The experience - Everlark

Chapter 3: 10 hours

Katniss pov

With a loud clang the train releases a gust of air in relief as it pulls to a stop. The doors slide open with a whoosh and I step inside the carriage taking an empty seat next to the window. I smile in relief as I sit on the reserved seat, a soft brown armchair; a luxury compared to the harsh wooden or plastic chairs at school. Pulling my satchel onto my lap, I search for my headphones and open a small compartment in one of the ear piece's where I retrieve my earphones. I then tuck my headphones back into my satchel and put my earphones in my ear's before plugging it into my phone as I select a tune, 'Atlas' by a band named Coldplay. Smiling I lean back as I listen to the hauntingly beautiful singing, but I never really understood the lyrics. Maybe one day I will.

As I relax I notice the train jolt slightly and a rushing sound as the train starts moving, gaining speed within seconds. The music in my ears lulls me to sleep, my eyes fluttering closed in bliss. Tap. A harsh tap on my shoulder - more like a slap - startles me as I open my eyes in irritation. Pulling one of my earphones out of my ear I glance up to see a woman who looks around thirty dressed in a white suit. I scowl at the intrusion.

She holds her left hand out to me and asks, although it sounds more like a command, "Ticket?".

I nod wordlessly still infuriated by being disrupted within moments of my peaceful journey. I tug my backpack off my shoulders and unzip it. Searching through my bag I retrieve my paperwork and show her my work experience form which has the barcode for my purchased ticket at the bottom. She snatches the sheet and scans the code with an electrical device - a wand maybe? - I've never seen before and then returns the sheet to me before moving along down the carriage without another word. Huffing I lean back and stuff the sheet into my backpack, zipping it up and placing it in an empty armchair next to me. I put my earplug back into my ear and once again, close my eyes letting the music take me away - yet I still keep a hand on my backpack; just in case.

Tap, tap. Inwardly cursing i open my eyes and look to my right, to see a beautiful girl with curled yellow - almost golden - looking hair, a shade or two darker than Prim's. She's wearing a beautiful ocean blue t-shirt with beading at the top and faded light blue trousers. I don't recognise her shoes though but they seem new. She smiles at me and i can see her perfect white teeth, her eyes glinting with kindness. "Hi", she begins, "You have a lovely voice".

I blush slightly and offer a small smile, mentally slapping myself for being so careless and embarrassing for singing aloud. I shouldn't relax too much; then again she shouldn't listen in.

"I'm Delly, sorry to interrupt your music, I've just seen you around and wanted to know if you want to talk, it gets a bit lonely and boring sitting on your own", she says gently her voice heavy with apology. Why is she being so nice to me? Where are her friends? I'm sure she could easily make some.

I give her a shy smile as I pause my song and take out my earphone's. "Hi, don't worry we can talk" I say wearily. She smiles in appreciation. "I don't mind we have ages" I say dramatically. She giggles. I smile again "Hey, why don't you sit here" I say gesturing to the seat beside me "so your not lonely and i don't mean to be rude but how do you know me if we've never met?".

"Thank you", she says sliding into the chair beside me as I move my backpack onto the floor and beside my feet.

"Well i don't know too much about you knowing we haven't really talked but i know your name is Katniss because we go to the same school, and Annie told me when I asked who you were" she says bubbly.

"Really? Oh... then why haven't I seen you before?", I ask curiously as I turn my phone off and place it in my satchel.

She nods in understanding before talking, "I'm in your year and homeroom but i sit at the front so you've probably only seen the back of my head". Not that I noticed though, I was almost always looking out the window. "Besides, i hope she doesn't take offence, but I couldn't talk to you because Johanna kinda scares me".

"Oh", I smirk, "don't worry I won't tell her but I felt the same way before I met her, well more intimidated and annoyed then scared. Maybe you could have lunch with us sometime? You know, get used to her, besides if anything goes wrong you still have Annie to talk to... and me. By the way why would you want to talk to me?".

She smiles again, "Thanks, I'd love that and I wanted to talk to you because you seem like better company then total strangers". I don't mention that I'm still a stranger to her - well I was.

"So", I begin trying to pass the time, "Where are you going?".

"The Capitol", she starts, "I'm visiting my best friend since we were four, I haven't seen him in five months because he temporarily moved but he told me over the phone that he's settled so I can come".

I don't mention that i'm going to the Capitol. "Why couldn't you see him?", I question.

"School", she says shrugging with a sad smile.

I nod and then smirk again, "So this close friend is a boy, your really pretty so are you two dating?" I ask. This is how girls bond right? Ask who their dating?

She laughs and smiles slightly blushing, "Thank you, but no were not dating we prefer being friends, I mean well we haven't exactly talked about it but... yeah" she says chuckling quietly as she looks away, "and i'm here for work", she says shaking her head slightly. I decide I like her regardless of the fact that this could all be an fake and she could betray me with the whole nice, pretty girl act but I'm doing something I don't want to so I might as well take a few risks. Besides if she betrays me I doubt I'll care with Johanna on my side, meanwhile though she can just be good company for Annie.

"So why are you here?" she asks.

"Umm", I push a piece of hair behind my ear "I'm doing my work experience at an all boys school".

She doesn't react. Delly stares confused, then opens and closes her mouth before smiling as she regains her composure. She clears her throat "Wow, that sounds fun, its all for the experience. I'm working in a primary school". Forgetting about my music, we talk for hours about everything yet somehow I keep all my answers vague, she doesn't seem to mind though. Eventually we both promise to meet up in school or just say hi. While were chatting we both buy something to eat and some tea - which i'm not very fond of - and exchange numbers despite me telling her that I don't use my phone much. I don't have the money to call people all the time. Surprisingly I begin to enjoy myself until the train slows down and approaches the station.

Standing up we both grab our bags and I pull my backpack onto my back. She opens her arms and pulls me close for a hug before saying goodbye. She rushes off the train offering me a wave as we go our separate ways. With a sigh I step onto the platform and wonder through the sleek and shiny hallways, before I exit the building. Once i'm outside the station I hold my arm out for a taxi to the Male Capitol Tributes flat that I'm staying at knowing that the walk to the centre of the Capitol is miles away. Looking out the window, I glance at the sights and brightly dressed people. The establishments of posh restaurants and overpriced hair salons cover every street corner but one building towers over the others, standing tall and proud. The building I'm staying at for the next two weeks.

I stare up in astonishment. "Damn" I say breathless.

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A/N: So what do you think? This wasn't going to be updated today but some people have been waiting for me to update for a while. Btw if i don't update this book it could be because i'm updating another one of my books mainly an Everlark "A teacher's love". Please check it out. Don't worry i'm not giving up on this book, i have the ideas for the next few chapters but i just need to write them up.

Please read, vote, comment. :)

What do you think of the new cover? :)