The Cave of Light

~Chapter 1~

Bus rides are literally the bane of my existence. I live 10 minutes away yet it takes me an hour and a half to get home. I wouldn't have to ride the bus if my poor car hadn't decided today was the day that it could no longer push forward. My mom's mechanic said he would try his hardest but we both know there is no hope for my old Volkswagen.

I think the worst part of my bus ride is Sadie Askins, who lives two houses down from me. What would generally just be a long and boring bus ride turns into pure hell when she steps on the bus. When I moved to Idaho she was a grade ahead of me but I was ahead of my entire 1st grade class causing me to move up to the second. Then, it was cool to be smart. No one wanted to be with the first grade babies and I was the one who got to skip the first grade completely. People thought I was the coolest new girl to move to their small town. I didn't want the attention and Sadie certainly didn't want me to have it either thus making us mortal enemies. As we grew up being smart became less cool and all anyone cared about was how pretty and rich you were but that didn't stop Sadie from hating me.

"Lennox, look at you riding the bus. Mommy's money couldn't buy you a decent enough car to ride home in?" Sadie and her fellow cheer leaders howled with laughter. It's amazing how she has the time to torment me yet can't seem to pass chemistry.

Don't engage Lennox, she probably doesn't have the brain cells to understand what you would say anyway.

"Cat's got your tongue? Or do you not believe in cats either?" Now everyone on the bus starts laughing. Sadie seriously doesn't understand how unattractive her mouth full of gum looks when she laughs.

Once, at Sadie's 9th birthday party, which I was more or less forced to go to, she had a castle and demanded every girl show up as a princess and every boy come as a prince. She had all 3 of her angry looking Chihuahuas dressed up as dragons and I made the mistake of saying dragons do not exist. I didn't see anything wrong with telling her the truth but apparently she was so offended that I had ruined her party she burst into tears and told her mom to take me home. Ever since then she tells people I don't believe in dogs even though that was clearly not what I said.

"So Sadie, do you plan on passing the 12th grade this year? Because wasting your time insulting Lennox won't get your grade in Chemistry any higher. This is your third time taking the class right? You would think you knew all the answers by now." Avery, my knight in shining armor says as he steps on the bus. The bus goes silent, no one knows whether they can laugh at the Queen Bee or not but I can't contain my laughter.

Avery has been my best friend since elementary school when I saved him from sitting on his glasses. Someone thought it would e hilarious if they sat Avery's glasses under his sleeping bag. Normally I would have just stood by because of my shyness but for some reason I decided to tell Avery and since then we have been inseparable.

If looks could kill Avery would have burst into flames by now. "It's only my second time, nerd, and I don't think that's any of your business." Sadie humphs as she stalks back to her set in the back of the bus.

Nerds -1 Sadie-0

Avery smiles at me as he walks to our seat. His gorgeous smile always brightens my day, it's like he has no care in the world. Sometimes I wonder whether or not he would be more popular if we weren't best friends. Avery is super smart but he is also gorgeous and has girls falling all over him. The only thing holding him back is me, the loner nerd who only believes in science.

"I wish you would stand up to her, the more you make her feel stupid the less likely she will talk to you." Avery says as he slides into our seat.

I sigh, because I know he is right. "I'd rather ignore her, that way there is no chance of me saying something I might regret." Avery and I both know both know how my temper can get.

"Whatever you say Lenny." Avery laughs as he pulls his earphones out of his pocket and hands one to me.

When Avery was a little kid he had a lisp. He could never say Lennox so he gave up and just started calling me Lenny. I use to hate the name because Lenny is a boy name and I didn't want people to think I was a boy. As we grew older he got over his lisp but still continued to call me Lenny just to get on my nerves.

I put an earphone in and so does he as we take the long bus ride of hell home, Panic at the Disco pounding in our ears.

I don't even notice when we reach Avery's stop, one street before mine. "Are we still on to go meet Dr.Swanson this weekend for your birthday?" Avery asks as he grabs his books from the seat next to us.

"Yupp" I say popping the p for emphasis. "My mom called his office yesterday." We both grin; this might actually be the best weekend of my life.

"Great, I can't wait. I'll call you later Lenny" Avery says as he walks off the bus. Man that kid never stops smiling. I watch him get off and walk to his house before we take off.

Dr. Swanson is one of the leading scientists that work with the Big Bang Theory. I wrote an entire paper on him in the 7th grade describing his greatest achievements. I generally tend not to celebrate my birthdays but when my mom heard he was going to be in a neighboring city of ours on the weekend of my birthday how could not go see him? I cried for about an hour when my mom said she bought 3 tickets for her, Avery, and I. I've never been so excited for my birthday in my entire life.

Lost in thought, Sadie takes the empty seat next to me with a nasty grin on her face. "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you Lenny" she says making fun of Avery's nickname "but Avery doesn't want you. He only feels bad for you and that's why he calls himself your friend. This little weekend you have planned means nothing to him other than he gets to meet his favorite scientist, too. He's using you and when you both come home, after he realizes how much of a nerd you are, he'll come back to me. After all, it just doesn't make sense for you two to be together. He's hot and popular and well, you're not." Sadie smirks at me as she gets up to get off the bus.

I try to hold back the tears in my eyes as I wait for the driver to stop at my house. I can barely make it off the bus before the waterfall comes out of my eyes. I run to my front door hoping that no one can see how distraught I am. After finally unlocking the door I run up the stairs to my room, I slam the door and cry into my bed.

This ladies and gentlemen, is why I hate riding the bus.

__________________

Vote, comment, repeat.