Page 2 of Storm Bound
“Excuse me, ma’am,” I said, feeling the hot breath of the guy behind me. “Can I get through?”
The woman turned around and glared at me.
“Apple, I said sit down or I’ll take your tablet away for a week,” she said without looking away from me. “Can I help?”
I looked ahead of me at all the empty seats and sighed internally.
“Yes, we’re trying to take our seats,” I said, pointing behind her, but she didn’t turn.
“And? Whatdja think we’re trying to do?”
“Oh, come on. Move it, lady,” someone shouted behind me, and again I felt the guy’s hot breath behind me.
I clenched my fists and bit my lip, trying to not lose my cool with people I’d be sharing a ride with for the better part of four hours.
“I beg your pardon,” she said, looking at me.
“I didn’t say anything,” I said.
“But yur looking at me funny. Why are ye looking at me funny?”
“I’m not looking at you funny.”
Being blocked from either direction with an aggressive woman in front of me and a creepily close man behind me made my body temperature skyrocket in mere seconds.
“Will you please let us through?” I asked, and I could practically feel the guy’s mouth on the back of my neck.
“For crying out loud, woman. Move your ass,” someone said behind me, starting a whole storm of groans.
“So rude,” the woman said, giving me a dirty glance as if I was the one to offend her.
And as if that wasn’t enough, the guy behind me was so close to me I could feel his ribs, and God knew what else on my back.
My patience was running thinner by the minute. And I was so hot that I was truly tempted to get off the busjustso I could be out in the cold and cool down. But I was blocked on either side. And the groaning behind me was getting louder.
I closed my eyes and tried to breathe. Tried to convince myself that this wasn’t a sign that I was making a big mistake by going away for six months.
I was doing it for my grandma so I could keep an eye on her and make sure she listened to me, which even after two heart scares was still not happening.
And it was my chance to just take a break from everything. Right?
The hectic job. The obsessive lifestyle. The constant stress and worry that I’d die alone. All of it.
Yes. That’s why I was doing it.
So deep breaths, Charlie. Deep breaths. You can do this.
When I opened my eyes, the woman still hadn’t budged and neither had the guy behind me.
“Will you stop that, you fucking mug!” I snapped and turned around to face the creep who didn’t know a thing about acceptable distances between strangers.
It was a middle-aged guy dripping with sweat all over and a glower that could kill it was so toxic.
“I know you’re trying to get through, but it’s not like you can phase through me, for heaven’s sake. Ever heard of personal space?”
All he did was offer me a huff and a fuck off, but he also leaned back so he wasn’t glued to me.
“And you, move it, lady. You’re holding up the whole bus, and we need to get on the road. We can’t wait for your family to sit their asses down. Jesus!”
