ᴍʏ ʙᴜꜱ ʙᴜᴅᴅʏ. [ᴍɪᴄʜᴀᴇʟ ᴊᴀᴄᴋꜱᴏɴ ꜰꜰ]

Ch. 17- Disappeared.

Nothing could be better. Ophelia and Darryl sat at the bus stop together, talking. They had a constant back and forth, never running out of ways to make each other laugh.

Everything flowed naturally as they felt comforted by each other's presence, distracted from the aggressively cold weather.

"Y'know," she began, approaching the topic. "Christmas is coming up." He nodded and pulled at his gloves. "Yes, I'm aware." He smiled as if he knew what she was going to ask him.

"Seeing as you don't exactly consider yourself a Jehovah's Witness anymore, would you like to celebrate Christmas with me and my parents?"

"Of course I would. I'd like to celebrate with mother, but..." he drifted off, frowning. She patted his hand, comforting him. "Yes, I know. Maybe she'll be more open to it in the future? Just once?"

"I wouldn't count on it, but I can hope, right?"

"Of course." The bus arrived. The two got on, immediately sitting next to each other. They both missed this. "What's some things you like? I know you like music."

Darryl pondered, rubbing his chin and dramatically making a "hmm" noise. She snorted, lightly slapping his shoulder. "I'm not sure. I think I'd like anything you pick for me. You're a thoughtful person."

"Yeah, but I need ideas!" Ophelia pulled out a notebook and pen, waiting for him to speak. "I like anything that has to do with art. I'm not really materialistic. Oh, anything related to animals, as well. I love animals."

She wrote those down. "Ok so-" he spoke before the woman could finish her sentence. "Also, I love nature. Trees are my absolute favorite! Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you." Ophelia shook her head, waving him off. "It's ok. You're clearly passionate about your interests, and it helps me get ideas."

The bus stopped at a familiar spot. She gathered her stuff, slipping her notebook and pen back into her bag. "I'll see you later, ok? I love you."

"I love you, too." They shared a brief kiss before she exited the vehicle. Ophelia made her way to school.

= = = =

The woman got on the bus, but Darryl was nowhere in sight. Did he miss the bus? Did he decide to stay to tutor late? She took her seat, sitting next to a stranger. She couldn't have been any more uncomfortable as the person took up a lot of space and breathed loudly.

Arriving at home, she tried to search for him again. Maybe he was waiting outside the complex for her? Yet, there was nothing.

This was unusual, and she began to worry. Ophelia sat at the bus stop, waiting for him to get there.

"YO!" Her head snapped to the side to see Max, his hands in his pockets as he smirked smugly at her.

Clark and Sean weren't by his side this time. Just her and him. "What do you want?" Ophelia asked him, clearly not pleased with his presence.

"Just wanna let you know. You won't be seeing your boy anytime soon." Those words made her nervous, though she covered it. "Why's that?"

"Imma be straightforward with you. He's behind bars." She wasn't prepared for that answer. She jumped up. "What did you do?!" The woman whispered snappily. "Did you report him for that man's death?!"

Max fixed his cap as he lazily shook his head. "Nah. Murder is too complicated. If I did, he'd tell em and we'd be in there, too. Can't have that."

"WHAT, did you do?!" She quieted herself as she had begun to yell. "You should go ask him yourself. Whatever he says, nobody will believe him. There's proof he did the crime. He's still just like me and the boys."

He turned around, walking away. "He'd never change for someone as trifling as you."

At that, she faltered.