Hi there. So my sister came up with this idea like two months ago but I never actually started to write it cause I've been busy writing Love Is Waiting and I wanted to focus on one story at a time but now I'm thinking "Well what the heck I'll just write this and see if people like it" XD
Anyway, hope you enjoy the first chapter of "Bus Boy" :)
Nothing I own!
Austin's POV
I've been wrong before. And, if you want the truth, I've been wrong a lot. More than I want to admit. But I've never been more wrong than I was about Ally Dawson. I never thought she'd make such a big affect on my life and leave little footprints in my heart that couldn't be buried over like my heart has done with other people that I met that had absolutely no influence on me but hatred. (Random fact about me, I hate most people.)
But our real story starts when I find myself in trouble with a can of spray paint in my hand and a white, bright light flashing in my eyes, almost blinding me. My friends run away before they can even warn me that the cops were coming. The thing that really burns me is that none of them got caught, they got away with it while I stood there, frozen with fear.
"Young man," the officer says, "You're in a heap of trouble."
Okay, I kinda saw that coming. "Listen, officer-"
He doesn't show any mercy as I'm thrown in the police car against my will with handcuffs on my wist.
My ten minutes in jail was a mixture of interesting and terrifying. There were bigger men, tougher men that looked like they wanted to kill me right there as they looked at me as I awkwardly sat there on the cold, cement bench. Some of them had tattoos across all of there arms, others had none, but they still looked intimidating. "What are you in for?" one would ask, and I'd say "vandalizing" because 1) that's what I did, and 2) I was too scared not to answer without getting beat up by one or even all of them.
"I robbed a bank," one man said, smiling, seeming proud of his crime. I wouldn't respond, not knowing what else to really say.
It wasn't long until I was baled out by my not-so-keen brother, who was giving me dirty looks as he paid a man the $200 fee to bale me out.
"What do you think you were doing?!" my brother continues to scold, but every time I try to answer, he throws more questions at me.
"I just-"
"That's vandalizing!"
"But I-"
"Do you think I wanted to come out when you called me to bale you out? I had plans! I going with Laura-"
"Laura!" I spit. "It's always about Laura now isn't it?" I mumbled that part under my breath. Ever since he met this Laura girl at his college, he never has time anymore. She has only came over a few times, but I don't like her.
Ross shakes his head after a few minutes. "You're changing the subject. Why would you do this? You're better than this. Is it because dad-"
"Don't bring dad into this!" I shouted, interrupting him, feeling tears form but I didn't let them out. I sigh and inhale. "And I didn't do it alone either," I admit, letting myself breath out as the words come out of my mouth.
"Then who else was it?" he asked in a quieter voice as I felt the car stop, the light above us was now red and he was looking at me now with a dead serious expression.
"Um...Oliver, Zack and Brooke..." I answered quietly and quickly, running my fingers through my hair (something I did when I was nervous or lying. Nervous in this case) and looking at the window and everywhere possible so I wouldn't meet Ross's gaze that burned through me like a wildfire.
"I told you they were bad influences on you. Especially Oliver," he grumbled.
"What do you have against him?" I demand, despite my anger towards Oliver right now, and towards the rest of my friends.
"That guy is dangerous," he insisted, foot stepping on the petal once the light turned green again.
"No he's not," I say. "He's just a guy trying to live his own life. Like me." I smiled a little, remembering how badly I wanted to be like him when I was a freshman. He was always just so chill and he was only friends with people that were like him.
"So you call living your own life vandalizing Marino High?!
My face drops.
"And I bet Oliver put you up to it," he guessed.
I was going to tell him that it wasn't true, because it wasn't, but I couldn't find the words to tell them that writing "Marino High Sucks" on the biggest window on the school for everyone to see was my idea.
"I..."
"That's what I thought," Ross muttered as we pulled up in the driveway and opened the door to our mom.
"Are you okay?" Mom touches my face, looking for any injuries and hugging me tightly. Mom was a small lady with blonde hair like Ross and I.
