Can I Learn To Love You?

5: Figures...

I can feel Bella's breathes against mine. We're really close now, so what should I do? Is this the part of the movie where the we kiss? Should I ask her? Nah. I can't be looking like a wimp after putting up such a strong and charming front. Perhaps I'll let her decide what happens next. Seems safer.

Bella places her hand over mine, which had laid without movement on my seat for a while."K-Kyle? Can I-?

"Ooh, if it isn't Kyle and Bella!"
Bella, almost autonomously, immediately puts distance between herself and I. Woah, that was fast. She reacted like a cat encountering a cucumber. I turn my body toward Bella's direction in order to put a face to the voice that has just spoken.

"Oh, Jerald." So it's just Jerald. Then why did Bella react the way she did?

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything over here-" Before Jerald can complete his sentence, Bella interjects. "You're not! You're not interrupting anything, J. Right, Kyle?" Ooooh, I see now. She's got the hots for Juicy Jerald over here. Really though, expecting me to just go with whatever you're saying so you can preserve the pea-sized chances you have with Jerald? That's messed up.

"Yeah... Nothing's going on here." The words seemed to slip out as easily as a fat person on a dry slide. Bella turns toward Jerald and opens a new conversation with him. I don't need a third eye to see that I'm not welcome in this discussion. I reach into my pocket and pull out my phone. The screen goes on and I unlock it and head into my collection of anime in Video Player. I randomly select one of the many thumbnails that appeared on my screen. I then put my earphones into both ears and begin my intrapersonal conversation.

To think I'd go to the lengths of pretending to watch anime just so I can talk to myself while trying to ignore the conversation to my left. Wow. I guess it really isn't that surprising for something like this to happen to me? Who the hell do I think I am? Who would choose me over Jerald? He's a good basketball player, probably the best in the city. Not only that, but his voice could probably send tremors through the entire school. In this situation, even I wouldn't choose me. Not that it's new news. Sorry Dylan, you were wrong.

*[Text Alert]*

*[Dylan: Heavy L. Better luck in round 2. :-D]*

Round two? Hell no, my G. Through the corner of my eye, I spot Jerald heading for the back of the bus after his short conversation with Bella. Nevertheless, my head refuses to allow me to look back at her. No way I'm just going to start talking to her and pretend none of that just happened. She can keep herself company or she can just follow him. Honestly, even if I'm just doing this because I'm sour, I couldn't care less. I might not have it all, but I definitely have my dignity.

I close my eyes. My teeth grind against each other slowly. Breathe, Kyle. Stay calm. Just take the L ,bro. Also just a mental note... don't take advice from Dylan. Agreed. I pull my earphones out of my ears and stretch my arms up above me. I take a few slow breaths and relax my body. I feel my body somehow sink into the hard seat. I...probably...shouldn't...thfall..asw...

***************************

My eyes shoot open. A dim light envelopes my vision. I turn to look out the window. The sun has almost completely set. It is still bright enough for me to be able to make out the faces of those around me.
Did I fall asleep? Damn. Makes sense though. I haven't had a full night of sleep in months.

Almost immediately, my ears are filled with loud noise. The noise erupts into existence almost as though my ears had chosen to sleep in when I'd awakened. Some of it is the murmurs of conversations happening around me and the rest is the singing happening at the back of the 65-seater bus. I cover my right ear with my right hand and bury my head in my knees. Seriously? Do they have to be this loud? I get that we won and all, but could y'all keep it down?

It takes me a few moments with my head buried in my knees before the noise normalizes. That's better. I turn to see if my silent seat-mate is still alive because hey, you never know. And who's booty is that? On the seat where Beth had been, now knelt a petite dark-skinned extrovert having a conversation with the girls seated behind us.

Instinctively, I shot my gaze across to where Dylan was sitting. That son of a Nik Nak. This is probably another one of his "brilliant" plans. Dylan notices me glaring at him and turns to face me, looking as confused as a straight man who'd stumbled into a gay strip club. Nah, I'm probably overthinking it. Almost as though reading my mind, Dylan cracks a smile and gestures to my new neighbor's posterior (booty). So it was him. I'm going to kill him later. I raise my hand and make a gesture that would get me expelled in a Catholic school.

I turn to look out the window again. I stare out into space for a few moments before turning to sneak a peak at the girl. Out of curiosity, I scan her from top to bottom. Long braids. Presumably brown eyes. Wide, bright smile. Small frame. Nice booty. Short limbs. She's got a nice body. It's like a model was resized. Without any further thought, my eyes drift toward her booty. She'd be the perfect target if I had any game. Damn, it sucks to be me. I let out a small chuckle. I look up at her face and tap her on the shoulder. She turns to look at me. Maybe I should start with a joke?

"Yo. Hey there. Not that I mind the heavenly view, but could you stop tempting me with that booty?" She turns her head and looks over her shoulder at her butt. "What? Are you making sure it's really your butt?" I add.

She erupts into laughter and transitions into a smirk. "No way", she says before sticking her tongue out at me. "Enjoy the show". She turns back to the girls behind her.

She seems fun...