THE BUS BREAKS DOWN

"Ella tell me something. " came his annoying voice yet again. "Why did you run away or probably on the run since we are still on transit right? " he said chuckling. I said nothing. "I am so going to bother you that I can bet you won't let me leave when we get to our destination. " he boasted and winked. "Are you kidding me? " I asked. "24 hours from now, you'll be begging to come with me. " he said confidently while extending his right hand for a betting right or rather a handshake. I shook my head, hissed and said nothing. "So tell me. Are you always this rude or is it because you are on the run miss? " he asked.  "Leave me alone. " I said. "Hey!  Each person on this bus has a seat next to another. Why do you think they made it so? For bonding and conversations  so the long journey could get shorter and even interesting. " he said. "Well since I, your partner having to be giving you a tough time, can't you just lock up and count today an unfortunate one. " I said. "I can't. " he retorted. "You can't what? " I asked. "I can't keep quiet. I wasn't brought up that way. If I don't talk often, my stomach will hurt. " he said. I couldn't help but smile halfway. "You are so going to hurt today. " I told him. "Well I am selfish. Nothing gets over my peace of mind so I'll keep talking even if it means talking to myself so my stomach doesn't hurt. " he said swinging his head from side to side. "You are not serious. " I said chuckling. 

"Peanuts?" he said while offering me a handful. "No thanks. " I said and before I knew it, he had poured a handful of peanuts on my grey jacket which I had taken off earlier and placed on my laps. "You are something else. " I said looking at him in disbelief while he winked and threw penauts into his mouths. "So you've got any relatives in Greenland? " he asked while rubbing his palms together. I shook my head signalling no. "Well, I am going to meet my father. " he said. "That's cool. " I replied. 

"So I was hopping you could put me through. " said Trevor who was now gulping water from a bottle. "Put you through what? " I asked in a confused tone. "My father. " he said. "I have never met him before and I am going to meet him for the first time. That's why I am on this bus to GreenLand. " he said. "Okay then how is that my business? " I asked. "Calm down senorita. They say you girls relate with father's more than we do so basically you could teach me how to relate with mine. " he added. "How? " I asked. "Well I don't know. Maybe by telling me how you bond with your dad, the kind of conversations you have and the things he likes.. you know? " he said. "Am sorry I can't help you. " I told him. "Why? " he asked. "Cos I dont bond so well with my dad and I can't put you through on how to relate with yours. " I said. "I see. " he said nodding his head. 

"My mother raised me singlehandedly and in the 27 years of my life, I don't know what a father figure is... My father left me..... He.... I Guess... " he was stammering and possibly going to breakdown so I intervened. "Hey. " I began. "You are lucky to have a mother who brought you up. Some people don't have a single parent. Stop feeling emotional over a man who might not possibly care over you. " I said. "Really?  You think my dad might not accept me? " he asked starring into my eyes. "I don't mean so. " I replied lowering my gaze. "Am just speaking from personal experience and it dosent have to apply to you. " I maintained. He smiled brightly and said. "I understand. I am sorry you don't seem to share a strong bond with your father. " he said. "But you know what? He is your dad. You guys can work things over. Look at me on a strange journey to a place I've never been to meet a man who left me before I was even born. " he said. "You could work things with your dad. " he added. "Maybe you should sort this when you are back from this journey. " he said.

 'If only he was alive. ' I thought. 'If only he accepted me, loved me and cared for me and never bullied me. I wouldnt have committed this homicide.' I thought. I was already lost in thoughts when Trevor interrupted. "The bus has stopped. "He said. "What? " I asked and noticed the bus wasn't moving. "Come down everyone. We need to work on this vehicle. " announced the driver. "what? " screamed Trevor. The passengers were grumbling. Some were cursing while alighting except for the little children who jumped down happily. It was few minutes to 10am. 

As we alighted from the bus, I stretched my self lifting my arms to the sky. It was then that I got to sample the bus properly.  It was a OWEN 34, the best luxury bus they say and the sudden break down is something I can't explain. I turned around and noticed we were in the middle of nowhere. Just a green surrounding. "Let's sit over there. " said Trevor while pointing towards a grassland. The rest of the passengers were scattered across the grasslands. Some were going deeper into the shrubs to pee. "Don't go far. The Mechanic will soon be done. " screamed the driver. The driver;a huge man in probably his late fifties. He was dark in complexion and looked more like a bouncer. "Okay let's sit. " I said to Trevor. We sat on the grassland and when Trevor noticed my fists were tied, he said "Jeez you still have those? " he was referring to the peanuts he poured on my jacket earlier. "Trust issues huh?  You think I'll poison you. " he said. "Not really. Am just not hungry. I told you earlier right. " I said. "Mehn they are just snacks not some solid food. " he argued. "Fine I'll have them. " I retorted and began eating them. He smiled and said "we will get along just fine. " I hisssed and said nothing. "My mother says" began Trevor. "When things don't go the way we plan, it's God's plan. " he said. 

