The Bus Ride With Her

'Life sucks'

That's my everyday thought. Heck, it can be my own motto. Nothing ever goes right and shit keeps happening in my measly miserable life.

Noir Black.

That's me

I'm just a regular working man who has a decent job with a decent salary. I've been stuck with an asshole of a boss and some bastards who I barely considered colleagues.

Lazy ass colleagues who dump their work on me and here I am like a damn fool, following them willingly.

Life truly sucks.

But...

It's not entirely bad. Everyday when I go home from work. I always ride the same bus at the same time.

6:00 pm in the evening, I always wait for the bus to arrive at the bus stop near my workplace.

At that same bus stop, I always notice a certain particular person. A woman who's about the same age as me. Her straight jet-black hair looks so silky and smooth, her eyelashes are so long as if it were of a doll's.

I always see her, sitting on the bench at the bus stop. What intrigues me the most, is that she always has a book on her. She reads so seriously as if her whole world is in the book.

And here's the thing, I thought she's reading the same book every time but when I took a peek at what she's reading, it was always a different kind. On some days, I remember she had a romance book on her. Other days, she's reading a cookbook. Economics, thriller, horror, comedy... it's all different each time!

Usually, whenever the bus arrives, I always let her get on first. When she took a seat, I always sat across from her on the same row by the window side. It may look like I'm looking at the view outside but actually, I was staring at her reflection from the window.

I admit, I may be on the lines of being a creep but damn it all. She's just so mesmerizing!

Each time she tucked strands of her hair behind her ear

Each time she smiled at a funny line from what she's reading

Each time her soft fingers turn a page of her book

I can't help but get enamored by her presence.

This unusual routine has been going on for weeks.

And now, it's time to go home so by the time the clock hit 6:00 pm sharp, I ran off and clocked out from work before the damned bastards dumped any more work at me.

I was running my ass off to the bus stop, hoping I wouldn't miss the bus. I thought I was off the hook from work earlier but that slave driver of a boss just gave me more work to finish last minute.

My thoughts were filled with only her.

'Will I see her again today?'

'What kind of book is she reading now?'

'Will I get to see her smile today?'

Such thoughts kept swirling in my mind like a damn hurricane.

But then, when I arrived at the bus stop, there was no trace of her.

And so, I went home with a heavy heart.

It has been 3 days. It has already been 72 hours and there's no sign of her whenever I go home.

My whole bus ride felt empty and lacking. Something just didn't feel right without her.

When it's finally time to go home, I grumbly walked to the bus stop and to my disappointment, she's not there again.

"Where did she go?" I mumbled to myself and while waiting for the bus to come, I pulled out my last resort of happiness

It's my favorite novel.

So, I read and took my sweet time while waiting.

I was so focused on my reading; I flinched in surprise when someone tapped on my shoulder.

When I looked at the stranger who tapped on my shoulder. I thought my eyes would pop out of its sockets and my jaw dropped on the flat ground.

It's her! The same mesmerizing woman who kept living on my mind rent free!

"I'm sorry, Sir, if I disturbed you. But the bus is already here, aren't you getting on?"

By what she said, I just realized that the bus already did come.

"Thank you, Miss. Let's get on, shall w-we?" I want to slap myself for stuttering at the last word

So, as usual, I let her get on first and then I followed. There're so many people on the bus today that there were only a few seats left.

Heck. The only seats available are the two seats on the back.

So, I'm forced to sit beside her. I took the window seat so as usual, I stared at her reflection on the window while she's just a few inches beside me.

"Sir, is there something on my face?"

I was startled when she asked. God, her voice sounds so sweet. I bet all the desserts in the world would be bitter compared to her sweet voice.

But then, her question made me panic

"N-no?" I couldn't help but stutter

"Is that so? Although it's subtle, I always felt your gaze on me this whole time. So, I was wondering if there's something on my face." She said as she touched her cheek

When she said that, I could already hear the siren blasting on my ears. "Oh no, am I going to jail?" is what I thought but I didn't realize I said it out loud.

Then she burst out laughing and I just watched her with a dumb look on my face.

"Hahaha! You're not going to jail. For someone who reads my debut novel, I can already tell you're a nice guy." She reassured me.

Wait...

Her debut novel?

"You're Albedo?!" I asked her if she's my favorite author and then she shyly nods

"Oh wow! I can't believe I can finally put a face on that pen name. Also, what's with the various kinds of books you were reading?"

"I just read those to gain different perspectives and ideas for my writing." She answered with a shrug.

"Pleased to meet you! My pen name may be Albedo but my name is Rize Summers." She cheerfully said as she extended a hand to me, waiting for a handshake. True to her name, she's like sunshine, radiating bliss at me.

And so, I responded to the handshake kindly.

"I'm Noir Black."

Life sucks.

But with her entering my life, I guess it's time to change my motto after all.