No More Lies, I Promise - The Watty Awards 2011

No More Lies, I Promise - Chapter 3

I couldn't face the school bus in this state. It was too far to walk the whole way home.

I ran out the school gates the back way, not caring if anyone saw me. I was way past caring. Way, way past it.

I would rather be on a bus with complete strangers than with people I knew.

I ran the whole way to the bus stop. I didn't have anything to cover my hair, so I just covered my head with my hand and hoped no one was paying attention to me.

I was glad that the bus was there when I ran up to the stop.  I don't think I would've been able to keep still if it wasn't.

"One pound eighty five please," the driver said while printing out my ticket. I dug my grazed hands into my pocket and counted up the change.

It only made up to seventy five pence. Oh, not now. Please.

I offered the money to him. "I'm sorry, I've only got this much."

He looked at my hand for a moment, and then slowly shook his head.

"I'm sorry miss, that's not enough."

"But-" I was about to continue when a fist reached out in front of me. I reeled away before I realized what was happening.

A boy a year or two younger than me with huge blue eyes and short blond hair dropped a two pound coin into my outstretched hand. He gave me a cheeky smile, so I turned back to the bus driver, who nodded slightly and excepted the money.

I took my ticket and took my seat at the back of the almost empty bus. The blond boy grabbed his bag from where it was on a chair and sat one seat away from me. I pressed my head against the cool window and sighed. I could feel the blond boys eyes on me, but for once it wasn't a judging look.

"Oh," I exclaimed, reaching out my hand, giving him the change.

"Thanks," he replied, for the first time speaking to me. I smiled and handed him back the money, which he slipped into his jean pocket.

Two boys hopped onto the bus. The first one was handsome, his dark hair and eyes matched perfectly, beautifully. He looked around my age, dressed in a dark blue t-shirt with a white rim around the collar. He was wearing a dark, denim jacket with pockets on his chest and in the normal places. The other was smaller and younger, almost an exact copy of the older one. They must be brothers, I thought.

I tore my eyes from the mysterious boy and his brother as they sat in the seats in front and to the side of us. "Hey, you didn't have to give me that money." The bus began to move away from the stop.

"You looked like you needed it," he replied, giving me another half smile.

I sighed again. "You wouldn't believe."

He laughed, but then, in all seriousness said "Try me."

Figuring I would never see him again, and that his unconditional kindness was a nice change from the hateful looks I got at school, I turned my throbbing head so that he could see the other side, and the burn mark and bruise.

I watched the shock widen his eyes, and the dark, older boy who was now watching us. "Damn. What happened?"

I opened my mouth to tell him, but then closed it, shook my head, and turned away to watch the road.

I noticed him move up to the seat next to me and managed a half smile. My cheek was sore, and I'm sure, still bruised. And I had a feeling that, if I lifted up my shirt, I would see boot shaped brown mark.

I didn't want to think about what a state I looked. In fact, I'm sure that dark boy over there must be looking at me now because he thinks I'm... What? What did he think I was? Some sort of homeless girl? Yeah, I convinced myself, that was why he kept looking at me. I mean, why else would he be looking? I wasn't pretty. I was covered in leaves and dirt, had a big burned patch in one side of my head and two bruises on the side of my face.