Saturday

by ~Valen-san

She breathes.
The breath is warm and makes a cloud in the brisk afternoon air. Her breath is even and I think she's asleep until she turns to me and says, “Hi there.”
I respond with a “hey” but she turns back to looking for the bus and ignores me. She does that a lot nowadays.  Not that I can truly blame her.
She's a freshman this year, and even though we're only a few weeks into school, she's already developed a reputation for having an incredibly high IQ. Book smarts and street smarts rolled up into one. Many boys have offered themselves up to her, but she always replies the same. Because of me.
A boy walks up. He's a sophomore, like me, and is in the jazz band, like her. He smiles at her.
“Hi Garreth,” she greets, much more happily then she greeted me.
“Hey there, 2B,” he says, grinning idiotically. He probably thinks it looks cool.
A crease forms between her eyebrows. “Don't call me 2B. I only violated that rule because it was stupid. I will not use 5A drumsticks on a drum set. It's just wrong.” She speaks with such indignation that it seems as though the matter is personal to her. Or maybe she's just pissed because I won't go away.
Garreth wraps one arm around her shoulders and brings her closer to him. “So, sweet thing, wanna catch a movie on Friday? Gun Runner 2 comes out today; we could go see it.”
Delicately removing his arm and shoving it back at him, she calmly replies, “I'd much rather see that new foreign film, Revolution.”
He recoils in disgust.
She continues, “Besides, I'm busy Friday, and I wouldn't be caught dead on the arm of a guy like you. I'm taken anyway.” She finishes it off happily, “My bus is here. I'll see you tomorrow!”
We ride the same bus – 193, the only one that goes through the downtown area – and are usually last to get on, and today is no different, except this time, there's only one seat remaining. She slides in by the window and I plop down beside her, awkwardly arranging my trumpet case.
“If you need to, you can put part of it on my lap,” she offers. “I've got room.”
I thank her and turn it on its side. We sit in relative silence, and she begins to hum to herself. I recognize the tune but resist the impulse to hum along, because she might stop if I do, and I don't want her to. So instead, I speak, and stop her anyway. I really am an idiot sometimes.
“Y'know, I saw Revolution this past weekend with a friend of mine. It was really good.”
She sighs. “I would go see it, but I don't wanna go alone.”
“I could take you, if you'd like.”
I need to learn to keep my mouth shut.
“Really?” She looks excited. I nod.
“Yeah. Do you wanna go?”
“Sure! But not on Friday. I really am busy. I've got a tutor session.”
So she hadn't lied to Garreth the Superjock. “Are you free Saturday?” I ask.
“Totally. Oh, now I'm all excited!” She stomps a little and claps. “It'll be like a...like a date...” Her giddiness ends. So does my inner elation.
No doubt she's thinking what I am. That first date, over the summer. God, I wish I could forget. It wasn't a wonder as to why she wouldn't speak to me or even stand near me after that.
She breaks the silence. “Is two o'clock good?” She's quieter now.
I reply, “I'll pick you up then.”
“Then I await your arrival,” she ends. “Just, this time, no –”
“I know.”
“Yeah.”
The bus ride is a little awkward, but we make it through. I get off before her, and she pulls me back after I stand. Her lips at my ear, she mumbles, “See you Saturday, Gladiator.”* She pecks me on the cheek and sends me off.
Stunned, I watch the bus pull away.
Saturday couldn't come soon enough.