White Paws

Fair is Something you Pay the Bus Driver

Chapter Five

Joshua's POV

What on Earth was that? I wonder as I see Anna bounce away. She is really getting weird. First she was happy, then hyper, then calm, then agitated, then happy again. Is this a normal girl thing? If so, I was definitely not ready to grow up and have to live with one for the rest of my life. Let the twenty year olds have all the "fun" of marital bliss, while I stick to being a teenager.

I was hoping to catch up with my friend Robert and go to the park for some baseball but he was nowhere to be found. I checked the gymnasium, the snack bar, and Hannah Waters's locker, his three favorite places, but he was not there.

"Robert!" I shouted, hoping he was within ear's distance.

"What?!" was the reply I received. I grinned and headed over in his direction. Man, for a human he still has pretty good hearing, I thought.

I can still hear you, you know, came the thought back. Oh, oops! Maybe I should think a bit quieter. Okay, well, Robert is almost human. He still has his little quirks, including his super speed and ability to hear other people's thoughts. No one that knows his secret knows exactly what he is, but he is definitely the greatest best friend I will ever have, aside from Anna.

"Ah, thinking about Anna again are you?" he asked me.

"No!" I replied, maybe a little too quickly.

"Okay, okay, whatever you say. You are denying a lot today aren't you?" he asked me with a knowing look.

"Were you listening in on my conversations again? I told you to stop doing that! Maybe I was saying something important that I didn't want you to know." I can feel my cheeks starting to grow hot. "Anna and I may have been planning your birthday party."

"Yeah and cows can fly. Oh wait...let me check on that. In a hundred years who knows what could happen?" he said with a curious tilt of his head. Robert also has the ability to see the future.

"Well, until you know for sure don't bother me about it," I grumble. "Can we just practice some baseball please? I have a very busy day scheduled and if you don't hurry up I am going to cut you out of it."

"Okay, but I call batting first!" he says as he hurtles by me.

"No fair!" I call back, already laughing so hard I can barely run after him. He sprints out of the school and down the street before I can blink, only calling out one phrase before I completely lose sight of him.

"Fair is something you pay the bus driver!"