Eccedentesiast || l.r.h.

Chapter 11 - Saved by the bell

We hopped onto the yellow school bus. The boys, Michael, Calum, Ashton and Luke took the bus on Fridays too.

"Luke!" Michael said with open arms. I said beside Michael. Luke, Calum and Ashton squished themselves into a two seater seat behind us.

Luke and Calum were sharing tunes with a pair of earphones. Cute. Ashton had his own earphone buds stuffed into his ears while his fingers drummed on his left knee.

When I headed for the vacant seat beside Michael, I heard people's whispers and Arzaylea uncomfortably walking down the narrow aisle of the bus with her chunky heels. The various passengers of the bus exchanged looks. Their gasps and whispers told me they we're surprised to see Arzaylea. In a school bus. Yeah, she was pretty popular, the 'Mean Girls' kind of popular.

Arzaylea just shot smiles at them. She definitely did not look happy. I sat with Michael and she went further into a bus to the very end because that was the only empty two seater.

She half tripped on the way to her seat. I could hear people snickering and her sneering back.

Arzel's had already found his mates. He high-fived them. Turns out, the ones that were snickering was Arzel's friends. Nice.

"Ow hey!" I heard a voice from behind me. "That's my foot!" Another one went. I turned around and saw Luke already making his way to the back of the bus. Calum was looking at Luke and Ashton was stroking his sneakers.

"Hey," I saw Arzaylea smile. They were saying things but I couldn't hear them. I'm pretty sure Luke had asked her if he could sit next to her. Her answer was no surprise at all. They sat together. They were shy at first, then they started opening up to each other and chatted.

Then I felt a tap a shoulder. "You okay? You're head is always looking to the back," Michael had some kind of a concerned look and confusion going on on his face. "Oh yeah, I'm fine," I laughed it off. Michael nodded.

The whole journey to school was as boring as ever. I had music ringing my eardrums to keep me occupied.

We reached school in about 20 minutes. The bus pulled up in front of the school where the pavement was. I walked down the steps of the bus and already, there was screeching.

"Arz!" One of Arzaylea's many minions ran up to her as she walked down the steps of the bus.

Luke, Michael, Ashton and Calum tailed behind me and watched their little reunion. I bet they kept in touch the whole time she was gone.

Their reunion consisted of hugs and tears. Yeah, tears. Actual tears. Why were they an emotional wreck? I don't even want to know.

"Hey Azalea," Arzaylea turned to me just as I made a move to the school doors. "I'll see ya after school."

"I'm actually going to Mikey's place later," I told her with a shrug. "Oh well then," she turned to her friends, "Zeera, can I get a ride home?"

"Of course!" Her cocoa coloured skin friend nodded vigorously.

"See ya at home then," Arzaylea said and waved. All her friends looked at her like she was some kind of maniac talking to me. I can guarantee you that she told her friends a lot about me. Not the part of me being her sister, but the part where I was a total loser in her life.

She seemed to notice it too. "What? She's my twin," I heard her say with unmistakable...pride? I didn't know what her friend's expressions and reactions were because by the time she finished that sentence, I've already started walking up to the school doors. I guessed her friend's reactions were dumbfounded.

"What do you have on Friday morning again?" Calum asked me. "Oh I have English with Ashton," I said, remembering the pattern of my schedule.

"Right, let's go before Mr. Buckworth gets the right to send us to principle's office," Ashton said, grabbing me by my backpack.

We said our goodbyes and parted ways. Ashton accompanied me to my locker and afterwards, we went to his locker.

English was dull. Everything was dull. I couldn't wait till class was over. It was pizza time at Michael's place.

Time rolled over and I almost rolled off my chair.

"Hey, Luke, wake up mate," Ashton whispered beside me. "Mmm?" Everything was cloudy, I couldn't even tell if I fell asleep at the moment or I was desperately trying to stay awake and was half dead. "You almost fell of your chair," he giggled a little. "Shut up jerk," I shoved him softly so that I wouldn't draw unwanted attention.

I looked at my wristwatch and, Seriously? It has only been 30 minutes into the class?

Not long after, I was on the verge on falling asleep again but the bell rang and I guess the phrase 'Saved by the bell' does not kid around.