SKIPPING TIME

Chapter 2

Cacee sighed in relief when the last bell rang. She gathered her books before returning to her locker to make sure she had what she needed for her homework. Then she left the building, heading for the line of waiting buses. The earlier rain had cleared, leaving the sky a brilliant blue. The trees scattered across the patches of grass were dipped in the bright hues of autumn. A carpet of leaves slipped beneath her feet as she walked along the footpath.

She noticed none of it as her mind was still full of the encounter with Jess. Her hand brushed the spot where he'd kissed her and her heart did a quick flip. Her feet took her to bus #45. She'd taken two steps onto her bus when she shivered and her head snapped around.

For a second, she didn't know what had compelled her to turn. Her eyes zeroed in on one of the students, standing at the edge of the crowd, one bus down from hers. His posture was rigid, and he held himself apart from everyone, as if he didn't want to be touched. She recognized him even from the back. Jess.

Her hands turned clammy as the person behind her shoved past, cursing about idiots blocking the doorway. Without giving herself time to consider what she was doing, she left the bus and walked towards the school again, ducking around the corner. She's already shrugged off the strange idea that she'd somehow sensed Jess. He must've said something, and she'd heard his voice without even realizing it.

She couldn't currently decide if she was glad she'd noticed him or not. Her stomach curled in on itself as she watched her bus finish boarding and pull away from the curb. With no other choice now, she took a deep breath and headed for bus #46. It would drop her about a mile further down the road. An easy walk back to her own bus stop.

She picked up her speed as the bus started inching away and ran the last few steps to bang on the door. It opened with a creak as the bus driver asked, "Are you on this route?"

"No. I missed my bus, but yours will get me close."

"I have a list of authorized students. You need permission to ride a different bus." The driver yawned and scratched his armpit.

She stared at him. Since she'd never tried riding a different bus, she'd had no idea. He sighed before jerking his head. "Get on. Next time I'll need a note."

She did, moving down the aisle with her heart lodged so firmly in her throat she could barely breathe. She kept her eyes locked on the black rubber beneath her feet. Every seat she passed was full. The closer she got to Jess, the hotter her face burned.

"Cacee?"

She tilted her head up, hoping her hair hid most of the red in her cheeks. Her eyes met Jess's, and it was like in the hallway. A second of dizzying awareness. The sun coming through the window played across the golden shade of his skin, the dark coffee of his hair. He gave her a slow smile, his dimple deepening by shades as he cleared his stuff off the seat next to him.

Her heart kept doing a weird bungee-jump from her toes to her throat, which was making her somewhat sick. She sank next to him. He angled himself towards her and she fought the impulse to lean closer. He looked at her curiously. "You don't take this bus."

"I know." Her voice came out sounding like Minnie Mouse on helium. She stifled a groan and took a deep breath before saying, "I missed my bus. I knew this one would drop me off like a mile further down the road, so..."

He smiled at her again but something in his eyes remained guarded. Somber. The incongruity of it should've dimmed his smile. Instead it made it all the more striking. He said, "I guess it's my lucky day. I'm Jess, by the way."

She smiled back. "I know."

He let out a low laugh. "I guess you do, being my girlfriend and all."