The Boy Who Was Always Looking Forward
In a small town, around everyday this boy would board the bus up to town to either, go have lunch, or be with his friends. The bus ride wasn't something he really enjoyed, so he was always looking forward, to see when the bus would make it to his stop. He did this every time, he looked at the people around him, but his eyes were focused on where the bus was going. When neighbors swung by asking him if he needed a ride, he'd gladly accept, for in a way, he hated taking the bus. One day the boy was with his friend, and he was staying a little later then he usually does and he realized he needed to catch his bus. Something happened that day he was on the bus, something he'd never forget.
"Oh shit, what is it Sunday right?" the boy named Al said, staring at the bus schedule.
"Yah, I think so," replied his friend named Rob.
Al's eyes scanned the schedule for Sunday's schedule for the next coming bus, "7:28" is what the bus schedule read, "Alright we have like 10 minutes wanna head down there now?" Al asked.
"Let's go," Rob replied.
"So what were we talking about?"
"Fate, I think so,"
"Oh yah that's right, yah I think people have a distinct feeling when they notice fate,"
"I totally agree, I knew fate when I first went on that trip because I knew I'd meet someone new, which was you!"
The two continued there conversation as they arrived at the bench of the bus stop, but they were stop as the bus came quicker then expected, "Alright Rob see yah around!" Al said walking onto the bus.
The bus was pretty crowded, there was only two seats left in the very back, Al didn't have a problem with that. He walked to the spot when he recognized there was someone that was at his school last year right next to the open spot. Al thought, "Why not" so he sat next to the familiar face. Then he turned his head towards the front as usual, but then he noticed something amazing. There was the most beautiful girl he'd seen sitting next to her mother right across from him. He just quickly glanced away, not to seem like he was staring at her, but occasionally looked back at her. She just had a face that was so familiar and beautiful like she'd been in movies. He wanted to say something, but she looked younger then him, and there was this kid next to him that was older then him and he felt like that wouldn't be a good impression to leave. Also he knew her mother would not approve of some stranger talking to her daughter. But it felt so quick when his stop came he had no more time to look at her. He just stared at her for a little bit as he was walking off. His legs couldn't bare to step off of that bus knowing that he just missed an opportunity of a lifetime. As the bus took off a wave of regret crashed over his body, he couldn't bare to see it leave.
The next morning he had never looked forward to riding the bus as much as he did now. He wanted to just run out of the house and to the bus stop, but that wasn't happening until he showered.
Al immediately left his house after his shower for the bus stop, he wanted to take advantage of every opportunity there was to see this girl. When the bus came by he flashed his bus pass and sat in the very back. He looked around at the people around him and none of them were the girl he's been wishing for. He was disappointed and continued his usual looking forward routine, he knew she would be on before he would be, because his stop was before her stop.
Al spent the day with his other friend Quentin, in hopes that the day would just make him forget about that girl. But as soon as Quentin was going home, he immediately thought about the girl he was looking for. He went on a bus later then usual yesterday, so he decided to take a bus that was around the time he boarded yesterday. It was going to be a half-hour wait, but he was willing to sit at the stop for as long as he had to until he say her. Al got incredibly excited to see if she was there, the thought of her drove him wild.
A half-hour later Al jumped onto a bus, that had not even a person his age on it. There was hardly even people on this bus, he was disappointed but that didn't discourage him at all.
The next day was the same he got on the bus only to find that the girl was not on it. Then he would stay with his friends for some hours together in town. His friends Quentin and Rob today were tired and they decided to go home early, and he didn't really mind. That is until he checked the time and he had two spare hours until the bus came. Al wasn't ready to quit at that point, in fact he started to talk to himself, "I really don't give a shit, I need to find her."
Al was seated at a park bench, and he got up and started walking to his usual bus stop. It was a ways away from where he was, but he walked all the way, passing every shop and looking inside for his girl. He decided to pass his bus stop and walk around his town and in fact, he turned around and walked back, walked through parks too. Along the day he saw school mates and other people that were familiar. He stopped for a drink at a liquor store, just grabbing a soda. He checked the time, he had been walking around for an hour looking for, but he wasn't done.
