[sub][@Madly33] & [@LordofthePies][/sub]

Karen smiled back. A smile of full of confidence - about half of it was faked, however, though Karen did a good job of masking it. "It's nice to meet you, Haley, and you as well, Bishop," she nodded towards the other boy in the compartment. "That's an unusual name, though not unpleasant mind you. I like it."

As silence settled down between them, Karen thought that all three of them here were awfully quiet. She'd thought that most other children her age were much chattier. Maybe they were different? Well, time would tell.

The girl flushed visible at Hayes's comment on her dress. As with just talking with her peers, Karen was similarly unused to compliments from them. She nearly began stuttering her response before catching herself and calming down; this was not how she would conduct herself in front of her new acquaintances. 

"Ah . . . thank you, Haley," she began. She paused. What should she say now? Did she even have to say anything else? But it felt rude to have to receive a compliment and not say anything in return.

Karen was aware that the silence was stretching into a uncomfortable length, and decided that there wouldn't be any harm in simply returning the compliment: "You look pretty as well."

Everything else aside, it would be awhile before Karen realized she had completely bungled up Hayes's name.