Another blessed entry in My "Failed" Love Life series.
Okay, that season finale (S5) left me almost as speechless as when Wes died. Because of that, I started writing this one-shot. Then I didn't come back to it until after the fall finale of the final season which, by the way, left me floored. I'm still numb from it. And now this one-shot is published on the day that season 6 comes back!
Disclaimer - I don't own these characters. If I did, nobody would be sad and the show would be a lawyer and her students solving cases.
Crossing Paths:
Laurel sighs out of relief when she sees the bus arriving. She stands up from her seat in the bus shelter, rubbing her hands together as the bus stops. A couple of other people get on before her and the heat instantly warms her up once she enters the bus.
She pays her fare, walks past the driver's seat, and the bus starts moving.
Laurel walks down the aisle and stops when she gets as far back as she could. She was still standing, holding onto the horizontal pole above her head. Looking around her, she always sees the same people. It doesn't surprise her since the workweek has a constant schedule. Even her days were the same except for the weekend. Everything down to the bus driver was the same.
Even the man she always sees in the back. Sitting in the corner during a crowded morning rush means that he likely got on at the start of the route. He's never looking at a phone nor carries a bag or morning coffee. He's just there.
Laurel would sometimes catch herself staring, wondering where this man was going if he didn't bring anything with him. What could he possibly be doing this early in the morning?
And why was she so interested?
Whenever he would look her way and meet her eyes, Laurel instantly turned away. She didn't want him to think she was staring. She wants someone to look at her like they've known her the whole time; as if they were waiting to find her so they could catch up. Screw love at first sight.
But today, something out of the norm happened. Instead of taking a turn, the bus continues going straight. Laurel looks ahead, wondering what the commotion was all about. Since that was no help, she looks around to see if there was any construction they were detouring.
Nothing.
People around her start getting antsy. Laurel feels relieved in not being the only confused in this new route. That's when the driver catches on and announces that the route has changed and they're now going to their new bus terminal to transfer buses.
Laurel nods. It's no big deal for her. Waiting in a terminal is better than waiting outside.
The bus stops and she, along with other commuters don't know where to go once they stepped out into this new terminal. When they turn to ask the driver, the bus was already gone. So here these people were, trying to figure out where to go from here or catch their next bus.
Laurel has no problems. Lots of buses go by Middleton's campus. If she acts as she belongs, she can get anywhere.
-o-
It would've been nice if someone gave him a warning about the sudden route change. But a lot of buses go by Middleton's campus so he shouldn't have any problems.
Frank walks along the platform, looking up at all the posts to find the closest one that will get him to Middleton. He spots one, but something else catches his eyes. It's the woman he always sees on his morning route. Most times, she would stand because she got on later but, if she got lucky, she snagged a seat or got one offered to her because she was beautiful enough to let that happen to her.
Sometimes, he would see her gazing at him. If she kept her eyes on him for longer, he would've smiled a little. It would at least give the message that he didn't think she was creepy. He would never.
There would be days where he feels like sitting closer to the middle of the bus, like in one of those duo seats right at the elevated step that leads to the back of the bus. He'd sit in the aisle until she got on and scoot over to the window to vacate it for her. But there's the chance that someone would ask for that seat before she got on. He'd sit in the window seat to leave the aisle open to her, but that means it's available to everyone.
He'd think to bring a bag and leave it on the empty seat, waiting for her to get on and moving it inconspicuously when she approached him, making it look like she can sit there but wishing she would.
But he can't predict other people. Someone might cut in front of her once a seat was free. There are other regulars but nothing's truly constant, not even her. And, occasionally, not even him.
It feels like love at many sights for Frank: that feeling he gets in his bones when he sees her; he will fall in love with her but not right away. It'll inevitably happen.
Maybe he needs a few more bus rides. Or to sit closer and bring a bag.
"Hey," Frank says to her once he's close enough.
The woman looks at him. Her eyes twitch for a second, making Frank think that she may recognize him as well.
"Do you know what time the next bus comes?" He asks.
She shrugs. "Hopefully, soon."
"I'd say a few minutes."
One person's confusion is another's curiosity. He feels lost in her but it was the kind of lost that felt like going down the right path.
Okay, I had no creepy Frank following me, but what happened to me was loosely like this. Read about my actual experience in My "Failed" Love Life which you can through my bio.
I still ship Laurel and Frank, even after everything that happened so far in season 6. Please let me know if there are any others out there (although there probably are if you're reading this).
Thank you so much for reading this! I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you thought in the reviews. If you have a story idea that you would like me to write, let me know and you might see it! Or, if you need a beta for your story, don't be afraid to ask me!
~ MysteryGal5