Chapter Text
Intelligent and confident. Those were the words Annabel Lee had been told almost all her life, and for most of it, she had believed that factor. That was until she stepped on the train to New York. All at once it felt like her senses were being ripped away with no reassurance of return. Many would have presumed her to give up or back away, but she stood at the entrance with purpose.
Slowly she made her way inside and skimmed the area closely. Many sat accompanied by another who resembled nothing of them. By relation, there was a good percent chance more strangers rather than friends or family had actually been placed next to each other.
Regardless, she just wanted to find a spot and stick to it. Annabel wasted little to no time making her way down the tiny lane in between each path of seats. Her eyes froze on a particular woman with black with white mixed hair along with a large guitar case on her right. Immediately everyone had disappeared in Annabel’s mind. She just knew that this had to be her seat.
“Excuse me, pet?” Annabel mustered up in a soft tone.
She clutched her bag with anticipation, waiting for the woman to even share a single glance. She was only met with inevitable silence. Annabel’s heart thumped with slight disappointment before realizing her earbuds were in. The sense of relief was to be expected, although never arrived.
Annabel leaned in to help clear her words, “hello? Excuse me-” Loud screeching then occurred and her whole body rattled above the instant stop of the train. Unable to keep her balance, Annabel fell onto the mystery lady’s lap, shortly after getting crushed by the large guitar case she had been admiring only moments ago. Shorten screams slipped through her lips, causing the woman to freeze and take out her earbuds.
Scenery around them was beginning to change. The people who were so dull and quiet became noisy and chirping for answers. A few luggages had fallen from their respective cubbies above, causing minor injuries and much confusion. Annabel held onto her head, attempting to soothe the aching of her throbbing wound.
“You okay?” the mystery girl chimed in while lifting her case off of Annabel. The once confident Annabel looked up with an embarrassed look. She quickly stood up to try and save her image to this stranger.
Annabel stammered slightly, “Yeah, I’m quite alright. My apologizes.” She quickly readjusted herself along with dusting off her blue blazer with her skirt for good measures.
The woman gave genuine eyes, “No I’m sorry, I hope this didn’t hurt you when it fell.”
She couldn’t help, but lie to ease the worries of this beautiful person, “I’m fine.” Her legs then continued to trace along the path for another second before she stopped and turned again. Going through the trouble of trying to ask and failing miserably needed a good ending.
With a change of heart, she cleared her throat, “by the way, is this seat-? Would it be alright if I-?” Somehow every possible ending to that sentence felt wrong. It felt impossible to ask, rude even. She took a few moments of silence, no longer able to make her statement clear.
The woman chuckled, “sure, go ahead.” A smile curled onto Annabel’s face when she got to place her luggage on the spot above the window next to the mystery woman. Each second she slid it up, she couldn’t stop gazing at her. She was such a beauty that not even Annabel could resist. Her messy mixed color hair trailing with a ponytail at the bottom, finished off with a cute white bow felt like an absolute treasure to witness.
Her eyes were made of the purest ocean each time they looked in the direction of a new surface. Annabel was a bit flustered for a minute while sitting next to her. Something about her felt different. A certain aura and presence that Annabel couldn’t pull herself away. Her character was much more important, much more valuable and interesting compared to all the passengers in this train.
Annabel finally sat down after a few seconds and couldn’t bother to care to stare at anything else. Her focus was entirely drawn to this wonderful woman. She was intimidating, yet so appealing to look at. The woman’s eyes locked in contact with her for a moment before the curly haired girl felt shunned.
“Is something bothering you? If it’s the guitar case, I’ll gladly move it.” her voice was only kind with even more compassion for Annabel’s well being.
Annabel didn’t hesitate to console her, “No no, I’m not bothered, it’s alright.”
The bit of silence afterward was deafening, so badly that one of them spoken up.
“We’re getting no where fast.”
“What do you mean?”
“The train,” she pointed to the window, “it keeps stopping like this.”