"Take a look at this bus scenario, God might be saving us from maybe a future accident or probably bandits on the highway or a bad omen so don't be sad it's the lords doing. " he added. I looked at him in disbelief and said "Are You always this spiritual? " he smiled and said. "My mom made me a spiritual one. " "Well I don't believe in God. " I blurted. "Huh! " he screamed. "What? " I asked him. "Hey don't judge me. I... I... Just... Am not too religious you know? " I said and he smiled. He seems to be always smiling and when he does, his dimple just manifests and I can't help but like it. "You are one hard nut. I might give up cracking you. " he said. I smiled and continued eating the peanuts. Suddenly, two little girls of about four and six years of age came running towards us. Before I could realize it, Trevor was playing with them. "Do you even know them? " I asked. He shook his said meaning no. "Are you always getting along with strangers? " I asked. He smiled and said to the girls "You guys should meet aunty Ella over there and they ran towards me. Confused on what to tell them or do,  I opened my hand offering them peanuts which they started picking from my hands and were eating. "What are your names? " I asked them. "I am Jeken. " said the one who was about six years of age and the oldest. "She is Mary. " said Jeken. "Hey! " began Trevor. "Let her speak for herself. What's your name my dear? " he said looking at Mary. "Mary. " she slowly replied and we chuckled.

The bus was horning now. "Get in everybody. Come on in else I will go. " said the driver. "We have a long journey ahead. " he said and the passengers were rushing into the large OWEN 34 luxury bus. "Mary, Jeken" came a woman's voice. "They are over here. " screamed Trevor. "Thank Goodness. " she said while approaching us. "Now let's get in. " she told them stretching out her arms to them. "We'll stay with aunty Ella. " said Mary. The woman was a bit stunned and before anyone could say a word, Trevor was talking. "It's okay ma'am. They'll be fine. Afterall we are all in the same bus. " he said. "She smiled and said" I might even get the chance to rest for a bit. " "Exactly. " said Trevor. "Now let's get in. " he added. Trevor stood up and I looked at him properly for the first time in his navy blue geans trousers and cream T shirt. His navy blue jacket gave me an insight that he must be mindful of colors in his appearance. His fair complexion radiated and his height was perfect. "Get up and stop checking me out before you loose the bus. " he said. "You must be joking. " I said then got up and hurried into the bus while Jeken and Mary held my hand side by side. 

At 10:23 am,  the bus was already moving. Jeken was on Trevor's side while Mary was on mine. "Do you have more peanuts? " Mary asked me. "Yes sure. " replied Trevor. "I don't have any. " I whispered to him and he grabbed his suitcase from underneath his seat and took out a pack of peanuts. "How many of those have you got in there? " I asked him. He smiled and began doling out the peanuts to the girls. "You know when undertaking a long journey as such, you must get your things ready. I have some home made cookies in my case. You want some? " he said. "No. " I quickly replied. "Maybe not now. " he said. "So what snack did you bring along or you'll be buying all through whenever we get to a bus stand. " he said. "Or I remember. " he continued. "You ran away. Didn't you prepare before running. No luggage, no food... " he said. "Shut up. " I said. "Oh my God. Don't people prepare before eloping? " he asked me. "Not in my case. " I replied. "You must have eloped without wanting to" he said. "I guess. " I replied. "Last night I was at a friend's party and we were suppose to go for an outreach he organized this morning. Infact, I am heading the outreach team. " I revealed. "Oh my God. It's obvious you ran cos you had to not because you wanted to. " said Trevor. "Yea or maybe both. " I replied. "Has anyone contacted you since you fled? " he asked. "They can't. " I answered. "My mobile phone will be inaccessible. " I added.

He nodded, looked at Jeken and Mary who are both sleeping on our laps individually and said."My everyday prayer is this." "What? " I asked. "Daughters. Two female children and I'll be the happiest man in the planet. " he said. "Are You married? " I asked him. "No. But you can never prepare too early. " he said. "One day I'll get married and I will have two beautiful daughters like this. " he said. "You don't want a son? " I asked him. "You'll never have a child till you have a daughter. " he said and I stared at him in disbelief. "Hey don't look at me that way. Am not saying it's wrong to have male children afterall, we dont have the power to create. What I am saying is that, if I have the chance to choose, I'll go for female children. It's just an individual difference stuff. " he said. "Am sure there are lots of men out there who will have same ideology as mine. " he added. "Not Mr. Moore. " I replied. "Who is Mr. Moore? " he asked. "My father. " I replied. "Is that why you ran? Are you running away from your dad? " he asked. I said nothing. He placed his hand inside mine and said "Look Ella. We might never meet again the moment we get down from this bus and get to GreenLand so you can tell me anything. Whatever happens in this bus, stays in this bus. " he said. "Talk to me. Tell me your darkest secrets and fears and I'll share mine with you. " he said looking into my eyes. I quickly took my hand out of his and he said "Deal? " I nodded in affirmation. That was how I found myself divulging life changing secrets to this guy.