Chapter 3

I open my bag and pull out my jet black headphones, ready to escape the world for 25 minutes while the bus travels to Terrell High School. I proceed to my playlist and click on A Sad Song About A Girl I Know Longer Know. My taste in music -which I honestly must say- is quite imposing. I rest my head on Mason's shoulder while he's reading tweets from his phone. He seems to notice I'm tired, normally I am of course.

"5 am?" Mason finally speaks up.

"5:30." I correct him without looking up, my eyes shut with my head drifting into the song. Mason's voice is very distinct. He has a common range, a baritone but I can hear him from the music blocking his vocal. He scoffs a bit.

"Yayks. Not the very best?"

"Second latest."

"Try to get some sleep"

I agree with Mason. My mind would go crazy if I don't try to get some shut-eye. Before I even start counting down, I could feel my head going hazy, my vision slowly battling darkness and light; and as I bid awareness and the state of being aware, the bus came to a complete stop. Everyone on the bus was wondering because my house was the last stop.

I raise my head and remove my headphones.

"We're picking another student up" the school's bus driver shout remaining in his seat. The doors slid open and everyone was curious to see the new kid.

"Wish he was cute," Gabe said.

"Gabriel, Gabriel." Mason cries while Gabe struggles to kiss him. I'm amused while I'm between their love quarrel. I try not to mind the commotion but just as when the new kid was to be revealed, I take a quick look from the very back seat. A guy in Gray sweater and worn-out denim pants carrying a turquoise backpack with his right arm comes up the bus. I could hear some girls on the bus whispering and squealing. I end my observation.

"Not bad." Gabe eyes the student. I could see Mason rolling his eyes squeezing into the window's view.

"You're not the only hot guy in Terrell Mason!" and their fight continues.

"I didn't say he was ugly." I could see a peak of Mason's insecurity.

"Come on guys, I need to sleep." I find Mason and Gabe's bickering entertaining but for the next twenty minutes, if I don't get some sleep, I'll be in a coma during Geometry. At least these two listen to me. Gabe returns to focus on his makeup and Mason leans closer so I could have a pillow of my own. As I am about to enter the realms of sleep, I could sense a pair of eyes staring at me. My vision shifts from the moving landscapes outside to the person I notice looking at me. Of course, the new kid is looking at me. Completely normal. I quickly remove my sight from his post and pretend to finally sleep. I slowly count from one to three. By the last number, I open my eyes and I look at the new kid's position. He's still looking at me. That's it! I'll play this game. If he's going to keep staring at me, I might as well join him. I remove my headphones and let it hang on my neck and cross my legs. My eyes track his and he doesn't budge. He isn't smiling. I wouldn't expect him to say anything either. I swore to look at only his eyes and he completely understands me. The first to pull away loose. I continue to keep my eyes on him. His deep black iris continue to taunt me but I keep composed. It's been a minute and neither of us retreats. This is ridiculous. I should confront him because either way, we're going to talk about this soon.

"Hey yo-"

"Penelope?" Mason calls for me. I couldn't hear him because I was too focused on the kid's stare. Mason has been calling my attention for the fourth time. I turn to him instantly.

"Yeah?"

"Aren't you sleeping, Terrell High isn't far."

"Yeah. I should sleep."

I rest my head on Mason's shoulder and when I return to look at my opponent, he's no longer in the game. He's facing the front with a pair of his headphones, finally ending the battle. Like nothing happened. I sigh in complete disappointment, I'm dumbfounded. I close my eyes and this time, I am about to float in silence and calmness. I don't have many dreams. When I sleep, I wake up like I paused my blinking for a couple of seconds; when I open my eyes, it's the next day. I envy Gabe sharing how he dreamt of Channing Tatum one night and Mason attending the Grammy Awards with Scarlet Johanson and Gigi Hadid on both his arms. I'm jealous of their possession of a fake world that they can come to and from. So I try to create my secondary universe. Where I can be whoever I want to be and do whatever I want to do because even if they turn out bad, it'll be alright. It won't affect the real me in the real world. Whether I get killed or receive a kiss from one of our Gym class instructors, I wouldn't care. Because they're never meant to happen once I open my eyes. I strive to imagine, picture something, believe in something, I want to see something. Nothing. Just pitch black. A little more, just try to think of something. Be creative imagine. That's it.

"Hey!" I gasp from the sudden loud voice. My concentration has been interrupted. And I try to focus on whoever dared to barge into my dream. It's him. The new kid. Gray sweater and black headphones.

"We're here." He pouts his lips and raises his eyebrows to the window revealing busy students and professors hurrying inside the school building. The sun is creating a beam across the glass and my eyeball, so I shut my eyes and rub them.

"Your friends left. I think they were pranking you." He speaks again and I look at him with disbelief.

"I didn't ask. Why are you still here?" I'm not looking at him but as soon as he slowly draws near me I look at his jet black eyes again, backing up to create a fair distance. He continues to come near, I can faintly hear his breathing. And then he stops. I'm cornered and his hands are both placed at the window and the headrest of my seat above my head.

"You're in my hideout. I'm not leaving this bus." He's speaking in a volume that only people can hear this close.

"What are you doing?!" I whisper.

"Wake up Penelope." How does he know my name? I don't remember introducing myself. And why is he waking me up?

"How do you know my name-"

"Wake up Penelope." He continues to wake me up but I just stare at him with confusion.

"Penelope. Penelope. Wake up!" This is crazy. Why does he keep saying that?

"Penelope... Penelope... Wake up..." His voice is gradually fading, and my vision starts to blur and dim. I can barely hear his voice.

"Penelope!" I open my eyes and I see Mason shaking me to wake. Gabe is behind him looking like he's seen a ghost.

"We're here," Mason said. I look outside the window and the students and professors are battling their way into the school corridors. I rub my eyes and pick up my bag. I wonder where's the new kid. I stand and walk my way out the bus and paused to turn to the bus driver. I have to inform him about the rat in his house.

"Hey. You should double-check the bus. The new kid's going to be spending the whole day hiding in here."

"What new kid?" That's odd. He doesn't have short term memory, does he?

"The new kid that you picked up after me?"

"You're my last stop since your fresh year." Gabe and Mason are off the bus and I hear the school bell ring in the sound of alert.

"Penny, what is it?" Mason calls for me.

Did I just have a dream? And did I have a stranger, a person whom I once only talked to -in the dream- into my new world? Who was he? And how did it seem that he was real? Which part of the day did my dream start? Am I completely awake? Or am I still in my bed? I shake my head.

"Nothing," I reply to Mason and stepped off the bus, thinking what did just happen.