Wait until tomorrow (chpt. 3)

The Bus Ride to School1

I picked up the folder that I dropped on the floor and eased my way unto the bus. With my head down, I walked to the seventh seat on the right. No one realized that I came on the bus because they were all talking about some fight that happened earlier. When I sat down, I looked inside of my purse to find my lip-gloss as I listened to their conversation. I made sure that I sat at the edge of the seat that I could be alone and I didn’t look back or say “Hi” to any of my friends. I guess that I’ve been worried about what people thought of me, for so long, that it became a natural instinct.2

With every stop that the bus made, the more questions would build up in my head. What would people say about this new appearance? Was I really ready to unleash the real Lashay? Is it possible that I still know who she is?3

After a couple of twists and turns, we made few more stops. We were arriving the stop of my best friend, Reynee. She was the only girl in a family of seven. When she was about three, her mother told them that she was going to the grocery store to buy some bread, but she never came back. I think that it must have been hard for her to live her life sharing everything with boys, doing everything with boys, and having no one to tell about girl problems because ….. they were boys.4

Her father did not have a slight idea of how to raise a girl, so he treated Reynee as a boy. Somehow, although she is a bit on the wild side, I think she turned out fine. I guess I feel this way because we are so much alike. Just as Reynee walked  unto the bus, I dropped something.5

POW! POW! POW! I jumped. “Run!” A voice shouted. “ Shake them off of you.” 6

Then someone tapped me on the shoulder.“Lashay, are you okay” a voice asked.7

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I replied, still looking down to see if I dropped anything. “It was just a dream.” I mumbled, trying to erase the fear that I was feeling in my heart.8

“I like your hair. What kind is it?” Reynee asked as she sat down.9

“ This is all natural.” I snapped back at Reynee. I wasn’t trying to be rude, but I was trying forget about the dark alley and the gunshots in my dreams. I looked up at Reynee and then around the bus, just to make sure that I was just having a vision, a thought, a dream..... whatever you want to call it.10

“Lashay, you look so pretty. And you finally have on some real clothes, instead of those baggy shirts and those sorry excuses for shoes. What is going on? Who are you trying to impress.” Asked Reynee.11

“Myself,” I replied still trying to forget about the whole thing and ignore the fact that I was being ridiculed. The entire time that the bus was moving, I kept looking down at the floor to make sure that I didn’t drop anything. I thought I did, but maybe it was in my dream. The dream that I do not want to remember.12

When the bus arrived at Coloniel High school, the high schoolers got off the bus and I was surrounded by familiar faces. Everything was starting off as a regular day, until I saw him. He was tall, with green eye, and light brown braids swirling through his head. He was talking to one of Reynee’s brothers. His caramel skin tone and his deep voice was hypnotizing me. And all the other girls on the bus. “ Who is that?” I pulled on Reynee’s arm.13

“Who is what?” She asked confused.14

“Nobody. Just the same new boy that is on the bus everyday.” I replied sarcastically. 15

“ Oh, Justin? That’s my brother that I was telling you about. Why?” She laughed.16

I was confused. I knew she said that she had another brother, but why didn’t she tell me anything about his past? Every time she spoke of this brother, someone in there family would change the subject. What is it that they didn’t want me to know? And why is he hear now? I’m curious!17

“Reynee, why haven’t I heard a lot about your brother…Justin? I haven’t even seen pictures of him.” I asked quietly.18

“Well, he lived with his father. That’s all I could tell you. Anyway, it’s a long story.” She responded.19

Something wasn’t right. He looked so familiar. And to tell you the truth, I wouldn’t forget such a gorgeous face. The bus stopped and we stood up, getting ready to exit the bus. “ Reynee, your brother is fine.” I blurted out as I looked at him from head to toe. We both rolled our eyes and started to walk off of the bus.20