My first submission, so happy for any feedback you may have.
Never being a fan of the seats in train carriages, Lisa preferred to stand near the doors. This way she would not fall asleep, or get stuck behind too many people and not be able to get to the doors in time and miss her stop. It's the little things that made her anxious.
Having left the office a little after 5, she knew she would get stuck in the busy Friday evening crowds. Oh well, can't be helped. She just wanted to get home. She headed down the steps and through the styles at Town Hall station, and made her way to her platform, her overlarge shoulder bag bouncing against her hip.
Once the train arrived, Lisa jumped in. She knew which doors would open once at her stop, so neared the other side of the vestibule, and grabbed hold of the pole separating the doors from the saloon seats, leant her shoulder against it and settled in for her evening commute. More people crowded in, but not too bad. She knew it would get worse over the next 3 stops while they still made their way through the rest of the CBD before heading out to the suburbs.
The doors closed and the train proceeded. Lisa popped her earphones in, put on some nice jams, and relaxed for the 45 minute ride. Her fingers tapped against the pole to the beat of the music.
There was a slight tickle against the back of her leg. She paid not mind to it. Most likely a stray thread from the hem of her skirt.
Next stop arrived, and as predicted, the train filled up further, the space got a little tighter. Lisa shifted back a little, giving space to people entering. The man next to her reached over to hold the same pole to steady himself. The doors closed.
She could feel that tickle again. Due to the people around her, she could not reach down and wipe whatever it was away, so she subtly (she hoped) rubbed her legs against each other. The tickling sensation stopped.
Second stop, and now the place was packed. There was no chance of moving even if she wanted to, but that was fine as she still had over 30 minutes before she was anywhere near her stop. She focused on her music.
There it was again. That slight tickling feeling. It wasn't a hair, it was something else. It kept flicking back and forth. She could not turn around or even look down with the press of bodies around, and the man's arm blocking her from seeing the people seated in the saloon seats.
Lisa caught her breath. The light tickling touch had turned into a stroke. It was a finger! What the hell! She tried to turn, to move, but she was stuck hard and fast in this position. She had no idea who was touching her.