Shock Waves | Complete | (First Draft)

Chapter Nineteen

3:15.

It's time, Mia thought, checking her wristwatch for the twelfth time that minute. As if on cue, the bus pulled up, ushering Mia to board.

It was a bit of a struggle, but she was able to get on. The first thing she noticed was the unbearable smell emanating from the entire bus. There was trash littering the ground and it smelled like sweat and garbage. Mia scrunched up her nose and tried to ignore it. She looked around for a spot. Shoot! she thought, looking around the crowded bus and finding no more open chairs. There was the option to stand but that wasn't exactly available to Mia due to her crutches.

"Mia?" she heard her name just as the bus started. She almost fell but a hand grabbed her arms, keeping her steady. She looked up and saw Charlie standing there with a big, stupid, grin on his adorable face. Okay, what the heck is going on in my mind right now? Mia wondered to herself, feeling like she was going insane as she looked at his defined jaw.

"Thanks, Charlie." He motioned for her to sit down in his now empty seat. Gratefully, she did so, feeling herself relax almost immediately. Charlie stood in front of her, a curious glance looking her over.

"So..." he started, "what is an immobile girl like you doing inside of a smelly bus?" he asked, almost jokingly but Mia caught an edge of seriousness.

Mia bit the inside of her lip, starting to panic. "Ughhhh," she muttered, searching for an excuse. Any excuse! "I'm going to the z-zoo?" she stuttered nervously, her statement coming out as more of a question.

"Really, Mia?" Charlie asked, a smirk on his lips. "You're going to the zoo? That's the best you can come up with? Come on, just tell me. I already know about the other stuff," he begged. Mia noticed gratefully that he was careful not to say anything about her powers.

"This is different. Not even Blake knows where I'm going," she explained shrinking back in her chair..

"I'm not Blake," he reminded her, looking at her with his thick eyebrows raised. "I'm Charlie."

"Well, I know that. It's just... you wouldn't understand," she mumbled.

"Try me," he shot back. "See if I'd understand because I bet you that I would understand a lot more than you think."

"I'm going to see my mom," she finally whispered as quickly and quietly as possible.

"Why is that such a big deal?" he asked curiously, clearly having heard her even though she had third to make it as unintelligible as possible.

"My mom... well, she left a few years ago. Blake knows the story and I think he'd judge me," she admitted.

"Why would he judge you?" Charlie asked, looking confused. "I mean, you're just going to see your mom. Is she that terrible?"

"Well..." Mia replied, not completely knowing how to respond. "She's just... when she left, she said some things but it's really my fault. She wouldn't have said them if I hadn't..." she told him, unable to finish her sentence.

"Got it." How he was able to remain so calm, Mia had zero idea.

Not having anything else to talk about with that topic, Mia decided to change the subject. "So... where are you headed?" she asked.

"I'm just on my way to the library next to that starbucks," he told her.

"Oooh," she began, "you're going to the library. Does that mean that you actually read?" she asked, hoping she would make him laugh or something.

Thankfully, he did. "Yes, Mia. I do read."

Ignoring his witty comeback, Mia wrapped her denim jacket further around her. She had been so used to being hot, she forgot what it was like to be cold but in the bus, the air seemed to have come straight from antarctica.