The Girl With The Blue Hoodie

Chapter 2

© Copyright 2012 by C.A.B.

The second my black Converse stepped onto the messy atmosphere of my school bus, I was welcomed by a wad of pink paper that suffocated my face.

Oh my God..

Why the hell were the kids on my bus so annoying? Holding back the angry words threatening to thunder out of my throat, I simply just rolled my eyes and sat down in my usual seat 12 with Lydia Vanders.

Her usual smile-as-big-as-Asia greeted me as my butt met the cushioning of the seat. "Hey, Vi."

"Hi," I simpered. Lydia was one of my best friends. She was the typical-looking high school girl; a cheerleader with straight, brownish-blonde sprouting from her head; her liquid foundation nearly two tones darker than her actual skin color, and charcoal eyeliner, nine hundred tons of waterproof mascara (AND fakeity fake eyelashes, bwahaha), and pinkish eyeshadow attacking her hazel tinted eyes, Her outfit consisted of the typical pink Aeropostale tee-shirt and dark blue Hollister skinny jeans. Sure, she was a bit (sorry, I mean a LOT) of a diva drama queen, incredibly flirty and whoreish around every cute guy she stumbled (or should I say strutted) upon, super duper shallow and superficial, and a total my-way-or-the-highway kind of person...but she was my gal pal. She didn't understand me or my emotions or anything, but she tried to, and the both of us have been through tons together. We've been this close ever since 3rd grade, and I was hoping it could stay that way. Despite all of our mishaps and disagreements (and boy, there have been lots and lots of those), I knew that no matter what I did, Lydia Vanders would always be a part of me.

She just looked at me. Damn, even her eyes were smiling. Another thing about Lydia; nothing seemed to bring her down. She was loud and proud, totally confident, and always smiling. Sure, her ego was the size of Kim Kardashian's ass, but sometimes I was totally jealous of her. Something terrible could happen to her, and she would still be able to manage plastering a smile on her face. She tried out for cheerleading, and she didn't miss a beat because she didn't and wouldn't get the tiniest bit nervous.

Man, if only I had that much confidence and happiness flowing through my veins.

Instead, I was pessimistic, a total downer, unconfident, and every negative term you could find in a dictionary.

God, I need me a remedy for my negativity.

"So, what's up, Vi?"

"Eh...the same old, same old. What about you?"

Lydia sighed one of her famous dramatic sighs and fanned herself with her hands. "Everything's been totally lame. I'm still single! It's been, like, three months since I've had a boyfriend. Is there anything wrong with me?" She worriedly turned in my direction again.

I stared at her. Seriously. What the hell? Lydia was a total guy magnet, and she was super pretty. She doesn't have to think that stuff. Besides, three months is nothing. Try your whole life on for size. But I couldn't tell her that. It'd crush her, and she'd rant about how "imperfect" and "ugly" she was. Waaaaah.

I studied my nails in order to avoid direct eye contact. "Well, most of the guys your type are taken...and maybe they're shy..? I have no idea, Lyd, but it's nothing on you. You're abso-fucking-lutely gorgeous, and I can't see why guys could NOT get enough of you." There. I wonder if she'll fuss about that.

Lydia beamed at me, her hazel eyes glowing. "Aww, Vi! You're too sweet!" She enveloped me into an incredibly tight hug. Meeerrrh, too tight, too tight...suffocation...personal space..."You're right, Vi! That's totally the reason!" She finally let go of me. I sat there gasping for air.

"Yup," I managed to choke out.

"GET IT ONNNN, MANSFIELD!" a husky voice bellowed out.

Lydia and I automatically turned our heads around to the back of the bus. We both saw seniors Sierra Cole and Harry Mansfield in a very passionate PDA. When I mean passionate, I mean very passionate. When I mean very passionate, I mean, "Fuck. Go get a room."

"Let's go, let's go!" Jarrod encouraged, laughing along with the rest of The Perv Squad. Yes, "The Perv Squad" is a name Lydia and I made up. This group pretty much consists of all the juniors and seniors that tended to pile up at the back of the bus, and each and every one of its members had pretty fucked up reputations that could send Noah toppling facefirst out of his ark.

The Perv Squad also sadly includes my older brother, but then again, no one should be surprised.

I heard a mix of screaming and moaning coming from Sierra. Gosh, save all of this mess for another scene. This was just incredibly disgusting. How come the bus driver doesn't hear what's going on?

While I looked grossed out and shameful of our sad story of a bus, Lydia looked fascinated.

"Wow. This is really interesting," she said.

God. Sometimes I really wonder why I'm still friends with her.

She then turned her head to stare at Jarrod. "Hey Vi, is Jarrod single again?"

Christ.

Lydia has been attracted to my brother for the past 3 years. Even when she was dating some guy, she'd bring him up multiple times. She's been wanting a date with him forever. Obviously, he'd never actually go out with her because apparently, she "wasn't his type" and she "was too young for him" and "her boobs weren't big enough". He thought she was uber annoying, too, so she's pretty much off of his radar. It'd be weird for my older brother to date my best gal pal anyway...

I chose not to answer her question. "Hey, look. We're at school." I tried to say that sentence with some enthusiasm, but honestly, it was harder than putting lipstick on a pig.

Lydia just nodded her head. Everyone filed out of the bus in a very chaotic manner. I didn't know what I hated more: getting on the bus or off of it. It was a pretty difficult decision. I don't see why they have to be so rough about it, though. I mean, yeah, you get to get out of this nasty piece of garbage, but you're gonna break a freaking limb before the day is even over.

Lydia and I were the last ones to get off. Walking to school, we started talking about the newest couples and newest break-ups while waving to a few friends that passed by.

"Hey, Fishy!" a voice cried out from behind us.

But it wasn't just any voice. This voice made my heart twinge and beat faster than a guy on caffeine. This voice made me lightheaded and daydreamy.

This voice belonged to Kellin Hanson.