I stepped on the bus and swiped my bus pass through the machine while hearing the bus driver mumble, “Good Afternoon…”

        I didn’t like to talk to strangers but politely I nodded my head and replied back, “Good Afternoon sir.”

        I usually walk home after school but my friends, Minhyun and Aron, dragged me to an icecream parlor today. Aron drove us, because he’s the only one with a license, but since I was being so “sassy” today, his words not mine, he told me to walk home. So after we ate he drove away with Minhyun and they left me behind. What horrible friends right?

        But I guess I did deserve it. I was being more ier than usual. I don’t really know why though. I blame it on the stress from school. Also, I was really bummed out today. In Art, our real teacher was pregnant and had to go on maternity leave so we’ve been having a sub for the past week. The sub doesn’t really know much but follows the curriculum I guess.

        So last year, the guys and I decided that we all needed a class together since we were gonna be seniors. All three of us decided on taking Art since, according to Aron, the smart one, that it was the easiest class. It’s actually the most boring class, but I digress. All three of us used to be really close friends, but I’ve noticed these past couple of weeks that we have been drifting apart. Well, “we” haven’t, really, I’ve been drifting apart from them.

        Aron and Minhyun seem to be getting all bestfriend-y and leaving me behind. I know I’m probably worrying over nothing, but I’m starting to feel really left out. Like today, we had to choose a partner for Art and they chose eachother. They were like, “Sorry Ren! The sub said groups of two” and I was like, “ you guys. I thought we were friends.”

        Yeah, so I’m a little pissed off. So then the bell rang and I still didn’t have a partner. Damn it all. The sub said that those who didn’t have a partner would get assigned one tomorrow. I’m not really looking forward to it because I don’t really know anyone else in Art. I wish I was more social so I wouldn’t have to go through this.

        I walked down the aisle of the bus and sat down in the first empty seat I could find. The icecream shop was too far from my house to walk home, so I decided to take the bus. Why were my friends being so mean to me? Ever since this summer, it feels as if I’ve missed out on something. Did they hang out together without me or something while I was on vacation with my family to Japan? When I was gone, they probably hung out so much that now, they’re attached at the hip. Minhyun and Aron are so close to eachother now, always talking about stuff that I don’t get like baking and pop music. I know right? Baking. Did they take a baking class together or something? If I didn’t know better, I would think these guys were gay for each other or something, cause they sure are acting like it.

        God. I’m so ing lonely.

        My stop came and I got off. I shivered as the cold wind hit me. I adjusted my scarf and walked down the familiar street.

If this situation weren’t so serious, it would be funny. I’m going to confront them about it tomorrow. I’m gonna be like “Guys. You seriously need to stop talking about all this baking . I’m feeling left out and lonely and if you guys weren’t such jerks, I wouldn’t be this y.”

Yeah. I’m gonna tell them. If they’re really my friends, they would listen and understand me feeling…right?

Lost in my thoughts, I continued down the street. In my depressed state of mind, I stared down at my shoes. Admiring my converse, I suddenly heard other loud footsteps. I turned around quickly to see what it was when all of a sudden someone ran right into me. We went down. Hard.

“Ah!”

I yelped as I came in contact with the hard concrete ground. The warm body on top of me moved around and I heard a “Sorry!” As soon as I got my bearings, I was going to shout profanities at this person on top of me.

My eyes shot open and I found another pair of deep brown eyes staring back at me. I lost my voice and all my words got stuck in my throat.

It was a guy that was on top of me. Our legs were tangled together and his face was so close to mine that I could feel his breath on my lips. I gulped.

        He had the most intense dark brown eyes I ever saw. The kind of eyes that stared into your soul and could see right through you. I felt a tingle run through my body.

        Maybe today wasn’t so bad after all.