Fly Like Airplanes

Wilder POV:

"I guess not but people are staring," he muttered, looking down. I smiled brightly, he didn't mind it. That was amazing. Probably the best news I've heard all day. I looked around and I guess there were people looking at us but I shrugged.

"Who cares what they think?" I said with a shrug.

We were approaching the bus that was all the way around the school, in a deserted corner. I grudgingly moved my arm from his shoulder so we could both fit in the doorway. The bus driver gave me a weird look but I just glared back, daring him to say anything. Zander was already uncomfortable, no need to unsettle him more.

We always sit in the 8th row of the bus but luckily, Josh and Mike liked to be in the very last row so we didn't have to pass them. They wouldn't be here anyway, I thought with a smirk.

As always, Zander moved in first and I took the seat right beside him, our legs touching because I put my backpack on the other side instead of on the ground like I usually do. I watched him to make sure he was comfortable before I settled in. He was just looking out the window, probably trying to ignore me.

He doesn't like to talk much on the way back home from school. I think it's because he's afraid of actually getting home and having to deal with his family.

So I usually just settle in and would listen to some music to pass the time. We were pretty relaxed before we entered the neighbourhood. Upon entering, I saw him give a involuntary shiver and he pulled his legs up and wrapped his arms around them; he was trying to curl himself into a ball.

"Hey um.... Zander?" I asked quietly, trying not to startle him out from his thinking state.

"Yeah?" he asked but didn't move his stare from out the window.

"Do you want to maybe do something tomorrow after school like maybe get some ice cream or I could try to help teach you basketball or something? Maybe we could go to the river by in the woods or something?"

Upon this, Zander actually looked up in surprise and confusion but I think it was he was way more surprised than confused. He opened his mouth to say something but I quickly interrupted scared that he was going to back down or ask why and than I would just freeze up.

"Um... My parents aren't going to be home anyways; they are off on a business trip for two days," I quickly explained.

He started to smile but than the bus suddenly came to a stop. He freeze up and turned around to see his house at the end of the block. He looked back at me but there was fear slightly shining in his eyes. He must be thinking about his parents and how he would react if he wasn't home for a day. Mentally, I cursed at them because they were totally ruining his life. I just wanted to get him out of the house for one day so that he doesn't have to live in fear and this is what happens.

"I can't," Zander said. I sighed and looked down, feeling slightly rejected even though I already knew why.

He caught on automatically. "It's not that I don't want to," he replied quickly, "My parents made me grounded because.... My grades are dropping and they did this so I could study more and stuff..."