Finding Me

chapter three

The Toronto transit toppled to the side as Sahara was listening to music on her cell phone.

She hated taking the bus because the people were rude, some smelt awful, it was always pack so she would have to stand. Even when the majority of the seats were empty, there was always a jerk who had chosen to sit right, next her.

After changing the song, she gazed out the window seeing a familiar crooked staircase that lead up to a grassy front lawn of tan brick building. It hit her that she was staring at her own school. She quickly rang the bell; holding tightly to her soccer bag as she began shuffling through the tight space of the other bus riders, ushering a 'sorrys' and 'pardon' as she squeezed by. One person elbowed her in the side, just before the back door closed as she jumped off the bus.

"Ow. Jerk," she says aloud, as she begins patting her side, making sure she still had her cell and bus pass. She couldn't wait until she didn't have to take the bus anymore. She could drive; the problem is she doesn't have a car to, drive. Her parents, well her dad; didn't allow her to borrow any of the cars because of a very minor fender bender she was in.

Her knees felt a little wobbly from jumping out of the bus. Luckily for her, she landed safely on her feet, but she still felt a little embarrassed, even though no one was around to see. She walked up to the side doors of Richmond Collegiate Institute. The hallways were pretty empty minus the few people who were there every morning, like herself. She climbed up the step that led to the school's cafeteria, and by the looks of the amount of people that were there, she arrived at school at her normal time.

She began fiddling with her phone to occupy herself from making any awkward eye contact. Chewing on her bottom lip, she continued playing her game of Sudoku. She kept her eyes glued to her phone screen, somewhat aware of her surroundings; she easily side step a teacher that was entering the door. She waited for him to past before going through; but she didn't realize there was another person behind him. She collided into a hard body, feeling a hot liquid scorch her chest. Oh God! I need to get out of here and hide in shame, she thought to herself.

"FUCK!" the boy hollered.

"OH MY GOD! I am so sorry. I will do anything to make up for it," she continued to mumbled, more to herself than him, while she pulled out some napkins from the side pocket of her bag and began cleaning the guy's white shirt. "I should have been watching where I was going. Sorry, my head was just somewhere else..." The guy chuckled hard; Sahara could felt the vibration throughout his whole body as she pat his shirt. Sahara kept her focus on cleaning the shirt, but he was not going to stop her. He enjoyed watching her in a frazzled state.

"It's okay. It was an old shirt anyways. This shit happens all the time, nothing new," he states nonchalantly, a smirk tugging to his lips. He decided he was gonna fuck with her a bit. "But thanks for the rub down, it felt really, really good" he finish, grinning down at her.

Dreading this moment, she finally looked up to see the guy she bumped into and froze with embarrassment. She wished the ground would swallow her right then and there.

It was Daniel Rio, staring down at her with the widest grin, which she thought was goofy, but irresistibly cute. Her stomach felt woozy, like she was transferred back to her grade nine over night trip where they had to climb ropes as one of the events. And she remembered standing on trembling legs, looking down at all her ant-size group mates. She was never good with heights.

"I am so, sorry Daniel. It was a total acci- ," she didn't get to finish her sentence because he squeezed her shoulder, which stunned her.

"No hard feelings. But I may just take your offer up on owing me back." And with that, he left her with a wink.

She walked to her locker, stunned by what just happened.

What was with the wink? Did that mean he was flirting with me? He probably does the same thing to other girls Sahara. You're not special. But... could he be interested in me?

All these questions were racing through her mind. She felt it was difficult to swallow, and was in need, of a drink of water. This is something she does all the time, torture herself with questions. Over analyzing every aspect of a conversation.

She put in her lock combination with ease, and unlocked her locker. She grabbed her books for her first two morning classes and slipped them into her bag. Her music was able to distract her for a few minutes but then her thoughts when straight back to Daniel and their encountering.

This was probably their first real, conversation they had. Sahara remember him being the same goofy, lanky grade 9 three years ago. Now, his features were the same but just more mature. Slight rugged, but had a hint of softness to it.

She thought back to grade 9, when her best friend, Fahima, would mention stories of him constantly bothering her in her math class. Back then, Sahara always thought Fahima secretly enjoyed it but Fahima would always squish that idea whenever it was brought up. Sahara giggles at the memory of Adena, her firecracker friend, saying that it was sexual tension and how Fahima she wants him to father her children.

Fahima always got angry with her about it, so after a while Adena would quit antagonizing her about it. Fahima was one to always take a joke, usually the one dishing it out. But Sahara always found it odd that this specific topic always got under Fahima's skin. To confront Fahima for her reasons didn't sit well with Sahara, so she usually just let the thought go.

Sahara down the rest of her water bottle and began rummaging through her bag for a snack, to see if it could take her mind off of Daniel a bit.

I can always count on food, she thinks; taking a bite into her granola bar, sighing happily.