Chapter 2-P2

"Hey, Marley? Wake up. Let's get some food."

Marley sprang upwards, gasping for air but relaxing at the familiar sight of her blonde best friend in front of her, hands on her shoulders. The bus being oddly quiet surprised her, but when she saw it nearly empty, no Aiden in sight, the surprise turned into confusion.

"Everybody's off. Aiden told me to wake you. Come on, the lines probably really long."

Marley hoped she hadn't made a fool of herself sleeping next to him, which was precisely what she was trying to avoid doing. Everything earlier wore her out, and by the sound of her grumbling stomach, made her hungry too. She grabbed her wallet at Gabby's impatient beckoning, adjusting her star wars hoodie and pyjama pants as she scrambled from her seat with stiff limbs.

Gabby is a fiend for Tim Hortons, but unfortunately, that was a line with over 60 people when they made it into the doors of the rest stop. The other restaurants were A&W and Subway, but those were even longer. Gabby groaned as they fell into the back of Tim's line. Marley kept her head down, hoping that if she didn't look at anyone, they wouldn't look at her.

"Darn, we're never going to get food before we have to get back on the bus."

Marley felt a twinge of guilt, "You could've gone without me. Gotten us a spot."

"I could've," she sighed, "But Aiden the idiot wouldn't wake you up himself or nudge you or anything. He forced me to do it."

Marley's cheeks reddened. She was surprised by Gabby's lack of questions, but she usually had a one-track mind when it came to food being in her vicinity. Gabby was bouncing on the heels of her Uggs, but within five minutes they still hadn't moved. Her hair was near all the way out of her bun, but she nevertheless looked really pretty. Marley tugged on the ends of her dull brown hair; she's always been jealous of her best friend's looks.

"Ladies, your knight in shining armour is here to rescue your hangry asses."

Gabby choked on air and Marley whirled around to see Leo standing behind him with his arms crossed. Both shy girls stared up at him, confused and embarrassed, causing him to roll his green eyes and elaborate.

"Come to our spot in the line, and get some food before you're grey-haired and smelly. Let's go."

Gabby shifted on her feet; her head ducked down. Marley's mouth hung open.

"Jesus Christ," Leo ran a hand down his face when neither girls made a sound, "Do you two know how to walk? Speak?"

Marley hugged herself and stared at her shoes, "It's rude," she justified quietly, knowing Gabby had less of a chance of responding.

"Well, guess you're going to hell for cutting a fucking line. Willingly or unwillingly, you're coming with me."

Gabby took a step toward Leo after a quiet moment of deliberation, and when Marley gave her a look, she leaned in to explain.

"I'm hungry, okay? I didn't bring any snacks with me."

"I have some!" Marley hissed back.

"Well, I don't want your stupid goldfish. I want a donut!"

"It's rude to cut the line! Everyone will hate us," Marley retorted.

"Look, as much as I find you two amazing company, can we get a move on?" Marley gasped when Leo clamped a hand around her upper arm and grabbed Gabby too, who put up less resistance as they were dragged through the crowds of people. They moved out of the way without so much of a peep, their eyes wide and their stances submissive. Afraid.

Marley felt her cheeks heat in anger as she struggled and tried to plant herself like a tree. They were about five people away from the front when Leo stopped them in front of...Aiden Matthews?

Oh, you've got to be kidding.

He had his arms crossed as he glared at Leo, "You didn't have to manhandle them."

Leo scoffed, gesturing to Marley with his thumb, "She would've rather chopped her finger like a carrot than cut the line. I did what the fuck I had to do."

Marley's fists balled as she glanced at all the people behind her. Without a second thought, she turned around to go to the back of the line, stomping all the way to her original spot and shoving the hair out of her eyes. How dare they? People are waiting, and she's not royalty!

She mumbled under her breath about stupid boys when the stupidest one appeared beside her. "You won't get to the register this far back, and I know you haven't eaten yet today." His voice was commanding now, and that rubbed her the wrong way. He didn't have to take care of her all of a sudden. She knows she's weak, without him having to treat her like she can't handle anything on her own. She crossed her arms, making a big show of ignoring him. He'd surely walk away, leave her alone to go hungry if that's what happened. Why would he care in the first place? Aiden shifted his feet in her peripheral vision.

"Everybody behind me!" He shouted. Marley grabbed his upper arm tightly, her head snapping upwards as literally, the bodies in front of her all moved past them.

Every. One. Over 50 students passed behind them, forming a line behind Aiden and leaving all of the space in front of them empty. It was easily the most jaw-dropping thing Marley had witnessed in a long time. She was so in shock she was speechless. Leo was laughing, and Gabby was as stunned by this as she was.

"I can do this all day," his voice was cocky. Marley's blood simmered as she released his arm like touching him burned her.

Jutting out her chin, she whirled around to once again go to the back of the line. Aiden fell into step behind her, and the crowd moved further backwards.

Marley growled under her breath, once again in the spotlight and hating the person who had now done this to her multiple times.

But she already had a retaliation of her own. Slumping her shoulders in false deflation, Marley trudged up to Gabby who didn't hesitate to yank them to the impatient cashier and give her $20 order. When she was done, she stared at Marley expectantly. Marley crossed her arms.

