The Wrong Bus

"Finley, you can't get on the bus! I just realized your test center is in Eastbrook! Both buses from our class are headed to Westhaven!"

On the morning of the SAT, I had barely stepped onto the charter bus when someone yanked me back off.

Lewis Sutton didn't hold back. The force sent me stumbling into a utility pole.

Ignoring the pain, I hurried to the front of the buses and checked the destination signs. Both clearly read: Westhaven.

I held out my hand to Lewis. "The buses are about to leave. Why are you only noticing this now? Let me see the test center schedule."

His eyes started to redden. "I forgot it at home."

"You forgot something that important?" I stared at him, my voice rising despite myself. "If you forgot the schedule, then how did you figure out my test center was different from everyone else's?"

Lewis took two steps back and bit down stubbornly on his lip.

Then, all of a sudden, he raised his voice, "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! This is all my fault! You'd be right to yell at me or hit me!"

His voice was already cracking with tears, and several classmates immediately rushed over to comfort him.

Before I could even speak, they started blaming me instead.

"Finley, the SAT is an important exam. If you didn't bother confirming your own test center, whose fault is that?"

"You're always making a big deal out of everything. Can't you just take a cab? We can't sacrifice our exams just to drive you there."

I glanced at them. "If he'd told me earlier, I would've called a cab already. Now the buses are about to leave, and he's suddenly telling me my test center is in Eastbrook. All I did was ask to see the schedule and confirm the address. How is that making a big deal out of things?"

They exchanged glances, but no one answered.

Lewis panicked. To my surprise, he actually bowed to me. "I'm really sorry. I... I was just overwhelmed.

"For the past few days, I've been staying up for two straight nights organizing everyone's test center assignments. This morning I was busy checking attendance and arranging the buses. I got so distracted that I left the schedule at home..."

The hesitation on everyone's faces instantly vanished. Now they only felt sorry for him.

"Lewis, why are you bowing to him? None of this is your fault!"

"Finley, don't push it. If you weren't careless, none of this would've happened. Why are you taking it out on Lewis?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cerys Moore jump down from one of the buses. She hurried over to Lewis, gently helping him straighten up before turning to glare at me.

"Are you bullying him again?"

She was supposed to be my childhood friend. However, just like countless times before, she immediately reduced everything to the same conclusion that I was bullying Lewis yet again.

By the time the other students finished explaining what had happened, Cerys's expression had darkened even further.

"Lewis stayed up for two nights organizing test center assignments for all forty students in our class. Then he went out of his way to warn you before you headed to the wrong location and messed up your exam.

"The least you could do is thank him. Instead, you're blaming him in front of everyone?"

My lips twitched as I found the whole thing both absurd and laughable.

"Only you could pull off something like this, Cerys. You could turn black into white. He got my test center wrong, yet somehow you've managed to make it my fault?"

Behind her, Lewis sniffled softly. "Please don't argue because of me. This is all my fault..."