Chapter 9 On A Ride With Me And My Ex

"What are the odds?" I muttered, my eyes wide with surprise. "No way, you're transferring to the school I'm transferring to?" I asked, incredulous.

Adrian's face lit up with excitement. "Really?" he asked, his eyes sparkling. "I didn't know you were transferring there too."

I raised an eyebrow, my mind racing with questions. Why was he so happy? Was he stalking me?

"Is this some kind of joke?" I asked, my voice laced with skepticism. "You're really transferring to the same school as me?"

Adrian's smile faltered, and he held up his hands in a defensive gesture. "This isn't about you, okay? It might just be a coincidence."

I snorted, rolling my eyes. "Whatever it is, just make sure you stay away from me. Don't mess with my life."

Adrian opened his mouth to say something else, but just then, the bus arrived, pulling up to the curb with a hiss of brakes. I picked up my bag, frowning, and stepped onto the bus as the door swung open.

"Hi," I greeted the driver, a gruff-looking man with a thick beard.

He nodded in response, a faint smile on his face.

"Welcome aboard."

As I entered the bus, I scanned the seats, taking in the other students. There were about six of them, all looking unique.

One guy was staring out the window, lost in thought. Another was smiling at me like he'd just won the lottery, and I forced a smile back, feeling a bit awkward.

There was a girl with bright pink hair, typing away on her phone. A tall, lanky guy with a messy mop of hair was sprawled out across a seat, taking up more space than necessary.

Another girl with a book clutched in her hands looked up and gave me a friendly smile. And then there was a quiet-looking boy sitting by himself, staring at the floor.

I made my way to an empty seat, trying to avoid eye contact with anyone. But before I could sit down, I felt a presence behind me. Adrian. I could sense his eyes on me, and I knew he was going to try to sit beside me.

The look I gave him was enough to make him think twice. He raised an eyebrow, then nodded and made his way to a seat near the quiet-looking boy. I sat down, relieved to have some space between us. The bus door closed, and we were off.

The drive was uneventful, with trees whizzing by in a blur as the bus sped down the deserted road. The silence inside was almost palpable, punctuated only by the occasional creak of the seats or rustle of bags.

I felt a sense of relief wash over me, finally escaping the toxic environment of my home. The thought of leaving my stepmother, stepsister, and father's torment behind filled me with happiness.

As I sat there, lost in thought, the bus suddenly screeched to a sharp halt. The brakes squealed, and the tires screeched, making everyone exclaim in surprise.

Some students looked around, confused, asking what had happened and why they were stopping.

“What was that?” One of the student asked the driver feeling unease as everyone began to panic.

I stood up, worried, and tried to get a glimpse of what was going on at the front of the bus. The driver was panicking, urging everyone to settle down.

"It's just a log on the road," he said, his voice laced with concern. "It's weird, though - it looks like it was intentionally placed here."

He glanced around nervously, and that's when I noticed the sassy girl with her phone. She raised an eyebrow and said, "Why doesn't he go check it out?" Her tone was laced with skepticism, implying that the driver was overreacting.

The atmosphere in the bus was tense, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. The driver's words only added to the unease, leaving everyone wondering what was really going on.

The night was dark and foreboding, making it difficult to see more than a few feet beyond the reach of the bus's headlights. The shadows seemed to writhe and twist, like living things.

The driver finally stood up, his movements slow and deliberate, and made his way to the door.

"Settle down, everyone," he said, his voice calm and reassuring. "It's no worries. We're almost at the school anyway."

I felt a bit relieved at his words, but my attention was fixed on the driver as he stepped out of the bus and approached the log.

The headlights illuminated him, casting an eerie glow over the scene. As I watched him, I started to feel... strange. I could sense his heart racing, pounding in his chest like a drum. But how was that possible? I was too far away to hear his heartbeat.

Before I could process what was happening, one of the girls on the bus asked me to sit down, diverting my attention.

“Hey, new girl.” She tapped me by the shoulder. “Sit down, okay?”

But then my instincts alerted, turning my attention back to the driver, I heard a rustling in the bushes, the sound of two people moving quickly. My heart skipped a beat as I felt a surge of panic.

"Something's wrong," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Adrian looked at me, concern etched on his face.

“What’s wrong?”

Ignoring Adrian as the footsteps seems to be getting closer, I screamed at the top of my lungs, calling out to the driver. "Wait!"

But it was too late. Two figures in hoodies burst out of the bushes, their faces obscured by the darkness. They moved with a swift and deadly precision, kicking the driver in the back and leg.

The sound of tearing fabric and the driver's pained cry filled the air as he fell to the ground. His blood speeding out.