The Only One

Out Loud

I arrived at the bus stop and anxiously waited for Jess to get there.

"La la la la!" May Belle's little voice sang from the distance. Fortunately, she wasn't singing about Jess and I kissing this time.

The singing slowly got louder until the little girl reached the bus stop and stopped in her tracks in front of me.

"Hi Leslie!" she squealed, wrapping her small arms around my waist.

"Hey, where's Jess at?" I asked.

The girl rolled her eyes and sighed as if I had asked the question over and over.

"What?" I pondered at her.

"You're just like him" she snarled.

"What do mean by that?" I wondered.

"He's always talking about you, always drawing pictures of you, always writing love notes to you (he'll never actually give um to you), always dozing off thinking about you like it never ends! He doesn't even play with me anymore. He always used to play barbies with me when I asked but now he's always too busy and it always has something to do with you."

"Wow, May Belle. I--"

"And you're just like him! Not even a 'hey May Belle, how's your morning?' just straight to 'where's Jess?' there's more to life than just each other, y'know!" the girl finished as the bus pulled up. She stepped on.

I stood there in a state of shock and confusion, wondering where that came from, also still wondering where Jess was. The girl didn't even have the audacity to tell me.

Just as I was about to board the bus, I heard a familiar voice call my name.

"Leslie! Wait!"

I turned to see Jess running as fast as he could down the road to make sure he didn't miss the bus or get a lecture from the bus driver again.

"Hey, Jess!" I waved.

But before I could put my arm down, Jess squeezed me tightly, lifting me off my feet and spinning me around before setting me down.

He looked into my eyes, smiling like he'd just won the lottery.

"Hey" I whispered, a sheepish smile plastered across my face.

"BEEP, BEEP!"

Once again, we both jumped and looked into the bus where the driver had just honked the horn.

"You two getting on or what?" he asked.

I smiled, taking Jess's hand and leading him onto the bus, pulling him down by his wrist in the seat with me.

"What was that about?" I asked, referring to the scene he pulled outside by the bus stop.

"I just really missed you last night" Jess sighed, leaning his head on my shoulder.

"Awe! Well I'm here now" I smiled, leaning my head on top of his.

The bus ride went by so fast. When we arrived I was sure we were only half way through the stops to pick up the other kids, but found myself gazing out the window at Lark Creek School.

"Alright class! I hope everyone did their assignments last night, cause if not you'll be spending recess today in here with me" Ms. Myers instructed.

Everyone who finished handed theirs in to Ms. Myers as she passed their desks.

"Mr. Hoager, where's your essay?" she prodded at the empty-desked boy.

"I didn't finish" he shamefully admitted, sending a few giggles across the classroom.