Darkstar

Chapter Two: The Bus Ride

Alex leaned his head against the cool window of the school bus, watching the familiar houses of Springhill blur by. He had about ten minutes until they reached school, and the knot of anxiety in his stomach tightened with each passing second.

It was always like this—each morning, Alex mentally prepared for another day at Springhill High. He knew what was waiting for him: Zack Walker, the star quarterback and, unfortunately, his so-called best friend. Zack was popular, charming, and everything Alex was not. They had known each other since middle school, and somehow, despite their differences, they had ended up as friends. But friendship with Zack came at a price. Zack's teasing was relentless, and though most of it was in good fun, it still stung.

Alex did not know how to stand up to Zack without ruining everything. High school was like a minefield, and Zack was one of the few safe spots, even if it meant enduring the constant jabs.

Alex sighed, resting his head on his hand. _Just one day,_ he thought. _One day without Zack picking on me would be great._

The bus rattled as it came to a stop, and Alex's heart leapt into his throat. The stop. _Her stop._

Ashley Ferguson stepped onto the bus, her fiery red hair catching the morning light, almost glowing. Her bright blue eyes scanned the rows for a seat as she gave a small smile to the bus driver. Alex's pulse quickened. He had known Ashley since kindergarten, and over the years, his crush on her had only grown stronger.

She was, without a doubt, the prettiest girl in all of Springhill. And the nicest too. But all she saw in him was a friend—a safe, dependable friend.

"Morning, Alex!" she chirped, sliding into the seat across the aisle from him.

"Uh—hey, Ashley," Alex mumbled, feeling his face heat up.

He desperately tried to keep his cool, knowing he had about five seconds before his brain would short-circuit from just being near her. It always happened. Her presence made him feel both excited and nervous at the same time, as if his heart and stomach had swapped places.

"How's it going?" she asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Good. Fine. Same as usual," Alex replied, a little too quickly. _Good job, Alex. Real smooth._

She smiled, and he felt a strange combination of relief and disappointment. She always smiled at him like that—like she was completely comfortable. Like he was her friend and nothing more. He wondered if she would ever notice how he felt, or if he would always just be the guy who sat across the aisle on the bus, too nervous to say anything meaningful.

He wanted to tell her how he felt, but every time he got close, the words tangled up in his throat. And what if she did not feel the same? What if confessing his feelings just made things weird? He could not risk losing her friendship, even if it were all he would ever get from her.

Ashley glanced out the window, her expression turning thoughtful. "I've got a quiz in chemistry today, and I'm so not ready for it," she said, rolling her eyes.

Alex chuckled nervously. "Yeah, that class is pretty tough."

Ashley turned to him, a playful look in her eyes. "Oh, come on, Mr. Straight-A Student. You probably aced the last quiz, didn't you?"

Alex blushed. "It wasn't that hard," he mumbled.

Before she could say anything more, the bus lurched to a stop outside the school. Alex felt both relieved and disappointed as the moment ended. He grabbed his backpack and stood up, watching Ashley out of the corner of his eye as she did the same. He knew she would be off to her circle of friends as soon as they stepped off the bus, while he would go his own way, trying to avoid Zack and the inevitable teasing.

As they walked down the aisle together, Ashley turned to him one last time. "Hey, maybe I'll see you at lunch?" she asked, her tone casual but warm.

Alex swallowed hard. "Yeah, maybe."

She smiled again, and for a moment, he allowed himself to imagine a world where she looked at him the way he looked at her. But as she waved and headed off to meet her friends, reality set in once again. To her, he was just Alex. Just the guy who sat across the aisle.

And to the rest of the school, he was Zack's target.

Another day. Another battle to survive.