Study hall, American history, and English literature came and went and at last the day was over. Claire had accepted a ride home with Ryan. She didn’t seem too concerned about leaving her car unattended in the school parking lot. More importantly, she didn’t seem too concerned about leaving me unattended in the parking lot either. So now my perfect day came to a screeching halt as I prepared to ride the big yellow bus of doom. I made my way across the macadam toward the noxious fumes of the yellow convoy, feeling deflated.
I pulled up the sleeve of my purple T-shirt, and sure enough, a nice black-and-blue mark was developing, thanks to Brynn’s dire need to inflict pain whenever necessary. My lips set in a tight line as I yanked down my sleeve.
My eyes followed the flow of students to their buses, to their cars. The afternoon had proven to be beautiful after all and the sun was shining down gloriously. That is, until I spotted Brynn and her friends a few yards away. As usual, Miss Wonderful was smiling. What didn’t she have to be happy about? She had the power to ruin everyone else’s life. But hers? Hers was just dandy. She appeared to be flirting and I rolled my eyes.
Of course all the boys thought she was incredible. She was leaning over, practically falling into the open window of a gray Jeep where she was most likely spilling an obscene amount of cleavage. And then, as Sage Fisher and Emily Lawrence shifted places, I realized whose window she was spilling her cleavage into. It was Garreth’s.
“Teagan.”
I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the two of them. I couldn’t stop staring.
“Teagan.”
“God, what?!”
A dark shadow flew at me the second I turned around, resembling exhaust but more substantial somehow, and in an instant I couldn’t breathe. An invisible hand clutched my throat and my eyes began to water. The world around me blurred. A thunderous flapping of wings rang in my ears, as if a large bird had taken flight directly overhead, but it was coming from all around, bouncing off the pavement, bouncing off my skin. And then I lost my footing, my ankle twisting off the curb as if an unseen hand literally reached down and yanked on it.
Something warm and secure caught me by the arms, lifting me, steadying me. Seriously winded, I managed to focus on who seemed so concerned, on who had just saved me from toppling into the bus lane. Blue eyes looked back at me, inches from my own face.
Garreth.
He steadied me and I realized I was now standing on the sidewalk, a good six feet from the curb. The buses were slowly pulling up for the students, creating their usual formation,12A, 4B, and so on. The bustle around me appeared unchanged, as though no one had seen my little mishap. No one showed any concern except Garreth, whose hand still lingered on my elbow, reluctant to let go.
“Um, thank you,” I managed with a quiver to my voice.
Did that really just happen?
I could still feel the grip of fingers wrapping around my ankle but, leaning over, of course nothing was there. I felt baffled, disoriented really, and I tried to turn my thoughts away from the very real fact that I could have just been killed.
“Did you see…?” I started to ask, but the rest of my words stuck in my throat.
He looked at me closely. From the concerned look plastered across his face I couldn’t be sure. “Did I see what?”
Suddenly, I couldn’t remember and then I realized Garreth was asking me something.
“Um, nothing,” I answered.
“I was hoping to see you at lunch but I had to fill out a ton of forms in the office.”
I stared back at him, not saying anything in response, realizing I probably looked dumbfounded. Again.
“How’s tomorrow?” he asked.
“Tomorrow?”
“For lunch?”
“Weren’t you just talking to Brynn?” I looked across the parking lot where the two of them had been just minutes ago but she was nowhere to be seen.
Garreth paused. “For a moment.” The disappointment I projected must have been easy to read because he leaned closer. “I think she’s extremely ostentatious, how about you?”
I was beginning to realize that when I looked into his eyes I had trouble concentrating.
“Do you like ostentatious girls?” I asked hesitantly.
He smiled. “Not one bit. May I give you a ride home?”
My eyes detected Claire at Ryan’s car across the parking lot. “Um, thanks, but I sort of need to take the bus today.” After almost falling into their path, it would be a struggle to take one home. I found myself nearly taking him up on his offer, but I couldn’t, no matter how inviting it was. “My mom’s expecting me at the bus stop.”
