Can't save me

Chapter 8

Ten years ago

"I just don't understand what the point of this class project is," Fiona complains next to me as we walk down the street. Shrugging, I take a bite of the chicken wrap I got for lunch. I swallow as I continue to listen to her, "It's not like we ever spend time on the upside of town anyways." I look at her as she stops in front of a shoe shop and looks at the window display.

"True, but can you just imagine Riley and her minions walking around lowside" she looks from the window to me, and we both start laughing. Looping her arm through mine, we walk away from the store, "She's probably losing her mind as we speak." Laughing, I slip my arm out from hers and start walking backward. Putting my hands on my face and mimicking Riley, "I shouldn't be down here; it's so gross and poor. How do these lowsiders live here?" Throwing my hands up into the air, I whine.

Fiona laughs as I continue to walk backward, making fun of Riley. I bump into something hard and quickly turn around, "Shit! I'm so sorry."

Seeing an older lady a few inches taller than me causes me to feel even worse about bumping into her. The older lady glared back at me as she wiped her chest off as if I left something, "Well, maybe if you were taught basic rules, you wouldn't be acting like this."

I laughed, but she only scowled at Fiona and me, "You lowside kids need to remember your place."

I look over at Fiona, who has her arms crossed over her chest as she glares at the old woman, "And you old people need to learn better respect before you end up in an old folk home all alone." I chuckle as I look at the lady who rolls her eyes and steps around us, muttering about trailer trash as she goes.

I look at Fiona, and we both start laughing; biting into my wrap, we walk towards the bus stop to head back to lowside. "I think we learned enough about the upside of town for the day. Don't you?" Fiona loops her arm through mine as we stand by the bus stop. "For a lifetime." Chuckling, I finish my wrap and toss the wrapper into the trash.

"Can you believe we graduate in a month?" Looking at her, I shrug; the city bus pulls up to the curb. Stepping back to let people off before we climb on, swiping our bus pass, we make our way through the crowded bus and find a seat in the back. "Becca, why aren't you more excited?" Fiona asks as she plops down on the open seat; shrugging again, I sit down next to her, "I'm not excited to end up working at a gas station while taking the bus to community college every day." She sighs next to me as she lays her head against my shoulder, "You know I wouldn't judge you if you went out of state for college, right?"

I lean my head against hers on my shoulder sighing, "I know Fiona. Thanks but we can't afford me going out of state." I feel her chuckle from under my head and move to look at her, "What's so funny?" She frowns as she turns in her seat to face me, "Becca, we both know if you wanted to you could have gotten any academic scholarship available. I just don't understand why you insist on staying when you have a chance at getting out."

I frown as I look down at my hands, "Can we just drop it please?" She sighs but stays quiet.

"No fucking way!" I look up to see her looking out the window, "What?" I look at her confused, her mouth hanging open she turns to look at me as the bus comes to a red light, "I swear I just saw someone who looked like Myles."

Laughing I shake my head and look out the window, "That'd be interesting seeing as how he was placed in a foster home in another state." She chuckles nodding as I look at her again just as the bus starts moving again.

A few moments later the bus stops again, I hear yelling coming from the front of the bus. Poking my head out I look towards the front to see the bus driver get up from his seat and turn to face everyone on the bus, "I'm sorry ladies and gentlemen but something is wrong with the bus, I'm going to need everyone to hop off and wait for another bus--"