"Yes," I answered.
"Oh, good," she smiled, then her eyes hardened.. "Now...WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!" She drags me by the ear and into the house.
"Ow! Ow! Ear!" I whimpered. Mom doesn't reply as we make our way into the kitchen and she finally let's get and we sit at the kitchen table.
Ross goes upstairs, looking like he was trying not to laugh. It wouldn't be so funny if it were you, I thought bitterly as I watched him go upstairs until I didn't see him. I turned back to see my mother staring at me impatiently. "Well? Anything to say for yourself?"
"Sorry?"
She ignores my apology. "I got a call from Mr. Fan. He says he wants that graffiti off the school building first thing and the morning. And, before you clean it off, he wants to talk to you about something."
Mr. Fan was the principal of Marino High, and he hated me; I knew he hated me. I got in a lot of trouble when I was a senior, always getting into crazy things that Oliver, Zack and I planned. Brooke didn't do most those things with us, she wasn't really rebellious like us, which was surprised us all tonight that she actually came to vandalize Marino High and paint like there was no tomorrow.
But anyway, what would Mr. Fan want to say to me? I wasn't his student anymore. How did he even know about what I did tonight?
"If you had any sense, you'd know that the police officers would call the principal to let him know," Mom answers impatiently, getting me to realize I had asked my questions out loud.
I hadn't thought of that. "Oh," I said quietly, putting my head down, dreaming tomorrow of having to wake up early.
When I got to Mr. Fan's office, memories come back to me of not even a year ago. I wasn't a senior that long ago, I was surprised when I graduated. The only reason I passed was because I had a C average.
It was about 6:30 when I got there, and when I got there, Mr. Fan was there. "Austin, come in," he said in a weird voice with a dopey smile on his face that somewhat creeped me out. He smiled at me in the hallways when I went here, but it was never like that, it was like he was hiding something huge and from me, almost as if I wasn't even in trouble at all.
I nodded and opened the door slowly. "You...wanted to see me?" I asked awkwardly, sitting down on one of the familiar chairs I had sat in many times last year, Oliver and Zack next to me; occasionally Brooke when she'd tag alone with whatever stuff we were going.
"Yes." His smile looks so innocent it almost made me want to slap that smug look off his face then I'd be the one smiling. But I knew I couldn't do that. I'd be in even more trouble than I am now. I knew that his smile all went down to one word: fake.
"Well?" I pressed, leaning forward. "What is it?" I was the kind of person that only had so much patience, especially with people that I didn't like (which is most people other than Ross, Mom and my friends).
"A little birdy told me you got in quite some trouble last night."
"Mhm," I admit, slowly nodding my head, trying my best to hide my embarrassment.
"Well," he fidgets with his paper. "You, Austin Moon, of all people should know that there are consequences for our actions."
I didn't like where this is going. "I suppose," I said, trying to sound wise to prove that I was listening but honestly a little afraid of the next words he was going to spit out.
"And you know that some consequences are bigger than others," he continued.
"Dude where are you going with this?!" I burst out, sitting up in my chair. My patients was wearing away faster than I thought. I didn't want to be here again, at this school, in Mr. Fan's office as if I were a senior again, reliving those terrible days.
Mr. Fan looks up from his papers and meets my gaze. I wait for him to yell at me for calling him "dude", but he doesn't. His expression looks emotionless. Then he simply smiles and says, "Austin, you're a good kid, but you just need a little push."
I opened my mouth to answer, but he held up his hand, telling me he wasn't done.
"So," he continues as if nothing ever happened, "I have finally found the right consequence for your action."
"Whoa whoa whoa," I interrupted, standing up and trying to resist the urge to just leave. "Mr. Fan, I'm not your student any more that you can just send to detention."
"I wasn't talking about detention," he says, looking somewhat amused. I knew he wasn't talking about detention.
