Two hours later, Jada and I were sitting on a Greyhound bus going to Story. We had made sure to buy some snacks from Bear, and I also purchased one of his amazing coffees again because I don't really want to sleep. Sleep was my worst enemy at this current moment, so I'd be better off just staying awake until we get to Story.

Jada slipped through a magazine, clicking her tongue at something. I turned my head and peeked at what she was reading. "What?"

"This Caitlyn Jenner shit needs to calm the fuck down," Jada said dryly, shaking out the magazine and grumbling. "They think she's such a big shot because she had a gender reassignment surgery. Big fucking whoop."

"Jada, you realize she has like .. Her own perfume line now?"

"You're kidding me." She gave me a dry look, and I shrugged in response. "Alright, I have no problem with transsexual people. I say good for them on being themselves! But why is it the fucking Jenners and Kardashians are always on the main point of focus?"

I laughed quietly, shaking my head and resting it against the headrest. "Because people think they're interesting," I told her, "when, really, they're just plain annoying."

"Right?" She flipped the page of her magazine and settled down again, causing the whole bus become officially silent.

I took a sip of the coffee and looked out the window. The thunderstorm had stopped, but it was still drizzling outside. The street lights flickered, seeming to be losing a battle in trying to stay on. Finally, it flickered off completely.

"Alright, folks. Get settled down and tucked in. We are now ready to go. We'll be making two stops on our way to Story." I yawned and rubbed my eyes, staring ahead. In all honesty, this bus was coming from New York. Jada and I had paid the bus driver a bit of money just to be able to get on for the rest of the time.

The bus pulled out of the gas station, into the road, and now we were officially on our road to the little town of Story, Wyoming.

-:-

"Jada." I nudged my new friend in the ribs lightly to wake her up. She jumped awake, mumbling something about Boston Tea Party-ing the Caitlyn Jenner perfume line. "Jada, wake the fuck up."

"I'm awake," she mumbled dazedly, though her eyes were half open in slits. "Whyja wake me up?"

"We're on a forty five minute stop for lunch," I explained, pinching the skin of her arm to wake her up more. "I'm going to assume you want to have a full meal instead of munching on gas station donuts?"

"Ugh .. Yes." Jada wrinkled her nose and stood up, scooting out. I finally stood up as well, stretching my aching legs. For the hell of it, I attempted to reach for Shark again. Nothing. Well.

With a soft sigh I looked through my bag until I found my bundle of money. Glancing around cautiously to make sure nobody was watching me, I took a couple twenty dollar bills then stuffed the rest of the money back into its hiding spot.

I slipped the money in my pockets and look back at Jada, who was struggling to wake up. She fumbled through her bag, yawning.

"We'll get you some coffee once we get inside," I promised her, smiling slightly at her sleepy state. "You'll be good as new afterwards."

"Better be good coffee," was all she decided to respond with.

Inside, the cool air sent both relieving breezes and uneasy chills through my body. I wasn't sure whether I wanted to bundle up with my jacket or not. Eventually deciding against it, I slid into a booth and Jada sat across from me on the other side of it.

A waiter walked up and gave us both a monotone greeting, listing off the day's specials and then finally dropping the menus in front of us. He walked away after that, leaving Jada and I in peace to decide what we wanted to eat.

Just as I opened my menu, I heard a faint groan inside my head. It startled me for a second, then I felt Shark's faint presence.

"And she awakens," I thought, sending the sharp poke towards Shark. It was weird, having someone to talk to inside my head. God, it makes me sound like I am completely losing my mind to have a voice of my dog talking to me in my thoughts. It was also crazy how I could express emotion when speaking to her in my thoughts. But then again, it is completely okay because I turn into my dog. Or, again, I'm crazy.

"W-what? Kenzi?" Shark's voice was filled with confusion and slight unease. She began pushing on the side of my head, which caused a throbbing feeling. "Mckenzie, where are we? What's going on? What happened?"

To sooth her distress, I shared my memories of the past few hours with her. As she watched my memories like a movie, I could steadily feel her increase in irritation and anger.

"What're you getting?" Jadas voice made me push Shark to the back of my head and I looked down at the menu. "You didn't even look at it. You've been staring at me like you're constipated for the last five minutes."

I felt my cheeks begin to flame with heat, and I lowered my head. My eyes scanned the menu halfheartedly. I opened it and looked through it and decided to get just a hamburger.

"Earth to Mckenzie." I looked back at Jada who leaned forward and squinted at me. "Are you alright? You look like a deer caught in the headlights."

"I-I'm fine." I swallowed a lump in my throat. It felt like I swallowed a rock. I would know how that felt, because I've done it before. I was six years old and a pebble got stuck in my throat when my neighbor's dog turned away from me and ran to the fence, kicking up pebbles and stones in the process.

"Your tone begs to differ," she retorts, eyeing me with disbelief. "Come on, now. Tell Aunt Jada what's wrong."

"You're not my aunt." I rolled my eyes. "You're much to young to be one, anyways."

Jada smirked cockily. "My sister has three kids. That makes me an aunt, does it not?" She sent me a sly wink.

"Whatever."

"Mckenzie!" Shark snarled loudly, her tone angry and sharp, "You have a shitload of explaining to do!"

"Fuck off, Shark," I snapped back, feeling my own emotion of anger and frustration as I tried to block her out. "What gave you the idea that you can control what I do? Huh? You're not the boss of me."

"You think that's what this is about? You're so stupid, Mckenzie! Idiot!" Her words stung me in the heart like a bee sting. I frowned, pushing away the hurt as best I could.

"Leave me alone, Shark."

"No! You're so careless and stupid! Do you not see the danger you're putting us in by bringing this human? What about her safety? You-"

"I said SHUT UP, Shark! Ever since you've been stuck inside my head all you've done is yell at me and be angry. I'm tired of it, so either get your fucking attitude in check or shut the fuck up."

Her silence told me that she was pondering my words. I left her to it, unable to even so much as have a polite conversation with her at the moment. I focused my attention back to reality, taking a look around. I focused my hearing around me and winced when the sound of a fork scratched against the plate. My eyes snapped to the source of the sound - halfway across the diner.

I bite my lip and force myself to concentrate on Jada instead. She was studying her nose in the reflection of a spoon, pressing her index finger and her thumb on either side of the one pimple on her otherwise flawless face and squeezing it until it popped. She let out a whisper of triumph and smirked at her reflection.

She glanced up at me, saying dryly, "Enjoying the view?"

"Very much. It's amusing."

She poked her tongue from between her lips, eyes sparkling mischievously. "Let me tell you now that you're not amused. You're absolutely fascinated by me." She winked again.

"That is true," I admitted to her truthfully, deciding not to hide the fact that I was. Something about Jada made me curious, wanting to get to know her more. "But you amuse me more."

She smiled playfully at me.

-:-

Is Shark to controlling, rude, and unrelenting?