Another Life, JenniferNewman [short story to read .TXT] 📗

and all of them were either falling asleep, all ready asleep or absorbed in the news papers or a book. I was so paranoid it was crazy.
Slowly I looked back down at the pieces of paper I had found in my pocket and unfolded the crumpled papers.
The first piece of paper was just an old bus ticket from last week. Had I gone on a bus last week? I tried to think back to Tuesday last week but all I remembered doing was coursework and sleeping.
“Sorry to interrupt you but are you sure your okay?” I looked up sharply into the face of the boy I had run into earlier.
“Oh yes I'm fine.... still.” I said surprised. Did I really look that scared? Wait why was the boy on the same bus as me I had seen him walking off in the other direction to me and I hadn’t seen him on the bus when I had looked round. Okay crazy person talking again. I quickly pushed away my crazy thoughts and concentrated on not showing my annoying emotions on my face. Most people called me an open book because I was so easy to read. There I went again thinking about completely random things when I should be concentrating on the boy in front of me who was now looking even more concerned than he had when asking if I was okay. I was really on edge tonight.
“Sorry just I'm not really a fan of the dark. I'm kinda on edge...” I trailed off still saying the first thing that came to mind even though they were half true. I don’t like the dark and I am on edge.
“That’s okay but if you’re afraid then why come out in the dark? Sorry I'm prying again. You can tell me to shut up anytime.” Again I found myself about to tell him the truth about why I had come out but stopped myself in time. What was it about this boy that made me want to tell him the truth?
“No its okay. There’s not really anything to pry about I was just visiting a friend and didn’t realise the time.” I shrugged trying to pull of the lie easily. Although I had a feeling that it was a wasted effort since the boy just shrugged and half turned in his seat.
Once again I looked down at my hands where the second piece of crumpled paper still was. I allowed my attention to go from the boy in front of me to the paper again. I slowly unfolded the crinkled edges only to find out that it was a completely blank piece of paper. What a waste of effort.
“You know I’ve never met a girl who can look so confused and I think scared by a blank piece of paper.” The boy’s voice made me jump. Had he even been speaking that loudly? He was right though what kind of person stares at a blank piece of paper as if it’s about to eat them. I am going crazy!
“Yeah like I said pretty much everything freaks me out when it’s dark....” again I trained off. What a great first impression I was making here. Wait why should I care what he thinks I just met him today after almost running him over! O god.
“Okay now I have pushed my luck. I apologies.” He said while looking down like he really was sorry. Great now I really am confused! “I mean you do look confused though are you sure there is nothing I can do to help. I'm not completely useless like I must seem right now.” he was still looking down when he whispered looking slightly embarrassed. Huh so I wasn’t the only one to not understand what they were talking about.
I just kept silent what did this strange boy want? I mean yes I probably did look very confused but still why should it bother him? Why should he look so amused when he looked up? Was I just imaging that to? And how many more questions am I going to ask myself before I say something out load?
“That’s really okay and really I'm nearly home now it’s only a couple more stops then I’ll feel fine again. Sorry to trouble you.” Was the really amusement I saw in his eyes when I said this? Crazy. What did this boy have to be amused at? Apart from a girl sitting in front of him whom was still staring at a blank piece of paper like it was going to turn into a hideous monster any second. Get a grip on yourself Rose!
Okay now I was sure that the look he was giving me from the corner of his eye was amusement. God this boy had some cheek! Slowly I stop feeling so scared and confused and felt slightly pissed off since this boy was still looking at me the same way. As if I was somehow amusing him by just sitting there. Without think I realized I had asked the question out load. Crap!
“Are you amusing me? Well yes you are. You are confusing me to death! I am sorry if I am making you feel uneasy. It just......” he replied moving his eyes down and laughing a bit. Great I really was leaving a great impression here. Oh who cares? Was I ever going to see this boy again?
Suddenly I looked up and realized that I had missed my stop by a long way.
