In Love: Against All Odds

It's Just a Bus Ride... Right?

Can't Blame a Girl for Trying – Sabrina Carpenter 😏
"I guess I should stop thinking about you all the time
But I do"

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Saturday rolled in like a chill breeze after a full-on crazy week. The past few days had been nothing short of messy—non-stop classes, the Bradwin drama still clinging to me like an unwanted shadow, and the emotional patch-up with Adri. I was exhausted, both mentally and emotionally, and I needed something to reset.

When I texted Adri to see if she was free, she replied so fast it was borderline terrifying. She invited me over, and just like that, I felt a spark of excitement. It was so good to have her back in my corner.

Downstairs, the kitchen smelled like home. Mom was making her weekend soup—the kind that instantly made you feel better even if you didn't know you needed it. She was at the stove, stirring the pot like she always did, humming quietly to herself.

"Mom," I called out, leaning against the doorframe. "I'm heading to Adri's today."

She turned around, spoon still in hand, giving me the classic mom look. "Adri? I thought you two weren't talking. What happened?"

I adjusted the strap of my bag, feeling a little awkward. "We talked it out. She was right about Bradwin, and I didn't listen, but it's cool now. Anyway, she's home alone, so I thought I'd go keep her company."

Mom studied me for a second before a small smile tugged at her lips. "Well, I'm glad you two worked it out. You want to take some soup for her?"

"Nah, I'm good. Thanks, though!" I said, giving her a quick hug before grabbing my stuff and heading out.

The bus stop wasn't far, but every step dragged like I was still carrying the weight of the week. When the bus finally pulled up, I hopped on, found a window seat, and plugged in my earbuds. The second my playlist kicked in, I let the city blur past me, sinking into the music.

I was just starting to unwind when someone plopped down next to me.

Startled, I turned—and there he was.

Patrick.

His chill vibe instantly threw me off in the best way possible.

"Hey," he said like it was no big deal, flashing that easygoing grin of his.

I pulled out an earbud, my brain struggling to catch up. "Patrick? What are you doing here?"

"Heading to the arcade," he said, leaning back like he owned the bus. "Meeting some friends. You?"

"I'm going to Adri's," I said, still surprised. "She's alone today, so I thought I'd hang out with her."

He raised an eyebrow, smirking a little. "Wait, didn't you guys have some huge fallout?"

I blinked. "How do you even know that?"

He shrugged, playing it off. "I've got my ways. So, what happened?"

I hesitated for a second, but something about Patrick made it easy to talk. "Well, Adri and I go way back. We've been besties forever. Even joined the same uni—different courses, though. She's doing design, and she's ridiculously good at it. Meanwhile, I suck at anything artsy."

 I laughed lightly before continuing, "Anyway, when I started dating Bradwin, she warned me about him. But I thought she was just being salty because they don't get along."

Patrick nodded, clearly following along. I sighed. "Turns out, she was right. He was cheating, and I didn't believe her until it was too late."

For a second, Patrick didn't say anything, just looked at me with this soft, understanding expression. "That sucks," he said finally, his voice low. "But hey, at least you know now. And you've got Adri back."