parents' snobby "playdates" have children of their own. Unlike most, Claire didn't inherit this horrid trait. She's never been like most. You could spot her beret atop her head in the crowd of millions of students in the same old black uniform at our school. Her blonde, coily curls, striking emerald eyes, and seamless, mocha skin are something out of a fairy tale. The only thing she lacks is ignorance.
"We'll be approaching in about 5 minutes," Easton added, "there really is no point in trying to get more sleep."

"Finally! We've been on this train for hours," Isa exclaimed, stretching his arms out wide on the opposite side of the train carriage.

Easton and Isa Gravely were the children of yet another family known by my parents, and like Claire, they were actually pretty decent people. Though they both shared the same face, tall height, and bronze skin, you could always tell them apart. Isa kept his dark, curly hair natural. On the other hand, Easton had taken a strong liking to perming his straight. Now his hair remains a dull, straw-like, somehow well kept mess atop his head.
Most people drive to get to our school, Ravenhill, but the four of us, much like my brother, Xavier and his friends, have always taken the train. It reminds me so much of when the four of us were younger, going to our first year at Ravenhill. We were only 11 and 12 then. It feels so close yet so far away now that we're 15 and 16.

"I think we're here!" Claire cheerfully chimed.

I sat up and batted my eyes till my weary vision cleared up. Just seconds away, there it stood, through the crashing of thunder and beams of lightning, our school, Ravenhill.