The bus snaked its way through the country roads and then to the lavish
development that backed up to the woods behind his house. Upperclassmen from this
neighborhood had their own cars. This bus collected the underclassmen: those few who
weren’t chauffeured to school, as minions of the privileged.
Jake leaned back in his seat and folded his arms across his chest, not looking at
the kids coming down the aisle. None dared to ask if they could sit in the empty space
next to him. They’d sit three to a seat rather than make that request. Just the way he
wanted it.
The over-filled bus pulled to a stop midway down Belmont Circle. New stop? Jake
looked out his window at the estate with a circular drive. Huh. It finally sold. He watched
as a single figure headed toward the bus. What, so now they get door-to-door service?
He rolled his eyes.
Seconds later, she stood in the aisle waiting. From his seat, his eyes skimmed up
passed her faded jeans and plain, loose sweater, and his breath caught in his throat.
Her long blond hair was pulled to the side in a loose braid. Her face? Ethereal. But then,
his flustered gaze became an annoyed glare.
Her bleak gray eyes seemed to look right through him before they darted to the
space next to him. Did she even register his indignation? She must have. Yet, she stood
there in the aisle twisting the loose adjustment strap on her backpack tightly around her
fingers.
“May I sit here?” her meek voice broke the silence that had fallen around them.
Noticing the hush of conversation, Jake’s eyes skimmed the crowded bus. There
was no doubt he and this new girl had an audience. Not something he relished.
His eyes swept back to her. He could tell she was nervous. He heard it in her
quavering voice and saw it in the way she avoided his eyes. He could just say no. But
so long as she was standing, the bus wouldn’t budge.
