The Day We Took The Bus

He spotted her the moment she stepped out of the hospital doors, waving as she came toward him. She wore a white, flowing dress that brushed around her knees, with a cropped grey knit hoodie pulled over her shoulders. The autumn wind toyed with her blonde hair, tugging strands across her face until she pushed them back with a laugh.

He waved back, warmth filling him at the sight of her smile. When she reached him, her grin faltered into something softer, almost nervous.

“Hey,” she said, her voice a little shy. “It’s good to see you.”

He smiled.
“You too.”

Her gaze flickered downward. “And, um… thank you. For agreeing to this.”

“Don’t fret.” He tipped his head toward her reassuringly. “This is going to be fun. I don’t mind at all.”

She looked up again, eyes wide, searching.
“Really? Am I not keeping you from something else?”

He shook his head.
“Of course not.”

In truth, he did have plans that day - he had meant to stock up on groceries for the week. But when this girl asked to go somewhere with him, nothing else mattered.

He nodded toward the bus shelter down the street.
“Shall we go?”

“Mm-hm.” She fell into step beside him, her stride light but cautious.

The shelter already had a few people pressed inside, so they stood just outside of it, tucked against the glass to shield themselves from the gusting wind. She clutched the edge of her hoodie with both hands, hair fluttering across her cheeks, and he thought she looked both fragile and impossibly brave.

“Excited?” he asked.

She nodded, though her expression was more nervous determination than excitement. He admired that about her - the way she pushed forward even when she was unsure.

The bus arrived a few minutes later with a hiss of brakes. They boarded, and he tapped his card twice before leading her down the aisle. She slid into a window seat, pressing herself against the glass as though eager to see everything.

“Thank you,” she whispered as other passengers filed on. “For paying for me.”

He shrugged with a smile.
“Anytime.”

The doors shut, the engine rumbled, and the bus lurched forward. She gasped, clutching the seat in surprise. He turned quickly.

“Are you alright?”

Her cheeks flushed pink, and she gave a small nod.
“Y-yeah. It’s just… I’ve never been on a bus before.”

His eyebrows shot up.
“Never?”

She shook her head, her eyes wide as she watched the city pass by.
“I haven’t really left the hospital in a long time. Years, really.”

A pang tugged at him. He was about to ask more when another thought struck him.
“But then… how were you at the park the other day?”

She smiled faintly.
“I’m allowed to go there without supervision. It’s close, and the hospital monitors it.”

“I see…” He studied her, feeling an ache in his chest. To not be able to go anywhere, to not have that freedom - it must have been so suffocating. And if something went wrong-

“What am I supposed to do if you… I don’t know, collapse?” he blurted.

Her grin turned mischievous.
“Don’t worry, I won’t collapse. But if I do, just get me back to the hospital as fast as possible.”

He nodded slowly, though he wasn’t sure how he would manage it.

She bumped his arm with her elbow.
“Hey, I said don’t worry. This is going to be fun, okay? You’re helping me have fun. So we’re going to have fun.”

He couldn’t help but smile.
“Alright. Fun.”

She grinned at him before turning back to the window, her eyes sparkling.
“Woah… look at all the people!”

He leaned back, watching her. The way she pressed close to the glass, the wonder lighting her face at something so ordinary - it made his heart ache and swell at the same time.

She was pretty, genuine, and so warm. His perfect girl. And he couldn’t wait to see what other parts of the world he’d get to share with her.