Excerpts Of Stories That Don't Exist

The Bus Ride

My class stood outside in the frigid cold weather, as our bus came to a stop in front of us. Mrs. Meyer, our teacher, stood at the door and counted each student that got on the bus. Once I was on the bus I stood in the aisle and started walking by all the seats that were filled with students, finding a seat towards the back I sat down and looked out the window. I turned my music on and started listening to Sam Smith as I felt the seat next to me dip. I glanced over to see the back of some boy's head, he was turned sideways talking to his friends. I just ignored him and continued looking out the window.

About an hour into the bus ride I noticed that it had gotten really quiet, I looked over to find that the boy sitting next to me was not only William Greensburg, but also one of the most popular guys in school.

Immediately becoming self conscious of my body, I tucked a strand of my brown shoulder length hair behind my ear. He glanced up from his phone and we made eye contact, for a whole five seconds I got lost in his chocolate brown eyes as he stared into my musty green ones. As I felt the heat rush to my cheeks I broke the contact by pretending I had a phone call.

"Hello?" I said into the phone. As now one answered back I just went along with it. "Mom, I'm fine. I'll call when we're on our way home. I love you too." Pulling the phone away from my ears I quickly plugged my earbuds back in and played my music. Trying to drown out the staring that Will was still doing.

"You're Blake, right?" I pulled my ear buds out and looked at him skeptical.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm Will. Will Greensburg."

I tried to force a smile, "I know, we have math together."

"Right." He looked back at his phone and quickly replied to some text. When he was down he held down the power button and shut his phone off. Surprised I asked.

"Why would you do that?" I gestured to his phone and he just shrugged.

"It bothers me when it goes off. So I just turn it off most of the time." Nodding my head I turned back to the window putting one of my earbuds back in. " What are you listening to?" He took the other bud and stuck it in his ear. Nodding his head he smiled and glanced at me. I looked away not making the eye contact that he asked for. "Fall Out Boys, nice."

I just smiled hoping that he would get the hint that I didn't want to talk. As I glanced back out the window I think it sunk in because he sighed and scooted away a little, giving me my space.

About an hour into the ride we hit a speed bump and Will's head fell onto my shoulder. I had noticed that he had fallen asleep a while ago, but as I looked out at the water whizzing by below, I sighed and tried to figure out a way to nudge his head off of me. Thank the Gods for the next speed bump because Will's head jumped up and his eyes opened in surprise. He looked around and then down at me, "What time is it?"

"A quarter till noon," I said.

"How much longer?" He asked running a hand through his hair.

"About two hours."

"Where the hell are we going that's so far?"

"Uh, Xavier University," I said watching him.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Didn't you sign up for this trip? Or did you just get on the first bus you saw?" He smiled, and winked at me.

"Wouldn't you like to know." I nodded my head and frowned.

"Yeah, I would. Otherwise I wouldn't have asked." He frowned and looked confused as he looked over the seat and to the front of the bus.

"You didn't sign up did you?" He shook his head.

"No. I had to come on this trip, for extra credit in English." He fiddled with his hands as I asked.

"Why?"

"Because I'm failing, and my dad isn't too happy. He practically blackmailed the superintendent into getting my grades up. Now I have to do all of this stupid shit just to graduate high school." He took a chance and glanced at me.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" He frowned, sighing he continued. "It's not your fault, it's my own."

I never thought that out of all people Will Greensburg would take the blame for his own actions. I thought he was this arrogant, immature, asshole; but no he actually blamed himself for his own actions and he took the responsibility for them. Smiling I said, " You know I could help you sometime. With your homework. You know if you need help." I started to rambled, I never ramble!

"Really?" He asked seeming surprised.

"Yeah, I mean I am pretty good with English, and Math, Physics, and Psychology." I mentally held my mouth closed with both hands choosing not to say anything else, but my imaginary hands apparently had an imaginary mind of their own. "You know maybe we could hangout, after school tomorrow and study." I mentally shot myself in the head, and then continued to just run myself over with a bus.

Will smiled, catching on that I was nervous. "Yeah, maybe you could help me with my English paper."

"Yeah." I felt the bus jerk forward and I slammed my hand into the back of the seat catching myself from smashing my face into it.

"What the hell was that?" Will looked toward the front of the bus just as it jerked forward again. "Shit!" he slammed his hands on the front of the seat as I did the same.

"What's going on?!" I asked panicking.

He looked at me as he tried to hold himself up, seeing the fear in my eyes his face became one of sorrow. "I'm sorry." That's when we slammed into the water.