This is Why

Early Mornings

The cold wind blew through the morning sky, causing the array of dried leaves to dance across the tarmac. Cold air attacked the passengers of a public bus each and every time the slow doors were opened. Said bus was filled with those of all ages. The old woman sat near the front on her way to God knows where. The mother tightly grasping the hand of her nursery aged child as they walked up the stairs of the double-decker and as they disappear up the stairs, at the back, sat two teenagers. Their mildly loud arguing caused the few passengers to turn and look at them, grumbling at the rudeness at such an early time in the morning. 

Letting out a gentle whirr, the bus came to a stand still at a row of shops. Cold air once again filled the vehicle and a swarm of people filled the once empty bus. One of the new passengers was a lanky boy whose dark eyes searched the now crowded bus until he saw two familiar faces. His long legs quickly strode towards them, carefully treading over a bag laying on the ground. Gripping on to the faded yellow bar, he lowered himself into the seat and gave a small smile to his companions, who happily greeted him before returning to their conversation. 

The three all sat in their white shirts, red ties and black trousers; the only exception being the only female in the group who sat in her obviously rolled up skirt. Priya seemed to be in the middle of a rant and Leszek nodded his head at times he felt necessary, all the while Emmet sat alert with his earphones in playing loud music occasionally smiling slightly when he caught part of their conversation through the blaring music. He found the scene in front of him familiar after the half term. 

Glad to be back in the presence of friends, Emmet took his time to observe the two. 

Leszek had always seemed interesting and when Emmet first met him, he'd felt sorry for him. He and his family moved from Poland when they were all still in primary school but the two rarely spoke until they started a new life at secondary school. Both without friends. Leszek spoke in his broken English. In all honesty, the two would often misunderstand the other but they both seemed to enjoy the others company. In the five years they'd known each other, the pale blond had grown on Emmet, with his loner exterior and sweet interior.

Priya started out merely as just a mutual friend that came and went, somewhat a wanderer. The bouncy girl had her way of maintaining a relationship with everyone she met whether they liked her or not. Emmet had initially struggled when meeting her due to her loudness but had learnt to deal with her slightly better after meeting her in their first year. You could say they had creative differences. 

Half-term. To Emmet, it didn't feel like seven days. More like seven years. Emmet was used to leaving in the morning and spending the days with his strange group of companions but was restricted to the wooden gate at the end of the path, its peeling paint reminding him of his freedom. But with the arrival of his grandmother, his parents had felt he needed a career over the short week, he'd been unable to have his usual freedom lie he had in the past. 

When the large blue gates of the school entered his vision, Emmet felt as if he was returning home. To his family, the one he'd chosen by himself.