The early morning rays of sun dimed as Danielle steped onto the train. A person directed her to the right, and as she passed through the door, the light brightened once more. Long windows were placed between each seating section, illuminating the large room.

Deciding upon sitting in a near corner, with hopes she could be by herself for majority of the ride, Danielle lowered herself down onto the seat. The cushion absorbed her weight as she shifted to find the perfect position.

Screeching quickly filled the air. Though the train was burdened by its first few seconds, slowly it began to move with more ease, the sound eventually disappearing.

She turned once more, resting her elbow against the window and leaning into it. It wasn’t a grand view, though she still took it in all the same.

Just as the train started to finally move faster than walking pace, a loud shout captured her- and many other passengers’- attention.

“Wait!” The voice rang out, not quite loud enough to be inside the train. A man was running behind the closing train door in front of her. stumbling every few steps.

“Please!” The desperate words pulled at her heart, and before she knew it, her footsteps audibly slapped against the ground as she sped-walked towards the door.

She extended her hand, willing him to grab on, “Here, I can pull you up!” His eyes locked with hers as he realized her plan, before turning to her outreached hand. As they connected, he began to trip over the ground more than before, causing them both a shaky balance. With a sharp tug, she pulled him onto the train, and they both fell backwards.

While Danielle had landed on her back, he had landed on top of her, just catching himself before they crashed. Upon closer inspection, the man seemed more like a boy, looking similar to her own sixteen years of age, maybe a year or two older. His blonde hair was perfectly contrasted with brown eyes, and she couldn’t deny that he was pretty to look at. Her breath caught as they both lay still in shock, before he finally realized and stood up, allowing her to move.

“Thank you,” He offered her a hasty smile, “ I suppose I need to work on my time management.”

“Yes, you do.” She couldn’t help but grin along with him. The train gave a quick jolt, knocking them both out of their shock.

Danielle gave him a dip of her head while murmuring, “Have a nice trip.” And with that, she turned back to return to her seat. She could feel the heat of his lingering gaze, though he made no move to chase her.

The bench squeaked slightly as she sat back down, and she pulled out her computer and headphones. Picking up her phone, she pulled up her Lo-fi playlist and began typing. Though her book was far from finished, she had decided earlier that day that this train ride would be a great time to catch up on her word count. The goal of 10,000 words per week had seemed easy at first, but free time proved too rare and inspiration always eluded her in the wrong moments.

A familiar squeak sounded across from her, drawing her gaze up. Her eyes met those of the blonde boy from before, allowing her the time to take him in fully.

His clothes were made from a fine cloth, and a name brand, easily over a hundred dollars. She noticed he held no bag or suitcase, save for a small gift bag.

She prided herself on being able to easily to describe a person, as an aspiring author herself, but words couldn’t seem to perfectly describe the rest of him. Tanned skin made it clear he’d spent many hours if not days out in the sunlight, but wether it be work or leisure she couldn’t quite tell. Feckles were flicked over his nose and cheeks, looking close to how an artist would paint them. She didn’t find it suprising considering he was a work of art within himself.

Glancing up worriedly, Danielle quickly shut down that line of thought, as though somebody might have heard.

When her wandering eyes met his, they sparkled with mirth as he leaned back, “I didn’t give you a proper thanks earlier. The name’s Camron, Cam.”

“Danielle.” She squeaked, then cleared her throat, “ Where are you heading?”

A shadow seemed to pass over his face, though the expression quickly cleared.

“My brother’s getting married this weekend,” Even though the shadow had left, his words still held an undeniable undertone.

Resisting her urge to pry, she only said, “That sounds fun.” He grimaced at her words, seeming to disagree, but covered it as a chuckle.

Ready to leave the conversation Danielle returned to typing. After a few minutes passed, her fingers turned more violent, smacking each key. Motivation and inspiration were both quite fleeting.

As she was nearing close to banging her head on the computer, Cam tilted back the screen to look at it.

“What are you writing?” The question was genuinely curious, though she set up her guard. Aside from her close friends, writing was her private practice that she never shared.

“Nothing,” she snapped, causing his eyes to widen in shock before returning to an infuriating grin.

“Well,” he replied, “ it looks far from nothing.” Glancing down, while her page seemed blank to her, the couple of words she had written previously filled a couple of swipes down.

Frowning, she mumbled, “ It’s nothing of importance and it’s not that great.” The excuse sounded just like one, and Cam could tell.

“Let me see!” He pushed. However infuriating his smile was, it was able to coax Danielle into slowly turning around the screen for him to read.

