You Saved Me - A Stefanielle Story

Chapter Twenty-Two

"Are you ready, bambina?" Stefania calls out, knocking lightly on the bathroom door with a fisted hand. She had finally recovered from her stomach bug a few days ago and felt energised, raring to go. "We have to leave in like five minutes if we're going to make the coach!"

Danielle hurries up her routine; spitting out the last of the toothpaste into the sink and splashing warm water across her pale face. She was nervous. Instead of their usual morning rehearsals, the group had planned a miniature tour across the country to see old theatres and finishing the day by watching a musical production in the evening. The blonde wasn't nervous for any of the above, but more so the journey spent inside the bus. She was fine with short journeys, but anything longer gave her horrible anxiety about the night of the crash. Replaying scenes of that incident over and over in her head, remembering every single detail from the angle of her steering wheel to the exact location of the crash.

"I'm coming - just give me one more minute!" The blonde cries attempting to maintain a steady voice, quickly slipping on her black vans to her feet and grabbing her rucksack filled with sweets. She also packed a blanket for the trip back into the city, knowing it would be a late one. Danielle was a sucker for anything cosy and sweet (including her girlfriend). "Okay, okay, I am ready to go."

"Are you okay?" Stefania kisses the cheek of her girlfriend, grabbing her warm hand and locking the door behind the both of them. Danielle just nods, staring down at her shoes as they walk down the pavements to reach their destination. Counting the leaves on the ground, some orange and some brown, the trees were almost bare now.

The coach was already there, the sounds of the engine rumbling on the side of the road, tucked up against the high curb. Waiting for the acting students to climb aboard. Doors wide open as they scuttle inside the vehicle, watching Sarah and Zach take the back seats with a few of their friends. If you think cliques end in high school, you thought wrong. They were definitely among the hierarchy. Avoiding any confrontation, the couple opt to find two seats in the middle of the coach, where they belong according to the royals. The morning sun shining brightly through the large window and onto their laps. At least the view is nice.

"Look at me, Bella," Stefania turns to face the blonde, searching for her soft blue eyes. Observing her bounce her leg up and down and biting her fingernails. Applying a gentle hand to her thigh, suspecting her nerves. "Everything will be okay. I have you..."

"I know- sorry, everything will be okay." Danielle repeats her words, once out loud and then five times in her head. Reassuring herself that the vehicle won't crash. There will be no accidents. Not today.

Once the teacher climbs into the coach, the doors close and she quickly takes register of all the students in attendance. Ticking off each name as she goes down the list. "Now as you all know, we are here today to observe some of the most famous and oldest theatres across the country. I would like you all to take notes, pictures, mental notes... as you are witnessing the history of your careers." The teacher goes on, speaking into the microphone of the bus as it finally begins to move onto the busy roads, weaving into traffic on the main road. "If you could all partner up with someone throughout the day so no one gets lost, that would make my job a thousand times easier."

Her voice gets cut off by a screech of the microphone, and for a few seconds the coach is quiet, people adjusting to the instructions set by the teacher. Not a moment later though, the bus begins a wave of chatter as the radio plays quietly in the background.

"So, will you be my partner?" Stefania giggles, squeezing the blonde's thigh with the palm of her hand. Easing Danielle into the journey ahead of them by offering her a huge teethy smile and a joke to break the anxiety.