On The Way

Willow Winters laid across her seat with her sketchpad rested on her legs. A pencil scratching the blank surface to form the start of her newest picture.

Willow stopped sketching and looked up to find wide open fields passing by faster than her brain could make out any details of any of the farms resting out on the country side. With a sigh she turned back to her drawing, the makings of a cottage was clear on the paper. Her pencil danced over the pad again and a detailed sketch of a dog was placed in the cottage front yard. Willow's Siberian Husky, Monty was kept in the luggage compartment to keep the rest of the train clean of pet hair or stains.

Willow wished for her canine companion, Monty kept the feeling of safety with her, and she felt so vulnerable without him.

Angel passed by compartment after compartment, the first several were already crowded with students, one held only a few who openly invited them in but they were far to talkative for him. And finally one with only one occupant, a girl about his age laid across her seat with a sketchbook on her lap.

Seeing as this was going to be the best he could find, and it was better than having chipper partners he slide the door open and in a small tone asked. "May I sit here?"

"May I sit here?"

Willow jumped up slightly, she didn't hear anyone open the door. Looking over she saw a boy with spiked, black hair stand in the doorway, waiting for her answer.

"Yeah, sure." She smiled slightly, before returning to her drawing, she was almost done. Just needed some color and it was finished.

Angel kind of liked the girl already, straight and to the point, no useless chatter, and naturally cute to boot! Of course looks were only an extra feature in his opinion.

Angel sat on the seat opposite of her, silently watching as her pencil danced across the pad, she obviously was more interested in drawing than conversation. When she settled the pad down, Angel's curiousity got the better of him.

"May I see it?" He asked.

Valentina rushed down the train and heaved herself into one of the compartments, it was good in a way that she was having this break, it meant that she would leave work at home for a while while she was here, and it meant she might get done semblance of a normal life for a while.

It was only then she realised there were people already in the carriage.

Turning around with a slight smile on her face, Valentina straightened out her shirt and waistcoat before asking graciously, if a little late.

"Do you mind if I intrude on your carriage?"

Willow was frozen half way through giving her guest her sketch. It wasn't everyday that someone just rushed in and suddenly and a little late ask if they minded.

"I don't mind." Willow said slowly glancing at the boy. "What about you?"

"I don't care." Angel said shortly, finally reaching for the sketchbook. "You were here first."

The drawing was quite impressive, it was of a cottage with a dog -- whom Angel believed he seen in the luggage compartment with the rest of the animals -- resting in the front yard.

"And this is very good, by the way."

Valentina raised her eyebrow as the boy seemed to be a little short with her, maybe she had interrupted something, but right now she had too many things to do to care about what he was thinking about her, those damn modelling profiles had to be done still!

"Thank you."

Moving to sit down Valentina got out her pad of possible models, her company logo on the front and she sighed softly thinking about these was already making her depressed.

"Valentina Clarke, at your service." she said to the pair.

"Willow Winters." She greeted.

Willow raised her eyes at noticing what Valentina was doing, it looked like a lot of work for an eleven year old, but she didn't say a word -- it wasn't her business.

"I hope no one finds my music distracting." She said, taking out her ipod -- electronics work now at Hogwarts! -- she searched through the list and found the one she wanted. Hey Stephen by Taylor Swift started playing in her ears.

Angel knew he might have sounded a little rude, but frankly he just wasn't a big people person.

"Angel Daniel." He introduced.

He watched them both curiously, Valentina started going through her pad, looking like the very idea was depressing. Willow started listening to her music, and it thankfully wasn't anything heavy metal -- honestly, how is that considered music?

Angel actually chuckled a little when Willow sang a little.

Valentina nodded at the two people in the coach then took out some concept sketches that she had been given just before she had left the platform, they looked good, but they didn't have that extra spark that made them excellent.

Just what would give them that spark?!

"Pleasure to meet both of you."

Taking out a Biro and circling the things she felt need improvement and smiled softly, she didn't mind music it was soothing for her so she had no concern about it.

"Nah, it's quite nice actually. Taylor Swift hmm? I confess I'm more a Linkin Park girl."