She braced herself for the worst as he scanned the document, prepared for criticism. The subtle chugging of the train was the only sound in the air as she held her breath in anticipation. Although her friends knew she wrote, she rarely shared with them unless it was finished with editing, and he caught her in the raw first draft stage of her current project. At least he was a stranger who she would never see again.

But for some reason, she hoped that someday she might be able to call him by a different title.

_Someday… _She didn’t know where the hope came from, but she banished it back to wherever that was, out of her mind.

She draw her breath in even tighter when he finally looked up, already imagining what he’d say.

However, the words Danielle expected weren’t the ones that came out of his mouth, “ It’s really good!”

“ I think if you changed the wording of this sentance-“ He reached over to point at it, “- it would flow nicer there, but really, it amazing.” She was stunned into stillness for a few seconds. It wasn’t that nobody ever complimented her, she got many from her friends, but they were obligated to do that. For whatever reason, his compliment seemed to hold more weight to it than all the others she’d received.

“Thanks,” she smiled, turning her gaze down as a flush rose to her cheeks.

Thinking she couldn’t hear him, Cam whispered, “ You look pretty when you smile.” Chosing to ignore it, and the feeling it envoked from within her, Danielle turned away, distracting herself with her surroundings.

A breeze rustled the tissue paper in his gift bag, creating a quiet crinkling sound. Rainbow polka dots covered the sides, like a kids bag, but didn’t he mention he was going to a wedding? _His sister’s? No, his brother’s._ Something had seemed off when she’d asked Cam about it earlier. Although she’d been able to withhold further questioning before, her curiosity took ahold of her as she asked, “What’s in the bag? It’s for your brother’s wedding, correct?”.

“Yep.” The scowl from before returned to his face.

“What’s with the look?” She questioned, “ Do you and your brother not get along or something?” He glanced up, looking surprised she would even suggest such a thing.

His voice darkened as he responded, “ It’s not my brother I have a problem with.” His facial features were set with anger, but also an underlaying tone of… well she didn’t quite know, but she almost sensed it was… regret?

He seemed to fade into his memories as he started speaking again, “It’s his fiancé. A long time ago we used to be close. Me and Chloe dated back in freshman year. I’m not sure if it was just one sided, but I really loved her. The day we broke up was like the world ended for me. However dramatic it sounds, it was true. I was heartbroken, only to find out six months later, after I thought I’d moved on, that she was now with my older brother, Zach. All the old wounds reopened, and I haven’t been able to stitch them back together since. They decided they want to get married young, despite our parents arguments. I have to show up, I can’t miss it, what kind of a brother would I be? But I can’t risk Chloe finding out that even after all these years I haven’t dated since she left. I’d look stupid, but I have to show up for Zach. He’s my brother…”

The air in the room seemed to magnify with the confession. She gaped at him for a second, before againing her composure.

“I’m sorry,” His mask of a smile returning, “I suppose you don’t care for the story, but it’s nice to rant sometimes.”

Giving him an understanding look, she told him, “I don’t mind at all. I wish there was some way I could help, but I’m afraid I’ve got no ideas.”

They both sat in silence for a few moments, their only ambience being the overlay of voice talking over one another and the steady chugging of the wheels over the train tracks.

When the idea came to her mind, she shut it down multiple times, and yet it was the perfect solution. Shimmying in her seat, she prepared the confidence to speak it into existence.

“I could…ummm…” Danielle stuttered, trying to find her voice,” I could go with you.” He shot her a confused look.

“As your date,” she clarified, and the second the words were out she wanted to take them back. She had just met Cam today, her feelings weren’t valid, only from spur of the moment dopamine, and there was no way to tell if he felt the same.

“Perfect!” And for a second her heart flew into the sky, before he punched it down, “ Like those fake dating things from TV shows and books!”

“Yeah,” she grinned weakly, desperately trying not to show she’d meant something else entirely.

“Do you have a dress?” he questioned, as though that were the most important thing. As though he had not just shot an arrow through her heart, and then ripped it back out.

Her facade finally secure, she laughed, “ I’ll be able to rummage one up before this weekend!” Cam grinned. She wanted to slap the smile right of his face seeing as his problem was gone, but he just gave her another.

“Give me the time and place and I’ll be there.” She smiled, because holding her lips there was the only thing keeping her together.

“Don’t worry,” he said, still oblivious, “ I’ll pick you up in my car. Text me your address.” He handed over his phone, and she put her number and house address in.

Suddenly, the train skidded to a halt and announced her stop.

“See you this weekend” Cam yelled as she walked out.

When he was finally out of sight, Danielle let down her mask and tears welled in her eyes.

_Yes, see you this weekend Cam…_