Aurelia

Unfamiliar Connections

Lia stepped onto the bus, her head down and completely out of place, having seen some students getting on their summer adventures earlier. She scouted for an open window seat and slipped into it, putting her earbuds in; nothing played.

The bus was getting full really fast, and Lia grew more apprehensive with every passing second. She never felt comfortable in crowded places, especially when she felt that she did not fit in. Then she saw a boy scanning the seat row for an empty chair. In his first day, he looked particularly lost, and Lia really had high hopes that he might find another seat to sit in. Much to her surprise, he began approaching her.

"Is this seat taken?" he asked, settling into the seat beside her.

The question took her aback. She hemmed a bit, then shook her head. "No, you can sit," she said softly.

The boy smiled and plunked down. "Thanks. I'm Elliott," he said, offering his hand.

Lia looked at his hand awkwardly. She shook it, her grip light. "I'm Lia," she replied, barely above a whisper.

Elliott didn't seem to take offense. "Nice to meet you, Lia. First day back's always a bit strange, huh?" He looked around the bus with an open expression.

Lia nodded, unsure how to respond. She wasn't used to talking to strangers, much less friendly ones. Elliott kept chatting easily.

"I moved here this summer," he explained. "Everything's new—new school, new people. It is overwhelming, though it's quite exciting."

She listened to him, surprised by his openness. "That must be hard, starting over," she said, surprised that she managed to speak up. Usually, she found it hard to talk about feelings, even simple things like this.

Elliott shrugged, still smiling. "It has its moments. But I like meeting new people. Everyone has a story, and I think that's pretty cool. What about you? How was your summer?"

The question took Lia by surprise. She was not used to being asked about her life by anyone, let alone by someone she had just met. She stumbled over the answer, not really wanting to say too much. "It was okay, I guess," she said hesitantly. "Nothing special."

Elliott watched her hesitate but didn't press. "Well, maybe this year will be more interesting," he said, smiling. "You never know what could happen."

The bus pulled to a halt, and everyone began gathering their things. Lia drew out her silent earbuds, stood up, and felt a little saddened that their conversation was going to have to come to an end. After all, it was nice talking with someone, even if only briefly.

Elliott moved out of the way to let her pass and waved as they were getting off the bus, "See you around, Lia," he called, grinning congenially.

She watched him go, mixed feelings. She had never connected with anyone before, not even a little, so it was a first. She wondered if Elliott was going to change her school year—her life. Exciting and a little frightening.

As Lia went to her first class, she felt the very small stirrings of hope. Maybe this would be a different year. Maybe she wouldn't have to be so alone anymore. Just the thought of it made her a little lighter, a small light in her dark thoughts.

The day had been fast ushered in—introductions and all the usual school activities. Lia stuck with herself alone, for her mind was on Elliott. She would be thinking if they would share some classes, or at worst, whether he would even remember her. Not knowing made her a little nervy but hopeful.

By the end of the day, Lia was exhausted but vaguely optimistic. Getting on the bus home, she searched out Elliott's dark head. He sat a few rows ahead of her, talking with another student. Lia sat nearby, not ready to talk again, but comforted by his presence.

Lia relaxed as she rode home in the bus. Today turned out much better than what she had expected, and she actually felt proud of having pushed her comfort zone a little. The future would really tell, but for the first time in a while, Lia felt it might actually hold new friendships and experiences with a fresh start. This kept her spirits high as the bus took her home.

Authors note

Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter [I loved it!]
Anyways, I'm not a professional writer so please don't judge me!!
Love you [mwah]