Old Flames and New Faces

The biggest clap of thunder rolls from the sky. My throat lets loose an automatic high-pitched squeal. Groaning inwardly I glance upward. Dark, ominous clouds drift rather quickly cross the once clear sky.

Ain’t this a bitch.

The one day that I get up early to get to the bus stop it decides to rain. A torrent of curse words mixed with silent prayers leave my mouth as I pull the hood of my Erickson County sweatshirt over my head.

The sky continues to get darker, and the wind begins to pick up. I look up and down the street for the bus; then I do it again several times only to see nothing.

“Oh, my God.” I groan, my foot tapping a hole into the cement pavement. “Please, please, please bus hurry up.”

I knew I should’ve just slept in!

A second clap of thunder rings through my ears just before the rain begins to pour down in sheets. Covering my head with my binder, I frantically search for a place to hide.

There’s a house across the street a’ways, so I sprint over there and step under the porch. Immediately, I shake myself and my things off.

“Just great.” I sigh, laying my things on the old, abandoned rocker near my side. Then I lean backwards against the equally as old railing and pinch the bride of my nose.

While I do, my thoughts dance around inside my skull like fairies. I curse my luck, and wonder why I even wanted to get up at six anyway. I could’ve just been late for the bus, instead of standing outside for fifteen minutes.

I groan for the umpteenth time, feeling more than just a little frustrated with how my morning started off too.

After a few moments, I begin to stare off into the distance. The rain pouring from the ashy gray sky becomes mesmerizing. I stop pinching my nose, and rest both hands lazily on the rough wood in front of me.

“Hey.” A sultry voice interrupts my haze, causing me to nearly jump out of my skin.

I squeal for the second time before I turn quickly, grabbing my binder just in case. I’m met with one of the prettiest creatures I’ve ever seen

She’s wearing a brown and tan T-shirt dress with black leggings and a pair of Toms. Pin straight auburn hair frames her porcelain face. She has full lips, a slightly narrow chin, and a pierced button nose. Of all her gorgeous features, I find her striking blue-green eyes catching the majority of my intrigue.

So familiar...

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare ya.” She opens her peach colored lips to apologize; the smallest hint of a grin on her face. Shaking herself off, she sets her black and neon green umbrella on the side.

I lower my makeshift weapon and blink, feeling my heart beating quicker than normal inside my chest. “Uhh, it’s all good.” I finally get out as I gaze into her face, trying to figure out why I feel like I know her.

There’s a brief uncomfortable silence. During which, I look out over the porch railing. My brow furrows. I know that I know this girl, but I just don’t know where. Someone that pretty, I know I’d remember.

Sucking in a breath, I turn towards her, ready to ask her several questions to get to the bottom of this mystery. That’s when I see her staring at me. I watch, almost painfully, as her eyes glide over my body from head to toe.

Heat rushes to my face. I fidget uncomfortably, not liking the scrutiny of pressure of someone else so pretty oogling me. For me it’s being under a microscope. Finally, I can’t take it and I clear my throat.

Her eyes make their way towards mine. The corner of her perfect lips turns up in a half smile. She opens her mouth to say something, but decides against it and glances away.

“Sorry couldn’t help myself.” She looks back towards me with an even bigger smile creasing her lips, showing her pearly whites. “You look gorgeous today.”

The ease and tone at which this leaves her mouth amazes me. So much that I stand beside her like a plum fool with my mouth half open.

As this mystery girl’s eyes hold my gaze the heat in my face decides to spread, leaving with a warm sensation flooding my veins and increasing my pulse.

“Thanks.” I state simply.

Is it just me or is she flirting? She is attractive. But does she like girls? Damn, why does it always have to be so hard to tell! And even if she does, would she even date a black girl? No, no, no. Stop.

Within the matter of a handful of seconds a millions and two things go through my head. Then I just push them back, lock them in a box, and focus.

“So I get it that you’re waiting on the bus.”

There’s a split second change of emotion on her face. I believe it might even be disappointment, but I’m not entirely sure. It goes by so fast, to be replaced with a more subtle smile.

“Yeah,” She nods, taking a step from me to lean against the part of the railing a few feet from me.

“Oh, so you’re new. ‘Cause I’m pretty sure if I’d know if you lived near here. Or remember you from school.”

“No, not really.” There’s a minute pause before she adds, “But I guess to the high school, yeah, I am.”

This time I nod slowly, racking my brain for an explanation, a clue, a memory, a name- something about this girl. As I do the silence between us lengthens.

It’s not long until the honking of the bus horn, spurs me to alertness. “Finally!” I throw up my hands before I rush to grab my things and prepare to dash across the street again.

Just as I begin to step off the porch an umbrella is shoved into my view. I turn to look at the person offering the umbrella.

“Here ya go. You know, so you don’t mess up your hair.”

I shake my head, knowing that she won’t have anything to cover herself up from the now showers of rain. “It’s alright, you keep it.”

The bus blows again.

“Okay, we can share.” She says hurriedly, smiling as she wraps her arm around the waist to keep us both under the medium-sized umbrella.

As carefully as we can we make our way down the steps and across the street. Once we get to the bus she motions for me to go first, then stands there to hold the umbrella for me.

I thank her, and bound up the four bus steps.