Young Adults

CHAPTER 3

(Y/n) awoke to the cheerful melody of her alarm, playing one of her many favorite songs. Her groggy hand reached out for her phone but missed, sending it clattering to the floor. With a resigned sigh, she sank back into her worn pillow, rubbing her face with her hands.

'Oh, Universe... It's too early for this.'

Reluctantly, she forced herself out of bed and prepared for the day. She selected an oversized black hoodie and gray skinny jeans from her wardrobe, which was slowly being replenished with warmer clothing after her move from the south. For shoes, she opted for her trusty (f/c) combat boots—sturdy and reliable, a great find from the thrift store when she first arrived.

After dressing, she headed downstairs for a quick breakfast. Her mother, who had left early to tend to her plant store, would have cooked waffles and sausages if she were home. But (Y/n) didn't mind; she preferred a smaller, tastier breakfast over her father's cooking, which, despite his best efforts, often left much to be desired.

"I'm leaving," she announced monotonously, barely making an effort to be heard. As she was about to step through the door, her father walked by.

"Oh! Wait, (Y/n)! You gotta give your pops a mandatory hug before you lea—"

"Absolutely not. Bye, I love you." With that, (Y/n) briskly left the house, heading toward her bus stop.

Inside, Caidence giggled at the scene.

"Hey, don't laugh. You're still in for a bear hug once you head off for school!" their father called after her.

Caidence scowled at the thought, clearly unamused.

At the bus stop, (Y/n) plugged in her earbuds, letting the soothing strains of "Crosses" by José González block out the world around her. She'd never really questioned why she was drawn to the song; it simply resonated with her. As a few kids gathered at the stop, they barely acknowledged each other's presence.

"Hopefully I'll see them today," she mused, thinking of her new friends. Though she wouldn't admit it aloud, she genuinely appreciated their energy and personalities. There was something refreshingly authentic about them that made it easy to open up and engage.

They felt real.

"Man, does the bus always take this long to get here?" (Y/n) murmured to herself, glancing around. She noticed two individuals around her age casting occasional glances in her direction.

She considered waving, but if they were interested in acknowledging her, they would have done so by now. Maybe it was up to her to make the first move, but the thought of initiating contact felt daunting.

Instead, she looked away, focusing on her feet and then back at the road as the familiar air-pressured squeak of the bus drew closer.

As the yellow bus arrived, (Y/n) let the other two students board first, since they were already pushing to get ahead. Stepping onto the bus, she immediately felt the weight of numerous stares on her.

Every bus had its share of onlookers, and it seemed a few loud boys from the back were already calling out, their voices echoing through the crowded space.

A shorter boy with an incredibly short buzz cut waved at her. "Hey, new girl!"

(Y/n) noticed his gesture and slowly removed one of her earbuds to hear him. As he took in her features, his expression shifted from playful to awestruck. His eyes widened slightly, and his words faltered. The boy seemed momentarily mesmerized by her appearance, clearly taken aback by how beautiful he found her.

The other boys around him noticed and burst into laughter, enjoying the unexpected turn of events and smacking each other in amusement.

(Y/n) sighed, popped her earbud back in, and chose a seat at the very front on the right side of the bus. As the bus began its journey, she settled in, finding solace in the quiet for the rest of the ride to school.