#bartprompts25

His flatmate, who in some mysterious way always managed to get told everything, had laughed for five good minutes and then said: «That’s so you, Nat. Falling in love with a girl on the Tube. Very romantic».

«I’ve not fallen in love at all» Nathaniel had retorted crisply. «She’s got an interesting face, that’s all, and the books she read seem so, too».

«So, ask her something about them, why don’t you?».

Actually, trying to talk about books would have been the simplest thing, but Nathaniel didn’t want to. Or rather, he did not dare. And in the morning there was always confusion, most of the times he didn’t even see where she got off. No, it wasn’t a good idea making a slimy impression.

It was really a chance seeing her on the platform one evening, and not in the morning; it was late, at the office it had been a hellish day and Bartimaeus had texted him to say that he wouldn’t have been home for dinner and so Nathaniel had to make do; that meant turning to some frozen food.

While he was contemplating the desolation of his life, his eyes had moved to his right, and there she was.

She seemed tired too; she carried a paperback from which emerged a blue bookmark.

They got in the coach together; the rush hour was gone and there were seats for both.

Nathaniel sat in front of her. She didn’t have her earphones and didn’t seem to feel like reading: she kept the book on her lap and stared into the void with an absent face. She looked like she was struggling against sleep.

The train stopped abruptly. The book tumbled down from the girl’s knees and landed just at Nathaniel’s feet.

He bended down automatically to pick it up; he didn’t know the title nor the author, but he could guess it was one of those historical novels that were mainstream. He couldn’t remember the last time he had read a novel.

He held out the book to the girl; her pale face opened up in a polite smile. «Thank you».

She had a nice voice, a little hoarse. Nathaniel smiled back. «You’re welcome».

A voice that sounded bewilderingly like Bartimaeus’ echoed in his head: Talk to her! Make conversation!

«Is it good?» he ventured, gesturing towards the book, back on the girl’s lap. She looked surprised, but not bothered.

«Rather, yes. Some inaccuracies, but in the end it’s fiction, not an history essay».

Nathaniel nodded. He realized that he hadn’t tried to talk to a girl since Jane’s ages. For heaven’s sake.

«Your stop is a few minutes away, isn’t it?» she surprised him. «I’ve noticed you, some mornings. In the end, you learn to recognize the faces you see almost every day».

Nathaniel didn’t know what to answer except for «Ah. Really?».

She smiled at him with the corner of her mouth. «Yes. You look always very pissed off, if I may say so, but I must look like that, too» she sighed and, as talking to herself, she added: «But I’ll miss it. Even the Tube».

«Are you leaving?» Nathaniel asked impromptu. He corrected himself immediately: «Sorry, that’s not of my business». He didn’t even know her name, after all.

She didn’t seem offended, though. «I am: academic trip. In Egypt. Can’t wait, but I like London too much to not miss it, I know that. Isn’t this your stop?».

Nathaniel suddenly lifted his head. Shit. He said a rushed hi and hurried off the coach.

It was only when the train took off again that he realized that he didn’t ask her anything: her name, what she was studying, for how long she’d have stayed in Egypt. Nothing whatsoever.

Next morning, Nathaniel got in the train at ten to eight. There were a lot of girls and women, as always, but no one had a paperback with a blue bookmark.