Last Stop To Love

So, you’re looking for one of them teen romance type stories, aren’t you? The kind with all the heart-eyes, misunderstandings, and that moment where you just know they’re the one? Well, buckle up. This one’s got all that, but with a twist: no one’s perfect, and the road to ‘happily ever after’ is a little messier than you’d expect. But hey, that’s what makes it worth it, right?

Sorry where are my manners. Let me introduce myself, I'm Daniel. I suppose the best way to describe is that one kid in your class that everyone knew but wasn't popular at the same time. The kind of kid that just sort of got on with what was given to them day after day. Not the most interesting life style, but hey, it worked for me. I guess I’ll start at the beginning—or what I like to call the beginning, since I’m not really sure where it actually started. But hey, everyone needs a starting point, right?

So, here’s the thing: I woke up on the coach, half-asleep, only to hear the words that make every passenger’s stomach drop: “Come on!”

I blinked, rubbing my eyes and squinting at the overhead light, which was flickering like it was about to give up on life. The coach wasn’t moving, and I knew something was wrong even before the engine let out a miserable sputter. It wasn’t the kind of sputter that gets you excited to see what happens next. It was more of a “I’ve had enough of this” kind of sound. The kind that says, “You’re not getting to your destination anytime soon.”

I leaned forward in my seat, trying to shake off the fog. The passengers around me were already starting to murmur. Some of them were looking at their watches like they could somehow wish the coach back to life with just a glance. The guy sitting near the front was already slapping his hands against the seat in front of him, muttering something about it being just a glitch. I wasn’t buying it.

I glanced toward the driver, who had apparently decided it was time to work his magic. He popped his head out from under the hood, looking under the engine like he was suddenly an expert mechanic.

He waved his hand in the air like everything was fine. “Just a little glitch, folks,” he called out. “Should be back on the road soon. Don’t worry.”

I wasn’t worried. I was annoyed. The coach was supposed to get me home for my grandfather’s funeral, and now I was stuck here, probably going to be late for something that had already been one of the worst days of my life. A feeling built up in me I could never forget. The one you would get when you see your crush flirting with another man kind of feeling even though it has no relevance to any kind of flirting as the person in question was... deceased. What I am trying to say is there was a sinking feeling in my stomache I couldn't shake so I did the logical thing and began to walk.

Trudging off of the coach steps I stood and let out a sigh. Looking around the sun was bright. Too bright. The kind of bright that makes everything look sharper than it really is. I checked my phone only to see that I had zero new messages, not that I was really expecting anything. The last thing I needed was a reminder of just how damn miserable my day had become.

The thing is, when your coach breaks down halfway to a funeral, you don’t get a lot of sympathy. Everyone’s just sort of in the same boat, all of us silently resigned to whatever the hell was going to happen next. So I just kept looking around, hoping the sight of the trees around me would somehow reset my brain. It did not. But something else did. There was a girl standing by the side of the station, not doing anything remarkable, just leaning against the wall like she had all the time in the world. She was still, as if she knew something the rest of us didn’t, and I don’t know why, but something about her made me look twice.

It wasn’t like she was some mysterious figure or anything. She just had that air of someone who’d stopped caring what the world expected of her. She looked over at me, her eyes flicking from the coach to me with an almost casual curiosity.

“You’re not really going anywhere, are you?” she said.

I couldn’t help but smile a little, even though I wasn’t exactly in the mood for conversation. “Nope. Apparently, the coach has decided it’s done for the day.”

She glanced over at the coach, then back at me, a slight smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “Sounds about right.”

I shrugged. “Not exactly how I wanted to spend my Sunday.”

Her expression shifted just slightly, like she understood the weight of that. “Yeah, not ideal.”

I nodded, not really sure what else to say. “I don’t suppose you have a secret shortcut to get me out of here faster?”

She raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting that. “If I did, I’d be using it myself. But I guess we’re both stuck here for a while.”

I sighed, glancing at the coach again. The driver was still poking around under the hood, pretending like he was in control. Meanwhile, we all waited, uncertain, for something that felt like it might never happen.

“Well,” I said, “at least we’ve got good company.”

She chuckled softly, and for a moment, the whole miserable situation didn’t feel quite as bad. “I’m Hazel,” she said, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall like she didn’t have a care in the world.

“Daniel,” I replied, offering her a half-smile. “Nice to meet you. Under interesting circumstances.”

She gave me a look that was part amused, part understanding. “You could say that. But I guess we make the best of it.”

And just like that, I was talking to someone who didn’t seem to mind that everything was going wrong. Maybe that’s all I needed at the moment. Someone who was willing to talk about anything but the obvious.

