TWO WEEKS BEFORE
SARA LET OUT A HUFF as she tried to cram another book into her bag. Her mom, Julia Bennet, was moving around the kitchen on the phone, trying to contact her boss.
"This bag is too small." Sara huffed, as she continued to try and cram the books in her bag. "Hold on, Michael. That backpack is not too small." Her mom argued.
"It's miniscule." Sara argued back. "Just take your schoolbooks and leave some of the other books." Her mom said as she scanned through the rest of her daughter's books.
"I need all of my books."
"You don't need all of these."
"I think I do." Sara said as her mother continued to pick up her books.
"Edna St. Vincent Milay?"
"That's my bus book."
"Uh huh. What's the Faulkner?"
"My other bus book." Sara said as she poured her mom a cup of coffee. "So just take one bus book." Her mother shrugged not knowing what the problem was.
"No, the Milay is a biography, and sometimes if I'm on the bus and I pull out a biography and I think to myself, 'Well, I don't really feel like reading about a person's life right now' then I'll switch to the novel, and them sometimes if I'm not into the novel, I'll switch back." Sara roughly explained as she continued to pile books into her backpack.
"What is the Gore Vidal then?" Her mom boredly held up a book. "Oh, that's my lunch book."
"So lose the Vidal or the Faulkner. You don't need two novels." "Vidal's essays." Sara corrected as she grabbed the book.
"Uh huh but the Eudora Welty's not essays or a biography. So it's another novel. Lose it!" Her mother made the connection with a proud smirk as she booped her daughter's nose.
"Actually, it's short stories." Sara corrected with the same smirk as she took the book back.
As her mom continued the work call with her boss, Sara looked at the new notification on her phone. It was a unknown number trying to call her. Sara shrugged as she declined it. Scam call.
While her mom continued to argue about food and low-fat cheese, Sara kept stuffing her backpack.
"Ha! I made it all fit. Edna, Bill, Gore and Eudora, all safe and sound." Sara exclaimed proudly. Her mother hummed as she picked up a book. "Your French book?"
Sara grabbed the book. "I'm gonna carry this one." Her mother smiled.
"You thought you fit them all in?"
"No, I didn't."
Her mom hummed before taking a sip of her coffee. "Oh by the way, the bus is down the street already." Her mom casually said as she sipped her coffee. Sara froze as she dropped her book.
"What?! Mom!" Sara rushed to put on her jacket and backpack. Her mom laughed a little. "Don't tip over babe. Love you!"
Sara rushed out of the house with her hefty backpack. She sprinted on the front lawn, careful not to slip. She turned to her right to also see Ashlyn Banner running out of the house.
"Time?!" Ashlyn yelled at her. "One minute!" Sara yelled as they ran side by side to make it to the bus stop.
They both were breathing heavily as they stood in the aisle of the bus. All the kids around them were chatting, laughing, some even singing.
Sara cringed as she saw kids throwing whatever around the bus. Her eyes drifted around the bus for a empty seat until she caught sight of a blonde boy with unusual red eyes and an even more unusual smile. He sat with a taller, grayish brunette that had headphones in.
Her and the blonde boy made eye contact. Sara quickly looked away, praying to God that he didn't try to talk to her. Unfortunately, the only open seat was the seat in front of them. Yay.
Ashlyn took the window set while Sara took the aisle seat. Ashlyn stared out the window as Sara pulled out her Faulkner.
Most people wouldn't even notice these two were friends with how little they talked. But that was their way of friendship. That was how they bonded.
The silence didn't last for long as she felt a tap on her shoulder. "Hi!" a voice said, making Sara jump. She turned her head quickly to see the blonde boy from earlier.
"Your eyes are really cool! Were you born with that?" The boy asked as he pointed to his own eye.
Unconsciously, Sara went to touch her left eye (her blue one). "Uhm yea. It's called heterochromia." Sara explained as she tried to turn back to her book.
She knew it was rude but it's not like it was normal for random people to just come up and talk to her.
He didn't get the hint. "I'm Aiden!" He exclaimed happily. "And that's my cousin, Ben. We just moved here a week or so ago from Virginia. Can't remember what town it was though. Oh hey, we live near you two! Since we live so close, we should hang out often."
Sara nodded as she lifted her book up, trying her best to disengage without saying it up front.
Ashlyn gave her a subtle eyebrow raise as she side eyed Aiden and Ben. Sara just shrugged, muttering a "I don't know" sound quietly.
Ashlyn finally looked up at the boys. "Nothing personal but, we're a bit tired and not in much of a conversation mood." Ashlyn said as she held up her hand.
Sara mentally thanked Ashlyn for her intervention. "It's fine, I get it." Aiden finally said. Thank the Lord. Sara sighed. Ashlyn sat back down as she stared out the window again, finally having peace.
"You two are just shy, right? It's alright, I'm good at talking, so it'll be fine." Aiden smiled as he leaned on the top of their seat.
The school bus finally arrived at school. As the 'bus gang' walked down the hallway, Aiden would not stop talking. It was almost as if he was trying to annoy people.
"Woah, this is a small school." He mused as he looked around. Ben just walked quietly beside him.
Why are they still following us? Sara thought as she glanced at them, trailing her and Ashlyn.
As Aiden continued talking, it was soon interrupted when Ben yanked him back. He pointed to the office, silently. "Oh right."
Apparently, Ashlyn has been making some mental escape plan that didn't involve Sara as she watched Ashlyn run down the hallway as Aiden looked at the office.
Sara cursed Ashlyn under her breath as she knew it was too late to run with her. She closed her eyes as she felt Aiden's gaze return to her.
"We gotta pick our schedules....up?" Aiden trailed off as he just saw the brunette girl in the hallway.
Aiden then started laughing. "She's fast." He laughed as he walked to Sara's side. "I guess I'll see you around?" He asked as he set a hand on her shoulder.
"Uhm, yea." Sara muttered as she started to walk away with her book in hand.
As Aiden watched the shorter brunette girl walk away, he suddenly didn't want her to. Her presence was intriguing to him. She was a mystery that he really, really wanted to solve.
"Wait!" He called out. Sara turned around. "I didn't catch your name."
She adjusted her bag that hung off her shoulder.
"I'm Sara."
YOU ARE READING
𝑳𝑶𝑺𝑬𝑹𝑺 𝑪𝑳𝑼𝑩- aiden clark
Fanfiction"I never felt like a loser when I was with all of you" or in which, seven teenage misfits are thrown into survival mode and are haunted by their own slumber. despite everything, friendships blossom...𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚 SCHOOL BUS GRAVE...
