If You Make a Deal With a Shadow...

Chapter 12

"Baby, I'm so tired of the way you turn my words into deception and lies. Don't misunderstand me when I try to speak my mind. I'm only saying what's in my heart. Cupid doesn't lie, but you won't know unless you give it a try."

- Cupid by 112

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Aubrey was currently heading home on the city bus coming from the unemployment office. As the bus rode past Lincoln Financial Field she looked up at it in all of its glory. She hated that she has yet to step foot in the facility. There were flags attached to the outside corners of the stadium. Each flag had a picture of a player on it. When she passed Payton's flag she eyed it curiously. He looked so carefree, yet so determined and fierce at the same time. It was actually quite... sexy.

Aubrey sighed slowly and ran her hand down her face in frustration. She was supposed to be getting him out of her mind, but it was barely possible. He was literally in her head 24/7. It made Aubrey frustrated that he was etched in her brain. She wanted to get over him but it just wasn't happening. It's like she hated him for making her like him. Yea right? So confusing.

She reached into her backpack and pulled out her diary. She was the only one in the back of the bus so it was safe to express her feelings openly and freely. She checked her purse, backpack, and patted her pockets for her pen. She knew she had one so she moved forward before bending over to peek under the seats. When she noticed her Sweet Daddy-O's pen rolling around she quickly grabbed it and sat back in her seat happily.

Writing was her safe place. It felt good to be able to express her feelings on paper. It felt good to write down all the things she hardly ever had the courage to say. Her brain felt less jumbled and after awhile it just seemed as though the words flowed through her hand onto the paper.

Aubrey didn't know how long she had been on the bus until she was interrupted. She was in the middle of an entry when she noticed someone was talking to her.

"Miss?" came the voice and she looked up expectantly. "My shift is over and I need for you to get off of the bus or pay again. This is my last stop," the bus driver said.

She quickly looked outside and gaped. It was literally pouring raining and she didn't have anymore cash to pay again. She blamed Payton. He's just so irresistibly unforgettable. Stupid, handsome, charming, insatiably—Ugh!

She nodded at the driver in understanding and smiled half-heartedly before getting off of the bus respectfully. She was now stranded at the Bus Station and thank God Austin paid her phone bill, but who could she call?

"Mr. Chaplain?" she thought aloud. "What the—hell no... Gwen? Nope... Justin? Definite no..." her mind began to wander. "Payton?" she paused. "I don't even know why I thought of him," she huffed in irritation. "Austin? He's at work... Ugh, who can I call?" she grumbled. And eventually she sighed heavily before coming to the conclusion that she'd have to call... him.

Here goes nothing. "Aubrey?" Payton whispered shockingly into the phone.

"Yes... I was just wondering... What're you doing right now?" she looked down and fiddled with the hem of her sweater nervously. She was still at the bus station under the shelter but it was freezing.

"Umm... I... Uhh... I'm not doing anything. Why? Wassup?"

"Well..." she prolonged. "I-was-on-the-bus-and-the-bus-driver-kicked-me-off-and-now-it's-raining," she said all in one breath before exhaling deeply.

"Wait... What?" he could barely understand her.

Aubrey inhaled and slumped her shoulders. "I was on the bus and the bus driver kicked me off because I missed my stop and his shift was over. I'm at the bus station but it's raining now," she said more slowly.