Meriliya Sanchez (Ongoing Editing)

Chapter 4

"Meriliya..." I heard a strangely familiar voice. I turned around and my eyes widened instantly wishing I shouldn't have turned around. 

Jack. 

"Hey." He smiled. Now what? How am I going to escape in a bus full of people and him a few people away from me? 

"Um, hey?" My greeting came out as a question. 

"Where are you going?" He asked from his place. 

"To work" I answered having no idea where this conversation was going. 

"Oh. To the same restaurant?" Yes! I mentally whined. 

"Yeah. Where are you off to? I've never seen you on this bus before" I said in an attempt to change the topic. 

"Oh so you travel in this bus?" Great, why did I have to tell him that?! 

"Not always.." I lied. "You didn't answer my question" I said seconds later which made him smirk. 

"Home. I'm going home." He said and I nodded. "What time do you finish your shift?" He asked. 

"Why do you always have so many questions?" I snapped regretting it later seeing his face fall. 'Good going, Liya' my subconscious mocked me. "Sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you..." I apologised. 

"It's alright. I should've not asked you that..." he looked down. 

"Hey, no. I'm sorry. It's just that-how am I supposed to say this? It's just that I've never had people ask me so many questions...no that doesn't make sense..." I laugh at my own sentence. "What I mean is, I've not had anyone to..."

"Talk to." He completed my sentence with a small smile. "I get it. I'm sorry and I know you wouldn't want anything to do with me so I'll stop. I'll not come to the restaurant if I have to. I'm sorry-"

"Hey, hey. Wait hold on. I'll come over there." I pushed past the people and finally was standing next to him on the bus. "Look, I'm sorry I was rude before. I don't mean to and I'm not like that. It's just that I wanted to have boundaries...I didn't mean to hurt you though." I explained. "Didn't you say, 'you wanted to be friends'?" I smiled wanting to lighten up the mood. 

"Yeah" he nodded. 

"Wanna be friends?" I smiled shyly before noticing the way his eyes lit up. 

-

"I have to cover up for another person too." I said walking to the unoccupied table. 

"Oh. I'll pick you up then?" He asked. 'You want to pick me up at one in the morning?' I said mentally. 

"Uh, it'll be too late, Jack. But thanks" I smiled, continuing to wipe the table. 

"Doesn't matter. Just tell me the time." He said maybe obviously having no idea how late my shift finishes. 

"Too late as in like at one in the morning..." I said and finished cleaning the table. 

"Whoa-"

"Exactly." I interrupted him. "Now if you would excuse me, I need to freshen up for the next shift" I quickly said walking away to the locker room. 

"Hey, I didn't mean it like that. I'll pick you up." He offers just as I walk out of the locker room. I sighed. 

"I'll think about it, okay?" I looked up at him to find him nodding his head slowly. 

"Okay. Maybe drop me a text?" He suggested. 

"Sure. What's your number?" I pulled out my phone from my pocket, unlocking it. I dialled his number in and saved it. "Thanks. I'll send you a message when I'm done." I smiled and walked away. I walked to the table where I recognised the old couple who came by recently.