Curveless

City Bus

Kate and I got on the city bus and walked towards the back. The city bus was mostly compromised of students from her high school going to their school festival with the exception of a couple of senior citizens and few adults. Kate wore a white flowery dress, and had her hair was braided to her side with a dusty pink bow.

Kate nudged me. "We look like the best looking couple in the whole world!" Kate whispered to me.

"No, I'm pretty average. It's just you," I said.

She threw her head back and smacked my arm with a laugh. "Geez, Charlie. I might actually fall for you."

We sat down near the back.

"Charlie, look over there," Kate whispered.

She pointed at some boy who sat alone a couple seats in front of us. I could see him holding up a book.

"You know the guy I was talking about, the one who confessed to me named Ryan? Well, that's his best friend."

"How could you tell?" I said. "I only see his back."

"He always wears that worn out sweater. His name is Jaymes. Anyways, I'm sure he'll tell Ryan if he sees us together."

"Do you want me to be loud or something?" I whispered.

She nodded rapidly. I pressed my lips together trying to hold in my laugh.

"Kate, do you want to eat at the seafood restaurant in the next town over instead? I already reserved a table downtown for us," I said loudly.

Kate tried hiding her smile.

"Charlie," Kate said. Her voice made Jaymes flinch. "You promised to come to my school's festival. There's already food there. It's a waste of money eating at that restaurant. I know you're pretty broke as it is. You don't need to impress me."

I laughed. "Okay you caught me. I just never went to this kind of event. I don't know how to act. My parents never brought me to these things."

"Really?" Kate said.

"Yeah."

I saw her cheeks puff up as if she was about to laugh, but she didn't. I saw an elderly man smile at us and turn away. Making up things along the way was kind of fun. It was writing a story in real life.

"You're a good actor," Kate whispered.

"Not so bad yourself, except that you're slightly on the corny romantic side."

She smacked me again. "Geez, Charlie."

Mostly everyone got off the bus to go to the festival in the park. Jaymes waited for Kate and me to get off first. He glanced at me and our eyes locked. He smiled with a silent nod. Something about him unnerved me.

"Do I know you?" I asked. "You look familiar."

Kate glanced at me then at him, confused. I wanted to punch myself for saying something so impulsively.

Jaymes smiled. "I don't believe so."

I held out my hand. "I'm Charlie."

He shook it with a strong grip. "Jaymes. You must be new to town."

"Just a couple of months."

"You're not enrolling in Rayum High?"

"No," I said. "I'm doing courses online."

"You should enroll. I could show you around," Jaymes said.

"Maybe I shou—"

Kate suddenly hugged my arm tightly. "Charlie, don't tell me your interested in him!"

I couldn't help but laugh. "The only person I'm interested in is you."

Jaymes watched us. "I believe I'm disrupting you two. I'll be on my way."

He started walking past us.

"No. Wait," I said.

He glanced back.

"What were you reading?" I asked.

He held up his book with a smile. The cover and pages were handwritten. "You'll find out after I publish it."

Jaymes walked away and Kate released me.

"That was a completely random question, Charlie," she said.

"Something is odd about him," I said.

"Funny that you said that. He almost never speaks to any girl or woman. It's like we're all invisible to him even if we speak to him," she said. "I hate that about him. So rude. Maybe cause you're so androgynous looking, he didn't even notice."

"Maybe I'll enroll in your highschool," I said.

"Don't tell me you actually like that guy!" she exclaimed. "I know he's over average in appearance, but he's not a good choice. He broke so many hearts without trying."

"Don't get me wrong, Kate. I don't like him. I'm not shallow to go only for looks... I just found the perfect villain for my story," I said. "I need to know his background and everything else. His mere presence sends shivers down my spine."

"Everything else? Shivers? I don't know." She furrowed her eyebrows and rubbed her chin exaggeratedly. "That sounds a lot like love, Charlie."

I laughed. "Ten more years and I'll start thinking about love. Right now, I'm pursuing my dream to become a well known graphic novelist."