Summer
I was a senior at my middle school when I never really mean to but I started anticipating the bus ride to school.
It started because I've eavesdropped a girl having a conversation on the phone.
"I'm really sorry! I tried to look for the book that I lost but I wasn't able to find it at the bookstore by the station. I'm really sorry! I'll find you a replacement as soon as I can find it! It's even a rare book…" The girl repeatedly apologized.
Maybe it was because she sounded so troubled that even if I thought I may end up looking like an idiot, I still did it.
I brought my phone out from my pocket and played a song on loudspeaker and pretended to answer a call. "Nii-san? Oh? Yeah I already got the book that you asked me about! I found this really odd book cafe by the fourth bus stop from OO Middle school they sell books too so I was able to buy a copy of that really weird book you wanted." I said talking loud enough for her to hear it was almost comical. I had my back to her so I can't check if she noticed my efforts but I sure hope she did.
After the pretend call, on the fourth stop she stood up and said "Thanks" as she passed by me. I wasn't able to see her face but she had short black hair reaching upto her shoulders and her uniform doesn't look like it's from a school nearby.
The next day, I was really nervous. Man! What was I supposed to do when I see her? Well, Hidenori, man up! Don't be such a wuss! It was a one time thing its not like she expects you to notice her again! And maybe she even thought that you're gross to listen to other people's conversation and was just thankful for your help but there's no assurance that the book was there! So maybe you didn't even help her at all! That was kinda depressing. Sometimes I really hate talking to myself.
As I was thinking, a guy tapped my shoulder and when I turned, I saw that it was just my classmate. since its already the second term, and almost summer break we were wondering whether there are any cafe's that we could work at to fend off boredom from vacation because we didn't really have any plans to go anywhere and even if we do it won't take the whole vacation away, thus our dilemma. We talked and it really rid my mind off of how I would have to face the book girl but when she stepped on the bus, the short haired beauty that she was, I kind of gotten robotic. I'm sorry, I'm not used to girls and their existence. I'm still in middle school, bless my pure soul.
She passed by me and sat on the seat near the window, exactly behind me. Unfortunately I'm still too damn embarrassed so I wasn't able to see her face. I just want to correct what I said earlier… curse my pure soul.
"That place is no good too! I've already asked them but they told me they're currently not hiring anymore. I'm running out of ideas man!" my classmate suddenly said."Y-yeah, I hope we find of soon or else I won't know what the hell I'm going to do this summer." I tried to act natural.TRIED.
A ring interrupted our conversation and I hear a familiar voice say "Hello? Eh? No! I've been there. How about we try the newly opened cafe near the station? yeah, sure, I heard they're lacking manpower because they're jam-packed almost everyday! I heard the strawberry shortcake there was delicious!"
My classmate looked at me with such a sparkling face clearly thinking that it is a lucky coincidence that the girl behind us had to talk about that cafe lacking manpower at the exact time we were clearly having problems finding a job.
"Bro! Let go down here! this is near enough to the station."
I looked from behind and got a glimpse of her as I slightly bowed my head to thank her for the tip. She just saved my vacation.
It was stupid but I thought that it was nice to have her help me back.
It was a rainy morning and as the bus stopped, I took off from the bus and ran towards a shed. I have my umbrella with me but its annoying to get it since I just stuffed my uniform in my bag together with all my things. So if I try to pull my umbrella out, everything else would come out and I'm really not up for that kind of trouble so early in the morning.
After a few minutes that bus left and the rain stopped. I lifted my arms to continue reading the book that I was holding only to find it gone. I must've left it in the bus but it already left so there was no way that I could get it back.
It was a really good book though. And I was getting to the part where the protagonist was about to get killed.
I just sighed the frustrations away. I was on my way to work so maybe the busy atmosphere will help keep me from thinking about what will happen in the book.
As I got on the bus after work, I saw the girl again, now she's just wearing her casual clothes but as usual I didn't get to see her face because the bus was already moving and there were too many seats available to not sit.
Most of the times people hate public transport because they don't get to sit, and now I'm hating on it because I was able to sit. Wouldn't it have been easier for me to talk to her if the only available seat was beside her?
I can't even get a good look at her!
Now I'm being just plain creepy...
Hidenori! Why the hell would you sit somewhere strategically useless? Senior middle schooler me is so stupid!!
I stood when the bus stopped for the station near the library. I was seated in front of her so maybe she didn't notice me. Or she's trying her hardest not to notice me... I really can't tell the difference.
I got off and walked straight to the library where I was planning to look for a copy of the book that I had, instead of buying another one. My allowance was depleted greatly because of that book and I ended up losing it.
The book that I really wanted is a part of this bestselling trilogy that I've been waiting for. It was the second book and of course I had to read it before saving up for the third one.
I even wrote my initials on the cover.
As I walked out of the row of books that I was searching at I saw a familiar, not much a face but familiar... being? whatever! I just knew it was the bus girl! Sitting on a chair near the windows and was reading what seemed like a very interesting book.
She looked like she was finishing it soon enough so I waited.
Stalker tendencies of mine...
After she finished it, she wiped the tears off of her face and stood up, tucked the chair she was using and went back to the librarian to put it on the stack of used books.
She slipped her bag onto her shoulders and went home, I guess.
After I saw her walk outside, I immediately grabbed the book she was reading.
It's funny how our interactions were. We never talked to each other and I'm pretty much sure she's as clueless as to what I look like as I am with her. But there's this something that just puts us in the same place as each other and I just can't say it any better than, it had to be fate.
Looking at the back cover of the second part of the trilogy that I loved, sure enough, my initials were written in my hand writing.
It was summer break back then and after a while, I wasn't able to see her riding the same bus as me or be in the library were she returned my lost book unintentionally.
That was the last summer that I saw her... it wasn't anything near love but to be honest, even if I'm not a romantic person, I can't say it better than, it really had to be fate.
And that maybe I'll see her again and that maybe things will be different.
