Willow

DUH DUH DUUHHHHH *dramatic music plays*

Chapter Two

10 years ago…

I don't want to be here. 

The bus honks twice, jolting down to a stop.

I don't want to be here. 

The doors open. A gust of cold air hits me from behind, biting at my skin as if pushing me to go on the bus. It shook the trees, too, creating a falling rain of madness. What a cold summer. Reluctantly, I follow the 6 other people, all looking like seventh graders, who made their way towards the massive vehicle. I climb up the stairs, getting nervous with each step.

"Good mornin'!"

I jump slightly. The bus driver looked at me, smiling. His thick, white beard trails down to his chest. A short stump of gray hair is wrapped in a ponytail. I blink away.

"O-oh! Uhm, good morning." I smile awkwardly and speed-walk towards the back of the bus. 

People stare at me as I walk past. Or, at least, I think they are. I stopped randomly and chose a seat. Soon, the bus starts moving. Everyone has their phone out, talking to their friends. The bus stops again.

"O. M. G! DANIEL!!!"

A white-haired girl comes running inside the bus to a boy sitting across from me. She jumps on him and starts to smooch him all over the place. His face, his neck, and even his hair. "Lu- Lucy!" The boy says. I cover my mouth in disgust. 

"Yuck."

Everyone turns to look at me.

"What? Is this appropriate for middle schoolers?" I ask, shrugging.

The white-haired girl, supposedly named Lucy, stops and turns to look at me. 

"Who are you? And what right do you have to say that?" She glances at me from top to bottom. She had piercing blue eyes. So piercing it made my eyes hurt. 

I squint my eyes, rub them a few times, and close them. Then, I let out a big long yawn.

Lucy stands up and stomps over. I smile. 

"You-YOU!" She raises her hand, swinging it towards my face.

Just like I expected, the bus starts to move at that exact moment, throwing her down to her knees. Everyone gasps.

"PEOPLE!" The bus driver uses the microphone to yell. "GET BACK TO YOUR SEAT!!!"

Lucy gets up, glares at me, and storms off. Finally. Some peace.

I stare out the window, mindlessly drifting off. After minutes, the bus slows down, makes a few turns, and jolts to a stop, finally arriving at our destination. Silver Oak Middle School.

The bus doors open.

"Alright guys! Have a nice day! Seventh graders have a wonderful first day of middle school and eighth graders welcome back!" The bus driver yells through the chaos. Everyone starts talking, grabbing their backpacks, and going out the door. The kids in front of me all greeted the driver, so I assumed that I should, too. 

"Thank you, have a great day." I manage to mutter. 

"Of course! You too!" He beams. 

My legs hurriedly took me down the set of stairs. Soon, my feet hit the ground. That wasn't... so bad. I breathe in deeply, choking a second later because of the foul smell of buses.

Well, this day is going to get rough.