Hazel pushed herself off the wall and stuffed her hands into the pockets of her oversized hoodie. “So, what brings you all the way out here?” she asked, leaning back against the building.

I shrugged. “Family stuff. Funeral.” I felt a pang at the word, but I didn’t want to dwell on it. “I wasn’t exactly planning on taking a detour to the middle of nowhere.”

She nodded, like she understood exactly what I meant. “Yeah, not exactly a vacation spot,” she said dryly. “But hey, at least you won’t be dealing with any crowds here.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Right. Guess that’s one silver lining.”

We both stood there for a minute, not saying much, just letting the awkwardness of the situation settle. It wasn’t uncomfortable, though—just... quiet. The kind of quiet that makes you feel like you’ve got more to think about than you want to.

I checked my phone again, expecting maybe a message from my mom or something about the delay. Nothing. I looked over at the coach, which still sat there, its engine popping and sputtering like it was having some kind of existential crisis.

“So,” Hazel said, breaking the silence, “any chance you’re going to be stuck here all day?”

“Hard to say,” I muttered. “If the driver knows what he’s doing, we might get going soon. If not... well, it looks like I’m getting to know the local area real well.”

She chuckled at that, her gaze flicking across the station as though she were taking it all in. “You’ve got plenty of time to explore, I guess. Not a lot to do around here, but I can show you the really exciting places. The vending machines, the bathrooms, the bus shelter.”

I laughed, mostly because I didn’t know what else to do. “A tour guide, huh? I’m sold.”

She gave me a side-eye. “I’m just here to help you pass the time. Trust me, it’s gonna be a long one.”

At that point, a voice broke through the quiet, and I turned to see a man walk out of the station. He was older, probably in his fifties, with a beer belly that looked like it might’ve been built over decades of heavy drinking. He walked with a slight limp and wore a faded baseball cap that probably hadn’t seen a wash in months.

“Hey, Hazel!” he called, his voice rough and deep. “What are you doing out here?”

Hazel turned to him with a look of mild exasperation. “Hey, Dad,” she said, crossing her arms. “Just making sure this poor guy doesn’t die of boredom while he waits for his bus—or, well, coach.”

Her dad looked at me, sizing me up for a moment, before offering a half-hearted wave. “Better him than me,” he muttered.

Hazel rolled her eyes and gave him a quick wave, signaling for him to move along. “I’ll be fine, Dad. Don’t worry about it.”

But her dad wasn’t finished. He took a few steps forward and stopped just a little too close to me. “You know, you should watch your back out here,” he said, his tone low. “People get up to all kinds of things when they’re stranded. You might not want to get too cozy with the locals.”

I blinked, unsure if he was trying to be serious or if this was just his version of a joke. Either way, I wasn’t interested.

“I’m just waiting for the coach to get fixed,” I said, stepping back slightly. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

He gave a half shrug and muttered something under his breath as he turned and walked back toward the station. Hazel looked at me for a second, like she wasn’t sure whether to apologize or just let the moment pass.

“Sorry about that,” she said quietly. “My dad’s a little... intense sometimes.”

I just nodded, feeling an awkward weight settle over me. Hazel’s dad seemed like the kind of guy who’d make you feel unwelcome without trying, but I wasn’t going to waste time on that. Not now.

“No big deal,” I said, trying to shake it off. “I get it. Parents can be a lot.”

She smiled, that small, knowing smile again. “Yeah, tell me about it. But, hey,” she added, shifting her weight onto one foot. “I can give you a lift if you’re stuck here for too long.”

I froze. I didn’t know why, but the offer caught me off guard. Maybe it was the last thing I expected to hear from a random girl at a gas station, or maybe it was the fact that I didn’t want to put anyone out when I was already feeling like the universe had it out for me.

“I—” I hesitated. “I don’t want to be any trouble.”

Hazel waved her hand dismissively, like it was no big deal. “It’s really not a problem,” she said, glancing over at the coach again. “It could be hours before they get that thing running, and I’m headed in the same direction. If you don’t mind my dad’s... charming company, that is.”

I thought about it for a second, weighing my options. The idea of sitting around for God knows how long didn’t appeal to me, and the thought of getting a ride from Hazel sounded like it might actually be less stressful than dealing with the coach and my own emotions.

“Yeah, alright,” I said, finally caving. “I’ll take you up on that.”

Hazel smiled in that way that made it hard to say no to her. “Great. Just don’t get too excited about the ride. It’s a lot more fun when it’s not my dad driving.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle, feeling like maybe things were going to get a little more interesting after all.