Chapter 2
Is it possible to have a crush on someone without even knowing anything about them? Well, not completely, Brittany knows certain things about the mysterious cheerleader.
Things Brittany knows about mysterious girl list:
-She's a cheerleader at UofL
-She's super pretty
- Her car broke down so she had to ride TARC for about two months
-Has a hot body (Definitely!)
-She's not rich but not poor either. Just a regular college student
-Raspy, bedroom voice
-Has a friend or boyfriend name Puck (Who names their kid Puck anyway?)
-Can read on a moving vehicle
- Cries when she reads a touching scene
That's it. That's all she knows and Brittany wants more. She wants to know what scenes from what book made her cry. Does she always cry so beautifully? Where does she live? Does she walk more after she gets off the bus or is her apartment just right in front of a stop? Does she have a boyfriend? Or is Puck her boyfriend? Does she see booger boy and thinks about how creepy he is? How about her family and friends? Do they have a good relationship with each other? Is there a chance that she can be bi or lesbian? If Brittany approaches her, will she entertain Brittany? Will Brittany have a chance?
They say curiosity killed the cat but Lord Tubbington is still alive so Brittany is sure that statement is false. Lord Tubbington is a very curious cat. Who joins a gang, smokes and can still act so innocent? So since LT is still alive and meowing, she's sure that curiosity doesn't kill anyone. So Brittany never stops herself from thinking about the mysterious girl. She doesn't even care if she stays up late at night just letting her imagination run wild with possibilities. The next day, she usually regrets staying up late, promises herself that she wouldn't do it again, but ends up doing it again that night.
Brittany always looks forward to their 20-minute bus ride. Sometimes, the cheerleader is already sitting down when she gets on, but sometimes Brittany gets there first. This is one of those times when Brittany is already comfortably on her chair when the girl shows up.
After the mysterious girl sits down, she looks up and makes an accidental eye-to-eye contact with Brittany.
Brittany's heart jumps. She can feel her lips stretch from side to side, thus giving the mysterious girl a wide, friendly smile. She sees the girl's lips twitch but does not smile back. Then, the girl broke eye contact and grabs her kindle from her purse.
Brittany adds one more fact on her Things Brittany knows about mysterious girl list…
-She's guarded
vvvv
Brittany is ecstatic! Delighted, trilled, overjoyed, elated, and euphoric!
Another one- deliriously happy!
Every day Brittany tries to gather up the courage to talk to the mysterious girl.
Every day she thinks about what to say. Brittany gotz this!
Examples of Brittany's conversation starters:
Hi! I always see you around- Ugh boring
Do you see the teenager that always picks his nose when he's here? Disgusting right? –Weird
You know, they say that the heart is on the left side of the chest, how come mine is on your hands?- Cheesy
Holaaaa chika! I don't know how to say sexy in Spanish but if it were up to me your name will be it. - Sounds like a pervert.
Okay, maybe Brittany has no idea how to approach the beautiful girl.
But that's not the reason why she's happy. She's happy because finally after a few days of smiling like an idiot every time their eyes meet and receiving a neutral face in return, the pretty lady officially smiles back! And if Brittany thinks that she's beautiful while she's crying, then she's absolutely breathe taking when she smiles. And Brittany can feel her heart squeeze due to her being the recipient of the smile.
Brittany is definitely in trouble. She is starting to like this girl and she still knows absolutely nothing about her. She got it bad. And she wouldn't have it any other way.
vvvvv
The bus is full. Tonight is the Downs After Dark horse racing event at Churchchill Down and people seem to realize that the best way to travel without having to pay for parking is thru the TARC. Brittany thinks that they are smart for riding the bus. However, she is definitely not happy because she can barely see the faces of the passengers that sit at the back while she is stuck in the front. Heck, even booger boy is standing and holding his tissue close to his nose. Brittany notices that the people around him seem to keep their distance.
Brittany is sad because she won't be able to see her mysterious girl. She just recently made progress by receiving a smile and now it's like she's being punished for being a recipient of such a pretty smile.
"Third Street, Churchill Downs" The bus driver announces.
Almost half the people stand up, gather their things and walk out the doors. Brittany turns and looks at her usual spot across the cheerleader. The seat is taken. Brittany sighs and then she notices that the seat beside the cheerleader is free!
Brittany's heart thuds. This is it. It's my chance.
As she walks toward the back of the bus, she passes by the male teenager and he is heading towards the back to.
Oh no. Brittany thinks. Not on my watch booger boy!
She takes bigger and quicker steps, thus arriving at the seat before the guy. She immediately plops down just to make sure no one else is going to take her spot. She hears the boy sighs.
Brittany 1, Creepy booger boy 0
After the victory dance inside her head, Brittany officially realizes where she's sitting. She's elbow to elbow with her crush and she has no idea what to do or say!
She checks her right peripheral vision and sees that the woman beside her is reading on her kindle. Brittany lets out a sigh of relief. If she for some reason saw her desperate attempt to get the seat, Brittany bets she will think that Brittany is weird. She turns her head to the right.
To her surprise, the woman beside her is looking at her! A full on eye-to-eye contact and a smile on her lips, Brittany can feel her heart thud loudly inside her chest.
"Hi." Brittany whisper-says. Really Brittany? That's all you can come up with?! Brittany criticizes herself. Even a zombie, who has no brain, can probably turn up with something catchier.
"Hello." Says the cheerleader.
Brittany is dead. That must be it. Did the woman that she's been crushing on for almost a month and half really just talked to her? Brittany pinches her left palm, nope she's not dead.
"Don't you get headaches?" Brittany blurts out. "I always see you read on your kindle while the bus is moving and I'm not sure how you do it. I mean whenever I try to read during our family's long road trips my head always starts hurting and I always end up sleeping therefore I miss all the sceneries and my younger sister makes fun of me because-" Brittany notices the woman's wide smile. "I should probably shut up now."
"You're cute." The cheerleader says with hint of amusement in her voice.
Brittany opens her mouth but nothing comes out. She can feel the heat gather in her cheeks and she is sure her face is as bright as Rudolph the Reindeer's nose.
The woman beside her chuckles, and continues to smile and look at her.
"Eastern Parkway." A voice declares.
"It's my stop." Brittany nods, acknowledging the woman's words.
"See you around." The woman flashes her breathe taking smile and left.
Brittany died for a second time.