"I was just-"
"What you'll be doing is much different than detention. I've already talked to your mother and she's okay with it."
"So what do you want me to do?" I repeated impatiently, plopping back down on the chair. Mr. Fan was like the master of staling when it came to punishing his students, as if he didn't know the punishment and was still thinking long and hard about it like it was a huge life decision.
"Alright, alright. So, one of the bus drivers, Mrs. Stella, just retired this morning. I knew I had to take action immediately, and I still couldn't find a good bus driver. And when I got a call from the police that one of my old kids vandalized my school a crazy idea came to me..."
I stopped listening. I definitely didn't like where he was going with this now. Was he really suggesting that I could be one of Marino High's bus drivers? Sure I'm an easier driver if I don't say myself but driving a bus? No way! This is the dumbest idea I've ever heard! Only Mr. Fan would come up with a crappy idea like this. Mr. Fan always came up with these dumb ideas like what we wore for spirit week, things that could make the school more "fun". Sometimes I think the guy's head was in the clouds.
"What do you say?" he asks, smiling, looking so desperate for my approval.
Instead, I snort. "Me? A bus driver? Ha!" I let out a good chuckle which felt nice. I stand up. "You out of your mind bro," I say in a funny voice, getting up on my feet again, but I was soon about to get a wakeup call.
"Sit down!" Mr. Fan snaps. "Sit down!"
I sit down immediately, suddenly feeling a little afraid of Mr. Fan for the first time in my life. "Austin," he starts, voice firm but low. "I'm afraid you don't have a choice. And if you don't like it than tough nuggets. It's about time someone gave you a wakeup call, and I'm going to do that right now. If you do something wrong you need to suffer the consequences. Do you understand me?"
"I don't want to be Marino High's little bus boy!" I exclaimed, anger boiling in my blood.
"Do. You. Understand. Me?" he breaks it down for me in an unfriendly voice, spitting out each word.
I sigh, finally giving up. "Yes sir," I nodded, knowing that if I liked it or not I was going to be Marino High's newest bus boy.
It was a long morning of removing the graffiti from the window. By the time I was almost done kids were starting to come in; it was getting louder and louder by the minute it seemed like. They all ignored me, which was a good way to earn my respect. Leaving me be is good because I most likely don't want to talk to you.
Rolling my eyes, I tried to drain out the voices but I jumped when I heard one come from behind me. "Hi there!" It sounded so perky.
I spun around to see a girl, maybe a year or two younger than me, looking up at me with a polite smile. Her hair was curly and brown and her glasses rested on the bridge of her nose; her eyes were brown too and she was wearing a red flannel with jeans and in her arms, she held a box of unknown items.
Raising my eyebrows, I wait for her to say something. She put her glasses up from where they had been dangling. "I'm Ally Dawson, and I'm selling chocolate to help support-"
"Look kid-" I start, voice chocked up for some reason.
"-my choir class-"
"-Kid-"
"-see, if you buy a chocolate bar for just a dollar, you can help-"
"Kid!" I was growing inpatient with this nerd.
She looks at me for a spilt second, than continues. "You can help my choir afford to go on more trips. And even the band and strings to buy new instruments!"
I rolled my eyes and groaned so she couldn't hear me; turning my back to the brunette who was still talking, now rambling on about the different brands of chocolate she had. I could feel her gaze burn in the back of my head. Not being able to take it anymore, I turn back to see her standing there.
"Listen, Cupcake, I don't have any money," I shake my head somewhat babyishly.
"Who are you anyways? I've never seen you around here. You look too old to be a senior but too young to be a man."
"I am too a man!" I felt defensive. "I'll have you know that I am nineteen going on twenty, hon."
"Then what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in college?"
Dang, this girl asked a lot of questions. "Not everyone is meant to be in college," I mumbled.
"Well, my best friend Trish wants to go to college to be a manager, you know, like book gigs for singers, set up-"
"I know what a manager is, Pumpkin."
