Haunted (Under Construction)

Sticks and Stones

I was still tightly wrapped up tightly in his arms. He leaned down and planted a warm kiss on my forehead. I pulled away and frowned at him.

          "Just friends..." I told him. He smiled down at me. 

          "Friends for now...Just let me have my moment right now." He told me. I couldn't help but to smile at that. He pulled me against his chest and inhaled deeply. 

          "What are you going to do? Eventually I'll get caught and then what?" I asked him. 

          "I'll make sure Terrance shuts his trap." He told me. 

          "And if I get in trouble?" I asked him again. 

          "We'll find away." He said simply. I  heard him mumble "It's not fair." under his breath. 

          "What's not fair?" I asked him. 

          "Just the fact you have this life... " He said. 

          "I'll be eighteen in eight months. Once I'm eighteen I'll be out of here." I told him in a quiet voice. He sighed and his grip around my waist tightened. 

          "Don't talk about that. I don't want to think about you leaving." I glanced down at my watch and gasped. It was almost 3:00 . My shift was at 3:30, and Terrance got home at 3:45. I pushed away from him and rushed into the house. 

         "You okay?" He asked me. 

         "I'm fine. Just running short on time." I said as I rushed to the bathroom. I flinched when I say my reflection. Cathy had hit me harder then I thought. How the hell am I going to cover this up? I sighed and twisted my hair into a bun and found my concealer, cover-up, and foundation. I quickly smeared the makeup over the bruise and smiled at my fine work. The bruise was barley visible. I grabbed my bag and ran to the door. I was half way down the walkway when I heard Jericho shout,

         "Where are you going?" I pivoted around on my heals and said.  

         "My shift at the book store." I told him. 

         "What time does it end?" He asked me. 

         "7:30. Why?" 

         "Don't leave after your shift I'll pick you up." He told me. I crossed my arms and scoffed,

         "On that bike? No way in hell." I sneered at I looked over at the bike.

         "I'll take the Dodge." He told me. I glanced down at my clock. 

         "Fine. Now get out of here ,Terrance is on his way home!" I told him I heard him laughing and I turned and ran down the side walk. I ran full speed to the bus station that was about twelve blocks. I felt rain trickle on my nose and groaned. I reached into my bag and pulled out my umbrella. I stated to walk into the rain down the slippery pavement. I finally made it to the bus stop to see the doors of the bus about to close. I sprinted even faster

         "Wait!" I called. The middle aged bus driver opened the doors again. I climbed into the bus and Thanked her. She smiled at me,

         "Running short today, Avery?" She asked me. I laughed lightly,

         "You have no idea. How are the twins?" I asked her. 

         "Their fine thanks for asking." I nodded at her and took my seat in the empty bus. I leaned against the window and listened to the rain. I was woken up by someone sitting down next to me. 

         "Hey there." The voice's breath tickled my ear. I jolted when I recognized the voice. I turned around to see Maverick smirking at me. 

         "What the hell do you want?" I hissed at him. He just continued to smirk like an idiot. 

         "Not much. I just heard that your talk to guys now so I wanted  to get to know you." He said. I scoffed at him. 

         "I've never herd such bullshit in my life." I turned away from him. He gripped my chin and forced me to look at him. 

         "I don't like being brushed off. I know Jericho can handle it but I'm not like that twat!" He roared. I slapped him hard in the jaw and said,

         "I don't know what the hell you problem is but you have no right to call him that." I was pissed. He laughed at me, and leaned in closer,

          "Defensive are we?" His hands caged me in and prevented me from moving. His hand trailed down my arm. I felt sick. This felt wrong. The bus came to a rough stop and Maverick fell off the seat and onto the floor. I looked up at the bus driver, who's name was Mrs. Shelly. She was now turned around and fuming at Maverick. 

          "You listen hear ,Maverick.I hate your scrawny guts and I get sick at the thought of having to drive you around, but the law forces me to serve all citizen. But as soon as you pull shit like that on my bus, That's where I say fuck my agreement, I am not going to let you harass this little girl on my bus."  She paused for a second and pulled the lever,

           "With that said get the hell off my bus. " Her eyes narrowed on Maverick as he got up and ran out of the bus. She slammed the doors shut and mumbled. 

           "I really hate that bastard." I tried to hold back a laugh. She turned around and looked at me with eyes of sympathy. 

           "You okay hon?" She asked me. 

           "I'm fine thanks for helping." I smiled at her. 

           "I'd jump at any chance to kick him off. So I thank you." She smiled back at me. She then turned around and started the ignition. I leaned against the cool window. I stared out at the blurred lights as we passed by. The lights of the old bus flickered as if they would blow any second. The bus would go dark for a second or two until the lights flickered back on again. My eyes widened as I saw an old woman staring at through the window. I turned around to see no one in the bus. I instantly relaxed. As I turned around, my shoulders were gripped tightly and I came face-to-face with the old woman in the window. Then I saw it. I saw her life, her hopes, her dreams, and her death. I saw a car crash with a car smashed into a store with scattered flowers ruined from the collision. The haunting red color of blood stained the pavement as pedestrians crowded around the area that was marked off with police tape. I then saw an old woman with a terrified look in her eyes with pale skin and blue lips being rolled away on a gurney as her lifeless hand hung limply. I was snapped back to reality as I looked into the eyes of the woman who laid on the gurney, and she was staring right back at me. Fear shot through me, bu then I took notice of the pained and distressed look in her eyes. 

           "Tell me, can you see me?" She asked me. I nodded at her slowly. Her face softened and she asked,

           "Am I dead?" I slowly nodded my head at her. Her grip on my shoulders loosened and just one look at her and you could see the anguish. She then slowly stood up and passed through the side of the bus. I looked out the window to see her standing next to a memorial wreath. 

           "That was the memorial of Linda, Grey. She died a few months ago from being hit by a drunk driver. Sad isn't it?" Mrs. Shelly told me. 

          "Very." I said without removing my gaze from the window.