Staying Grounded [BXB]

Tripping

SEBASTIAN:

"I feel awful now," Brianna says, breaking the silence, and it's not like I've forgotten she's sitting beside me, but I'm distracted enough that her soft voice at my ear is jarring. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For being in such a catty mood earlier."

"Oh. Sure."

"Just, my brother has a friend staying with us, and I swear, I'll be driven fully mad by the time he leaves."

I manage to only half shift my focus to flash her a quick smile. "It's fine, Bree. It's already forgotten."

The storm hadn't followed us to Exeter, and we pulled off an enjoyable evening out together, after all, evading any further drama aside from that viewed on the big screen. It was a highly entertaining film, Brianna and Ashleigh even shared a few laughs. And I'd felt upbeat until we got on the bus to head back into Yoverton.

"Should I count myself in on that apology?" Ashleigh asks, and it's obvious she's aware of our fellow passenger, too, as she keeps a watchful eye on me across the aisle. The man who boarded just three stops later, seating himself a few rows in front of us; the scumbag who is almost certainly responsible for vandalising Judy's car at the hospital last month.

I'm given no sign that he recognises us, and we've both been schooled better than to instigate a battle that's not ours to fight. Honestly, though, I don't think I could've held back from at least saying something if not for the sake of sparing Brianna's hard-won good mood.

"By all means, Ash," she replies. "You do you." Her hand is in mine, and moderating my grip on it is taking notable effort.

A balding hospital porter in his thirties or forties, he's tried his damnedest to get my aunt fired no less than four times that she knows of, spewing bigoted hate her way every chance he gets. And regardless of the unclear surveillance footage, I'm in little doubt that the latest atrocity he's gotten away with was the slashed tyres she finished work to discover, a penis chalked on the bonnet.

Ashleigh's knowing glances continue to prickle the side of my face, her phone retrieved from her pocket and an earbud plugging one ear, while Brianna relaxes back against me, and I've never appreciated their aversion to idle chatter quite as much. My jaw is clenched so tight my teeth feel at risk of shattering by the time the bus pulls into town.

A vicious assault of rain on the dark windows suggests the weather we left behind has fully broken loose, its noisy beat affording little hope of imminent relief. Only a handful of passengers remain on board this close to the route's end, giving me an unobstructed view of the crud as he dings the bell at the approach to our stop and stands.

"Grim!" Brianna straightens up from my shoulder.

And with a sigh, Ashleigh begrudgingly readies herself to move. "I vote we sprint to Citreena's and wait out the worst of it."

"S'pose I could eat. Sebastian?"

A gentle nudge to my knee has me flinching. "Yeah?"

"You with us?"

"Yeah," I nod, pushing to my feet.

But I've not entirely been paying attention, too intent on his exit. He gives a nod of thanks to the driver, disembarking, and I'm first out after him, my stare tracking his path left along the high street as the pelting rain chills me with bitter rage.

Monsters of his kind, those so small-mindedly compelled to deny others safety in this world to live their own truths, they're an ugly stain on humanity we shouldn't abide.

Ashleigh hooks my elbow and spins me around before I get to see where he goes. "Nope," her low warning heats my ear.

She's perfectly aware of what I'd like to do, her fingernails marking my skin. I'm just as aware that she'd like me to do it, too, short-lived though the satisfaction might be. He'll trip and fall on his own rusty sword soon enough, my aunt has assured me time and again, no need to dirty our hands pushing him.

The bus shuts its doors behind Brianna, pulling away as she joins us under the shelter. Her smile is cheery, her hood already cloaked over her head. "So, Bistro, then?"

"The sooner the bet—"

"What?" I cut off Ashleigh's eager agreement. "Bistro?" And my head shakes as Brianna's smile flickers to a quizzical frown. "Our next bus is due in about ten minutes. Otherwise, it'll be another hour wait before we can get home."

"Excuse you!" Ashleigh still has a hold on my arm, and she tugs at me. "As if it was literally just two minutes ago you were totally on board."

I'm keenly pinned by the frowns of both girls now, another instance of the two in rare accord, and I have sense enough to recognise my stake in such truces. But still, "Dobby will likely be testing my poor aunt's patience by now, left shut in for so long."

"The dog is not going to be in any rush to get out in this," Brianna counters.

"We can take Judy a fat slab of cake home for her troubles," Ashleigh adds.

Blinking rain from my eyes, a quick glance over my shoulder finds nothing but a long stretch of lamp-lit empty pavement, the Red Bull Inn at its end. And, hell, far be it from me to end the night no less sour than it started. "Okay, fine," I cave, allowing myself to be pulled forward. The sleet whips fiercely against us, and after a few stubborn steps, Ashleigh releases me to forge into the lead as Brianna cosies closer, fingers weaving through mine. "I'd never be forgiven, denying Judy of cake."