"My name is Ally. Say it with me. Al-ly!"
"Then I know what managing is, Al-ly," I said making a funny face, becoming irritated by this girl.
"Good." She nods enthusiastically. "Oh look! You're finally finished! I'm sure you worked hard taking it down. Isn't it a shame Marino High got vandalized by some idiot?"
I look away, clearly she didn't know it was me. "Yeah..." I said quietly, deciding not to tell her that I was somewhat (along with my friends) responsible for this. Well, a lot responsible for coming up with the idea.
"OMG! Hunk alert!" Ally slaps my chest numerous times.
"Stop it!" I shoo her hands away, and she ignores me and looks at the guy straight in front of her.
"You like him?" I guessed.
"Holy unlimited texting he is so cute!" she whispers loudly.
Who the hell says that? Apparently Ally Dawson. "I guess." He wasn't THAT cute. Sure he had a nice smile but he looked like the type that'd be a complete douche. "Who is that anyways?" I asked, leaning against the wall.
"Gavin Young," she breathed, looking like she was going to fall, and I wouldn't be one to catch her. I'd most likely laugh.
"Psh, whatever floats your boat Cupcake," I snort, watching her as she stared at him.
Smiling mischievously, I place my hands on her back and give her a small push. She makes a small sound as she falls right into the arms of Gavin Young. I wanted to do that ever since I saw her staring at him; reason being she can't just stare at him and expect to suddenly earn his affection. Also, I liked seeing other people embarrassed. It was somewhat entertaining to watch.
"Careful," Gavin says, pulling her back up. I try not to laugh when I realize that Gavin had a country accent. Before I knew it I was snickering, hoping they wouldn't see me.
"Y-Yeah," Ally stutters, face turning red as she pulls away from his embrace.
He almost looks uncomfortable as he walks away awkwardly. "I love you..." she whispers.
"What?" He turns his back.
"Nothing! Nothing..." She twirls her hair and bites her lip in nervousness as she watched him walk away.
Ally walks back to me, blush still on her face. "We are totally getting married!" she squeals.
"Oh my God," I muttered. This girl is CRAZY! One look and she's already thinking about them being honeymooners. And I'm told I have no sense. Mom should meet this fool of herself.
"Do you like anyone?" she asked innocently, arms going in the back of her back.
"No, but I am busy. I have a lot to do today..." I say awkwardly, fingers going through my hair. I knew I couldn't really tell her what I was going to do without telling her why I was in this situation and what I did to be in this situation.
Ally nods. "Okay, I'll see you later than er..."
"Austin," I tell her, not realizing that I hadn't gave her my name. I didn't really want to give her my name.
"Austin. I like that! Austin and Ally. It sounds cool. Like a duo. Oh! I know! A show on Broadway. Can't you see it?" She puts her arm around my shoulders. "Austin and Ally...Austin and Ally..." she held out her hand and waved it as the words came out of her mouth. "Can't you see it Austin?"
"No," I said quickly, growing extremely bored. I don't know why she wouldn't just leave me alone. If anything, I thought she'd be mad at me for pushing her into Gavin Young. But she seemed like she never got angry, even if someone had done something really bad.
"Alrightly then," she said, sounding a little disappointed as she smiled lightly and waved goodbye and walked to her friends.
I knew that from now on I wouldn't see her around much, and hopefully she'd never know that I was the one that vandalized her school. I just felt as if I couldn't tell her the truth, like if I did it'd break her heart or something. I didn't know why I felt that way, but I just did for some reason. I felt the need not to tell her, and I hoped if I saw her again she wouldn't find out. I don't really like her, but at the same time her energy overwhelms me. It...keeps me from feeling depressed.
But I probably wouldn't see her anymore, only when she was passing through classes.
If only I knew how wrong I was.
Yay! First chapter done! I'm super excited for this story and I can't wait to see where it goes! Hopefully my sister will help me cause after all this was her idea...
Please R&R :)
