Author's note: Wow! Reviews already! Thank you everyone for reading and commenting. I must say I'm surprised (pleasantly, of course), considering the hour. Either you all live in Australia (G'Day Mates!) or, like me, you are choosing to stay awake this Saturday night for reasons unknown. So, to answer some readers' comments – the story is a slow burn, Lauren and Bo will eventually matriculate from high school and Docubuss is the endgame.

Lauren glanced at her Friday course list one more time as she stepped off the bus: English II, Geography, PE, Art, French I. None were her favorite, but her homework was done, and she wasn't one for skipping class, regardless. Even PE, which she knew would be the most difficult of all.

After the second period, Lauren walked to gym locker rooms with some trepidation. At 13 years old, she was about two years younger than an average high school freshman, so she'd likely be the smallest. The counselor assured her that she would be able to pass the requirements, even if she was smaller than most. PE was one of the classes that rewarded trying, and the teacher would know she's younger and take it easy on her, he promised Lauren. Lauren was personally more concerned with the attitude of the other students than getting a good grade in this class. The kids would have an easy excuse to knock her down – emotionally and physically. Especially if they saw her get preferential treatment from the teacher.

This was their first PE class of the semester, and the teacher wanted to evaluate the physical shape of each student. So, after tacking attendance, he brought them outside and to the track that ran around the soccer field and told them to run. Lauren was relieved. She wasn't bad at running, and she knew that while she couldn't lead the pack, she wouldn't come in last, either.

The soccer field they were circling was occupied by a girls' team. Lauren watched them idly as she ran in the just behind the lead group of her classmates. The players on the soccer team looked like mostly seniors, and Lauren swallowed hard thinking that some of the girls from yesterday's incident may be on the field now. Most were too far for her to see their faces clearly, and besides, with coaches around they were not going to bother her.

The period ended and Lauren returned to the locker room to change. She was grabbing her backpack from the gym locker when she heard the soccer team enter the room and settle in the far corner. She froze when she saw one of the girls who 'helped' to into the locker the other day leave the group and head towards her, but she was stopped by her teammate who had her back to Lauren before she could reach her. The new girl said something to her teammate, which made them both laugh, then put her arm around the girl's shoulder and redirected her away from Lauren and back to where the rest of the team was noisily changing out of their soccer gear. Just as they rejoined the group, the girl who had interfered had turned and looked back a where Lauren was still standing, immobilized. When Bo's eyes met Lauren's, the older girl gave her a quick nod before turning back to her friends.

Not one to waste an opportunity, Lauren hastened to make her escape. She didn't see Bo until the end of her last period, when most kids were eagerly leaving the school grounds to start their weekend. She was surprised to see Bo by herself, lingering not far from Lauren's locker. Bo didn't seem like the kind of girl who spent much time not surrounded by friends.

"Hey Lauren." The older girl greeted her when Lauren opened her locker. Lauren nodded hello, but didn't otherwise respond, still weary of what may be on Bo's mind.

Bo was chewing on her lip. Lauren though she looked a little frustrated.

"Look, I'm sorry about being an ass the other day. Can we start over?"

Lauren looked up at Bo and shrugged, still silent.

"I'm Bo, by the way." The girl stuck her hand out towards Lauren. A gesture like that would be rude to ignore, even if the older girl had an agenda and was going to try to embarrass Lauren again.

"I'm Lauren." She shook the proffered hand briefly, but firmly. "Thank you, for earlier, at the gym. And yesterday, with English lit."

"Don't mention it. Wine under the bridge and all that." Bo leaned against a locker next to Lauren's and gave no indication of wanting to leave.

"Water," Lauren corrected automatically, then cringed internally. She had a habit of doing that, and it was rarely appreciated. Try never. But Bo didn't seem to mind.

"Wine is better, under the bridge and otherwise," she smirked. "Don't you think?"

"I wouldn't know. Have you had wine?" Lauren was curious why the other girl was still talking to her, but it felt nice to talk to someone close to her age, so she didn't rush to leave.

"Yeah, I've had lots of things – wine, beer, cider, whisky, tequila, bailey's…" Bo recounted.

"Are you allowed?" Lauren felt mildly impressed, and a tad jealous.

"My grandfather is a bar owner. I've practically grown up in a bar."

"Do your parents work at a bar, too?" Lauren wanted to know, but she saw a shadow cross the older girl's face at the mention of the parents.

Bo fidgeted with her own backpack, and for a second it looked like she was just going to turn around a leave, but she didn't.

"I'll tell you about that some other time. So, how old are you, anyway?" It was obvious Bo was eager to change the subject and Lauren didn't mind, as long as she stayed.

"Thirteen. You?"

"I'm eighteen" Bo answered. "You are a little young for a freshman. What gives?"

"I'm not technically a freshman. It's complicated. I'll tell you about that some other time." Lauren too didn't trust the other girl to open up completely this soon, and she could see from Bo's expression that repeating the older girl's earlier words was just as frustrating on her as it was for Lauren.

"Fair enough." This time Bo did pick up her backpack and swung it around her shoulder. "I'll see you next week, Lauren. Cheri-o." The last was said as she turned and headed toward the exit.

Lauren didn't know what Cheri-o meant, or even if she heard correctly, but older girl's retreating back told her all she needed to know. "Have a good weekend, Bo. Bye." Bo surprised her again when she turned back around and gave Lauren a little parting wave before disappearing down the hallway. Lauren gathered her own things and trailed out after Bo, careful to keep enough distance between herself and the other girl as not to seem like she was following her.

When Lauren walked down the steps of the building that housed her school, she saw Bo get into an old convertible, driven by a boy with curly blond hair, just a few shades darker than Lauren's. She watched as he kissed Bo, the older girl's long dark brown hair getting blown every which way by the early autumn wind and obscuring most of kiss from Lauren. The pair drove off after that kiss, neither giving Lauren a parting glance.

Lauren adjusted her bag and trotted towards the waiting bus. She had a lot on her mind, least of all her school homework.