Shit.

I’m having another one of those moments again. 

One of those stupid, cheesy moments in life where you fall in love with a complete stranger in an ordinary place. A brief moment in your monotone everyday life. A happy pause in the glum present. A silly, guilty pleasure you could never share with a close friend. One of those moments where you picture living a life with the girl with a pretty face and a cute smile. 

A future. 

One you can smile at the thought of.

A quiet walk down the beach, holding her hand. Her chestnut hair flows in the wind. She clutches at the sun hat on her head, ready to be snatched away by the coastal wind. You laugh together at her struggles to keep the wide hat to stay on her wonderful little head. Your bare feet leaving two pairs of footprints on the wet sand. 

You glance at her, the girl you met on the bus, with her honey brown eyes glittering under the amber rays of the setting sun. The little freckles on her cheeks. The dimple that appears only on the right side of her face when she smiles. And that smile.

The smile that makes all your burdens slide off your shoulders. The smile that makes you live in the moment. The Eternal Moment that will never leave your mind.

Yeah.

With a capital E and M. That’s how damn good her smile is.

I smile at the silly fantasy pacing through my head. Brushing my hand against the side of my head as I adjust my posture in the seat of the moving bus.

Oh Shit.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

She’s looking at me.

She noticed me staring.

Oh fuck she noticed me staring.

Shit shit shit shit shit shit shitshitshitshitshit.

Okay okay okay okay.

Just look away, buddy.

Forget anything happened.

Pretend you weren’t staring.

Pretend you were just daydreaming and your eyes just happened to wander over to her.

Don’t be an idiot.

Don’t glance at her and make eye contact like one of those scenes in the rom-coms you watched with your ex. You don’t just fall in love with the stranger on the bus. That only happens in books and stupid movies. There’s no way that would ever happen.

Just stare out the window.

Take a breath. That’s right, just like that. Slow, like molasses.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

I close my eyes for a brief moment.

I take in the illusory darkness I drape over my pupils. Listening to the quiet noises of the passengers of the bus. To the music blaring through the red wireless headphones of the teenager in his messy uniform. To the soft humming of the old lady wearing a black scarf and light pink floral dress that’s easy on the eyes.

I take another breath, and open my eyes again.

The passing scenery flows past the edge of my vision, going into some great beyond I wouldn’t be able to comprehend. The vibrations of the bus purrs into my fingertips, and my fingers buzz alongside the surface of the windowpane in turn. Like a pair of dancers elegantly waltzing across a ballroom floor. My deep, paced breaths following a steady, even tempo set in the subconscious of my mind. 

The bus makes a gentle left turn, shifting the position of the trees blocking out the sun. The glass barely refracts the glaring sunlight shining from that annoying bright bastard in the sky. 

Irritated with the glare, I let my eyes wander around the interior of the bus. 

Drifting my eyesight around the dark blue design of the synthetic leather on the seats. To the yellow poles attached to the sides of the seats. To the aged, rough skin of the driver’s hands, smoothly manipulating the wheel guiding this metal box we choose to be trapped in. My sight lingers once more on the beautiful brunette in the red leather jacket.

A smile finds it way onto my lips.

Damn that pretty face of hers, getting me worked up like that.

The smile forms into a smirk, knowing that I wouldn’t have the guts to ask for her number. Knowing that my fate wouldn’t be as cheerful as having me find my lover on a bus. Especially with a woman as beautiful as her.

She notices my glance again, and gives a polite smile, her eyes meeting mine. 

I return the smile with a nod and a grin, and return my gaze back to the scenery outside the window as the bus turns into the lane where my stop is.

I take the brown duffle bag laying by my side and step out the side of the bus.

I draw in a lungful of the chilly autumn air, and breathe out a small warm mist, clearing my head to carry on with my day. 

I hear another passenger hurriedly stepping off the side of the bus.

I turn my head to find the polite girl from earlier haphazardly setting down her bags.

“Jeez… I can’t believe I almost missed my stop.” She mutters as she zips up her red leather jacket. She raises her head and looks at me in surprise as I return the same wide eyed look.

“Oh hey! You’re the guy sitting at the back of the bus!” She exclaims brightly.

“Yeah, and you’re the cute girl in the red jacket.” I reply with a smile.

She chuckles at the comment. 

“Well, I’m new in town. Mind if you show me around? I’m looking for some place to eat, and you look like you know your way around. I’ve been starving on that damn bus for the past hour!”

I blink in surprise to her request.

“O-Oh.. I’d love to.” I stutter out.

Real smooth jackass

“Oh! Where’re my manners?!” She says as she takes off her wool mitten and extends her hand toward me.

“I’m Jane.”

I take her hand and shake it gently.

“I’m Dustin.”

She flashes another cute smile to me as she takes her hand back. “Nice to meet you Dustin”

“Likewise.” I say as I help take one of her bags for her.

“Ooh what a gentleman!” She laughs as she walks up alongside me.

I chuckle as we walk down the worn down sidewalk.

As she starts to tell me about the small town she’s from, I think to myself,

Some things are just meant to be I guess