Just Desserts

Chapter 63

NOTE: The video above is the Mind Eraser, in case you were wondering what it's like.

Sam

I ran onto the bus Gabe right behind me. We were both panting, late, because we couldn't find out instruments. Someone had the bright idea to hide our instruments and we nearly missed the bus.

I looked for a seat, noticing there was only one empty seat left.

I felt like someone was cursing me, especially when I heard Gabe's sigh behind me. I lowered my head, heart sinking, throat aching with sorrow.

I tried to ignore it, making my way to the seat.

"Do you want the window seat, or the aisle seat?" I asked him, not expecting an answer from him. It still hurt when he didn't though.

Gabe didn't even look at me, merely shrugging. I sighed, plopping into the seat, thanking my lucky stars that I didn't bring a lot, my sax sitting on the moving truck. I would hate to be crowded in a seat with him.

"So," I started. "How are you?"

I was met with only silence.

I nodded, turning to stare out the window instead, frustrated that he couldn't even talk to me. I understand that he's a little upset with me because I told him that I wanted to date him, but I felt that I should be mad, not him.

The bus started, stopping before the tracks. Everyone reached for a bolt by the window as we traveled over the tracks.

"Why do we do that?" I asked. I had always done it, because band students would yell at me if I didn't, but I never knew why.

"There was a legend about a bus breaking down on the tracks and everyone died. We hold the bolts to keep the bus together when we cross the tracks. I've only ever seen band kids do it," Charlie explained.

"Interesting," I muttered, turning back to stare out the window,

That's the closest I've been to Gabe in a while. My heart thumped loudly, painfully, against my rib cage and I desperately tried to focus on something else. Anything else.

Before long, the bus came to a stop, the students talking so loud, I woke up.

I didn't even know that I had fallen asleep.

"Alright! Class!" The teacher called, getting us all to quiet down. "We are going to perform in half and hour, then we'll eat lunch. Afterwards, you can go ride the rides, just be back by 3:00 so we can leave for the school. If you plan to stay longer, show up with your parents so I can be sure you are safe. If I've already been notified of your staying after, then you don't need to check in. Let's go!"

The students piled off the bus in a frenzy, as though rushing towards the performance area would make time go faster, make us perform earlier, so we could go have fun at the park.

I stood off to the side, watching students hurriedly unpack the moving truck, unwilling to be in the way of everyone.

After our performance, we ate hot dogs and chips before hurrying off to the rides.

I looked around me, gulping, watching as everyone grabbed their partner, or group of friends, and left.

"Hey, Dean?" I started, feeling terrible for intruding on what would probably be a date for them. "Can I hang with you and Cas?"

Dean seemed to ponder this a moment. "I'll do whatever you guys want and stay relatively in the background," I supplied, almost desperately.

"Yeah, all right,: Dean answered.