curves ⇥ l.h au

one (2.0)

[a/n]

just wanna let ya know that this shit is three times longer than the original first chapter lmaoooo kill me

hope you enjoy, lovely

+

at the junction of two particularly faded and crackly roads stood a lone and lumpy figure. it was currently engrossed with picking at the hem of a plain old shirt - the fabric of a reluctantly admitted bigger size tee shirt stretching and crinkling around chipped fingernails. 

she huffed slouchily, prying her grip from the worn seam before stuffing two cold fists in the pockets of an unzipped jacket. usually she'd find her headphones tangled to filth in one of them (typically the right) but she winced when they were nowhere to be found this morning.

she figured her favorite method of escape from reality was now just a ball of chords on the ground somewhere. they'd probably kamikaze-d themselves due to unrelenting use, seeking a break from being dragged everywhere.

looking around her wasn't of much help or interest, but as soon as the screech of the terror dressed in yellow came darting around the side street, her focus dropped the subject of missing headphones like hot coals. a cold and damp breath was taken in and shoved out with puffed cheeks - though some would argue they looked no different from her regular cheeks.

the doors swung open with an untouchable gusto - almost making her stumble back- but she pushed forth.

gulping and eyeing a enticingly free seat in the middle, she made a beeline down the aisle by turning sideways. this was no new feat to her, since she had a slew of hacks to not getting mushed or stuck on public transport that had been brewing since elementary school. she absolutely never  wanted to get stuck again, like once in eighth grade. 

the jokes and cackles ran ramp-id like a sick song through her skull. of course they were gone after a week or so in reality, but to her they simply never left. 

boy, did she wish she had her headphones.

she sat down and gently as she could on the vinyl seats but always failed to escape the whine of air that whooshed through its worn sides. the deflating of the hard cushion beneath her was enough to make her want to hop up and run off the bus - as it did every morning- but luckily enough, the chatter around her was too loud and people were too busy ignoring her to care.

she hadn't embarrassed herself this morning - she wasn't of any use until she did. 

only when she did so did she deserve their attentive sneers and chuckles as she came undone from the humiliation. it was only then when she mattered.

she hadn't exactly noticed the bus moving, but she definitely noticed her forehead come in contact with the seat in front of her as it screeched to another stop at another corner. she peeled herself from the sticky plastic and peered around to see if anyone had spotted an opportunity for a mid-morning laugh. 

to her relief, no one even spared her a glance, but instead were glued to the entrance with the utmost interest. her gaze followed them to the front - feeling creeped out from the newfound silence. it somehow felt more sickening than booming laughs.

with crinkled eyebrows, her neck craned up to look out the front windshield. they weren't at school yet, why were they stopped? she tore her gaze from the rain drop stained window to the right when the sound of the doors ramming into one another was heard.

she stared in unashamed awe at someone different - someone new.

he was incredulously tall (at least in comparison with the bus' ceiling), sandy blonde locks framing a perfectly dimpled face with a nose crinkling  smil- 

she startled, hunching over with widened eyes. why was she studying his fucking face? god, snap out of it! 

she straightened stiffly and scooted closer to the window, suddenly finding the chipped fire hydrant they were anchored near endearingly interesting. she wondered why it was painted a powder blue instead of the bright orange she recalled typical ones being.

at least she began  wondering, until the now re-inflated seat once again sunk with a wheeze. 

"mind if i sit?" a voice snapped her gaze away from the dog pee magnet, face cold as stone and deadpanning towards the thief of her attention.

saying she didn't expect to be dangerously face-to-face with the mystery hunk as she turned around was an understatement - so much so that when she jerked away, the back of her head met the metal frame of the window that had recently been the vessel of her interest. 

she cursed under her breath in embarrassment, muttering a low "yeah sure", though she wanted to blurt out a snarky comment about how he already was  sitting.  the lingering silence of the bus' crowd told her that probably wouldn't be the best idea if she wanted to keep her streak of two days without embarrassment afloat and strong. 

however, something else told her that particular streak may have just ended in the hands of this... this guy  who just waltzed in and sat next to the fatty without a care in the world. this guy who just pressed up against her rolls and backpack, making her feel bigger than she already did. this guy  that caused attention to be not only on himself, but her too.

this guy  that looked deliciously oblivious to it all. 

with eyes narrowed forward in a scowl of frustration etched onto her chubby face, she didn't dare look into his smiling blue ones. not even when he proudly announced his name in only her direction.

"it's luke, by the way."