The truth was my mom would flip her lid if I accepted a ride with a boy I had just met. Sure, he was nice. And hot. But rules were rules, and honestly, I didn’t know him yet. Not to mention, I was still trying to figure out what had just happened.
“I’ll see you tomorrow?” I offered, heading toward my line.
“Sure. See you tomorrow, Teagan.” He winked as he started to back away. “Stay clear of those curbs.”
I was stunned for a moment. So he did pull me out of the way. I was beginning to think I had imagined it all. I watched him cross the lot until he reached his car and then I unwillingly made my way up the steps and toward the back of the bus, snagging an empty window seat where I had a decent view of him tinkering with his stereo. I realized that for the first time in my entire life I was on the brink of being absolutely and undeniably smitten.
Sinking down into the seat, I plugged in my earbuds as I fumbled with my iPod. It was easy to remember why I hated the bus so much. Buses had a plastic, sour smell to them that turned my stomach and bounced my insides so violently that it was all I could do to keep everything down. Motion sickness was normal, wasn’t it? I was positive bus drivers drove erratically on purpose, just for laughs, knowing full well that the precious cargo they carried had weak stomachs.
Brynn’s shiny black Beemer was positioning to cut in front of the bus and through my window I saw her sneer.
For my sake, she pointed a manicured finger at the opening of her mouth and pretended to vomit, then erupted into waves of laughter with the other girls.
My body slid lower into the seat as giggles sprang up around me. I closed my eyes, pretending I didn’t see, that I was somewhere else…someone else. My pulse pounded in my ears and soon I was reliving dual moments, right before Garreth had come to my rescue today, and last night, the sound of dark wings thrumming. The two twisted and blurred in my head, becoming one and the same as the violent whipping to and fro echoed in my skull. I was going to be sick. I needed air.
I felt the bus moving, heard the honk that allowed Brynn to weasel her way in front. I knew I was seated back far enough that she wouldn’t see me through the window now. It seemed safe. I pulled myself up and pushed the levers sideways with my thumbs to unlatch the window, then pushed down, welcoming the rush of air that greeted my clammy forehead. I tried to focus my attention elsewhere, so I began to think of Garreth and felt the queasiness slip away.
Why hadn’t anyone else noticed my fall? What was that horrible black smoke that, in the pit of my stomach, I knew didn’t come from the buses? And how was it that Garreth had gotten there just in the nick of time?
Regardless, I owed Garreth a lot. Maybe even my life.
I couldn’t help this connection, this attraction that was hitting me like a sledgehammer on the top of my skull.
Maybe I had an overactive imagination and I was gullible enough to believe Claire and her recommendation that I needed a boyfriend. I shivered at the thought of my bizarre day. So far, the only worthwhile part was Garreth. Deep down, I knew this crazy dream wasn’t just a dream anymore. It was haunting me — and letting someone in on it would be absolutely boy repellant. Maybe a boyfriend wasn’t the answer. I needed protection.
The truth was, I needed a life.
I was inwardly laughing at myself when I realized the bus had been stopped for several seconds and a half-dozen sets of eyes were boring holes into my head.
The bus had reached my corner and the driver was now directing an impatient stare at me from the gigantic rear view mirror.
I grabbed my iPod and my backpack and hauled myself quickly down the aisle toward the front of the bus, carefully avoiding the stares of the other kids who were now beginning to whisper in low, hushed voices. I mumbled, “Sorry,” to the sadistic driver and made my way down the steps to the curb without killing myself in my haste. I would have to speak with Claire about arranging permanent transportation from now on because there was absolutely no way I would ever ride the bus again.
I woke up bright and early the next morning. My dreams of Garreth had been blissfully uninterrupted — no dark wings — and I found myself energetic and eager to make myself look decent for school.
Garreth Adams.