Raven just wanted to read her book; she wasn't asking for much, she just wanted to read before the bus arrived in Venice from the rural area she was staying in whilst on exchange. However she couldn't even open her book because the drunken man sitting next to her kept on insisting "my name is Fabiannno but you can call me fab" with his thick Italian accent and tugging on her long brown hair. Besides that the old woman next to her had at least twenty cats stuffed into various containers, all of which were mewing loudly. If that wasn't enough, the bus driver kept on ramming into unsuspecting objects and yelling "Explosivo" at the top of his lungs. It wasn't until she moved to the front of the bus to sit next to a seemingly quiet blonde man did she realise how fortunate she had been before. Unfortunately, he had already seen her and beside all the other seats were taken up the woman s cats.
"Okay, so stop me if you've heard this one before" the guy (whose name turned out to be Logan) had been telling her jokes, for the past two hours. She begged him "please stop" but he persisted "what do you call birds that fly over the bay?" apparently he wasn't discouraged by the loud'bang' that echoed through the bus every time she hit the back of her head against the seat. "A bay gull!" Logan then proceeded to laugh hysterically at his own joke. He noticed Raven wasn't laughing, his smile wavered fractionally and his laughing came to a halt "come on Raven that was my best joke yet!"Raven groaned and told him "I know, please just stop" Logan looked hurt, but he was quiet. Raven was about to open her book again, when the loudest bang yet shook the bus and an even louder shout of "Explosivo!" followed. It appeared that "Explosivo" (as Raven had nick-named the bus drive) had crashed into u=an unsuspecting bus stop, that now lay in a mangled heap on the cobbled country lane.
Raven cursed as she tripped over yet another root in the moon-light illuminated (not to mention wet and mud filled) forest, which she and Logan had trudged into, in order to find some provisions. Frustrated, Raven refused to get up and just continued to lie face first in the mud. Logan was tugging on her arm trying to make her stand up, but she refused. Eventually Logan gave up, and just rolled her over (so she wouldn't suffocate) before lying down next to her. Logan looked over at raven, her face was covered in mud but the scowl on her face was clear "Don't sulk", he reprimanded her, he was serious and nothing like the boy telling cringe-inducing jokes on the bus. After a pause he continued "At least were off the bus and away from that crazy lot. Could have been worse". Raven just remained silent and looked up at the stars. She didn't know how long it was before she turned her head to look at him only to find him already turned on his side, with his Emerald eyes scrutinizing hers. "Logan?" she inched closer to him and Logan's eyes widened. Surprised by the change in attitude. "What?" he whispered. Raven resumed her scowl and huffed "I really hate the woods". Logan turned his head to the sky and gently told her "you don't have to". His hand wavered towards hers, and while he still had his courage, he grabbed Raven's hand. She bolted upright and demanded "what are you doing?" He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand andoffered "I thought it was a twig?" a blush tainted his cheeks and it sounded more like a question than an justification. Raven looked suspiciously at Logan for a moment before ling back down next to him, with their hands still entwined.
Logan awoke to the sound of screaming. He opened his eyes and blinked a few times, letting the yellow and green blur together and become a canopy of trees with sunlight streaming through them. It took him and other few seconds to process it was raven screaming. He looked down at her and saw his arms wrapped around her, he sprung off immediately and landed back on the ground, adopting an 'I'm innocent' pose. Raven stopped yelling and got up, using the tree for support. She dusted herself off and started walking away. Logan was still sprawled out on the ground and propped himself by his forearms before yelling after her "where are you going?" Raven looked over her shoulder and called "The bus", he got to his feet and scrambled after her. The walk back was awkward and when they arrived 'Explosivo' and cat lady appeared to be holding hands and serenading each other, sometimes the cats joined in. If that wasn't enough 'Fab' seemed to have passed out and was on the verge of drowning in an extremely shallow puddle. Just then as if on cue, a rickety green bus with a quiet driver and no passengers arrived. The bus driver looked oddly at all of them before hesitantly opening the doors "Were saved!" Logan cried, while trying (unsuccessfully) to awaken 'Fab'.
The beautiful city and scenery of Venice came closer to the people sitting on the bus, looking out the dirt speckled windows. Logan shifted closer to raven and twiddled his thumbs for a while, before stooping and asking Raven "I never did ask, where are you going after you get off this bus?" Raven smiled a bittersweet smile and enlightened him "I'm on exchange from Durham University in England, I'm studying culture here. So after this bus ride is over, we probably won't see each other ever again." Logan brightened instantly, with his smile rivalling the Cheshire cats and exclaiming "I'm on exchange too! After this you'll never be rid of me!" all the while he was waving his arms around manically, even coming close to knocking one of the cat carriers over. Raven pulled a deadpan expression and said "oh joy" as sarcastically as she could muster.
Raven sat on the soft moss, under the green umbrella trees in her local park. Books were spread all around her open on random pages, as she scribbled in the notepad on her lap, occasionally flipping a page or two. Suddenly a pair of arms wound around her waist. She was about to scream when a male voice from behind her asked "what do you call a duck that tells jokes?"Raven relaxed "Logan let go of me" she commanded him. Logan released her and delivered the punch-line "A quack-up" Logan laughed and sat down next to Raven. He gave raven a mischievous smile and nudged her "I told you that you'd never get rid of me!"he proclaimed, he almost seemed proud of himself, Ravens stoic demeanour faded a small bit a she told him "congratulations on being a nuiscance", she punctuated the sentence with a small smile, to let him know she didn't really mean it. They sat together and talked as the darkness descended upon them.
"Logan why are you holding my hand?"
"I thought it was a twig?"
Raven smiled into the darkness "Liar" she whispered