Obdurate
adj.
unmoved by persuasion, pity, or tender feelings; stubborn; unyielding.
I walked up to the bus stop yet again, with headphones in my ears and Beowulf in my hands, ready to sit alone in the front seat like every other school morning.
I got on the bus and was about to sit down when my arm was tugged and I was pulled into the way way back, aka the dark pit that contained my demise.
“Hey, let go! I don’t even have lunch money today and I’m at the best part of my book!” I squirmed, unaware of who was pulling me.
“Calm down crazy, it’s just me” I instantly calmed as I heard the chuckle I had known so well.
“Nick? What are you doing? I was sitting in my favorite seat, the seat I sit in everyday. Let me sit in my seat please” I tried not to sound insane, but I didn’t want my seat to be taken, although I would be surprised if any normal high school student would want it.
“C’mon Kiera, try something different, just for today” Although the fact that I would be sitting in the back of the bus terrified me beyond belief, the offer of sitting next to Nick was one I couldn’t willingly refuse. So the two of us sat down next to each other, and I couldn’t help but notice the lack of space between us, so I began shifting awkwardly to try and stop the cage of butterflies that had just been released in my stomach.
“You really don’t like sitting by me, do you?” Nick said, trying to relieve some tension as he awkwardly chuckled.
“It’s not that, it’s just…I don’t like the back of the bus very much. It’s dirty, not saying that the front is in pristine hygienic condition, the teens back here are too loud and they always tend to make fun of me from reading on the bus.” I spewed out a run on sentence that I just couldn’t seem to stop myself from continuing until Nick started laughing while I spoke. “It’s not funny, it’s dangerous” I said.
“You need to live a little. You’re not going to see the world if you just stay in the front seat for the rest of your life, you know?” He stared straight at me, to which I adverted my eyes and inspected a piece of gum on the bus floor.
“Yes, but the front seat is warm and comfortable and something I know every detail about. I don’t know this seat, I can’t read without being ridiculed and it just doesn’t feel right” I actually couldn’t stop myself from spilling every detail of my fear of bus seats to Nick, who looked slightly frightened.
“How about I promise you we sit in the front tomorrow?”
“We?”
“Yeh, I want to sit in the front with you, if you’re okay with that” He looked at me yet again.
“Yep” I squeaked and suddenly the bus stopped. I looked out the window to see that we we’re at school already and Nick quickly stood up and offered me a hand.
*
*
*
“He told you that he wants to sit with you? Like for the rest of the year?” Candace asked, astounded beyond belief.
“No not for the rest of the year, I don’t think. And I’m pretty sure our seat conversation had a double meaning I just can’t seem to grasp, you know I’m no good with this” I groaned and slammed my hands down on the lunch table, making everyone else turn around to face Candace and I.
“Nick problems” Candace said and immediately the rest of the lunch table understood. Everyone was offering their opinion, which only made me more confused than I was to begin with.
But suddenly the entire table went quiet and all stared at the same exact spot behind me, I turned around to find Nick standing uncomfortably with a lunch tray in him hands.
“Hey Kiera, mind if I sit with ya?” He asked kindly, and Candace scrambled to get her stuff together and spastically moved into the seat next to her so the one next to me was wide open.
“Sure” I said softly.
“Hey everyone, I’m Nick” He smiled widely and the rest of the group introduced themselves. Within minutes everyone was talking and laughing like Nick had been friends with us this whole time.
Melinda, who was one the other side of me, whispered in my ear, “I like him Kiera. Don’t fuck this up”
Trust me, I’m trying everything in my power not to.
