Bus Stop:

 

Monday:

 

I stand beneath my large red umbrella, the heavy raindrops a steady staccato upon and around me as I wait for the bus to arrive. I sneeze again and wipe my nose with the back of my sleeve. It is already drenched from the rain and I wonder why I am even standing underneath my so-called protection. I sigh and lift my head to the heavens, staring blankly at the gray skies that continue to shower us with its tears. I sneeze again and just as I am about to lift my arm again, I find myself staring at a plain white handkerchief.

 

It is nothing special. Just a handkerchief. Nothing I have to get myself worked over.

 

I stare at it a moment longer before lifting my head to stare at its owner. I meet his dark blue eyes and I try to force a smile to my face.

 

“Tha…thanks…” I mutter quickly as I reach for it. I blow my nose and make a huge production of it. “Do you want it back?” I ask with a shrug as I fold and refold the soiled cloth in my hand. “I could just wash it and…”

 

But he seizes it out of my hand before I can even finish and tucks it into his pocket.

 

Gross! My mind protests as I eye him warily. But then again, he is a strange one.

 

He’s a new student – just got admitted last week and according to our teacher, is considered to be the most brilliant mind in the country. Not that I care or anything….

 

But I do care! I had once held that spot – had once been considered the most brilliant mind in my high school and now his presence only annoys me to no end.

 

And to think that I get to stand here with him at the bus stop every day.

 

What a pain.

 

We don’t talk to each other much. He had actually tried to be friendly with me and I had brushed him aside. If I had any hopes of regaining my position as the best student in school, I’d have to work harder. He is my rival and rivals do not become…friends. The thought alone is enough to make me sick.

 

It’s damn unfortunate that we have to take the same route home everyday. Which means that no matter how quick I leave school, I always have to deal with him standing beside me each and every afternoon at the bus stop.

 

I sigh again and then sneeze.

 

I really must be coming down with a cold.

 

I can feel the weight of his stare and I shudder in revulsion.

 

Stop looking at me! Stop looking at me, you freak!

 

Finally, I can take it no more. “What?” I all but snap in irritation. “Do I have something sticking out of my head?”

 

He stares at me a moment longer before shaking his head and turning away. The moron. What a moron.

 

Thankfully, the bus finally arrives and I am spared the chance to tell him just what I really think. He gets on before me and makes his way to the back of the bus. Good thing he does, as I make myself comfortable somewhere in the front. Because I am about ready to knock some sense into him if he continues to stare at me like that again.

 

 

~*~

 

Tuesday:

 

We had a student council meeting earlier this afternoon. I am the junior president and it’s only natural that I’d become the president in my final year. I had worked hard to get to that position and nothing was going to stop me.

 

That was until my upperclassman had flatly told me that he was going to be in the running.

 

I bite into my hotdog a bit more ferociously than normal, chewing fast and thinking hard as I glare angrily at the ‘Stop’ sign beside me.

 

Of course I should have expected such a thing, I keep telling myself. It’s only ‘fair’ that they make the most popular guy in school a member of the student council. It would bring more awareness to the committee, they had said. Oh, thanks to him, more and more people would like to join the activities, they gushed.

 

Oh, ah, oh and ah.

 

What utter and complete rubbish if you ask me.

 

It’s a pretty muggy afternoon and as I toss the foil wrap from my lunch into the nearby trashcan, I stiffen as I hear his familiar footsteps before they stop beside me. I groan and eye my watch. Why? Why in all things right and just hadn’t the bus come in earlier? Why do I have to be stuck with him again?

 

“How’s your cold?”

 

Huh?

 

What’s he smiling about? There’s nothing to smile about!

 

“It’s…fine.” I manage to grate out as politely as I can.

 

“That’s good,” he says. “It would have sucked big time to have our future president sick with the flu.”

 

Again, I am spared from saying something that would make me look foolish as the bus appears again and he steps in before me.

 

I wonder if he is making fun of me. I’m sure he is as I eye him sitting at his usual spot in the back.

 

Yeah, he is, I nod to myself with a feeling of intense spite rising within me. And I, for one, wasn’t going to take it lying down!

 

 

~*~

 

 

Wednesday:

 

I am running – hoping and praying that I can catch the five thirty bus this time around. I know he is still at school because I passed him as he regaled a bunch of whiny, fawning fan girls with some story.

 

I used to have a fan club. Of course I used to pretend as if it didn’t exist and would accept their fawning as a right. Now that I think of it…it did sound pompous and arrogant of me, didn’t it? I mean, I wasn’t particularly interested in any of the girls, but that still didn’t stop me from enjoying their undying affections and attention.

 

I remember them having special days in my honor! Valentine’s Day was a time when all seemed to be right with the world. I was the most beloved person in the entire school.

 

But no more. Since he showed up, his fan base has grown and mine has dwindled down to a pathetic nothing.

 

I cringe at the girly babble that fills the hallways as I walk. Oh, he has done this and he has done that. He is so wonderful and he offered to do this and that and this for so so so and so. And as if my pain and suffering wasn’t enough, on Valentine’s Day he was practically swamped with chocolates and letters!

 

He had offered me a box back then.

 

I had tossed it away in anger. What did he think I was? Some beggar?

 

No! No!!!! I run as fast as my legs can take me, watching in horror as the bus I had hoped to catch, continues to fade into the distance. I fall to my knees and wail in defeat. Wondering if I had angered the gods to have this curse befall on me.

 

“Looks like you missed the bus, eh?”

 

I feel the acid rise within my throat and I force myself not to give in to my anger at that friendly tone again. It’s all his fault. Thinking about him had made me miss the bus. If only he wasn’t in my thoughts, I would have run much faster!

