Fluctuate - Van McCann

20

Van and I sit down next to each other on the bus. When we got on, it wasn't too crowded, but it wasn't empty either. The bus continues to make stops and it fills up more and more. Apparently Tuesday nights were a popular day to go into the city.

At one of the stops, a man comes on and sits next to me. He had dark hair and brown eyes. He seemed to be pretty fit as well. I didn't mind him sitting near me, but I think Van was a little unhappy about it. Van wraps his arm around me, protectively, and pulls me closer, even though I couldn't really get that much closer to him.

The man next to me unexpectedly moves a little closer to me. "Hey there," he whispers. His hand moves to the side of my upper thigh and then to my bum. Van didn't seem to notice him saying anything yet. I jump up at his touch, now being the only one standing on the bus.

Van turns his head toward me and furrows his eyebrows. I look over at the man and he chuckles lightly. Van's eyes shift over to the man and I see his facial expression turn from confused to mad.

"What did you just do?" Van asks in a low voice.

"Relax," the man says. He still had a giddy look on his face. "I was just complimenting your girl."

"Peyton, what happened?" Van asks me. By now a few people on the bus were watching us.

"He... he touched me," I say quietly, almost feeling embarrassed despite knowing it was the man's fault.

"That's what I thought," Van says, turning back to the man. "I hope you know that touching a woman without their permission is not a 'compliment.' Don't you ever touch a girl ever again, especially not my girl."

"Aw, come on, man. We were just playing now, weren't we?" The man asks me.

"I suggest you stop talking," Vans says, clearly pissed off with the man's words.

"And What are you gonna do about it?" The man asks. "Beat me up?"

"I'm not going to beat you up. I'm going to call the cops. That's not legal, what you did. I can ruin your life," Van tells the man. "Jail doesn't treat perverts too well."

The man grunts and stands up. "You'll understand in a few years. Your looks won't last you forever," he mumbles and moves to the front of the bus. The man gets a few stares as he walks through the aisle, bumping into a few people on his way.

I sit back down next to Van and rest my chin on his shoulder. "Thank you for doing that, Van," I say.

"Of course. That man was a creep. I could tell from the minute he walked on," Van says. He turns his head at an angle so he could look at me.

"I knew you didn't like him," I giggle. "It was obvious."

"Obvious?" Van says with a smile. "How so?"

"You pulled me closer to you when he sat next to me," I say, matter-of-factly.

"So a guy can't just put his arm around his girlfriend just because?" Van asks. He tone was light and bubbly.

I shake my head. "Hmm, I don't think so," I say.

"I'll prove you wrong," he says. "Ready?"

I nod my head, really just wanting Van to put his arm around me. He does and I smile. His hand was soft and it rested right under my shoulder.

"See, told ya," he says, clearly proud of proving me wrong.

I laugh at his excitement. "Whatever," I say. "I still win."

"How's that?" He asks, curious.

"Because your arm is around me and I like that," I say.

"Oh, shut up. You're cheesy, ya know?" He chuckles. "But, I'd never take my arm off from around you if I could."