The Girl on the Bus (REWRITE/ON HOLD)

7

I whip my head up and face the brown eyes beauty that has been absorbing my thoughts.

"Hey Van, what uh, what are you doing here?"

She smiles at me and I can't help but admire her. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail and she had hair that had fallen out and was framing her face. Her cheeks were flushed and she had black framed glasses covering her eyes.

She was beautiful.

"I work here dork" she says with a giggle. "What are you doing here? I haven't seen you in here before."

"I used to come here with my mom, and I passed by and got hungry." I reply nonchalant and a shrug.

She nods and tucks some stray hair behind her ear.

"I was actually going to go car shopping, do you wanna come?"

He eyes widen and a smile breaks out across her face.

"I get off in about thirty minutes. Wait for me?"

"Of course" I reply with a smile.

**

"How was the omelet?" Van asks as we step out of the diner.

"Delicious" I state with a smile.

I wasn't lying, it was the best I've had in a long time.

"So which dealership are we going to?" She asks as she takes the hair tie out of her hair.

I watch as her brown locks cascade down her back and tumble over her shoulders. I was entranced. I could barely think let alone speak.

"Uh-" I pause and clear my throat before turning my attention away from her.

"I was thinking of going to Ralph's. He knows the best cars and I know he won't let me down."

She nods and hums in agreement before stuffing her headphones in her sweater pocket.

"No music today?" I tease with a smirk.

She directs a playful glare at me before punching me lightly in the arm.

"I wanted to try something different, it's called conversation? Not sure how it works but it wouldn't hurt to try"

I laugh lightly as Ralph's shop comes in to view.

"You know my dad taught me all about cars when I was younger. It was just him and I. Hell I could take an engine apart and assemble it again with no problems. He was always in our garage tinkering with parts and scraps from cars he had come across at the dump."

"He not around anymore?"

She tilts her head to the side and lifts and eyebrow in confusion.

"You keep saying 'he was' not 'he is' did he pass on?"

I notice the shift in her demeanor and the way her skin paled. All the color drained from her and her eyes darkened with an unreadable emotion.

"My dad is dead" she snaps

I'm taken aback by her harsh tone but before I can reply Ralph comes out of his office.

"Why are you never on time?" He asks me crossing his muscled arms over his chest.

"Something came up" I tell him with a smirk.

He glances at Van who had softened up a bit, before quickly glancing back at me and giving me a look.

"Ralph this is Vanessa, Van this is my friend Ralph"

Ralph's eyes light up as he shakes her hand.

"So this is the girl huh?"

My cheeks flush red from embarrassment as her head whips in my direction.

"The girl?" She repeats. "What girl?"

Ralph lets out a deep booming laugh before clapping his hand on my shoulder.

"The distraction."

Van looks slightly offended, and Ralph catches on because he continues to talk.

"Blake talked my ear off about you the other day. Said he wasn't studying for his SATs because he was to distracted. Now I know why."

She glances at me with an amused expression on her face.

Thanks Ralph.

"A distraction huh?" She says as a smirk curves up the corners of her lips.

She was enjoying this way too much.

I smile sheepishly back at her and she sends a wink back to me before following Ralph into the garage, where he kept the lines of cars he had for sale.

I watched entranced as her hips swayed from side to side. I didn't know if she was doing it in purpose or not but damn.

I'm in so much trouble.

Fuck.