She was eyeing up the girl with the soft wavy brown hair who was just a few seats in front of her, busy sight-seeing.
Without a second thought, Noel proceeded to the empty seat opposite the pretty girl, Sofia.
"Done reading that book?" said Noel, pointing right beside the girl.
Sofia's eyes turned back and forth between her and her novella. "Oh, not quite. I just took a break from reading."
Noel nodded at her with her lips pursed. "Could I see it?"
"Sure," Sofia fumbled and handed it over to the stranger.
Taking the book from her hands, Noel offered her free hand and introduced herself, "I'm Noel."
Sofia smiled, showing off her dimples. "I'm Sofia," she said and shook her hand.
Noel rested back to her seat and opened up the book to the very last page.
"Wait," Sofia suddenly said and Noel looked up at her. "Have you read that before?" Sofia asked and Noel put the book down.
"Nope, why?"
"Right, so you're one of those that looks at the end," she chuckled to herself.
"Yeah, I guess I am." She smiled at the very last line. "And now, I know how this ends," she teasingly said, shutting the book.
Sofia glared at her and said, "So? Don't you dare--" she was interrupted by Noel's tittering. "You're not making a very good impression right now," she joked.
"Oh, ouch. Don't worry, I'm not that kind of person."
Sofia giggled and turned her attention back to the peaceful fields outside.
Soon the silence became uncomfortable. Noel took in a sharp breath before finally telling Sofia, "You actually know me. Or at least, I know you."
"I'm sorry, what?" said Sofia, blinking rapidly.
"I'm your neighbour. They called you Fi in high school."
"O- oh.."
"I knew you wouldn't recognise me. I never really stood out and our families weren't close."
"Right.. but you know me?"
"Yeah, of course I do. You know everyone does."
"Oh, don't say that. What's your station?" Sofia asked.
"Bratislava. How 'bout you, Sofia?"
"Oh, so the next stop. I'm still in Vienna. And just call me Fi."
"Alright, Fi. Are you in a hurry?"
"No, I'm just going home. Why?"
"Aw, so you live in Austria now." Noel muttered to herself. Soon enough, she found herself thinking out loud, "I've always wanted to be friends with you, but that was far-fetched. I knew from the start that I'd never even--"
Fi then placed her hand on Noel's that was clutching her book. "Well, we are friends now. And I think I remember you smiling at me by the fence or something."
"Oh," Noel exclaimed, covering her face with her hands. "That was so embarrassing."
"Though, with the exception of your lovely greetings, living in Vienna with my boyfriend is so much better than our old neighbourhood."
Noel gave a sigh of relief but her attention was soon taken away from the pretty girl in front of her.
'BRATISLAVA HLAVNÁ STANICA'
Anxiously looking at the station through the big windows, Noel got up and prepared her bag.
Fi looked up at her, "I guess this is goodbye?"
"I do wish we had more time..." said Noel. When the train came to a stop she slowly turned away, but turned back and hastily dropped her bag. She leaned over Fi and said, "Since you're not in a hurry, maybe you'd like to have some coffee?"
"Uh--"
"I mean you don't have to. I'm used to being alone, well that's obvious--"
Fi held her arm to stop her and said, "I'd love to have coffee with you as long as you buy me the next train's ticket."
"That's- that's reasonable," she concurred as she watched Fi prepare her stuff. "Yes, yes. I will--" she was cut off by Fi going ahead of her.
She threw her bag back on her shoulder and caught up to her. They got off the train together.
Staring at her feet, Noel turned to Fi and said, "A friend told me about a café that overlooks the station--"
Fi hooked her arm around Noel's and pulled her. "Alrighty, let's go!"
❦
"Here's your book, by the way," said Noel, handing it back to Fi as she sipped her drink.
"Only after twenty minutes did you realise it was still with you?" she giggled and swallowed.
Noel returned an awkward chuckle and said, "I still can't believe you agreed to this."
"Why not? Do you know most regrets are things you didn't do, rather than the things you did do."
"You must have few regrets then," Noel stated and Fi slowly nodded.
"How about you? Any regrets?" said Fi as she placed her elbow on the table and rested her chin on her palm.
"Um.. I regret not talking to you sooner."
She gestured in a way saying, see, and said, "Something you didn't do."
Noel replied, "Yeah, I guess you're right."
Fi seemed to be unsatisfied and pursed her lips.
"What?" said Noel.
"You must have a regret that doesn't involve me?" She raised a brow at her and stretched her lips to an encouraging smile.
"Right," Noel realised, raising her chin and added, "I guess, I regret not forming a closer bond with my parents," she said ever so simply.
Noel observed as Fi raised her brows at her statement.
"Was that okay or-- ?"
"Yeah, I totally get it." Fi leaned back on her seat and crossed her arms. "In fact, I'm actually quite convinced that most children aren't even truly close with their parents."
Noel looked afar and furrowed her brows. "Really?"
Fi continued on, "They treat you like a project, an extension of themselves, or with total indifference."
"So, what did your parents treat you like? Only of it's okay to ask--"
"A mixture of a project and an extension of themselves. You?"
"Um... total indifference?"
"I don't know which is sadder, really. In their own ways, they're all damaging."
Noel pursed her lips at her statement and added, "Personality disorders are always rooted from parents or guardians. Whether it be genetically or the upbringing."
With Fi holding the cup to her lips, she extended her pointer finger and hummed in agreement.
Noel leaned on the table, finding herself growing curious. "If you had decided otherwise, would you have regretted not moving in with your boyfriend?"
"Definitely. He's basically my home," said Fi, seemingly caught in a thought. "I still do have regrets, though. I am human, after all."
"Uhuh?" Noel responded with her lips on the rim of the cup.
"I regret not being more understanding of my father," she admitted, her voice sounding lower.
"Oh, why so?"
"He was a veteran," she said. "He wasn't very present. Even when he was, he really wasn't."
"He wasn't abusive?"
"No, he's not that kind of person. He was just... silent," she said, looking down on her fingers. "I do miss him... but anyway! Off to a better, happier topic. Tell me something you believe in."
Noel pressed her lips into a thin line and said, "Feminism is bullshit."
"Hmm, why? I'm guessing you're referring to the current wave of feminism." Fi placed her chin on her palm once again.
"Why make an exclusive group for the good people? Good should be the norm. Rule out the sexists. Either be a normal person or be a sexist."
"That," Fi pointed at her. "... is true to some extent, yeah! There, now you're out of your shell," she commended.
Noel chuckled, her gaze falling anywhere it would land. "I was hoping that'd happen sooner."
"Well, you sure have expressed how you're often late to act on your plans a lot today."
"Sorry," said Noel looking down on her empty cup.
Fi waved her hands in front of Noel and clarified, "Oh, no no. I didn't mean to say that to offend you."
"I promise from now on," Noel looked at Fi intently. "It will be different."
❦
"Do you really have to go? We could check out The Old Town." Noel whined, clinging to Fi.
"We said thirty minutes. This is not Before Sunrise." Fi laughed.
Meanwhile, Noel felt her vibrating mobile phone in her pocket and discreetly checked it. She turned back to Fi with a sigh of relief and admittedly said, "Truth is, I came to be more fond of you than I had expected. I'll miss you."
"Likewise," said Fi, smiling widely back at her. They shared final looks and an embrace. "Goodbye, neighbour!" she said and went on her way to her train.
Noel waved goodbye as she watched Fi board the train. Looking around, she took out her mobile phone, once again. She reopened the text message from an unknown number that read: 'It's done. He's dead.'
Deleting the text message, she tucked it back in her pocket and walked her way.
⠀•°•°•°
Here's a five minute read for yall :--)
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