Page 11 of Run Away Home: Tempered

“You live in building ninety-three, right?”

“I do.”

“I live in eighty-seven C. Not far. We should walk to our buildings together.”

“How do you know I live there?”

“I saw you leaving your apartment.”

“Okay...”

“You could come over and playCall of Dutywith me.”

“When?”

“Any day.”

“Okay.”

“Do you have a PlayStation?”

“I do. My brother just bought it for me.”

“That’s nice of him. My brother doesn’t buy me anything. My parents bought me my PlayStation.”

“Yeah, well... My brother is like my parent.”

“Oh. What’s your name on PlayStation?”

“DanMan4279.”

He pulls out his phone and types. “If you’re on tonight, I’ll send you a request. What do you play?”

“I just boughtRocket League.”

“I have that. Are you any good?”

I smile. “I think I’m pretty good.”

“I guess we’ll see. I’m sure you’re not better than me.”

Uh...What?

We’re quiet for the rest of the bus ride. He looks at his phone, and I look at the stupid stuff people wrote on the seat in front of us. “Lana + Mike = 4 eva.” Idiots... Someone else just wrote “BITCH” really big. That’s kinda funny when you think about it, just “BITCH.”

I put my knees up on the seat to cover the writing. I reach into my pocket, but my phone’s not there. Shit. I put my legs back down and dig through my backpack. I hope I didn’t leave it in the school. Wouldn’t be the first time I lost it. I reach all the way to the bottom of the bag and fish around.Got it!I get comfy again and play some dumb free matching game I downloaded this morning.

After about ten more minutes, the bus pulls up in front of our complex. We both stand before it stops.

“PLEASE REMAIN SEATED UNTIL THE BUS COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP!” the driver yells.

We look at each other, sit back down, and laugh. When you get old, like the bus driver, you start caring about things like that.

The tires squeak. That means we can stand now. We get off the bus together and walk. It’s snowing a little, so we hurry.

“Your name is Matt, right?”

“Yeah, Matt. How do you like Truman so far?”

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