Raurke had insisted that I sit on the inside and he sit on the outside on the bus ride to DC. Although I am claustrophobic, I reluctantly agreed with him. It has been 2 hours since we left and I'm about to die from several reasons:

1. I'm in a closed-in area (dang claustrophobia)

2. The emo delinquent (aka Raurke) wants and is sitting by me.

3. Raurke has been talking nonstop thus far in the trip.

4. I just wanted to die right here and now, from all the above.

This is why I’m not liking this trip.

"So dude, you plan on stealing anything on this trip?" One of Raurke’s posse buddies asked him.

"Nawwww, I don't plan on stealing objects- just women's hearts. Maybe get me some here and there," he said emotionless, not even looking at his friend.

What a total douche! I saw that he snaked his autumn-brown eyes at me seductively. He displayed a twisted smile that was directed for me. What the hell did that mean?? I thought, confused.

I just ignored it and continue to look out the window. I heard a low growl from under his breath.

"What kind of girl, dude?" Raurke’s emo posse friend pestered.

"A sexy lady… but not like the kind sitting next to me. She doesn’t have the sex appeal I want," he replied, loud enough for me to hear.

I don't know the exact moment when I lost it, but I did somewhere in those brief milliseconds before my hand reached out and slapped his stupid emo face silly. Man, I let it loose. I don't think he was expecting that to happen from the little nerd girl beside him.


"You know what? Bragging about your emo delinquent life isn't all that interesting and I know I'm not appealing or whatever but you sure as hell don't need to rub it my damn face. And you know what- I'm not afraid of you though everyone else is. So you really need to turn yourself around and shut the hell up, because frankly I don't really like your damn voice."


I had been glaring at him my whole rant and it took me a moment to realize the whole bus had fallen silent. I flushed more than I already was with embarrassment. Raurke gave me a carefree, tilted smile and began to turn around. Of course, not passing up the opportunity to annoy me again, he leaned down and whispered in my ear,

“I like it when they get mad, angel.”


And with that he blew in my ear and seductively grinned down at me, with outline of my handprint on his face.

Ever since my brouhaha with Raurke, he has been quiet. Not that I minded, but however, that still didn't solve my claustrophobia problem. I’m pretty sure I’m stuck in the narrow foot of space between Raurke and the window until we arrive at our hotel. I managed to sneak a glance at Raurke’s cheek where I had slapped him a few hours ago. It is just now starting to fade away. As the bus made its way down the narrow streets of D.C., I looked out the window. I glanced down at my iPod to see that it was about eight-thirty in the evening. The sky was just turning a pale peach color, with a streak of pink and a deep blue as the artist's background. We would be arriving at our hotel here soon enough. Somehow it calmed me down, knowing I will be able to live through this mess of a trip. My attention turned to the blurring headlights of passing cars. I saw a man in a suit sitting in his car, seeming to be yelling on a phone while honking his horn. I switched my gaze to the people on the sidewalks. It seemed to me that they were all in a group, but people were rudely pushing and shoving one another to get to their destination.

I wonder why they are in such a hurry, I think to myself. Maybe they are late to a meeting or going on a date. But it could be anything. Who would know? Only the people would know the best for themselves out of everyone else.

My eyes caught a glimpse of street performers packing up to depart after a long day’s work. I sighed quietly to myself. Obnoxiously, I heard a mocking sigh from my partner beside me.

"Will you not do that?" I said, more so demanding than asking.

Raurke looked at me all innocent-like and said, "What? I have to shut up because you don't like my voice. Now I can't sigh?"

I let out another sigh, more annoyed than my last one. To be honest, I hardly ever get mad, but this wannabe emo-delinquent just seems to bring out the worst in me.

I stared him down and said, "I know what you are trying to do, and this isn't funny, emo boy wannabe."

He grabbed his chest and faked a hurt face. He said (all innocent-like again), "You hurt me. Aren't you going to apologize? And what do you think I'm trying to do, Miss Tempa?"

Miss Tempa? Who the hell is that? I thought to myself. "You’re mocking me to get me mad, you ass hat!"

Raurke just laughed and stated, "You're reading too much of 'The Great Gatsby'. Wouldn't expect any less from a book worm, such as yourself."

I scowled at him and when I was about to say a thing or two to the jerk, but fortunately for him, the bus jerked to a halt, causing me to jerk forward and slam into the rough black seat in front of me. I groaned and rubbed my forehead to try and ease the pain, but it didn't help any. The driver opened the doors, which made the usual squeal of high pressure letting loose. Then Miss Kincaid started talking, telling us about how we'd be able chose our bedroom partners. She had to enforce strongly that boys and girls can't be in the same hotel room. After words I waited for everyone to get off the bus before getting up- and unfortunately Raurke didn't get off till I did also. Yay.

"See you tomorrow, Miss Tempa." He whispered as he swaggered off the bus.

Finally out of my hair, I thought with a sigh of relief. Well, for tonight, that is. I have all day with him tomorrow and every day until this infernal trip is over. I grabbed my luggage and sighed with relief again. A tightness I hadn’t noticed in my chest had been released. I clambered off the bus and then all too sudden, I felt a sudden impact of a body tackling my side. This caused me to drop my entire luggage set and nearly drop myself on top of it, too.

"I can't believe you!" Ali practically shouted. I confusedly hushed her while using my hands to tell her to calm down.

"You can't believe what?" I asked her, curiously.

"Oh, come on. You can't be that ditsy." Ali said with a look on her face and a raised eyebrow.

"I really don't know what you're talking about," I said, really perplexed now.

She just rolled her eyes and said, "Come on, we will talk about it in the hotel room."

It took us about half an hour to get our rooms, and not counting getting settled in. All the teachers were freaking out about who should be where. After all that mess, I came out of the shower and looked at Ali, saying, "So what were you flipping out about an hour ago?"

This comment made her perk up excitedly and declare, "What you said and did to Raurke? That took some guts. I mean, I would rather drop dead than say that to him. And let me tell you, out of all the boys on that bus- you had more balls than any of them."


With that said we both began to laugh, and she told me about the petty things her and Simon talked about. Soon enough it was lights out, and we hit the beds, and all I could think about the hell that awaited me the next day with Raurke.