The next morning, I walked around the neighborhood to get to the bus stop taking all the time in the world if I even could and arrived there just a quarter after eight when I peeked at my wristwatch.

She still wasn't there and I noticed how early I was than usual. I guess I'm hoping to see more of her but damn, she's not even here still. Is she skipping class again? That is so unlike her. Maybe she's caught the flu?

No...

I hope she's fine.

A few minutes later, a familiar voice greeted me.

"Hey! Nice weather don't you think?"

"Oh, hey Tzuyu. I didn't see you walk by,"

She didn't reply but she did giggle and I swear to the gods I never heard such a beautiful laugh.

"Well you're a no show yesterday," I started, trying to get the conversation go the usual.

"Yeah, uh, it's my brother's birthday yesterday and we've been planning to go skiing for a long time now, so my dad suddenly just decided to become spontaneous and dragged us skiing yesterday, wouldn't you imagine?" Tzuyu said and it's probably the longest sentence she'd ever said to me.

"Skiing? At this time of year?"

"Yeah, well... We went to Japan and the snow is so breathtaking, we loved it,"

"Oh, cool."

"I didn't miss anything important yesterday in school, did I?" She smiled right at me. She looked into my eyes and she just smiled. That smiled that could melt a hundred bones in my body but fortunately, they could hold and resist. Oh gods, she looks so pretty it hurts.

I tried covering up my blank mind with an awkward cackle, hopefully, she didn't notice. "Well, if you think the flag ceremonies are important then you definitely missed it, yikes,"

Again, she giggled. How can she manage to laugh so beautifully like that when I look like a walrus when I do? It's so unfair, how can she be this pretty? Those dimples, when she smiles, what the hell is that? How is it possible for me to be alive right now, standing right here? I should be dead.

I feel dead.

"Hey, are you alright? You look quite pale,"

"I'm f-fine, I just uhm," I rubbed the back of my neck unable to think of anything to distract her from my miserable, horrifying look. "Hey, look. You're watching the school's talent show, right? Two weeks from now?"

"I guess so, I haven't really thought about that, why?"

And just like that, my day with her ended when the bus stopped in front of us. I didn't even notice it was coming. I must have been too focused.

Damn it. I haven't even got the chance to just tell her that I'm joining the stupid talent show! How will I ever invite her to that event? Ugh. I hate this stupid bus.

She went in first and I followed suit, with a scowl only the bus driver saw.

"Sorry,"

I only I sighed at him. I just really hate the bus right now. I hate it. Hate, hate it.

Stupid bus, always in the way of everything.