Alone, Together (J.C. Fanfiction)

Nerves

Jade held her bag over her shoulder, looking down at her phone as she walked down the street. Her short, jet black hair blew swiftly in the wind as she made her way to the bus stop, the opposite of ready to start her first day of her senior year at a new school; Dwight High school. She had recently moved to New York, since her mother had gotten a job opportunity that she just couldn't pass up. Her last school was absolute hell, so she hoped this one would be somewhat different.

She made it to the bus stop after walking for a few blocks, sitting down on the bench beside two other girls with a relieved sigh. One had bleached blonde hair, while the other had a light brown with blonde highlights throughout it. They both looked like kind girls, but she could tell she was wrong by the way they looked at her when she turned, about to speak to them.

Maybe it wasn't such a good idea.

The bus arrived a few minutes later, coming to a stop in front of them. The two girls got on first, Jade following shortly after. The second she got on, she searched over the bus for an empty place to sit. There were no empty spots, every single one had someone in it. She tried her best not to let out a groan, then turning to her head to the left to see a boy with short dark hair leaning against the window. He had earbuds in, staring out at the passing trees while the bus began moving again. She didn't have much time to find someplace to sit, so she quickly leaned over, tapping him on the shoulder to get his attention. He took one of his earbuds out, looking up at the girl with confused eyes.

"Is it okay if I sit here?" she asked desperately, her voice quiet and soft as she spoke.

"Oh, sure." he smiled, moving his bag from next to him. "Go ahead."

"Thank you so much." she said, sitting down and placing her bag in her lap.

He still remained sitting against the window with one earbud in his ear, debating on whether or not he should speak. And then, she said something first.

"So.. what's your name?" she asked. She knew it would've been insanely awkward to sit there in silence during the entire ride. Especially since everyone else on the bus was talking.

"Nikolai." he smiled at her.

"Cool, I'm Jade." she said, smiling back at the boy.

"Okay, well are you new or something?"

He was trying to keep the conversation going, somehow. But after he had spoke, he felt as though it was a mistake.

"Yeah," she laughed. "How could you tell?"

"Well, by the way you looked panicked when you asked me if you could sit by me, and the fact that I've never seen you around before... Oh, and also-"

"Say no more." she interrupted him. "Yes, I'm new."

School had started a few months ago, and her mother had only gotten her enrolled about a week ago.

"Well, I can tell you now, you're not gonna like Dwight. At all." he chuckled. "I bet your last school was much better."

She laughed nervously when he said this, causing him to rethink what he had just said.

"I'm joking." he said with a soft smile.

The bus pulled in front of the side of the school, allowing people to get out. She grabbed her bag, waiting for everyone else to get off before she and Nikolai did. The school was much bigger in person than she had thought it would be.

"What class do you have first?" Nikolai asked, walking along side the girl he had just met on the bus.

She pulled out her schedule from her pocket, the one she had just gotten over the weekend.