Pepsi
She didn't want to take the bus.
She wasn't used to it as she always walked every day and actually enjoyed walking to places she wanted or needed to go every day. To her it just felt like she finally had time to enjoy being alone for once in her days.
She had a large family, eight siblings, and she was the oldest. They were all two sets of quadruplets. And she knew that if she felt this tired, her mom and dad must feel exhausted raising them all.
She helps out as much as she can and its also a blessing when they go to school for her mom and dad when she see's the relief as soon as they get on the bus from the house.
Maybe that's also why she doesn't want to take the bus either.
But today, was her unfortunate day.
It was raining very hard and thundering ferociously loud. And since she lost her umbrella and woke up late that she couldn't find it in time before being late, she decided to just swallow her disappointment and take the early bus.
She had skipped breakfast and when she opened her bag which was beside her closest to the window, she opened just enough to see a silver top on what she assumed was a drink of hers from yesterday that she forgot to take out.
She could see there were two and grabbed one out feeling it was still cold from when her fingertips grazed it.
She popped up the lid with a pop and took a drink feeling that same cold feeling on liquid form though as she drank it. She always loved the taste of one of those Pepsi every time she took a drink. Especially if it was cold.
It wasn't too spicy or not spicy at all. Just right.
The bus halted to a stop as she saw a boy with a midnight blue backpack approach the bus and could see his face when she looked forward as he walked on.
She hadn't seen him at all before because she knew that if she did, she wouldn't forget.
People were looking at him as he walked down the narrow yet wide enough row down the bus and he could see girls staring and making it obvious too.
Everyone was staring.
Well except for Alice because it just took one look at him and it was like his face was etched into her mind. Never to be forgotten.
Seats were taken and he couldn't seem to find one, well until he stopped.
Right where she was sitting.
He looked at her as if to silently ask to sit there, and she looked, nodded, and moved her bag from the side as she moved closer to the window.
She took two more drinks of her Pepsi as she looked out the window watching as everything felt like it was moving in slow motion.
The bus had a couple of more houses to stop by before heading to the middle school.
And then that's when she remembered that another Pepsi in her bag.
She didn't want to sit in silence with someone as she felt like it was awkward and more uncomfortable all the time.
Even if the bus had people already talking.
So, to think it would maybe start a conversation, and just being nice
She reached in her bag, reached until she felt cold metal touch her fingertips, and pulled the other Pepsi out.
She was nervous to ask him as he seemed to look like he was in another world form what she could tell by looking at him. But then again it was too late when she felt herself clear her throat and the guy look over at her when she did.
"Do you want a drink?" She asked as she held it by his hand that one the space between them.
He looked at her with curiosity in his dark blue eyes, and took the can saying, "Thanks?"
She offered a half tight smile.
"Are we even allowed to drink on the bus?" He questioned seeming unsure. She surprised herself when she chuckled a little.
"What school bus do you know that doesn't?" She jokingly questions while looking at her Pepsi in her own hand.
She looked as he raised his eyebrows and slightly smiled as he said, "Good point," leaning further back in his seat.
The sound of the pop from his can made her smile to herself as she looked at her can and took a drink as well.
"I'm Axel." He says grabbing her attention with his hand out to shake.
She was taken aback by it for a second but put her slim hand in his shaking it gently as she said
"Alice."
"So, you like Pepsi. Any other drinks you like?" She heard him ask as she felt the bus sway as it went through bumps in the roads. She decided to joke with him
"What makes you think I like Pepsi?"
"Well because people won't just bring two Pepsi's or something with them if they don't like it."
"What makes you think I put the Pepsi's in my bag?"
"Because you look like you enjoy drinking it. And because if you really didn't like it you would've probably ignored it."
Hmm, he isn't wrong, she thought to herself as she studied him a little.
"Alright, so I like Pepsi. Its a shame most people don't though."
"Right?" He agreed as he took a pause to swallow.
Hmm, good looking and likes Pepsi I think I found my match, she thought.
Or well she thought that she had thought.
"Wow, what makes you think I like Pepsi?" He says nudging her and smirking as she felt her mouth open in shock.
"I did not mean to say that out loud." She said quickly and genuinely embarrassed as she traced the brim of her can tightly closing her eyes
Axel laughed as he said, "Its fine."
Moments went by and for the being on that bus together side by side, they felt like they were in their own world.
Having conversations where they didn't have to pretend to be someone they're not.
Just them two.
Axel and Alice, Alice and Axel.
And they can both admit to themselves, that neither one of them wanted to get off of that bus when it stopped.
And let's just that that ladies and gentlemen is how Alice and axel became soon lifelong friends.
All just because of:
Two
Single
Pepsi's.
( thanks for reading and make sure to like and comment if you want. :) <3 )
