Infinity.

Chapter 6: Indifference

It was the first time she was late for school. When she looked at the watch, it was already 8:36 am and she was supposed to be at her school before 8:30. She dashed down the stair and clumsily hugged her mom, kissed her dad and mumbled "Bye!"before darting towards the bus stop.

The road was mostly empty so she ran without caution. In her mind a storm raged. She wondered what it would be like. How her teachers would react. She was scared.

When she reached the bus stop, it was almost deserted. Only two people were standing there, waiting.

She recognized one of them. It was Diana. She was one of the toppers and often clashed with Adriana in their arithmetic class. Seeing her filled Adriana with a bit of relief. There was someone at least to accompany her in her misery. She went close to Diana  and fiddled. She could not make out how to start the conversation. She was just going to blurt out an awkward "hi", when god showed his kindness and Diana started the conversation.

"Hey! Late too?"

"Isn't it obvious!" Adriana exclaimed in a voice she thought was friendly though the look on Diana's face suggested otherwise.

Adriana hit herself mentally for being weird. Silence prevailed between them as they stood side by side awkwardly.

Come on Adriana! Break the ice. She scolded herself.

"I have never actually been late. I have no idea what I am gonna do and what er.. what I am going to say." She hoped Diana would respond. She did.

"Well, it's not really that hard. All you have to do is lie." Her smile was a little crooked on the right side. It never reached her eyes though. Her brown eyes.

"Oh."
So she has experience.

"Nice shoes though." Diana said with a smirk.

"No one ever said that to me. Thank you!" And as she looked down to see the article that had brought such praise, she smiled gleefully inside. But once her eyes were at her heels and she realised the truth, all glee and all smiles had died. She felt her cheeks going hot and sensed the redness in them.

She was wearing her puppy face slippers. The were as red as her cheeks and all fluffy and covered with fur. In all the hurry, she forgot to take those off.

Seeing Adriana embarrassed, Diana said, "They really are nice. My sister has a similar one."

Before silence could once again wash over her, the bus honk shattered all of it and Adriana thanked her stars.
They got up one after the other leaving the only other person standing there without company. Adriana got the window seat and Diana sat beside her. Adriana felt the rushing wind on her face, through her hair. The bus was mostly empty too like the bus stop. As the distance between Adriana and her school decreased, her anxiety increased.

I should have just ditched school. Why did I have to come? The answer to the query came from the enquirer herself.
To quench your eyes and your heart on the beauty of those eyes. Warm hazel and cold blue.

Adriana was confused. Am I doing something wrong? How can I be in love with both of them? How can I be in love in just one day of company? How can I love?

The answers to these questions though stayed hidden. Stirring her mind and pushing aside her thoughts she said,"Help me today, okay?"

"Yea, sure."

The bus slowed down for it was nearing the next bus stop, the last bus stop before her school. She peered out of the window as the blurry dash of trees and cars reduced and the bus stopped. Someone got up.

It was Sebastian.

Adriana's heart jumped out her thoracic cavity and near escaped through her mouth. She hid herself behind the seat in front of her. Diana was surprised at her strange behavior, no doubt. But she was helpless to the pleas of her heart.

What the heck are you doing? Get up there! He is not a bear who will gulp you at first glance.

She mustered all her courage and straightened up. Sebastian was not there in the front anymore. She turned. He was sitting in one of the backseats. Strangely, he looked different. She had dreamt of him the better part of the previous day. She thought she knew him. Every part of him. But no. There was that mole on the extreme side of his left cheek. And tiny pimples on the sides of his nose. The mind often forgets details and creates another picture. A picture with a dream-like quality and unrealistic perfection. But there he was, imperfect and beautiful.

She remembered the eyes perfectly well though and she drowned in them once again as they flickered. Blue gems in cool light, slightly drowsy with sleep.

All of a sudden the bus stopped. The building of Upper Carolina High School was in view. It had never looked so looming.

A worried Adriana, an astonished Diana and a sleepy Sebastian got off and the bus sped past to cater to its other passengers.

Adriana kept looking at him from the corner of her eyes. He walked behind the two girls with hands in pockets of a red chino.

At last as they entered the school, second class was already over. Sebastian kept following them. Adriana was excited. On one side of her head she thought about her teachers. On the other Sebastian ruled. Adriana walked on with Diana as they talked about missing arithmetic class when Sebastian passed them.

She was ready for him. She smiled her sweetest and was going to wave "hi" but Sebastian just passed her. Just passed her. Not even glanced at her. As if she was a stranger.
She was crushed. And scattered into a million pieces.

His indifference hurt her badly and reminded her that Life is as rude as it can be.