Monday.
The day I've been dreading.
The alarm clock ring pummeled through my ears in an attempt to wake me up. I felt like throwing it out of my window and hiding underneath my duvet to avoid getting on that bus today.
"Olivia get out bed! Your dad & I are leaving soon, come say goodbye."
I'm still bitter about them leaving two weeks earlier than planned but I couldn't not say goodbye to my parents when I know I'm only going to see their faces on video chat for the next five weeks. Dragging myself out of bed I quickly showered and changed into comfortable clothing, I'm about to sit on the bus for four hours I don't want to be wearing jeans.
Heading to the kitchen I could already smell scrambled eggs and bacon, knowing my mom has cooked me a farewell breakfast like the good woman she is.
"Olivia we really have to get on the road, make sure you take everything you need for the week away, have an amazing time and don't get into too much trouble."
They took turns kissing my head and hugging me as I mumbled my goodbye through delicious mouthfuls of the hot food.
"We're sorry we needed to leave early my love."
"Mom it's fine, I'm a big girl, I'll be okay. I reassured her, not feeling reassured myself.
"Ok. We'll miss you, we'll talk every day on video chat. Love you, bye."
"Bye."
And with the slam of the door my parents were gone, again. I was left alone in the silence of the walls that made up my house. I tried to hold back my tears but I couldn't. You would think after all this time I would be numb to it but it still upsets me that nobody wants to be around me, not even my parents. Shaking myself off I grabbed my bags and headed for the door knowing my butt has to be sitting on the bus at 7AM.
***
Vibrant shades of yellow and orange chased away the skies darkness of the night in a beautiful display of colour. The bus had pulled up outside of school and rowdy teenagers stood close by, all engaging in their own excited chatter. I had one duffel bag unlike Tia who stood next to me with bags like she had packed for a month away. The glass doors of the bus shot open and a plump man appeared in the door way with a black, shiny clip board in one hand and a grey megaphone in the other.
"Attention!" he echoed down the megaphone "we'll do the cheerleaders first when I call your name enter the bus Croft Louise, Aimes Kelly, King Ruby, Dempsey Natasha, Mitchell Helen..." Clipboard man rattled off the twelve cheerleaders coming with us, each girl climbing up the stairs of the bus wearing their signature Chestington High red and black uniform.
"Now we'll go with the soccer team..." he continued shouting out names through his ear piercing megaphone and after each name a boy got on the bus. "Peers Jordan" Clipboard man continued with no reply. "I said, Peers Jordan" Again, nothing but tumbleweeds blowing in the wind. Clipboard man looked up from behind his megaphone.
"Jordan peers?"
Crickets.
"Zak Adams? Ben Milton? Liam Maines?"
Nothing.
"Ok girls, do I have Olivia Charles and Tiana Adeniji?"
We nodded and climbed aboard reluctantly, committing ourselves to the week of hell. The bus was already quite full but we managed to get a seat together somewhere in the middle. As we walked town the isle some of the cheerleaders threw unpleasant comments our way and some of the jocks threw bits of their food. Great, it had already started.
Tia asked for the window seat, the fresh air helped with her motion sickness so I wasn't going to refuse her that. I slouched down in my seat trying to get comfortable against the cheap fibers of the chair covers.
"They are just at the store getting the alcohol, they'll be here in a minute." I heard Natasha say from two seats in front of me.
"I'm so going to bang Liam tonight, he's so fine and I think he's coming round to the idea of us being together. We'll get Zak and Liam to share a room and then I will swap with Zak so you can share with him and I'll be in with Liam." Ruby replied to her across the isle, building a rage up inside me that I didn't know existed.
"Perfect!" Natasha replied, high fiving each other with their perfectly manicured hands.
It was seven thirty, figures those jackasses would hold everyone up for half an hour because they all think the world revolves around them. My mood was sour, I wasn't sure if it was because I was confined in a small space with jocks and cheerleaders who I spent all my energy hating or if it was because I overheard Ruby's plan and it just didn't sit right with me.
The doors flung open again and one by one the four jocks loaded onto the bus, entering to floods of cheers and claps from their teammates. They lapped it up, playing to the crowd with their hands in the air and smiles on their faces. Not one bit sorry they held everyone up. They walked in a line to the back of the bus where four empty seats waited untouched.
