As time went on, the weather darkened. Thick clouds rolled across the sky, turning it a heavy, bruised gray, and the wind picked up, tossing leaves and small debris across the road in anticipation of a heavy downpour. The bus rattled and swayed slightly as it moved, the tires crunching over uneven patches of asphalt. Inside, the students were lively, voices echoing through the bus in laughter and chatter, competing with the occasional gust that rattled the windows. The storm outside made the journey strangely comforting, a shared secret that seemed to cocoon them inside the warm, crowded vehicle.
Elaine tried to ignore Allan's spacing out or at least pretend it was normal, but eventually, she couldn't.
"Are you alright?" she asked softly, her voice low and careful, barely rising above the surrounding noise. She turned her head slightly to face him, concern evident in her eyes.
"Why do you ask?" he replied, as he usually did, with another question. His voice was low, just enough for her to hear.
"Because you've been quiet all this time," she said.
"Aren't I always quiet?" he asked.
"Not like this. You've been spacing out, and you don't seem comfortable," she said, her voice gentle but firm. She wasn't exaggerating; he was deep in thought, anticipation weighing on him like a silent anchor. The noise of the bud, the laughter, the chatter, the rattling windows, made him restless, though he would never admit it.
"I just don't feel like saying anything," he said, which wasn't entirely untrue.
"Well," Elaine said, a playful smile tugging at her lips, "I don't think it's right for you to sit quietly and wait for the hours-long journey to be over while everyone else has fun."
She didn't know why, but recently she had felt an irresistible urge to help him. His usual silence didn't feel right, it seemed unnatural, as if he were caged, hiding behind a wall he himself had built. She imagined him in a small cage, the bars close and confining, yet somehow he had made it his home.
He stared at her for a moment, saying nothing. Then he closed his eyes and added quietly, "Instead of disturbing me, think of what you would tell your mum."
Elaine froze, processing his words. A small, almost imperceptible shiver ran down her spine. She let out a sigh, soft but heavy with thought. "I'll think of that later. For now… let's just get there."
He only hummed in response, eyes still closed, his expression unreadable.
---
The bus hit a patch of rough road, jostling everyone slightly. Soon, the narrow stretch where students would get off appeared, flanked by tall trees whose branches whipped in the wind. Some students had already disembarked long ago, leaving only a scattering of passengers. Elaine glanced down at her luggage in front of her, the straps tangled slightly from the constant movement of the bus. "I totally forgot about this part," she muttered, tugging her hair back behind her ears as a sudden gust pressed against the bus, rattling the windows and sending a few loose papers skittering across the floor.
Allan didn't look like he was in the mood to help; he wandered casually around, his eyes scanning the surroundings like a hawk, vacant yet sharp. Elaine began adjusting the straps of her bags, preparing to lift them herself when a pair of hands suddenly grasped one of her bags.
She looked up to see an unfamiliar face. He was on the bus with them, but she didn't know him.
"Sorry, that's mine," she said immediately, assuming he might have thought it was his.
"Oh, I know," he replied, his voice pleasant and calm, like a warm note cutting through the hum of the bus. "You seem to be having a hard time. Let me help."
She hesitated. He was a stranger, even if they went to the same school.
"Thank you, but I can manage," she said politely, refusing his help.
"Is it because you don't know me? My name's Leonard," he introduced himself with a small, reassuring smile.
"Oh… I'm Elaine," she replied, nodding, seeing it as the polite thing to do.
Meanwhile, Allan stood not too far away, watching like a hawk. His eyes were vacant, arms crossed across his chest, observing them without speaking. His gaze followed every movement, quiet yet deliberate, the wind tugging at his hoodie but unable to shake his composure.
"Thanks" Elaine said.
Leonard lifted her bag, then called out, "Helena!"
A brunette-haired girl slowly turned toward them, walking with measured steps. Leonard introduced them: "This is my friend Helena. Helena, this is Elaine." He introduced them to each other.
Elaine froze under Helena's gaze but managed a timid, single "hi." Helena didn't respond verbally, merely walking past, not bothering to spare another glance at her, with lack of interest.
"Leonard, can we leave now? It's going to rain soon," Helena said, glancing at the darkening sky and the first fat drops of rain starting to streak against the bus windows.
Leonard smiled at Elaine and gestured for them to walk. They moved together, the wind now tugging at their clothes and hair, carrying the scent of wet earth and the approaching storm. They hadn't gone far when they reached Allan, still standing in the same spot, unfazed by the weather. Helena's gaze lingered on him, a smile of admiration gracing her freckle-kissed face. Allan didn't notice; his eyes were fixed elsewhere, distant, caught in his own thoughts.
"Let's go," Elaine said calmly, stepping in front of him. He didn't speak but followed, which made her smile for no reason.
"Are you joining us?" Helena asked, disbelief and curiosity mingling in her tone.
"Yes," Elaine said, not wanting Allan to leave her behind with Leonard and Helena.
The wind picked up further, tossing Elaine's hair into her face, and the clouds above had darkened to a nearly midnight gray. She could only hope and pray for the rain to hold back for some time, at least till they left this deserted road without any buildings, with trees as it's only inhabitant and their only company.