 

I stand up and brush away the dirt from my knees. And with a light snort, I begin to walk away. Yes, that’s right. I’ll walk all the way home if I have to!

 

“Are you walking home?”

 

Why don’t you figure that out for yourself, genius? I sneer inwardly.

 

“It’s a bit far, don’t you think?”

 

I walk a bit faster.

 

“I think it’s going to rain too.”

 

A few drops begin to fall and I slump my shoulders in defeat.

 

“Do you want to stand underneath my umbrella with me…”

 

“NO!! WHY DON’T YOU JUST STAY AWAY FROM ME AND MIND YOUR OWN DAMN BUSINESS?!”

 

A few passersby stare at us in bemusement, but I am beyond caring. I eye him coldly, my breathing harsh and rough idly noticing that he has flinched in response.

 

Good. Serves him right for being such a pain in the ass. Finally, he gives me a small smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes before he says coolly.

 

“I get the picture. Don’t worry, I won’t bother you again, Heero.”

 

And as he turns away to wait by the bus stop again, I can only stare at that long braid of his and wonder if I had perhaps gone a bit too far.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Thursday:

 

 

My footsteps feel a bit heavier than normal and I don’t know why. Maybe it was just the whole day in general.

 

It has been a dreary, rainy and yet muggy day. I guess I should have been pleased that he hadn’t made any attempt to be friendly towards me today. He hadn’t offered to help me take the books to the library. He hadn’t made any attempt at conversation at the lockers. He hadn’t given me that small wave and annoying smile each time I came into the classroom. He hadn’t even offered to sit with me during lunch today.

 

I was damn happy that I was finally left alone in peace.

 

Right?

 

I stand beside the ‘Stop’ sign and brace myself for his arrival. It was better this time – to know I wouldn’t have to deal with his little annoying quirks.

Maybe if I’m really lucky, he won’t show up today. Hah, but knowing my cursed fate, I was sure those familiar footsteps would soon be heard and I would have to deal with him all over again.

 

Five minutes, ten.

 

Fifteen minutes…

 

I’m still alone.

 

I reluctantly glance towards his usual standing spot fully expecting him to be there with that large blue umbrella of his and that small smile he always seemed to reserve for me.

 

Instead, I find myself staring at a little girl who’s sucking on her lollipop with obvious enjoyment.

 

Where are you, you moron?! The bus is going to be here soon and you’re going to miss it!

 

Wha…what am I thinking?! I couldn’t possibly be concerned about him? I don’t care if he shows up or not! It’s fine this way, right?!

 

He’ll show up. He always shows up. So maybe he’s a bit late, that’s all. No big deal.

 

But as I watch the bus approaching, I feel a dull panic within me. This is usually the last bus for the day. If he misses this one…

 

“Hey, you coming in or what, kid?”

 

I blink at the driver and before I can control myself, I say quickly. “My…my friend he…he’s not here yet…”

 

“Oh you mean the one with the long hair? He took the five thirty. So, you coming in or what?”

 

It hits me – so hard that I almost stagger backwards in disbelief. He…he had come before me. He had left before me. In just one day, I had driven him away.

 

Damn it!

 

“Kid??”

 

But it’s a good thing anyway, right? Yeah, I wouldn’t have to see his stupid face anymore. It was perfectly fine and I was glad he had left before me. Who needed to see him anyway?

 

So why then do I find myself sitting at the back of the bus today?

 

 

~*~

 

 

Friday:

 

Okay, I think he is taking this sulking thing a bit too far. So, I yelled at him but he had surprised me and I had every right to do so, didn’t I?

 

If only he hadn’t asked me that question out of the blue…always trying to be so damn nice…always being cheerful and sweet and just…gah!

 

He still hasn’t spoken a word to me all day. He hasn’t looked at me. He hasn’t smiled at me…he hasn’t…

 

Of course, I don’t care about any of these things because I am happy that I don’t have to deal with it anymore.

 

I wrap my fingers around the handle of my umbrella and stare morosely at the growing puddle beneath my feet. The rains haven’t let up yet and the weekend looks even bleaker. I really don’t know why I am here so early as I eye my watch.

 

Five oh five…

 

Five ten…

 

I am feeling more foolish by the second.

 

Five fifteen…

 

And then I hear his footsteps. They aren’t as quick as before and it sounds even heavier than mine. I dare to lift my head to glance at him and as our eyes meet, I see that he is very surprised to find me standing there. He falters for a moment before allowing his expression to become a bit guarded and cold.

 

I glare back at him and turn my face away with a light snort. If he isn’t going to talk to me, then I have no plans to initiate conversation either.

 

And so we stand – like lone warriors on an empty battlefield – neither saying anything...or rather not knowing what the hell to say.

 

He suddenly sneezes and I eye him warily. He lifts his head and glares at me as if daring me to say anything.

 

His eyes are watery, his nose a bit red. I shake my head lightly and reach into my pocket.

 

Shoving the blue handkerchief into his hand, I turn away and eye the bus now approaching us.

 

I can feel my heart pounding a bit faster and my mouth go dry. What have I just done? And why is he still staring at me?!

 

But hearing him blow his nose makes me give an inward sigh of relief.

 

“Do you want this back or do you want me to…?”

 

I snatch it out of his hand and tuck it into my pocket as I begin to make my way into the bus. I swear I hear him mutter ‘gross’ beneath his breath. And as I make my way to the back of the bus, I make some room for him before turning around to glare out of the window.

 

He sits beside me and I swear I can hear him grin.

 

Hn, and don’t you think for one second that this makes us friends, Duo Maxwell.

 

Just thought I would let you know that.

 

 

~Owari~