As Liam walked past me he ushered a trail of his usual scent and our eyes locked on one another. He seemed confused about my presence but didn't question it. He just walked past me as if it all happened in slow motion.
The roar of the engine came alive and I threw in my ear phones, blocking out the idiots that surrounded me. Thankful this week had begun so it could be over faster. I could feel eyes burning into the back of my head but I refused to turn around and just focused on my music.
***
I groggily opened my eyes as the bus came to a stop, my head was resting on Tias shoulder in an awkward position that cramped up my neck. I shook her awake when I realized we were at a service station two hours into our journey. Clipboard man jumped on his megaphone again startling me with the loudness.
"You have thirty minutes here, eat, use the bathroom, shop just don't whatever you do be late coming back. I'm talking to you Peers, Adams, Milton and Maines."
Everyone got up and piled out the bus like a colony of red and black ants. I desperately needed to stretch my legs so I stood up and headed towards the service station. Inside it was a large white room that had an open plan gift shop leading off from right, a open plan coffee shop in the middle room and a open plan burger king to the left. By the doors there was a narrow corridor that leaded into toilets. That's where I headed first.
Everything was white and kind of grubby. Every mirror was taken up by a cheerleader fixing her face. Ignoring them I locked myself in the cubical to get on with my business.
"Liam said he feels like he can really connect with me, he tells me things he doesn't tell anyone else. I'm going to find him in a minute and tell him our plan, he won't be able to refuse when he sees I'm wearing the underwear that I know he likes."
Although I couldn't see her I knew exactly who was talking. Flushing the chain I unlocked the door and stood next to the girls washing my hands. In the mirrors reflection I could see Ruby giving me a death glare.
"Why are you here nerd?" Natasha says, looking amused.
"Did you hear what I said about Liam? I'm fucking him tonight, I hope you're not going to try and come between that." Ruby followed.
"Why would I? I don't like Liam." I stuttered out which caused them both to laugh.
"We all know you like Liam, Olive. When you're lying in bed tonight think about Liam and I, think about what we'll be doing. Hell, we might even get the next room to you so you can hear what we're doing and just know that it's me and not you. That it will never be you. That Liam could never be interested in some virginal, ugly nerd."
She turned on her heels and walked out, with the rest of her posse following suit. Leaving me alone in the bathroom reeling about what she just said. Ignore it Olivia. She's not worth the tears.
After composing myself I left and headed for the coffee shop, I ate breakfast not too long ago so I wasn't hungry enough for a burger king. I sat down at the wooden table and sipped my hot vanilla latte. It wasn't Starbucks but it was still a pretty good cup. My eyes followed Ruby as she approached Liam who was sitting at another table far across the room with his friends.
She stood far too close to him, pushing her boobs into him and he was tense, visibly uncomfortable. I watched her make attempts to talk to him and touch him but he didn't seem that interested. He didn't look at her and his mouth didn't move that often. He moved away anytime she touched him. I chuckled into my mug. Liam wasn't into her, it was cringe worthy.
I downed the sweet, warm liquid and decided to browse the gift shop before heading back to the bus. It was quite a large gift shop that sold a whole lot of nothingness. Pick and Mix candy, a variety of sodas, teddy bears with little t.shirts that read I heart USA, fridge magnets and other useless souvenirs. I decided to fill a cup up of pick and mix candy to share with Tia who was waiting on the bus.
"Why are you here?" A familiar voice ringing with question distracted me from the candy options.
"Hello to you too." I replied, leaving him burning with curiosity.
"Hello. Why are you here?" He repeated trying to mask his slight amusement with an annoyed look on his face.
"I made the cheer squad." I shrugged, trying to keep my face straight but failing when I seen that beautiful, boyish smile stretch widely across his face.
"I'm glad you're here." My heart stopped. He was?
"You are?" I felt my whole body flushed bright pink.
"Yeah! You pick the best candy."
He dipped his fingers into my cup and pulled out a small handful of cola bottles. Then without thinking he popped them into his mouth, winked and walked off. Leaving me smiling like an idiot, frozen on the spot.
***
"Oooh you got candy" Tia said with wide eyes, routing through my cup to find the best ones.
"Yeah" was about all I could manage to say when my mind was going over what Liam said.
Throwing in my ear phones I think I seemed pretty calm and collected on the outside as I sat on the bus for a further two hours but inside I was a complete wreck.