Holly let out a dreamy sigh beside me as she stared out the bus window. The sun shone down on us, slightly burning our skins but she didn’t seem to mind. She was only concerned about the massive billboard draped over one of the tallest buildings in the area. Squinting a bit, she smiled longingly at her most beloved. It was such a pity the guy didn’t know how much my best friend adored him.
I dared to take a peek, leaning closer to her and pulling my eyes all the way up. He was there, looking very smug as he pulled on one of the handcuffs of his suit with a lopsided smile. His chocolate brown hair was brushed up in such a way that made him look authoritative, in control. It was true that a picture paints a thousand words but I only had one for this guy, jerk. Call me judgmental, maybe that was one word to describe me, but his looks alone made my alarm go off.
With his overwhelming good looks, fame and fortune, he could easily get any girl he pleased. I wouldn’t doubt if he had a way with words, too. It usually came with the package as far as I know. I had met guys like that more than I had wanted. If I was to choose, I would rather not involve myself in their business. They stink of pain and heartbreak. Unfortunately, I was perpetually tied up to some of them.
Leaning back on my seat, I shook my head to let that thought drift away from me. I didn’t need to think about boys and them being boys this early in the morning. Staining my first day of senior year with these rather negative vibes wasn’t on my priorities list. Following my gesture, Holly leaned on her seat too letting out another sigh.
“If he was a little attainable, it would have been better,” she mutters. I didn’t know if it was directed towards me or if she was doing one of her infamous monologues.
Somewhere deep inside me, there was a part that felt pity towards her. Not that I would tell her that. Besides that part was very little that it could be considered non-existent. This guy was beyond she or any other girl on our level could reach. He was well-known and well-established in his line of work. To have girls offering themselves to him wouldn’t be a surprise, girls who were more suitable for him.
I ignored her words and focused on the book I was reading before I was distracted by another sigh from her. A couple of lines into the paragraph and Holly spoke again, “If only he would go out with me.”
This time, I glanced up to her with a quizzical brow. She was still gazing outside even though we’ve passed by the building a couple of minutes ago. “But he never would.” I broke to her without sympathy, raising an eyebrow.
She stared at me without saying anything, just a long blank stare. For a moment, I thought I got her mad. She stubbornly crossed her arms over her prominent chest and pouted. “Geez thanks. Some best friend you are.”
A corner of my lips tipped up, quite amused at her response, “Glad to know my efforts hadn’t gone unnoticed.” I shrugged and turned my attention back to my book. I was on the midst of getting to the climax and there was no way I’d put this down until the teacher for first period enters the class.
We both sat in silence—I was reading while she was daydreaming. Somehow, I found this setting rather comfortable. I wasn’t really someone who talked a lot. Not unless it was necessary. That was why Holly and I complemented each other. She was the bubbly, overly enthusiastic person between us and I was the quiet, more reserved one. Quite a good combination if I looked at it. We were like water and fire.
Suddenly, the tires of the bus squeaked, throwing us face first against the back of the seats in front of us. “What the hell?” I muttered. Okay, maybe I wasn’t too reserved. “What was that?” I looked at Holly who was shaking her head. She must have hit her head quite harder than I did. “You okay there?” I reached out a hand and rubbed her head.
She nodded. “Just a little dizzy but I’m fine.”
Holly and I both looked outside when the bus driver got out, following him. But our eyes didn’t go further than the post our bus crashed to. Holy shit! How did this happen? I was pretty sure we were going rather smoothly.
The wail of a police car started to get louder, getting closer. Moments later, a cop got in and told us to vacate the bus and transfer to another. It was a no unloading area. But I guess given the circumstance, it couldn’t be helped. There was a bus stop a couple of meters away so it wasn’t really that bad a place to be unloaded to.
As Holly and I got out, I noticed a white top down Porsche parked in front of the bus, it wasn’t parked quite right like the driver quickly got out after turning off the engine. Suddenly, my annoyance sipped in. It must be because of this car that we crashed. It ruined our peaceful morning and our comfortable ride to school. It took me away from my book which was almost nearing the most suspenseful part. Whoever this irresponsible person was, he or she deserved a pull over!
I walked silently by Holly’s side. She, too, was quiet. Probably still feeling dizzy or else she would be complaining already. We passed by another cop talking to a guy in slim fit jeans and a navy blue cardigan. The guy looked calm and composed while he was talking to the cop. I was sure he was the owner of that flashy car. How could he act as if nothing happened? I gave my head another shake, trying to calm down. My annoyance was getting the best of me. It was a shitty start to my day and no matter what I do I couldn’t do anything about it anymore. So I better just let it go. Besides, there was still my book to finish.
Holly suddenly stopped, her eyes directed on the cop and the man who owned the shiny Porsche. “Tell me I just bumped my head.”
“You just bumped your head,” I complied, bemused.
“It’s not that. Oh my god.” I couldn’t understand what she was saying. Her statement didn’t really make any sense.
I turned and looked back at the guy. He was smiling, a smile which was a little familiar. I tilted my head to the side, remembering. He was a little blurry since my eyesight wasn’t really that reliable so I couldn’t be so sure. My eyes darted back to Holly and she had that ear-splitting grin plastered on her face. Hold up. What was going on?
“Holly?” I called, softly. I was worried about my best friend. She seemed to have lost it.
“Oh god,” she breathed. “I can’t believe this.” She glanced at me. Her face fell upon seeing my confused expression. “What kind of face is that?”
“You tell me. What kind of face is that?”
“A victorious grin.” Her smile widened, showing her pearly whites. I tilted my head in a questioning manner and waited for her to answer my silent question. “I am one step closer to my dream.”
I reached for her forehead and checked if she was burning up but she wasn’t. Then I checked her head for bumps but I found none. “What are you saying Holly?”
She pointed the guy she had been looking at since a while ago so I followed. I still didn’t get what his connection to everything that was happening to her was but I looked anyways and tried to make out who he was.
“You know him?” I asked after a while.
She gave me her no-shit look and rolled her eyes. “Come on! That’s Dylan Ford!” her hands flew out in frustration and I squint my eyes as I look back to him then widened as realization struck me.
“No shit! The Dylan Ford?” I exclaimed. I didn’t know why I was so shocked. Maybe seeing him in person made me realize he wasn’t a fictional character that Holly made up in her mind.
Holly smirked. “None other than.”
I was staring at him, too stunned to think or say anything. But more so, I was scared. There was this restless feeling as if my inside was being squeezed, gripped tightly wanting to pull something out. And I didn’t know why, I didn’t know what. I was scared.