“Crap.” I muttered under my breath. Making the boy look up with a clear question on all of his features. I quickly pressed the stop button and stood up nearly losing my balance as the bus did a sharp turn to the right. For the second time in one night I realised the boy had court me by putting his hand on my arm to steady me so I didn’t go crashing into one of the many seats around me.
“Thanks..... Again.” I whispered not able to look at him since I could feel my cheeks turn a very bright shade of red. What next?
“Are you okay? Do you think you’re going to fall again?” He asked getting up himself. He still hadn’t let go of my arm and his fingers were giving me little tingling feeling all the way up my arm. What on earth?
I quickly yanked my arm away from the boy who seemed totally oblivious to the weird sensation going on in my arm. Okay still losing it!
“Still fine. Just missed my stop.” I squeaked walking towards the opening bus doors. What was I thinking? Am I really going to go walking back about two streets to my house in the dark and with my crazed mind? Even now I could start to see some of the dangers my mind was getting ready to think up and I hadn’t even stepped off the bus yet.
As soon as I had stepped off the bus and was confronted with the freezing cold air I could tell that I would not be able to make it past the first street without scaring myself to death. Drama Queen!
“Here. Wait up! You really do look freaked out and I won’t sleep tonight if I don’t at least make sure you get home safe” it was the boy again from the bus. Relief flooded my straight away. I would not have to walk all the way home by myself! I can stop being a sacredly cat now and just get home like any other sane person.
“Thanks but it is almost two streets away. I should be fine.” Was I really saying that? Even I could tell from my voice how much I didn’t want to walk all that way by myself.
“It’s no trouble I don’t live that far myself. That’s if you don’t mind being with a strange and all.” He asked starting to smile. Just then I really look at him he was really tall like I had first notice while running into him. He was also well built for a well what looked like 17 year old boy his hair was a dark golden colour which came down to his ears in a sort of side parting style. His eyes were a light brown when I looked into them I realized that they kind of sparkled even though it was pitch black and thanks to the darkness that was pretty much all I could tell apart from that he was smiling with big full lips. So basically he looked like the stereotypical American. I also noticed that he was wearing light blue jeans and a long green t-shirt with writing going from one side to the other in a strange white print that looked a lot like graffiti to me but I could have been wrong. In the dark I could not really make out what it was saying so I gave up.
“Well thank you then.” I muttered before turning around and walking in the direction of my house. I could hear his footsteps follow seconds later and the soft sound of his laughter.
We walked for a couple of minutes in total silence until I found myself yet again almost falling over but this time I had walked straight into one of the lamp post that never worked.
“Are you alright?” I heard the boy say from somewhere in the darkness.
“Yes just didn’t see it coming.....” I stuttered thanking the darkness for hiding my bright red cheeks.
After the boy had helped me up from the ground he asked in a quizzical tone “Are you always this clumsy or is it just because it’s dark?”
I blushed again and didn’t reply. As I started off walking again quickening my past to get home faster and hopefully not embarrass myself again to much. Though I was walking fast I was however being alot more careful as to where I was walking hoping that I could just get this over and done with as fast and less painful as was possible for me.
“You know I have pretty much saved you from falling over three times now but I still don’t know your name.” He said it like a statement but obviously wanted an answer. I considered lying and saying my names was something like Kate or Gemma but changed my mind and said, “Rose” again telling him the truth for what felt like a long time. Had he really only just thought to ask my name when he had had at least several opportunities before now?
“Nice, I’m Parker” he replied in a way to smug voice. What was that about?
I looked down and continued my silent walk but apparently Parker had other ideas since after about five seconds he asked “So what was up with the piece of paper you had on the bus? I mean it must have been something strange from the expression you were giving it.”
So he wasn’t going to forget the strange look I gave after I looked at the paper. The worse thing was I didn’t know what was up with it that was the whole point! I could feel the confused look I got when I really didn’t know what to say spread across my face and realised that I had taken the piece of crumpled up paper back out of my pocket where I had put it after Parker had asked what made it so scary.
After another couple of seconds I still didn’t know how to answer him so I just handed him the paper and mutter something like “I found it in my pocket. Didn’t put it there .....” Again I found myself looking at the ground