Annabel leans over to take a peak outside. Sure enough, snow has buried the trenches of most of the railings along with the blurry backgrounds of trees with thick white coating. Annabel groaned, “this is terrible. I’m in a hurry to be somewhere.”
“That’s unfortunate,” the woman sighs, “I suppose teenagers these days already have big plans.”
Annabel’s eyes widen before turning her head at the speed of light at her remark. “Teenager? I’m 25!” her comment rang which caused shock to radiate from the woman as well.
Laughter escaped the her shortly after, “sorry! I never would have guessed we’re the same age!”
Annabel snickered for a moment, “you’re the same age? The way you said ‘teenagers these days’ makes you sound older.”
Mystery woman shrugs, still with a smirk on her face. Suddenly the sweet melody of the train’s intercom goes off. The mood shifts into concern, making them both now remember their current situation.
“Ladies and Gentleman, the train will be moving again soon. Unfortunately due to weather conditions, we will be arriving at a much slower pace. We apologize for the inconvenience.”
Annabel fiddled with the tips of her blazer, rolling her eyes, “how much longer will it take to arrive at New York?”
Mystery woman raised an eyebrow, “How come you’re rushing to get to New York?”
“Nothing much, I’ve always wanted to live there. I’ve got a friend to meet with for a new business plan.” Annabel answered.
“Oh really? I’m moving there too.” the woman’s lips curved up into another small smile.
“Fascinating. I believed you had already lived there and had come back from tour with your band.”
“A tour?” the woman almost choked at the thought of being famous enough to get to be on tour.
“Doing concerts around the world and what not. Your guitar was a giveaway on your musical talent so I had figured you might’ve been a professional musician.” Annabel explained as the woman giggled a bit.
“I’m not quite professional, but I was once in a band.”
“A band? Really?”
“Just a little one at home, not very relevant to this age’s genre of music.”
“That still sounds quite interesting, if you don’t mind me asking, where are you from?”
“That..uh..”
Annabel interrupted with subtle anxiousness, “I’m so sorry. I must be invasive. I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” A lump formed in Annabel’s throat as she watched the disappointment appear in her acquaintance’s eyes. She felt as if that singular question had ruined the moment.
“Hey, it’s alright. I don’t mind sharing. Say, how about I buy us both a drink, hm?” her offer stands with a cheeky grin and Annabel nods.
After the drinks arrive, they already continue chatting away. Before taking a sip, the woman spoke up, “we should cheers to something.”
“Cheers?” Annabel questioned.
“Yeah, something to make this more memorable rather than just being stuck on a train till midnight.” the woman claimed.
Annabel nodded, “cheers to surviving this train ride?”
A rough scoff came from the black haired woman, “too pessimistic.”
They sat in silence before she rose her can in the air. “Cheers to being two women who are the same age, going to the same place, and stuck on the same train.” Annabel smiled and rose her can up too.
“One more thing.”
“Which is?”
“Both being the first ones to witness Lenore Vandernacht to start her music career in New York.”
In a flash, their cans clicked together with happiness all around. The mystery woman, who Annabel had now discovered as Lenore, was laughing before taking a generous sip of her can. Annabel’s eyes filled with delight at the new knowledge she had acquired of this more than entertaining friend.
Butterflies filled Annabel’s chest as the conversation she’d once been longing was finally happening. Lenore discussed her life in ways Annabel only tried to imagine. All was well until more hours went by. Their time at the train was coming to a close, their destination drawing ever so closer.
Annabel tried to distract herself from the guaranteed finale of their association, bringing more sorrow when it came. As she had gotten up from her chair when she saw her loyal companion, Prospero, waiting outside on the station bench; She looked down at Lenore one more time.
Lenore got up as well, but waved before walking in a completely different direction. Annabel’s adrenaline died down at a toned down pace and her body slightly slumped as she made her way to Prospero.
“You seem disappointed, was the ride that bad?” he asks with somewhat concern, but more confusion in his voice.
Annabel shakes her head, “it’s nothing darling. Come along, let’s get inside before it gets colder.”