Long Rides

By the time I returned to the bus with Caleb and Alex, everyone was staring at us. Well, me, actually. Because I wasn’t wearing pants (and it was friggin cold, my legs were shivering) and was only wearing Caleb’s hoodie. When I entered the bus and went pass Jonathan, I swore his expression was like O_O when he saw me, and then he gave a questioning look toward the boys who saved me. I looked away from him, borrowed Ali’s shorts and Alex’s t-shirt, and changed in the bathroom.

I was wondering why he didn’t go after me too. I mean, I was his girlfriend, right? A true boyfriend was supposed to be looking after his girlfriend, right?

…Or was he only toying with me? Because I was 5 years younger than him, he didn’t want to be serious with me?

I shook that thought away and went out of the bathroom, and went to the lounge to return the hoodie to Caleb. “Can I sleep in your bunk tonight?” I asked.

He seemed to be surprised, but he nodded nonetheless. “But what about Jonathan…?”

I shook my head. “My mind’s so screwed up right now, especially after getting the fact that he didn’t go look for me.”

He nodded. “I’ll sleep in the couch then—“

“Please don’t. I’m afraid to be alone,” I muttered and looked down.

“Alright. But promise me you’ll explain everything to Jonathan tomorrow.”

I nodded. “But what if—“

“No what ifs. Your boyfriend needs to know the truth; he seems to be really confused of what’s happening around here. We didn’t tell him anything because we promised you, and we think it’s better if you’re the one who explains to him.”

I nodded. He opened up his arms and I smiled before sitting on his lap and he hugged me.

“You’re still my personal heater, did you know that?” He laughed.

Caleb
“Jonathan, can I talk to you for a moment…?” Athe asked. Jonathan looked surprised for a moment, but nodded after that. They went out of the bus with a concerned look in Jonathan’s face, and nervousness in Athe’s.

I watched through the window as they were talking next to Athe’s van. By the time she was talking, she had her face staring at the ground all the time. After a few moments of her talking, I saw Jonathan opened his mouth and talked. And then she replied. He replied. They kept on going.

And then I noticed something was different.

Disappointment flashed in Jonathan’s eyes. He spoke one more sentence, and then he went back to the bus, leaving her.

“What’s wrong?” Rian asked as Jonathan entered the bus with an unhappy look; pretending as if he didn’t know anything. The whole bus had been watching the whole conversation.

Jonathan stopped walking and looked at each one of us.

“I don’t believe you guys didn’t tell me anything,” he sighed and went to the bunks.

We all stared at each other for a while, until Alex widened his eyes at the sight he saw out there and he stood up before running outside. We automatically went to see what was happening through the window, and I saw Alex approached Athe. Athe had her face buried in her palms. Alex gave her a sided hug before they walked into the bus.

“What’s wrong, Athe?” Zack asked, worried, as the two walked inside.

Athe sobbed before she took a seat next to me and hid herself in my chest and cried. We all turned to Alex and then he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly when the attention was his.

“They broke up.”