I checked my watch for the sixth time to ensure that I really was late. And I really was. Caroline would be furious, but it hardly mattered, for she always was. I looked for the bus again. Again at my watch. I turned to face the breeze and tried to take a minute to calm down. Breathe in. It’s fine. Breathe out. You’re fine. Breathe in. Calm down. Breathe out. For just a minute.
“Ugh!” Something cold had hit me on the back of me neck. I jumped up and whipped around, clutching myself, trying to stop it from dripping down my dress. Before me was a girl, holding an empty pitcher, smoothing out her own dress and trying to pretend she had not just fallen into her own flower boxes, and tried to avoid my eye contact. “Ahh... hi,” she met my eyes guiltily. “Do me a favor and pretend you didn’t see that? Thanks.” She walked away before I could answer. I’m not sure what I would’ve said anyway.
Three minutes? That’s how often the buses come, right? I’ve been here for at least four. I closed my eyes and clicked my heels, as nothing more than a way to pass the time. Theres no place like... Margie’s eight minutes from now, with a dry dress, and a cup of freshly dumped best friend, and a side of hash browns. “That’s a pretty nice dress.” I turned to see the girl had returned to the window with her pitcher refilled. I squinted at her, preparing for the proper girl greeting. “That’s a pretty nice... earrings. I like your earrings.” And I did- gold and blue lightning bolts that zig zagged at an angle to her jawline. She grinned. “Thank you. Also this bus stop is discontinued.” She turned back to her pansies.
I don’t think my face changed. I’d spent too much energy already. “Ug, god.” And I just sat down and rested my head on the wall. “Then why is the sign still here? Why is there no notice? Did they tell anyone? Who even makes these dumb decisions?!”
There was a pause. When I twisted around, there was no one at the window.
“Cool, cool,” I muttered to myself, and began rummaging in my purse for an idea of what to do next.
“Um- where were you going?” She appeared on the sidewalk beside me, slightly flushed. She was still adjusting her shoes, and she hopped on one foot as she said, “because I was just about to go that way to the park, and we could uh- you could walk with me if its- if its not too far. To where you’re going” She was still breathing somewhat irregularly. From hurrying out of her house, I assumed. I sat up.
“Nnnno offense...” I began, and stood up to face her. “But I don’t... know you...?” I looked into her eyes. “Uh.” The eyes became hidden by a pair of golden eyelashes. “Yeah, yeah yeah, okay. Yeah ok, see you.” She started to head back to her house.
I looked at my watch, and then to her retreating back. “Wait!” She turned back to me, seeming to stand straighter- more hopeful. “Aren’t you going to the park anyway?” “Oh!” she seemed surprised. “Yes...” she said hesitantly. “Yes I was. Yeah, sure. Yes.” She started down the block without me, her own dress swishing around her knees and she walked quickly, with purpose, and her earrings swinging in rhythm with the arms at her side. My own heels clicked the sidewalk as I caught up to her. “Well then we might as well go together anyway. You know. Two pretty nice girls on a pretty nice afternoon.” She met my smile, and I breathed again.
Caroline would have to wait.
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