Children of the Elements

Chapter 9-Travel is no. Just no.

I threw a "Sorry! Lo siento mucho!" Over my shoulder and pulled the lanyard around my neck.

Luckily, the woman knew she wouldn't catch up with me and, I'm assuming, gave up. Probably still looking for the jewelry I threw everywhere. My bad...

A twinge of guilt tugged at my stomach as I exited the airport to where the bus was parked. The poor lady wouldn't get to go see Yellowstone. Hopefully it's not that cool so I don't feel as bad.  I felt slightly bad but, on the other hand, she did try to knock me out with her purse.

A guide stood outside the door of the bus with a clipboard and impatient expression on her face.

She wore a bright yellow t-shirt with Old Faithful Forever displayed across it. Her blond hair was tugged into a claw clip  and she wore a hat matching her shirt. I walked over to her.

"What's your name, honey?"

I looked down at the little slip hanging from the end of the lanyard. It read, "Margaret Hansen."

I told her, "I'm Faith Hansen. My grandma had a bad case of, um..." I whispered in a fake-embarrassed voice, "well, let's just say the Taco Bell she ate yesterday didn't do to well on her stomach. She sent me to take her place."

The women tapped her clipboard and asked, "how old are you, Faith? Do you have parental supervision? Because our policy states that no one under eighteen can board this bus without supervision."

"I'm eighteen. I look younger because of a medical condition. I have the papers in my backpack because this situation actually comes up often for me. I can grab them if you'd like but it might take a while because my backpack is kind of a black hole."

The women raised her eyebrows and seemed like she was going to press me until she glanced at her watch. "Ugh, come on Faith. Garry will have my head if we don't arrive on schedule so I guess when we stop I'll need to check those papers.

"I'll take your word for it right now though—honors system. If I get even a hint that you are lying, you are out of here like," she gave a sharp snap, "that. Understood?"

I nodded and climbed in the bus.

There was an empty seat in the back, require me to pass by countless tourists, a range of sunscreen covered families to old couples, to foreign people and middle-aged white women with the constant sour expressions of displeasure in over where they were.

They probably wanted to be in some European country instead of a rancid tour bus. Spoiled, privileged people.

I sat down and shrugged off my backpack, placing it next to me so it blocked anyone from sitting on the same bench. Unfortunately that didn't work.

A cute boy that looked around my age, maybe a year older, paused in the isle next to my seat. He cast a quick glance around the bus and turned back to me, his eyes a peculiar shade of...purple? I didn't know that was possible.

He was tall, with messy blond hair. He looked like any basic white boy at school, except with an added glint in his eye and smirk that made me peg him as a trouble maker.

I raised an eyebrow. I was waiting for him to speak first.

He cleared his throat. "Hey, I'm Antony. Bus is full and I need a place to sit. Do you mind moving your backpack over so I can sit down?" He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

I sighed inwardly but moved my backpack to the floor.

Once he settled in, he turned to me and asked, "soo, can I ask what the pretty girl next to me's name is?"

I looked him up and down. Beat it, kid. "No."

He gave me an over dramatic sad face and drew out his words in a low, fake-disappointed voice, "but I told you mineee. Pleeease? Please, please, please? I'll just keep bugging you, though you look adorable when you're annoyed..."

I rolled my eyes. "If I tell you, will you please shut up?"

He nodded eagerly.

I sighed. "Ok. My name is Fae."

He smirked at me. "Such a pretty name for such a pretty girl."

"You said you would shut up." I pointed out.

Antony wiggled his fingers at me and replied in a sing-song voice, "I crossed my fingers. So, Fae," he looked like he was trying the name out on his tongue, "let's do twenty questions. I'll start. What's your favorite color?"

"Bright red." I replied automatically. "Why are you here?"

"My parents are nature fanatics. They wanted to see the most famous, oldest national park or something. I don't know. They dragged me along." He shrugged. And tapped his chin. "If you found a dead body in the hotel room you're staying at, what would you do?"

I reeled back. "What kind of psychotic question is that?"

He just shrugged and smirked.

I thought about his question before finally answering with a wicked grin. "I'd hide it because I won't want anyone to know that I killed them in the first place."

Now he was the one drawing back. He leaned away from me and stared with wide eyes. "Did I choose to sit next to a murderer. Oh gosh, Antony what did you do?"

I gave him a sweet smile. "My turn. Do you use three-in-one soap in the shower?"

"...yes?"

I crinkled my nose. "Antony, you're gonna need to change that. How do those even work?"

He laughed, a low, happy sound. "Hold up, Fae, it's my turn. If you could have music play every time you enter a room, what would it be?"

I rolled my eyes. "Obviously, I would choose the Little Einsteins Theme Song. I love that song."

And that was how the buss ride went. A whirl of questions and laughing and joking. It was actually fun once I warmed up to Antony.

I sad, disappointed feeling crept into my stomach as we neared the first stop on the tour. I probably wouldn't see Antony ever again.

Somewhere during the ride, we'd pulled out our phones and were making funny faces into the camera lenses. At least I'd have pictures to remember him.

The bus screeched to a stop and I laughed when Antony's head slammed into the back of the seat in front of us.

He rubbed the place where his head hit the seat and glared at me. "Not funny, Fae."

I stuck my tongue out. He pulled a funny face, causing me to start laughing.

Soon we were both laughing and I wanted to frame this moment in time and keep it with me forever. I was having fun. It felt a lot less like a quest that could send me to my death.

Then, like it always seemed to have before, the reality of the situation crashed back in cold, cruel waves. I sobered up almost immediately.

Antony studied me in confusion but seemed to shrug it off after a few seconds. I grabbed my backpack and stood up hastily as soon as the bus pulled to a complete stop.

Antony raised an eyebrow. "Leaving so fast?"

I shrugged. "Places to be."

People started unloading from the bus. I quickly moved past Antony and into the isle but he wasn't done.

"Hey I never asked—where are your par—"

I moved away and to the door as fast as possible. I could feel his pale-violet colored eyes trained on my back as I left. I buried the sour feeling in my stomach as I got farther away.

I would never see him again.

And that was that.

Sorry I haven't update in a while! It's been insanely busy and I haven't had a lot of time to write. Also...over 100 views?! I know that is a very very small amount in comparison to practically every other story on Wattpad, but I still think it's insanely cool to have that many views!

Anyways, have a good rest of your day/night!
—Grace