That Stupid Smiley Face

Rain bounced off the pavement and I was soaked to the skin. I'd stupidly left my coat at home so my hair was plastered to my face and my makeup was of no existence. Hugging my arms over my small chest I bounced my knees waiting for the number 42 bus to come swerving round the corner and save me a long walk home. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon and I was supposed to call this an April shower; a bloody winter thunderstorm more like!

My friends had ditched me in the middle of town and none of them were answering their phones. Somehow I think they've gone off me, but I can't be sure. They're more interested in boys and lipgloss then they ever are with my feelings and if their down I'm the shoulder they cry on, but it's never been the same for me. I'll be honest, I've never had a proper boyfriend, they've always let me down and every time I think they are different to anyone else, it always ends in the same way. Another girl getting in the way.

Finally, the bus swerved round the corner and ran through a puddle and a fountain of water lathered the pavement. Sticking my hand out, it stopped for me and the bus driver gave me a sympathetic look.

"Where too love?" He asked me.

"Harley Lane please."

I pushed a couple of pound coins through the tiny gap and pulled my printed tickets from the machine. And went to sit down. There weren't that many people on the bus so I got a double seat all too myself. Flopping down, I dumped my sopping bag on the seat next to me and scraped my dripping hair from my face. Feeling the vibrations of the engine under me we set off and I just stared at the water droplets which looked like tears trickling down the window. Wiping the cold condensation away, I looked in the reflection of a little old woman trying to work her little Nokia mobile phone and I smiled to myself as I watched her struggle. I could also see a young woman with a little girl asleep on her shoulder behind me and across from them was a man with a rather full briefcase, square glasses and a thick beard. That seemed to be everyone, so the bus was quiet and peaceful.

Finally we reached the next stop and he stepped on. He wore dark denim jeans and a zip up Superdry waterproof coat which he pulled down the hood to reveal his perfectly styled chocolate brown hair. He had high cheek bones, long thin legs and as he turned around I noticed his soft blue eyes. Unfortunately, he caught me staring and I quickly turned my gaze away from him and went back to staring out of the window. He sat down on the opposite side of the bus to me, on the seat in front of the one directly across from me. After a few minutes I watched his reflection in the window and noticed he seemed to be drawing on the window. Desperately wanting to know what he'd drawn I took a sneaky peek and turned to look. It was a very basic smiley face, but it made me grin. That's when he looked at me and smiled a cheeky smile, making my heart melt. Once again he started drawing on the window, but it said a word this time.

"Hello." Was what I read, so I turned to my own window which had steamed up again.

"Hi."

Pleased with my reaction, he wrote again.

"You OK?"

"Been better, you?"

"All right, was it a boy?"

I narrowed my eyebrows at him not understanding at first, but then I got it.

"No, just my friends."

He nodded and took out a receipt from his pocket along with a broken pen. Watching him intently, he then folded it into a plane and it flew gracefully over to me and landed on my lap. Opening it, a phone number was scrawled across the middle and then a message was underneath it.

It read: 'I think there's something wrong with my phone, do you mind texting it for me?"

I then looked at him and he just winked. From my bag I pulled out my own pen and wrote my own message back saying 'I don't even know your name" then I folded back up perfectly and threw it back. When he threw it back I read his new message.

"Text me and find out then."

Curiosity got the better of me so I texted him.

"You need to work on your chat up lines."

"What about this one? Can I take a picture of you so my friends can see that angels exist?" Was what he out back and I couldn't stop myself from blushing.

"So cheesy, what's your name then?"

"Tom, what's your name?" I wasn't sure if he was telling the truth, but I told him my real name anyway.

"Melanie."

"Well Melanie you look cold, do you want to use me as a blanket?"

I wanted more then anything to say yes, but I thought it would look a little desperate. Suddenly realising my stop was coming up, I pressed the bell and I could've sworn I saw disappointment flash across Tom's face. Standing up I waited for the bus to come to a halt and I walked to the door and came out into the cold and wet afternoon. Just as the bus left I got another message.

"Next Saturday same place? But maybe we can talk face to face then, I mean texting is fun but I want to hear the pretty voice that matches that pretty face." He had sent.

"I'd like that, but you're paying for my fare." I said back. I got one last message from him then and I stopped suddenly forgetting the rain.

"I thought happiness began with H, so why does mine begin with U?"

"Maybe because I'm a photographer, because I picture you and me together ." I texted back, I then turned off my phone and ran home with the biggest grin on my face. For once maybe things were turning around and it all started with that stupid smiley face on the number 42 bus window.