Fast Lane (G/t)

8

⌚ Five months later (mid-late April) ⌚

"Lee, what the hell are you doing to me?"

Cora had confusion the entire day with her best friend. While it had been much fun going out for treats and shopping with Ainsley, and here they were, now on a bus with bags and boxes stacked so high in chairs beside and behind them. However, it wasn't just any girls' day out, as Cora, for once, simply followed Ainsley's lead in place and path, trusting her wills and knowledge on the things to buy, places to go, and most importantly this unknown bus route for this integrated bus.

"First, you wake me to go on some random shopping spree, which, of course, I'm hella down for, but have you lost your mind!?" Cora's exclaims, increasing in volume, began to draw attention, especially from larger souls previously involved with other things looking down at her from above.

Ainsley noticed this and shushed her, drawing her closer to herself to quiet her down.

"Girl, can you gain some chill right now?" she whisper-sassed, trying to keep up with the planned bus route and other files displayed on her phone. She had to keep all of her focus on it if they were to get off at the correct stop at the right time. "You're the one that didn't wanna go upstairs where it's more... uh, I don't know, isolated?"

"I-Isolated? N-No chill!?" Cora repeated, taken aback by her aloofness. "I feel like my whole life's being invaded right now! Going to places and getting stuff with these... monsters around? We don't... do this! How are you so calm? I'm supposed to be protecting you!"

"Coco, I don't need protection... and they're not monsters - more so the opposite, really."

"Oh, really?" Ainsley heard the confidence staining her voice, knowing that she was going to get told. "Then, why did you have to transfer schools last year? Why did I find you after a full day of disappearance in a hospital back in November just days after that whole frat boy motorcycle fiasco!?"

Even through those struggles, Ainsley never admitted her full reason for her medical admission, but like a good friend should have been, she was truly grateful for Cora's concern and visit. But, right then still wasn't a good time to explain herself in the way that she wanted to, so she simply shrugged and quickly hustled to grab her group of new goodies beginning to topple over. However, when she did, she was in a position that caused a huge human hand from above to instinctively reach out, balancing the stack's top as she pushed it back to a stable, vertical orientation.

Cora, on the other hand, watched the scene unfold with mouth agape, not so much at the what-ifs of damage but its overall surprise.

"I, uh..." She regained enough of her composure to appear cool as a cucumber before Ainsley glanced back at her and the hand retreated. "Um, I'm surprised nothing else has happened to you since then, with your socialite attitudes lately, being out of the room so much. Why are you doing all of this today, anyway? You know my birthday's not for months, and buying a gift for me while I'm around would be stupid."

"I know, but I do owe you something today..." As Ainsley spoke, she rose and leaned over to tap a button on the bus' inner wall, signaling to the bus driver that this was her stop. "...something I should've brought up a long time ago. Come on, we're getting off here."

"Are we, now? M'kay..."

Cora, unknowing of anything going on, especially the bus route and their current location, was running out of options, and she knew that going up to the supposedly human driver hidden away behind a tinted door definitely wasn't going to be one of them. So, she continued following the leader, gathering her bundle of bags and heading for the immense side doors. With her tall stack, it was impossible for her to have a steady stride, and multiple questions of helpful concern were sent her way, but her prideful, judgmental attitude kept her silent, disregarding any assistance from any overcasting human or other person and continuing on her own way.