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Chapter 8: Trapped

Melancholy wriggled its fingers deep into my chest and seized my heart. Each step I climbed onto the dark grey bus was in rhythmic sync with its grasp; which grew tighter with each passing moment. I didn't want to leave. Especially with summer vacation starting tomorrow. Being sent right back to exile, without my friends to be there with me, I'd have much rather paid the fines and be grounded for the summer.

Turning around just as the bus's door closes on me, I pressed my hands and nose against the glass as though I were a toddler when it's snowing out. However, the feelings brewing violently in my gut were anything but cheerful. My eyes searched frantically for the familiar face that agreed to send me away. My mother's face caught itself in the corner of my eye. Turning my head slightly so I could see her better, her expression was in mimic of mine. Grief wracked her smile and torrent down her rosy cheeks. She waved as she noticed my attention had found her. My own dam burst and tears rolled down my face as I waved back. It felt as if both she and I were caught in time and eternally waving sorrowfully goodbye. A soft touch brushed against my arm, drawing my distant mind back to the real world, and grabbing my attention.

"You need to sit down or else he'll be something real mad at ya." A taller girl with bright green eyes, golden sun-kissed skin, and honey blonde hair reached over the bar, separating her seat and the stairs, and gave me a friendly stern look. I stared at her for a moment confused as who she was talking about, but before I could ask who she was talking about, I was grabbed by my shoulder.

"Miss Gray, I suggest you sit before Mr. Redbow decides to escort you to your seat and ensures you stay put there." Turning around to greet the owner of the familiar cockney accented voice, I tried my best not to laugh at her sudden formality. Wiping my tears from my cheeks, I saw Caeje's face light up and a smirk tickled the corner of her upper lip. I began to giggle, and she did as well. The green-eyed girl looked between the both of us, completely mystified as if interacting with Caeje was taboo. I may only know Caeje as an acquaintance, and she's seven years older than me but despite that, we get along very well. She kept me company while I was recovering in the hospital, catching me up on the last couple weeks I lost with my memories being MIA and she consoled me when my memories began to return. Almost all my memories have returned, however, the memories of me leaving the house, the time I spent in the forest, and this supposed boy are still a barren meadow to me. I have no recollection of them, all I have is what Caeje, Mom, and Lysander have informed me on. We also simply chatted about everything, from how the next little while is going to be like, to simple conversations about school and friends. We clicked and got along quite quickly. Especially when making fun of Lysander. Turning back to face the girl, I nodded and replied to her advice.

"Thanks, but I'm okay. I'm only just saying goodbye. Plus, he doesn't worry me." Looking from her unamused face back outside the windows of the buses door I waved one last goodbye, while Mom did the same and walked to my Jeep.

"Look. I wasn't talking about Redbow. I was talking about the bus driver. Even if I was talking about Redbow, I'd still listen if I were you. Especially if you're going to act like that."

"Like what? Have I offended you in some way? And if I recall, it was you who stuck your nose into my business." My tone came out a little sharper than I wanted it to, and clearly, she caught its venom right in her face. Her eyes seemed to almost darken from their mossy green to a dark pine hue.

"Like that. Like you have a pickle up your ass and you're so special." Rolling her eyes and sneering towards me, I turned away as she leaned against the window, continuing to observe the community centre parking lot full of parents leaving and dropping kids off. Thinking she was done her small rant, I rolled my eyes and met Caeje at the top of the stairs. Caeje was sitting down behind the bus driver's seat and across from the blonde, I found myself needing a seat. I scanned the bus for a place to sit and just barely caught the breathy whisper escape the blonde's mouth. "Fine though, have fun with getting into shit. Fuck, the one time I try and be nice, and it's wasted on a rude dunce of a midget." Turning fast on my heels, I faced her and clenched my fists and shot daggers at her head. I felt my nostrils flare and my face to become hot with rage. This girl was going to lose a tooth or two.