Al did a whole circle around his town again, he wanted to find this girl. He walked for around forty minutes, he decided that he would just wait at the bus stop and she if the girl was on the bus. He was so certain he felt like nothing could go wrong. Today would be the day he saw her again. The bus pulled up twenty minutes later, he walked on, he closed his eyes and looked at the bus. No, there was no girl, there was barely anyone. The bus was practically empty. He sat down and looked down at that ground. He had everything ready for the day, he had even written her a little note that had his number on it that he wanted to give to her. He felt awful, he just wanted to go home. Instead of looking forward he looked out the window in anticipation of the end of the bus ride. When the bus ride finally ended he sulked out of the bus with a million thoughts in his head that had no time to stop.
There was practically tears in his eyes, he was so sure that he'd see her again. That day he saw her and his friend was talking about fate, Al was sure this was the fate they were talking about. This was the person that he thought would turn his life around, but really he can't get anything for it. There was so many possibilities for him to consider but he didn't even think of them he just went on that bus and never looked back. He did what he wanted, Al was just someone searching for love in his life. That this one opportunity was a opening for a new life, well he missed it. Her train has left the station, Al had tears in his eyes, he couldn't breathe, he just wanted to go home. He wiped his eyes and walked into his house, acting like the whole day didn't even happen. His legs were cramping but he still made it to the top of the steps to his room to close the door. This girl was the best of him and he really didn't even have time to see if she was worth it. He was living in a world of his own uncertainty.
He woke up the next morning and forgot all about last night, all he knew is that this week he would find her and there was nothing stopping him. He got on the bus and he pledged that he would find her this week.
"What a fucking week I've had," said Al sitting next to his friend Rob.
It was Saturday, near sunset, there were sitting on the beach and Al had already told him about the girl.
"What'd you do this week?" Rob dared to ask.
"I spent this whole week running around looking for that god damn girl and no luck," he said in anger
"Relax dude it's just a girl, you'll be fine," Rob said calmly.
"Well I really have a hard time relaxing over a girl I've spent a week looking for I'm sick of this,"
"Dude life's full of bullshit,"
"I know that very well, I'm just tired and wanna have time to let go of my anger,"
"Understandable," Rob looked at the sky, "don't you have a bus to catch?"
Al jumped up, "Shit, you're right, see yah later bro!"
Rob waved to him as walked to the bus stop solemnly. He reflected over the thoughts of this week and all he's been through and what he's really had to go through. He made it to the bus stop and hoped on.
There she was, right there perfection, or at least that what he thought. He looked again, and there was no one in the spot he'd been gazing at, he'd been delusional. Al thought he was going crazy, imaging there was someone there, he was out of his mind. Al just laughed and looked forward as he usually does.
Rob offered to hang out with him the next day to get his mind off of this week. Al was happy to it was better then wallowing in misery about a girl he knew he'd never see again. He was at the bus stop and the bus just came up to it, he walked on and Rob called him.
"Hello?" he said into his phone, he just looked at the ground and sat anywhere in the back of the bus.
"Sup dude, wanna meet at the liquor store?" Rob said through the phone.
"Yah dude," he replied, and then he felt someone sit next to him as soon as he hung up.
There she was, right there perfection, no really she sat right next to him. She wasn't accompanied by her mom or anyone, it was just her, Al was speechless, but that was ok. She spoke to him, "Hi."
Al blinked for a second, "Have I seen you in a movie before?"
"No, why?"
"You've got a beautiful face for movies," the line he said instantly made him smile.
She blushed, "Thank you."
"I would give you my number, but I have nothing to write on,"
She blushed and looked down, "Stop, you're too sweet,"
"No really! You're beautiful, can I please give you my number or get yours?"
They continued to talk like little children in love. Al had never felt this good in his life, and he found out the girl was not only his age, but lived in his town. All the nights where he would go disappointed thinking that this would never happen only to lead up to this. This was something he'd been looking forward to.