Out of Reach
1/1
The humming of the bus engine was calming to her, her heart beating as soft and gentle as the engine. Not to say she was anxious, but she definitely felt nervous about riding the bus all alone. Over time, though, she grew accustomed to riding the bus and the people that came and go. No one ever bothered her, except for maybe a few people that said, "Hello," and "Good-bye," but besides a few greetings, she was left alone.
As the bus drove on, Sylwia Theunissen reached into her bag, pulling out a book, opening it to where she left off. It didn't take her long to become engrossed in the world within the book she was reading.
She became so engrossed in the book that the world around her seemed to disappear, that is until the bus made a brief stop (it would be the fourth one to be exact). Something made her look up. The instant she did, she saw him.
Curly light brown hair, long eyelashes over deep-set green eyes, and those lips that hid a very dazzling smile (well, to her his smile was dazzling). It was as though the world suddenly lit up and time stopped. Time stopped as she watched him reach into his pocket for the change for the bus fare, and place the coins on the tray. Just like her, the beautiful boy rode the bus every day. And just like her, he would find a quiet spot at the back of the bus and sink into his own peaceful solitude.
Her heart fluttered hard in her chest as he shifted the strap of his bag and started the walk to the back of the bus, their gazes meeting briefly before her shyness caused her to avert her gaze elsewhere.
Again, her heart jumped as he got closer.
Thump!
Thump!
Thump-thump!
Her heart continued to beat with every step he took. Heat spread across her cheeks as she blushed, her body stiffens, tenses, as he stopped in the aisle, at her seat. Then...
"Excuse me." His voice...
Her body became paralyzed from the strange prickling feeling of warmth blooming in her heart, in her chest, but as he spoke again, she finally wills herself to look him in the face. Warm brown eyes gazing into cool crystal green eyes. Just seeing the eyes, the gentleness within them, it made her feel warm all over.
"Y-es?" Her voice squeaked as she finally spoke. Noticing he didn't hear her, she cleared her throat and spoke a little louder this time.
"Is the seat next to you taken?"
Was he going to sit next to her? Just what was going on?
With her heart pounding harder, she shook her head with a smile. "N-No, go ahead."
"thank you." The boy said and he returned her smile before slipping his bag off his shoulder, sitting in the seat and gently setting the bag on the floor at his feet.
Just feeling the warmth of his body made her breathe deeply, the warmth in her chest blooming more, and in turn, the blush on her cheeks deepened. It was hard for her to concentrate on the book she held in her hands, at least not with him so close; he was so close, she could touch him, but in her mind, he was far away, out of reach. But despite that, she kept her gaze on the same page all the while of quietly watching him out of the corner of her eyes.
She watched as he unzipped a side pocket on his bag, He pulled out, to her surprise, a book. He normally didn't read books during the bus ride. He never sat next to her before either.
When she glanced at the book he held, her heart leaps hard in her chest, fluttering from the title. It was the book she read last week. Her heart fluttered again, happiness dancing in her heart.
With the happy thought that she might have inspired someone to read a book she liked and read, she smiled to herself and finally allowed herself to concentrate on reading her book. And the two read their books in a companionable silence, both sinking into the worlds contained within the books they read.
The feeling she felt was something to hold onto, to cherish and treasure. Even though he was so close she could touch him, he was out of reach, but somehow she had reached out to him and inspired him to read one of her favorite books. And in doing so, he responded by sitting with her and that's all she ever wanted, right now at least. She wouldn't trade this for anything else in the world.
As the bus drove on, Sylwia Theunissen reached into her bag, pulling out a book, opening it to where she left off. It didn't take her long to become engrossed in the world within the book she was reading.
She became so engrossed in the book that the world around her seemed to disappear, that is until the bus made a brief stop (it would be the fourth one to be exact). Something made her look up. The instant she did, she saw him.
Curly light brown hair, long eyelashes over deep-set green eyes, and those lips that hid a very dazzling smile (well, to her his smile was dazzling). It was as though the world suddenly lit up and time stopped. Time stopped as she watched him reach into his pocket for the change for the bus fare, and place the coins on the tray. Just like her, the beautiful boy rode the bus every day. And just like her, he would find a quiet spot at the back of the bus and sink into his own peaceful solitude.
Her heart fluttered hard in her chest as he shifted the strap of his bag and started the walk to the back of the bus, their gazes meeting briefly before her shyness caused her to avert her gaze elsewhere.
Again, her heart jumped as he got closer.
Thump!
Thump!
Thump-thump!
Her heart continued to beat with every step he took. Heat spread across her cheeks as she blushed, her body stiffens, tenses, as he stopped in the aisle, at her seat. Then...
"Excuse me." His voice...
Her body became paralyzed from the strange prickling feeling of warmth blooming in her heart, in her chest, but as he spoke again, she finally wills herself to look him in the face. Warm brown eyes gazing into cool crystal green eyes. Just seeing the eyes, the gentleness within them, it made her feel warm all over.
"Y-es?" Her voice squeaked as she finally spoke. Noticing he didn't hear her, she cleared her throat and spoke a little louder this time.
"Is the seat next to you taken?"
Was he going to sit next to her? Just what was going on?
With her heart pounding harder, she shook her head with a smile. "N-No, go ahead."
"thank you." The boy said and he returned her smile before slipping his bag off his shoulder, sitting in the seat and gently setting the bag on the floor at his feet.
Just feeling the warmth of his body made her breathe deeply, the warmth in her chest blooming more, and in turn, the blush on her cheeks deepened. It was hard for her to concentrate on the book she held in her hands, at least not with him so close; he was so close, she could touch him, but in her mind, he was far away, out of reach. But despite that, she kept her gaze on the same page all the while of quietly watching him out of the corner of her eyes.
She watched as he unzipped a side pocket on his bag, He pulled out, to her surprise, a book. He normally didn't read books during the bus ride. He never sat next to her before either.
When she glanced at the book he held, her heart leaps hard in her chest, fluttering from the title. It was the book she read last week. Her heart fluttered again, happiness dancing in her heart.
With the happy thought that she might have inspired someone to read a book she liked and read, she smiled to herself and finally allowed herself to concentrate on reading her book. And the two read their books in a companionable silence, both sinking into the worlds contained within the books they read.
The feeling she felt was something to hold onto, to cherish and treasure. Even though he was so close she could touch him, he was out of reach, but somehow she had reached out to him and inspired him to read one of her favorite books. And in doing so, he responded by sitting with her and that's all she ever wanted, right now at least. She wouldn't trade this for anything else in the world.
♠ ♠ ♠
Sylwia Theunissen is the name I chose for the main character. Sylwia is a polish version of the name of Sylvia and Theunissen is a dutch surname. I originally intended to write this one shot out as a shortish story about two characters of two different nationalities meeting and interacting with each other without saying much. The boy's supposed to be Italian or Greek or a mixture of both.Maybe one of these days, I'll write either a sequel or rewrite a new version of this one shot fleshing out the story more but for right now, this one shot is done.
Thanks for reading, everyone!