ACQUAINTANCE

A typical luxury bus gives you the freedom to adjust, stand firm, bend, or curl up while in transit. I wrapped my head inside my jacket with my face on my laps as I listen to the dramatic rythym my heartbeat propounded. On a regular day while undertaking a long journey in a luxury bus like this, I would stand firm when I got tired, stretch myself lifting my hands up, sit with my legs up facing the air conditioner above or sometimes sit on the handle of any seat I was occupying. That was how I made the previous journeys I embarked on luxury buses condusive. Today, my mood and position depicts the state of a child who has just been abandoned by her mother. I began to sob as I listened to my aching heart.Today,  I was running away from home. 'My poor mother. ' I thought as I cleaned my eyes with the edge of my grey jacket which was  large enough to accomdate my face and cover my sorrowful state from the prying eyes of the passengers. I took deep breaths, cleaned my eyes again and sat up properly, my back on the chair with my face facing the inbuilt air conditioner on the roofing of the bus. Sobbing would never solve the problem at hand and with about twenty four hours journey ahead, I needed to pull myself together and brace myself against what lies ahead. 

I tapped my cell phone and saw that it was 23 minutes to 8:am. I swiped up to ensure it was still in flight mode. The bus left rather too early today. 'Thank God. ' I muttered to myself. If another hour or less was spent at the luxury bus station in Numan for take off, I would have been caught by the people I was running away from:My family. This is my third time on a luxury bus. The bus accommodates about fifty passengers who sit two in each row from left to right. The luxury bus is probably the largest land vehicle I have ever seen or been on. It is more spacious and conducive compared to the conventional buses we took to school, short trips or events. The first time I was on a luxury bus was three years ago. I was seventeen and was traveling to Oak State for the wedding of my cousin Sapwavi. It took us about 18 hours to get there and I swore never to engage in such a journey like that again till last year I took a twenty four hours journey on a luxury bus to GreenLand for a three days workshop sponsored by the hair salon I work for and yet, here I am in a luxury bus said to be undertaking a 24 hours journey which began less than an hour ago. I guess circumstances can make people change their doctrines. 

I closed my eyes but sleep evaded. My father's voice came thundering in my ears. "You loose child. All my money gone. " he kept screaming. "You are worthless. So worthless like your mother. " he kept saying. I knew I shouldn't have let the rage take over me and rather than controlling it, I grabbed the traditional pestle and landed it on my father's head without second thoughts. I guess the hatred I had been developing towards him lately was mature enough.  While the blood gushed from his head as he laid in it's pool, I staggered inside, grabbed my jacket and fled holding my mobile phone. That was in the earliest hours of the day. Around 5am to be specific.  I was lucky my mother had placed her monthly income in my jacket that day and while running, I felt something in my jacket's pocket, my mouth was wide opened after I thought I ran away with just my mobile phone but rather with something much more. This monthly income of my mother's in my jacket earned me a bus ticket to Greenland and the change will be used for whatever I have no idea or planned of or maybe till I die. Now all that mattered was that I needed to get to GreenLand. The farthest place from mine and what seemed like the end of the earth. 

I was tapped on my left shoulder and I quickly turned around to see who it was that made me feel this jumpy. "Hi I am Trevor. " said the guy. "Okay. " I replied turning around indicating my lack of interest in the whole quest by the man. "Well it seems you are in a pretty bad mood but you have to talk you know?  I am your seat mate " he said. "And so? " I retorted facing the other side which happens to be a window. "So you can't avoid me all through the journey. " he replied. I then turned around finally facing him. His neatly shaved hair and wristwatch first caught my attention and when I looked down, my eyes were greeted by his top notch sneakers. 'Such a devilishly handsome man. ' I thought. "Ella. " I replied averting his gaze not even realizing why. I then sat with my back leaning on the chair facing the space people call front. "You are going to GreenLand? " he asked. "Then why else will I be on this bus or you think am going to heaven? " I replied in a harsh tone but he smiled instead and I noticed his dimple. "I just wanted to crack a joke that's all. I didn't know it will be this dry. " he said. I said nothing and he continued. "You are going to GreenLand for the first time? " asked the guy or Trevor now I guess. 

"Look mister. " I began. "I just ran away from home and I'll appreciate it if you shut up, sit tight and enjoy the ride. I don't want to make any acquaintance. " I stated. "You ran away from home? " he asked in a surprise tone. It then dawned on me that I just divulged my top secret to him. 'What came over me? ' I thought. I happen to be a reclusive person and barely share my hidden agendas even with my mom: the closest person to me yet I just blurted out to this Trevor guy or whatever that I am running from home. "So tell me. " came his voice. "Why did you run? " "Oh my God!" I muttered to myself. "This is going to be a long ride. " I told myslef. It was 9:15 am then and that wahwas how I met Trevor :the stranger on the bus I can't help falling for.