Behind every mean girl...there's a tragedy

Blood versus moral

 I make sure Brandon and I get out of the house as soon as the glass that my dad was holding crumbled under his hands. My body is screaming from lack of oxygen by the time we reach the elevator.

Wow, I'm really unfit. I need to start exercising again.

"I thought I told you I didn't want to run from my responsibilities anymore," Brandon says when we get inside the elevator.

"We're not running away. It's just taking a small commercial break to let my dad calm down," I reply breathlessly. I feel the need to crouch down with my hands on my knees but I push it to the back of my mind and focus on the boy standing next to me.

The heated atmosphere makes me explode in uncontrollable fit of giggles.

"What's so funny?" he asks puzzled.

"Nothing," I giggle. I push the button for the ground floor repeatedly, hoping to make the elevator go faster.

"It's not going to get faster."
"I know," I hide my face with my hands. This is so embarrassing.

"Now, I'm intrigued. You were mad at me a few seconds ago but now you're giggling like there's no tomorrow."

"Uhh..." the elevator dings, indicating its arrival to the ground level.

Saved by the bell.

"Where's your car?" I ask when we get off the moving trap and walk into the parking lot.

"Oh, I don't have a car." I twirl around so fast it got me dizzy. "Are you alright?" He holds my shoulder to stabilize me.

"What do you mean you don't have a car? Who doesn't have a car at 18?"

"Normal people with average pay checks."

My frown deepens. This doesn't sound probable. Who doesn't have a car in the 21st Century?

"Don't look at me like that."

"But I saw you in a car before," I insist.

"Yeah, my dad lets me borrow his sometimes. I thought you had a car, too." He shifts the conversation to me.

My frown falls as well as my mood. "Steven took it away."

"Yeah, I should have guessed that." He grabs my hands, interlacing our fingers as if we're a couple. "The bus stop is not too far from here."

"The what now?" I ask but I really don't care about it.

With Brandon holding me, we could have been going to hell and I'll still be alright with it. I've never felt that before. The feeling to want to follow somebody everywhere they go for no reason other than to be with them. This is what all the other boys wanted from me – for me to give them a way in my heart, in my life. My heart was always too full with hatred to let anyone in but now I can. At least I hope I can.

"The bus? Don't tell me you've never been in one." We reach the end of the parking lot. In the sky, the sun shines while the bird sings and the breeze's sweet scent blossoms in the street.

Or is it just me being in love? Probably the love part since there are no birds in the busy streets of San Francisco.

"I did once, when I was a baby. I've heard legend about the almighty bus that carries people from one place to the next." I steal a lily while walking by a florist without anyone's notice. I smile while inhaling the delicious natural perfume.

"Well, we're going to Narnia today so you get to ride one," he taunts. He stops next to a pole.

"Where's the bus?" I look at the street busy with private vehicles but no big metal cars running around.