yours | adam banks.

chapter thirteen

Alright man, chill out, stop staring before you scare the hell out of her!

"...Banksie?" Ava asks timidly, waving her hand slowly in front of my face, making me flinch and my face turn hot.

I must look like a bumbling idiot in front of her. In the end, I chuckle awkwardly and try to speak with actual words again.

"Ava. You get the bus?"

Brilliant. Just...brilliant.

Her eyebrows furrow cutely as she smiles at the ground before looking up at me, catching me off guard with how pretty the dimples in her cheeks are.

"Well yeah. I'm at the bus stop, at least every Tuesday and Thursday." Ava glances towards the buses before looking back at me. She grabs my wrist unexpectedly and I gulp, shivers running up and down my arm like I'd just been pumped with electricity.

Then I realise she's done it to look at my watch, checking the time casually.

"Our bus is due to leave in five minutes, so I guess you'd better follow me!" Ava grins brightly, grasping my hand before tugging me along towards the third yellow bus, Eden Hall Academy spelt out in black lettering across the side.

She drags me up the steps, letting go of my hand to my disappointment, beckoning me to follow her to the back of the bus. Ava slides into an open seat by the window and I sit down beside her, tilting my head so she's in my view.

The sunlight's lit up her face, making her skin glow and show off her tan, along with the freckles scattered all across her cheeks and forehead like little paint splatters. The girl fiddles with the bottom of her braid before lifting her legs to rest on my lap.

Before I can say anything she laughs, holding her sides as her head tilts back. It takes all of my self control to not lean over and pinch the dimples that form in her cheeks, admiring the way her laughter was contagious, the corners of my mouth lifting into a grin.

"Use me as a chair, why don't you?" I retort, grinning like an idiot at the girl who simply continues her laughter, nodding her head crazily.

The bus moves forward, I didn't even realise that the bus was full to the brim, chatter loud and rowdy. We pass through streets, classic suburban houses flitting past the window as the bus drives along.

Ava is chattering a way with me and it feels just like when we were younger, the bond reforming again. She's in the middle of talking about her newspaper story, describing the kids that all fill up the English classroom. Ava mentions how she'll have to sit in on a few of my practices as well as games and my heart leaps far too much for my liking.

How am I supposed to concentrate when she goes around looking that effortlessly pretty? I'm doomed, well and truly. I get distracted in simple conversation and now she's telling me she's going to be closely observing me while I play hockey? I'm screwed.

"Banksie, why does school have to be so much work?"

I snap out of my daze to look down at her. Her legs drop back down to the footwell where her bag rests before she slumps her head down to lean against my shoulder, a little tired sigh leaving her lips.

Tingles. Tingles everywhere, fuzzy brain, can't think straight. What type of hormones...

What are you doing to me?

"Now I'm a personal pillow, wow..."

Another round of giggles meets my ears and I smile helplessly, fingers itching to grab onto her hand and never let go.

"Our stop's soon." I say to her softly, glancing out of the window at the streets, recognising the familiar surroundings of North Hennipen.

Ava hums in response before there's an absence of weight from my shoulder as she reaches down for her bag. I repeat her action and stand up from my seat, Ava trailing behind.

The bus comes to a stop and the door rattles open, allowing Ava and I to get off. I can see both of our houses even from the road, lined with large oak trees. There's one that's an equal distance away from each of our houses, right in the middle. Halfway up the tree's trunk is a scratchy heart, both mine and her initials carved into the wood.

The thought of it makes my stomach flip like a coin and I try to shake it off, walking in a comfortable silence up our shared street, taking small glances at her every now and then. Ava's cast is completely covered in people's names and doodles now, mine pride of place in the centre and I'm struck with the fact a little love heart has been added to the end of my name that I'd written.

My face warms just a smidge and I blink harshly. Really? A stupid love heart is all it takes for you to turn into a strawberry? Smooth.

We reach Ava's turn in and her signature smile is plastered across her face as she flashes me a peace sign before heading up her driveway. I make sure she gets in through her front door before walking forward.

As I lumber along, my eyes hone in on the oak tree.

AB+AC