"I don't want anything."

She bit the inside of her cheek when she heard Aiden's frustrated growl from behind her. He stormed up to the cashier, staring her dead in the eyes.

"I want one of everything on the menu," he declared.

He's bluffing.

The cashier's eyes widened. She started to type things on her computer. A few employees approached from the kitchen area with widened eyes, murmuring to each other. He's bluffing, Marley.

"That'll be...345 dollars and 60 cents," she stammered. He's. Bluffing.

Aiden took his wallet out from his back pocket. When he slipped a shiny, black card from its slot is when Marley finally broke.

"Don't," she whispered, flushing in anger and embarrassment.

Aiden's smug smirk made her even angrier as he stepped back to allow her to go forward. The cashier was smiling at them for some odd reason. Gabby was too, and Leo's chuckles could be heard. How was this remotely funny?

Marley finally ordered a breakfast combination through gritted teeth, glad that Aiden kept his distance and didn't say another word.

She would've lost it if he hadn't found his seat in the middle of the cafeteria. His distance would allow her time to cool off from whatever that just was. In her peripheral vision, she could see he was surrounded by people, but she didn't dare risk eye contact once. Gabby was chowing down across from her. Marley admittedly ate most of her food.

Gabby was quietly eating her donuts, so Marley concocted a master plan to change buses. She was grateful for what he did for her this morning, and she had thanked him accordingly. But from here on out, their interactions could be over. She didn't want to know what else could happen to her under the spotlight that follows Aiden Matthews wherever he goes.

Marley had her hood over her head a half hour later as she stood inside a smaller bus with her bags in her hands, which her bus driver told her had a few empty seats. She looked out of the tinted windows, watching the herds of students being kicked out of the building and heading for their respective busses. Marley hoped Gabby would make sure Aiden stayed on their bus.

Her heart raced when she caught sight of him. She palmed her chest, as if to stop her body's confusing reaction to his proximity. He was walking beside Leo, a brunette hanging on his arm and chattering away, trying to catch his attention. He wasn't giving her a second glance. His stark blue eyes were on the bus in a distant state, as if he thinking deeply about something.

She looked away before she could find out if you could feel someone staring at you, stepping to the side when strangers started to funnel into her bus. When the doors closed, Marley was relieved to find out that there was a whole isle clear right behind the bus driver. She placed her bag on the opposite seat, relief in her veins when the bus rumbled to a start and gained speed as it left the parking lot.

This bus was quieter too, and Marley finally felt herself relaxing in her seat.

Gabby: Aiden's lost it. I think he's going to kill me.

Marley chewed on her lower lip in nervousness at the message from Gabby popping up on her screen. She typed back frantically, reassuring herself that there was nothing he could do for a few hours.

Gabby: He went to the bathroom door and banged on it after about five minutes. When a girl who is not you walked out, he stormed over to me asking if you were still in the food court. What was I supposed to say? No? Yes?

Marley's throat closed, and she fiddled with the bracelet on her wrist nervously. There's nothing he can do.

Right?

Marley: It's fine. He was going to figure it out eventually. There's nothing he can do anyway.

Gabby: Well, he's going to try.

Gabby's cryptic response left Marley's head spinning and her palms sweating in nervousness. She forced herself to take deep breaths, but responding to Gabby became futile when she got no response after five, ten and later fifteen minutes.

As they covered more distance, Marley noticed the voices in her bus got louder, and they were all staring at their phones and whispering to each other. Crackling echoed in the bus drivers mic, but Marley couldn't make out the words being said. The bus driver cursed under his breath, and she could hear it because she was directly behind him.

Another few minutes passed. More whispering. More indiscernible voices from the driver's walkie-talkie. Finally,

"Is there a Marley Hoover on this bus?" He shouted, and Marley shrunk in her seat, her cheeks flaming.

After a short silence and more murmuring, he spoke into the mic, "Not on bus three. Is she unaccounted for?"

Marley's heart lurched. If they thought she was missing, that would be a big problem.

"Fuck. We'll have to head back," he growled, and Marley panicked and stood in her seat.

"Wait! I'm Marley! I'm right here," she stammered and watched the bus driver quickly glance at her before putting his mouth back on the walkie-talkie.

"She's here, boys. Bus three. All good."

He said, and Marley relaxed in her seat again. But not for long because there was more crackling in the mic and a loud curse from the driver. Marley watched in panic and fear as the bus plowed into a gas station parking lot, screeching to a halt. Protests and questions were being shot from behind her. Without thinking, Marley jumped off her seat and curled between it and the bus driver's seat, trying to make herself invisible.

Would he come for her? That would be crazy, right?

"Some kid puked all over one of the other kids! Stay in your damn seats!"

She heard the thundering of the bus driver opening the doors and leaving the bus. The kids spoke, but nobody moved. Marley started to relax at the calming thought that this has nothing to do with her.

She started to sit up, staring around her like a frightened animal. The window beside her revealed the other buses parked in a haphazard formation. A huddle of kids from her bus were standing outside and laughing together. That was all forgotten when a movement caught her eye. Aiden Matthews was storming out of another coach, his eyes dark as he stomped right into the bus beside hers.

No. No. No. No!