Enough Courage

☆Chapter 1

I half ran down Walnut Street. My scarf too tight around my neck, and my sock already slipping off my left foot. Oh, and yep, my zipper was down on my jeans. Great.

Please don't miss the bus, please don't miss the bus. I chanted to myself as if it'd make a magical difference.

I ran around a mom strolling her three kids down the sidewalk, then almost ran right into an older man walking his two dogs.

"Oh, goodness. Sorry!" I half shouted to him as I scrambled away. I could see the glare he gave me from the corner of my eye.

I apologized. Geesh.

I can't be late today, I have semester exams!

I run across the street, then around the corner. From there I see my bus pull up to the curb.

Thank goodness.

I almost run over a girl slightly younger than me. I smile at her, hopeful that it will be taken as an apology. But she just gives me a weird look.

I look into the window and realize I forgot to brush my short black hair. Damn.

As I take my seat next to an older woman, I quickly rake my finger through my hair. Hopeful that it will make it look sort of presentable.

I set my bag on the seat next to me. Bad idea. Clumsy me bumps into it sending it flying across the bus.

I go after it, and that's when my head collides with someone else's and all the contents in my bag spills out.

I grunt as I hit the bus floor.

Today really isn't my day.

"Shit," the guy curses grabbing his head in his hands. "Sorry," he says even though it's my fault. Then he's already bending over, collecting the things that were in my bag.

I crawl across the nasty bus floor and grab my bag.

"Are you alright?" He asks.

"I-I..." I don't answer. It's not even that hard of a question.

He looks down a the papers in his hands, "world religions."

I laugh nervously, "yeah."

"Is it a good class?"

I shrug, "It's alright." I say all this without making eye contact. Gosh, he probably thinks I'm a freak.

He's just so attractive.

Sandy brown hair, and blue eyes. Muscular, but not overly muscular to where it's gross.

He hands me the papers, I stuff them back in my bag.

"I'm Collins," he holds out his hand for me to shake.

I blush immediately.

"Ellis," I tell him. I put my hand in his trying to keep myself together.

The bus comes to a halt, that's when I realize I'm still sitting on the bus floor. Collins notices this too. With my hand still in his he pulls me up.

"Uh, thanks." I say awkwardly.

"No problem. Is this your stop?"

"Huh?"

"The university?" He gestures to the building.

"Oh, yeah." I scramble away from him to the door.

"See you around, Ellis?" He asks from behind me. That's when I notice my university's mascot on his jacket. He goes here too. How have I not seen him on the bus before?

I merely nod, then after he turns away I rest my hand over my heart. Just to make sure I'm still breathing.

Then I blush again. Oh yeah, my zipper.