The Elements Book One: Fire

Chapter Three

"Brooke?"

"What? Huh?" I snap out of my headphone induced daydream and look over at Anna. She's not my oldest friend, but she is one of my closest. We are on a school bus together and honestly, I could care less about the kid in front of us. She's a bit of a bitch if I do say so myself. I call her Vaggie when she can't hear me. Sounds more like her name than Aggie ever will.

"Did you do your homework?"

"You're joking. We had homework?"

"Yep. In science and math. I was asking cause I figured you'd forget. Here's mine. No one saw anything."

"Thanks for nothing then, Anna!" I winked at her and she laughed. My brother was sitting one row up and across the aisle from us. He's a senior, and I'm a sophomore. I'm pretty sure he's adopted or something though, cause we look NOTHING alike. People sometimes think we're going out or something, but I usually set them straight with a slap to the face. Works every time.

"Yo little sis."

"Whaddaya want, Brad?"

"I was just gonna say have fun today, geez. Touchy touchy!" I can feel the bus stopping, and he reaches over and rubs the top of my head. After slapping his hand away, I grab my bags and do what I call my bus weave. I am rather small, so while everyone is still standing up, I make my way through the few earlybirds in the aisle and hop over the stairs. First out, every time. That's how it's done, I think to myself. It's a little bit of a challenge for myself I guess. If I miss my goal and am not out first, it messes my whole day up. Don't ask why cause I don't even know. I wait for Anna to show, then we head to the library where I 'do my homework' before class. I think Anna mumbled something about the bathroom, but next thing I know I look up and Ryan is standing there.

"Morning, cutie."

"Hey babe!" I peck his lips and he makes the most of it. I don't know how he does it, it's as if eternity passes in an instant. And the feeling of butterflies... ugh, I'm an addict. You could say I'm a junkie, adrenaline wise. I'll do almost anything for a good thrill.

"Doing your homework, I see. Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all. How'd you sleep?"

"Great. But you probably can't say the same."

He knows about my past, and everything that happened... and he knows every last detail of my nightmares. So he knows what I see.. It's a relief I can share it with someone.

"Yeah.. last night was pretty tough. I keep trying to wake up, like you said, but it's like something is holding my eyes shut... And the instant I start screaming is the instant I lose control of the dream. I just... I honestly have no clue what to do."

He looks at me and then holds me close, dragging me into his lap, and I hug him as hard as I can and silently let the tears fall. The bell rings, interrupting us, so I clean up my face and scribble the last answers in my homework and turn to go. But before I can, Ryan reaches over and stops me.

Before I know whats happening, he touches his lips on mine and starts kissing.. And I kiss back. It feels so electric... so right, so perfect, and it's as if he found a pause button in my world. I would stay here forever if I could....

He pulls back after what seems like hours and walks me to class. I feel like I'm floating, until Vaggie trips me and I realise I have feet. But, I know the ways these cameras work, and flip her off in one smooth turn that I know the lens will never catch. It feels good to see her face contort in disgust. That bitch had it coming.