"So Bay, would I be seeing you here tomorrow?"

It had been six hours since Keaton Ocean asked her that and Bay couldn't still get over it. Thankfully when Keaton said those words, without being a blithering blathering mess, Bay had shot a nod with a small smile.

It was so stupid, acting like a lovestruck tween to a boy her own age but she couldn't help it. Keaton was attractive. Wasn't that normal?

But when morning rolled in and Bay found herself looking through her wardrobe to find something that stood out, she knew she was done for. It was Keaton. A guy who, like the others, looked like he couldn't wait to get out of here. A guy whose first girlfriend was Fiona Pillow.

He was certainly not compatible.

"I hope you're having fun, Bay," her mum said through the phone. "Your aunt misses you."

Well, of course she would since she has to pay a middle schooler to mow her lawn now.

"I am," she replied, her eyes drifting. Most teenagers her age would lie effortlessly but Bay was an amateur. Her parents could see through her pathetic lies any day. Thank the Gods for phoned conversations.

"Bay I can feel your eyes drifting," her mother cut in. "Stop lying, dear."

Bay bit back her surprised yelp. Of course. Hanging around your parents 24/7 could result in this.

"I--I am having fun."

Even she could feel the emptiness of those words.

"Bay, what have I told you about socialising--"

"I really am having fun. I talked with Keaton Ocean!"

It wasn't like it was a white lie. Looking past her lovesick antics, sitting beside him could count as fun.

"Keaton? Laurel's son?"

Bay could feel the sparks in her mother's eyes even through the three hundred miles in between them.

"Yes?"

"Bay, that's really nice! Tell me more about it!" Bay winced from her mother's shrill but it was expected. In fact, both their mothers had indeed tried to make them friends. But it was kindergarten and while Keaton wanted hot wheels and sand castles, Bay was busy catching bugs and jumping in puddles.

"It can wait, mum," she sighed. "I'm sorry but I'm in a hurry. Would talk to you in the evening. I love you!"

Swallowing a relived sigh, Bay hung up. Sometimes she didn't like her mother's excessiveness. Like her mother and the ladies of The Tea expected, not every encounter had an ulterior motive worth an young adult book. And sometimes sitting next to a boy in the bus meant simply sharing a seat.

. . .

They were already past their third stop when Keaton boarded the blue bus. Bay tried to look out the window, as if she wasn't checking for him each time the bus halted at a stop.

Keaton looked tired, black circles like Tartarus covering his eyes and for a second, she felt sorry for him. But again, it was Fiona Pillow so she couldn't fathom how he expected anything less.

"Hey," he muttered weakly before slipping in. She scooted. She wasn't antisocial but this new skin to skin contact business was so alien and honestly, it was borderline giving her anxiety. But Keaton was in an universe of his own as he sighed loudly before leaning his head on the seat to their front.

He looked like a rotten apple. Pitiful and bad. Bay couldn't bring herself to ask what was wrong though she really wanted to. That's what she hated the most. Wanting to talk but even her own muscles wouldnt obey her. She envied people who talked their minds easily, so effortlessly that they took such a boon for granted. What she would give to be able to do that.

They passed two more stops before Keaton turned towards her. "So, you aren't even going to ask what is wrong?"

Bay's lips trembled and she cursed herself. Why was it so hard to speak her mind? Keaton gave a defeated sigh before burying his face. Do something. Do something, you idiot.

Bay's hands searched through her handbag and pulled out entangled strings that were a basic necessity to any decent human. Especially to a loner like her.

"Music?"

Keaton shot her a look but with a resigned look, he took one of her ear buds. Unlike protagonists from beloved Teen Fiction novels, she didn't have exceptional music tastes that would put a high tier DJ to shame. She didn't listen to music of bands called Thunder Pickle or The Mad Potatoes who made sick music in a beat-up garage like all those characters did.

"Taylor Swift?" he scoffed. "So unpredictable."

And for the first time in probably a long time, instead of being tongue-tied, Bay gave a relevant answer.

"It might look typical but she is the Queen of heartbreak anthems for a reason." Her voice was soft but the point was made.

When they got out of that bus thirty five minutes later, Keaton had half her playlist shared to his phone.

"Okay, I wasn't expecting to be so surprised," Keaton said, scrolling through his music list. "It was like I was watching movies as each song rolled by."

"I totally know right!"

Bay didn't mean to, but it came out as an excited squeal and she froze. Oh no. But instead, Keaton laughed. "A squeal?" His smile widened and the chipped tooth graced Bay with its presence. The sunlight reflected on Keaton's eyes and for a second, he didn't look so obviously heartbroken. "I'm glad to see that you're just another teenage girl. I was starting to worry if you were a FBI agent in an elaborate disguise or some member of a shady cult doing rituals with rat heads in your bedroom."

It was cheesy, but Bay still found herself smile. Keaton was supposed to be charming. But he was being dorky while dunking mildly on charming and for someone like her, that was mad skills. And she found that sweet. Maybe it had to do with her inexperience. But it was summer. She was a girl. He was a boy. They're in an almost empty bus. So it was okay to feel jitters.

Right?

a/n., I love Bay so much.

Song attached: Mary's song (oh my my my) by Taylor Swift

Also, idk if this is a short story but the chapters will be relatively short and without much details like this :)

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