The 4:11 Train

Strafford

"Have you ever people watched and then tried to come up with a story to fit their life?" The girl asked knowing full well that's what he did to her this morning.

"I mean, yeah. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" And the girl was thinking exactly what he was thinking.

"Okay, that woman over there. Based off of her copious amount of Bags and continually checking her phone, she's obviously waiting for someone to contact her. Maybe her work or a significant other."

"That guy, he's for sure a college kid. Sweatpants with a crew neck, his hairs a mess and he has bags under his eyes. I'm guessing he's cramming for some sort of test. He looks super stressed."

"Good spot Finny. I didn't even notice him until you said it. What about that little girl next to the elderly woman? I'm guessing grandmother and granddaughter."

"Yes, and I think they were at the zoo because the girl has a brand new stuffed Giraffe. Or maybe she just keeps her toys clean."

"She's a kid, it's obviously new."

The girl smiled thinking about a time where she went to the Zoo with her grandmother. She missed her so much, and she kept the note she wrote her before she passed in her wallet all the time. But then she thought of happier things. Like how she can have new adventures just like her grandmother.

"What do you think about that big group of people?" The boy whispered to her.

"I'm guessing some sort of field trip." She heard whispers of Swan Lake and a few girls talking about some women's fouettés. "They were at the ballet, and some woman apparently did 30 turns in a row. I love the ballet. I did it for 14 years. A couple months ago was my last performance. Anyway, it was for sure a field trip to the ballet."

"Interesting. I'm impressed with your hearing. How did you understand what they were saying? It all sounds so foreign to me. The names of whatever they were talking about."

"It sounds foreign because it's French. Ballet terms are beautiful. Pirouette, fouettés, battements, cabrioles, coupés, jetés, pas de basques, soutenus, all of them are beautiful."

The boy looked at the girl with curiosity. He was amazed by her knowledge of ballet and how the words just floated off of her tongue. She spoke with such passion and love, and it was special to see. It shocked him when she stood up and tapped a teenage girl on the shoulder.

"Hello, my name is Abby, sorry for eavesdropping but I heard you talking about the ballet, could you tell me about it?" The girl nodded her head and Abby sat her down in front of them. The teenager began talking elaborately about the leaps and turns and coordination of the ballerinas. The girl asked the teenager many questions about it and the boy sat there.

He sat there in awe of the excitement and wonder inside of the girls eyes while the teenager poured out information. He sat there with a smile.

When the teenager finally bid them adieu, the girl turned to the boy glowing with happiness. The happiness spread from the girl to the boy and they say there in excitement.

Something suddenly came over the girl, and she leaned over and hugged the boy. A big big hug.

"Thank you for sitting there and listening even though you had no idea what was going on. And thank you for talking to me during this train ride, it's meant a lot."

The boy hugged back and said his thanks.

The girl was in bliss.

The guy was in bliss.

A/N: hella long chapter, I'm pretty sure there's only 9 or 10 more chapters, and they're already written they just need published. I'm going to try to hold back posting all at once but whateva.