Acting Ladylike | On Hold

✩ T E N ✩

  "Oh, how wonderful." I respond forcing a wide smile across my face. "You draw so well, I'm jealous!"

  An expression of relief passes over the girl's face when she realizes that I'm playing along.

  "Friya, don't bore the poor girl with your scribbles," Darlene butts in, casting of look of disdain over at her younger sister. Friya frowns in visible dejection. She must be used to this kind of treatment from her older sister.

  "Oh, I don't mind," I respond sending a faux-sweet smile over to Darlene. "I think they're rather nice."

  Darlene rolls her eyes at my response before turning back towards Mr. Ashworth and talking up a storm, which I can tell he's trying desperately to tune out.

  "Theo, you have to come see this," I interrupt Darlene mid-sentence, which makes her send a vicious glare towards me.

  Mr. Ashworth is also sending me a vicious glare, but I believe his is for the fact that I not only called him his first name without a title, but I also shortened it into a nickname.

  Nevertheless, when he sees the pointed look I'm shooting him, he stands and walks over to the opposite side of the compartment, sitting in the spot next to Friya to glance down at her sketchbook. It only takes a few moments for him to take in the words on the page before he nods in fake enthusiasm.

  "Very nice drawing. You're very talented." He murmurs before glancing over at me as if waiting for me to comment.

  "Very."

  His dark eyes linger on mine for a few seconds longer before glancing away.

  "Don't you want to hear the rest of my story?" Darlene asks. Her eyes are boring into Mr. Ashworth, waiting for a reply.

  "Right, of course. Adele, you said had to get something before the train pulls off, correct?"

  "Um..." Friya gently nudges my foot with her boot at my hesitation.

  Is he trying to get me off the train before something bad happens? Or am I really forgetting something? No, I can't be forgetting anything! Don't be so stupid, Adele!

  I can't just leave him here though. If something does go wrong, I doubt Mr. Ashworth would be able to fend for himself. Last time he tried to save himself, he almost ended up face first in a puddle of his own blood.

  What if I leave, but I don't get off the train?

  I can be the one to take charge and find out what's happening.

  "Yes, you're absolutely right! How could I forget?"

  "What did you forget?" Darlene's obnoxious voice floats over to me.

  "My...my...other luggage."

  "Your other luggage?! I understand you're a lady and all, but for God's sake how many cases of stuff do you need?"

  "She's...moving out her old house for a while." Mr. Ashworth covers before motioning me out the door with his hand.

  I nod in confirmation before quickly standing and rushing to leave the compartment.

  My gaze travels down the empty hall I'm in as I debate which way I should go. I finally settle on continuing to the back of the train.

  When I make it to one of the adjourning cars, which seems to be for supplies, I slow down my speed.

  I mentally chide myself for being a bloody idiot and not getting the hell off this train as I crouch behind a huge wooden crate, swallowing when the wheels of the train start to move just minutes later.